Ayana blinked a little, but she recovered quickly, her smile warm.“I see how it is,” she said.“You want to put me to work.”
“Of course.You’re cool.And new in town.And nice.And interesting.And you know how to do a lot of things.”
Ayana laughed.“And I must look like an easy mark,” she said.“That’s quite a list of accomplishments you’ve made for me, Petal.”
“My mom says you lure more bees with honey than vinegar.”
“So I’m a bee now.”Ayana laughed then walked closer to him and slid her arm through his.“Bzzzzzzz.”She grinned, looping him into her teasing, and he forgot how to swallow.
“Are you up for a short stroll to shake off the library and help see these do-gooder hooligans to Harry’s House?”
Feeling like he’d been caught up in an alternative world, he and Ayana followed the kids out into the late afternoon.
*
Ayana tipped herhead back to look at the purpling sky with the orange streaks through the puffy gray of a few clouds whispering over what she’d learned was called Copper Mountain due to the very brief copper boon in the nineteenth century.The air was fresh and clean and chilly, and she felt as if her cells sucked up all the fresh air, plumping out with the chill breeze skating down the Absaroka Range.
It was beautiful here.There was an unstudied, practical, rugged beauty to the town.A sweetness to the people.They were welcoming.
Don’t get attached.
“Why are we following teenagers to Harry’s House?This would be an interesting plot twist in a horror movie.”
“Did you just make a joke?”Ayana asked as a feeling of wellbeing bubbled over.
Once she’d run her way to freedom, she always enjoyed life—dug up or found moments of joy because she knew they were hard-earned, but the innocence and trust of the teenagers was intoxicating.She felt like that was how lifeshouldbe—innocence and friends.Spending an unexpected hour with them today had felt healing.
“Did I?”
He was serious and more warmth infused her.Telford was unexpectedly sweet.Calm, deliberate, smart, and analytical, but the arrogance she’d expected was absent.He didn’t act like any man she’d ever met.But maybe this was a show.It had only been a couple of days over a week.
I can always run.
“I don’t know you as well as I will.”She feigned seriousness.“But I suspect there is humor lurking under your polished exterior.”
“Polished,” he repeated.“I bought clothes locally so I wouldn’t look corporate.”
His polish came from more than his clothes, but she didn’t want to hurt his feelings and wasn’t that a weird way to think about a man who could snap his fingers and buy just about anything he wanted.
Even a wife.
“I think it’s you, and you should lean into it,” she said briskly.
“You never answered my question.Why are we following kids to Harry’s House, and who is Harry?Surely, they won’t be attacked walking a few blocks down Main Street, Montana, USA.”
“Harry’s House is a nonprofit.It’s an after-school program for kids—littles through teens.It was founded in memory of Harry Monroe—a first responder who was killed in an accident along the highway while helping some out-of-town seniors change a tire.He was Joanie at the western wear shop’s younger brother.The family also owns a grocery store.”
He stopped walking.“How do you know all this?”
“My own brand of research.”She dialed back the smirk.“You head to the archives.I talk to locals.”She stood on tiptoes and brushed her lips against his and then placed her mouth near his ear to whisper.“Petal is a Telford.So’s Lucas.”
“Sneaky,” he said sounding impressed, “and a little creepy.I married a stalker.”
She laughed and then held his hand again, enjoying the connection in a way she hadn’t imagined.“I’ll have that made into a T-shirt,” she teased.“But I also thought seeing a local nonprofit that has a high degree of community support might help kick-start your thoughts about a legacy for Cam—if you wanted to buy a ranch in his honor, great, but you’ll want to do something with it.”
He stopped walking and stared at her.Had she overstepped?
“Ayana, you humble me.”
