Page 27 of Condor’s Vow

Hattie took a sip of the coffee to hide her grin and failed.

“You really like him.”

“I do. He makes me feel like I’m the only thing that matters in his world. We talk every day, about everything and nothing. When we’re together, it’s as if we’ve always known each other except there’s this undercurrent of excitement that just seeing him gives me. He sat here all night with us when Dad’s pneumonia took hold and we weren’t sure he’d pull through. He introduced himself to my father six times, never once getting irritated that he had to keep doing it.”

“You love him,” Mickie said softly.

Hattie’s mouth fell open. “No. It’s too soon.”

Mickie gripped her hand across the table. “Hattie, when you’re making plans for this big reno you’re doing, who do you see sharing that space with you?”

Hattie took a second to get her thoughts together as she realized Mickie was right. She did love him. “I love him.”

Mack’s nose wrinkled as she smiled. “I’m happy for you, Hattie.”

“I’m scared,” Hattie admitted quietly.

“Why?” Mack asked softly.

“What if he doesn’t feel the same?”

“He feels the same, Hattie. No man who doesn’t love you would spend the time he does thinking about you. He may not have said it yet because he probably thinks the same as you do, that it’s too soon, but he’s showing it in his actions.”

Hattie let that sink in and knew her friend was right or at least hoped she was because if she were wrong, Hattie would be gutted. Her friends changed the subject to Thanksgiving, and Mack and Mickie told her about their plans and asked about hers.

As she was finishing her cake, she saw a man dressed in a Jason from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre mask staring at them. It wasn’t anything that he was doing that made the hairs on her neck stand up, but a feeling she didn’t like.

“What is it?” Mickie seemed to pick up on her unease.

“Don’t turn around, but there’s a guy in a Halloween costume, and he’s staring at me. It’s giving me the creeps.”

“You should tell Clay.”

“What? Tell him a guy in a Halloween costume was staring at me and it freaked me out? That’s kind of the purpose of them, and he isn’t the only one in a costume here.”

“Still, you have a gut instinct for a reason, and Dax says you should never ignore it.”

Clay had said the same thing to her the other night when she’d told him she felt like someone was watching her when she got in her car at the hospital. He’d even pulled the footage, but there’d been nobody watching her that they could see.

“Yeah, I’ll mention it tonight when he comes over.”

“So, are you living in the new-old place now?” Mack frowned at her own description and laughed.

“Yep, all moved in, and I sign the papers in two weeks when the lawyers have checked everything to make sure it’s above board.”

The three finished their coffee and cake and talked about other things until it was time for Mack and Mickie to leave. The guy who’d freaked her out had left, and she put the feeling down to stress. She hugged her friends and walked them to the exit, promising to catch up soon.

Checking on her dad, she found him awake. “Hey, Dad, how are you feeling?” Her heart was always happy when he recognized her and was lucid.

“Better, I feel hungry.”

He’d always been a man of few words, but Hattie knew he showed his love with his actions instead. “I can get you some soup and fruit salad?”

“Ah, yes, broccoli cheese if you can and maybe a satsuma. I don’t want anything too heavy.”

“I’ll get Todd to bring it in. He shouldn’t be long, and that place on the River Walk does the best soup.”

“Thank you, sweetheart. Now, tell me about this boyfriend of yours.”