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“I meant sightseeing.”
“Well, that’s a sight I’d like to see.”
“Kathleen, are you going to embarrass me when we stop?”
“I aim to try. That was a pretty drive, by the way.”
Unable to shift the conversation, Martha pulled up at Devil’s Elbow and parked. “We’re going for a stroll to see the bridge and the Big Piney River and then we’ll get something to eat. We’re right in the middle of the Ozarks. Loggers used to float the logs down the river here and they had to negotiate this horrid bend, which is why it’s called Devil’s Elbow. I read that they didn’t have a barrier on the road originally. I think we both know where I would have ended up. Floating down the Big Piney River along with the logs.”
Kathleen was staring along the dusty road. “We appear to have struck lucky. And so soon! Over there—” She pointed. “That man is handsome, although no doubt you would use a different word. What would you call him? Cute?”
“I’d call him a stranger.” Was Kathleen really going to do this? Martha had assumed she was joking. “Could you at least not point?”
“How else will you know who I’ve identified? It would be terrible if you picked the wrong man.”
“Yeah, well I’m good at that.” Martha locked the car and glanced over at the man. He was leaning against a wall, deep in conversation with another man. His jeans rode snugly around strong legs and his shoulders were broad and solid. He held himself with a certain relaxed confidence that was undeniably attractive. Hot, she thought. She’d call him hot, but there was no way she was admitting that. Kathleen was already out of control. And also watching Martha closely.
“What do you think? His hair could do with a cut, and he needs a shave but he’s probably been traveling like us, so we’ll forgive him that.”
Martha slipped the car keys into her bag. “He’s too far away for me to see his face.”
“We’ll move closer.”
“No way. I’m buying us food and we’re going to walk to the river and eat there. Any preferences? Are you coming in with me?”
“I’ll stay with the car.”
When Martha came back loaded with food and drink Kathleen was deep in conversation with the man she’d identified as “cute.”
“Martha!” Kathleen waved. “Over here.”
“I’m going to kill her.” Martha tried to find a reason not to join her, but failed to find one that didn’t sound rude so she gave in to pressure and joined Kathleen and her new friend.
“Josh here was telling me that we absolutely have to stay an extra day in Arizona and see the Grand Canyon. He’s doing Route 66 too, can you believe that?”
Martha didn’t point out that since they were, in fact, on the old section of Route 66 that point was pretty obvious. Nor that they already had a visit to the Grand Canyon planned. “What a coincidence.”
His eyes crinkled at the corners and he extended a hand. “Josh Ryder. Kathleen here has been telling me all about your trip so far. Traveling with her must be an eye-opener.”
“In more ways than you can possibly imagine.”
Kathleen winked at her.
Subtlety, Martha thought, wasn’t one of her skills. “I bought us both a pulled pork sandwich. I thought we could eat it near the river. Goodbye, Josh. Safe travels.”
“Josh is hitchhiking,” Kathleen said. “Isn’t that intrepid?”
“Very.” Martha waved the bag and Josh smiled.
“Smells good.”
Okay so he was very sexy, Kathleen wasn’t wrong about that.
“I need to visit the restroom. You two young things get to know each other in my absence.” Kathleen headed away from them and Martha stared after her with exasperation, which mounted when she turned and found Josh laughing.
“It’s been a while since I was described as a ‘young thing’. She’s quite a character.”
No kidding.
