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“Yes,” Sage said with a firm nod of her head. “Trudy made me a world-class breakfast. I’m fairly certain my stomach is still full.”
Hank chuckled. “Why doesn’t that surprise me? Cooking is her superpower.”
Sage giggled. “I can well imagine it is. I can still taste those blueberry pancakes melting in my mouth.”
They both laughed for a moment and Hank felt reassured by Sage’s light mood. She no longer looked unwell. He knew his mother would have heard about the dizzy spell by dinnertime and he’d be peppered with a million questions. Even the slightest tidbit of news traveled fast in Owl Creek.
“Hank, why don’t you take Sage over to that booth table by the jukebox? It’s a lot more comfortable than these stools,” Piper suggested. “I’ll send someone over to take your order.”
Sage sputtered. “It’s okay, Hank. You don’t have to babysit me. I’m fine.”
He lowered his head and said in a conspiratorial manner, “Little sisters can be pretty fierce. When Piper tells me what to do, I tend to listen.”
The smile Sage sent in his direction threatened his equilibrium. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had made him feel so completely off-kilter.
Once they settled into the booth, Hank didn’t waste any time following up on his questions regarding her episode.
“So, do you often get dizzy like that?” Although he didn’t want to pry, Hank wondered if she was su
ffering from a medical condition. Perhaps that’s what she had been hiding. He still couldn’t rid himself of the notion of there being more to Sage Duncan than met the eye.
Sage shook her head. “Never. Perhaps it’s the change in climate. Or dehydration like Piper suggested.” She shrugged. “I feel a lot better now.”
“Hey! Sorry I’m late.” Hank looked over to see Gabriel standing at their booth. He’d totally forgotten about his lunch plans with his best friend. The incident with Sage had thrown him a bit off course.
“Hi there,” Sage murmured in a friendly voice.
“Hello. I’m Gabriel Lawson. You must be Sage,” Gabe said, sticking out his hand to shake Sage’s.
“Yes. Sage Duncan. Nice to meet you, Gabriel.”
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Gabriel jerked his thumb in Hank’s direction. “I was supposed to be meeting this guy for lunch, but it seems he’s forgotten all about me.” Gabe smirked at him.
“I didn’t forget,” Hank said, feeling annoyed at Gabriel for absolutely no reason he could fathom.
“Please sit down. If anything, I’m the one who’s barging in here.” Sage scooted over to make room for Gabriel. Hank felt a strange sensation as he watched his buddy sit down next to her. It was the oddest thing—he loved Gabe like a brother, but it felt as if he was horning in on his time with Sage. It left him feeling befuddled. Sage was a sweet and beautiful woman, but he didn’t have a claim on her. So why did he feel so out of sorts?
“I hope you’re enjoying your time in Owl Creek,” Gabriel said. How had Hank forgotten how charming his friend could be around females? Throughout their lives everyone had loved Gabe for his winning personality. Connor had been known for his classic good looks while Hank himself had been viewed as the proverbial boy next door.
“Owl Creek is a great town,” Sage responded, a slight smile hovering at the corner of her lips. “Frankly, I hadn’t expected all of this commotion. The brochures I read said it was a quiet Alaskan town.”
Gabriel groaned. “Tell me about it. This morning when I went into Java to get a coffee, a journalist was waiting by the door with a microphone and a camera crew barraging me with questions about the Norths’ reward. I’m getting really good at saying no comment.”
“Has there been any progress?” Sage asked. “Were they able to track down who wrote the letter?”
“Not unless you consider hundreds of calls from charlatans as progress. There were no fingerprints on the letter and it was postmarked from New York City, so it’s a dead end,” Hank answered. “Offering monetary inducements doesn’t usually bring out the best in people.” The information about the letter had already been released to the media, so he knew he wasn’t revealing any tightly kept secrets.
“I’m sure Willa and Nate did what they thought best,” Gabriel countered. “It’s easy for all of us to judge, but they’re in a tough spot.”
“I wasn’t judging,” Hank snapped. “I was making an observation based on my professional experiences.”
A sudden tension bristled between them. Sage nervously twiddled her fingers and looked down at the menu. Hank and Gabriel locked eyes across the table. The vibe between them was off. Just then, their waiter, Dexter, showed up at the table and the focus shifted toward placing their orders. Light conversation ensued until their orders came. Gabe regaled them with tales of his bush pilot adventures while Sage talked about her second grade students. Hank added a few anecdotes about being sheriff in a small town.
“I hate to eat and run, but I have to meet Trudy down the street. She’s giving me a ride back to the inn. I’m going to go take care of my tab at the counter.”
Gabriel stood up from the table so she could exit. “It was really nice to meet you, Sage,” he told her. “Enjoy the rest of your day.”
“Thanks, Gabriel,” Sage said. “It was a pleasure to meet you, as well.” She turned toward Hank. “Thanks for the rescue earlier. I really appreciate it.”
