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As Bunny continued to ramble, Andi’s gaze went to the front door as it opened.
Someone stepped inside.
Andi felt her lungs tighten.
Skeeter.
And his gaze went right to hers, hunger flashing in his eyes.
* * *
Duke tried to concentrate on eating his fish sandwich, but Bunny continued to linger close.
The woman was entertaining and charming enough to flatter a mosquito, but she was also the biggest flirt he’d ever met.
He wasn’t interested in dating—he was waiting for Celeste.
Uncountable people had told him he should move on, but he wasn’t ready to do that. How could he turn his back on the woman he loved and wanted to spend the rest of his life with?
If the roles were reversed, he hoped Celeste would wait for him. He thought she would.
Duke saw Andi’s expression suddenly change and followed her gaze toward the entrance.
A scrawny man with a pointy nose had stepped inside, his focus on Andi.
“Well, well, well.” The man sauntered over toward them and paused, stuffing his boney hands into the pockets of his dirty jeans.
The man seemed to be the definition of a hillbilly with his crooked teeth, mangy hair, and displaced cockiness.
“I see what you’re doing instead of taking care of your truck.” His gaze raked over Andi.
“Do I need to remind you that I’m stuck up here until the road opens? Just like you?” Andi stared at the man, defiance in her gaze . . . and maybe a touch of unease. Or was that fear?
Wait . . . was this the man Duke had heard contact her on the CB yesterday?
Instantly, Duke bristled. The tone that guy had used . . . it was that of a predator.
He’d heard it before, and nothing put him on edge more quickly.
“You taking me up on my offer? You looking for a place to stay?” He glanced around the table. “Or have you already been taken care of?”
“I’m taking care of myself just fine,” Andi snapped.
He stepped closer. “I’ve always liked that feistiness about you. Apparently, I’m not the only one.”
More than anything, Duke wanted to step in.
But he didn’t.
Not yet.
“I can’t wait to tell my father you took a trip up here with these two,” Skeeter continued. “You working a side job?”
“I’m not doing anything wrong. I delivered my load.”
“You’re on company time right now. You might get penalized.” He said that last line singsong, as if the trouble she might get in would be enjoyable—for him at least.
That did it. Duke scraped his chair back and rose, feeling his chest broaden as his muscles constricted. “Andi didn’t invite you into this conversation.”
