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Amalie frowned. “Not to my knowledge. Why do you ask?”
“Because we have one in the family. Ella Pope is the oldest living family member on the mountain, and the whole family claims she’s got the sight. It was the way you said that it wasn’t the mountain that drew you, it was me.” He grinned. “It’s something she would say.”
“What a gift she must be to all of you,” Amalie said.
Sean gave her a look. “Gifts come in many different ways, and I’m starving. Let’s get inside where it’s warm, but give me a sec. The pavement might be slick.”
He exited the car, took her hand as she got out, then tucked her arm beneath his elbow as they headed inside.
Sean could see Amalie was nervous, but the moment they walked in, the hustle and bustle of the waitresses and diners and the engaging aromas coming from the kitchen took precedence over how she feared people would perceive her. Then he saw the hostess coming toward them.
“Hey, Sean! Great to see you again,” she said.
“Hi, Betts. Looks like a busy night. How’s your dad? Mom said he had a fall.”
“Still limping and griping, but he’s on the mend. Two for dinner?” she asked, smiling at Amalie.
“Yes. Betts, this is my friend Amalie Lincoln. She’sthe new CPA in town. Amalie, this is Betts Glass, short for Bethany. She’s one of the many cousins. Her grandmother was a Pope.”
“Nice to meet you, Betts. Sean’s been filling me in on the size of the family. I’m impressed,” Amalie said.
Betts laughed. “You either sink or swim in our bunch. There are three interconnected families. Pope, Glass, and Cauley, all original settlers, and too many of us to count. Would you like a table or a booth?”
“A table in a corner would be awesome,” Sean said. “We have a lot of catching up to do.”
“You’ve got it,” she said. “This way, please.”
By the time they’d shed their coats and taken their seats, they had put in their order for drinks and an appetizer, then began scanning the menu for entrées.
“What are you hungry for tonight?” Sean asked.
“Pretty much anything I don’t have to cook,” Amalie said. “I spent all day either at the office or in the shops. When you called, it made a good day even better.” But the moment Amalie said that, she felt like she’d said too much and returned to reading the menu.
A few minutes later, the waiter brought out the appetizer.
“Are you ready to order?” he asked.
“I am,” Amalie said. “I want something warm and soupy…so I think I’ll have a bowl of gumbo and rice, with a side of jalapeño hush puppies.”
“Sounds perfect. Make that two,” Sean said.
“Then I guess we’re on the same wavelength,” she said.
Sean was watching the play of light off her hair and in her eyes and almost forgot to comment. “Uh…I guess we are.”
The waiter went to turn in their order, leaving them with the hot baked artichoke-cheese dip and a basket of bite-size bread chunks in different flavors.
“Dig in, but be careful. This stuff comes hot out of the oven,” Sean said.
“One of my foster mothers used to say, ‘Hot enough to burn the hair off your tongue.’ She was full of adages, but not much else.”
Before Sean could answer, he heard someone say his name and looked up, then groaned.
“Oh lord.”
“What?” Amalie said, and then saw a man in a police uniform heading toward them with a big grin on his face. “Whoa. He looks like you.”
“With good reason,” Sean said.
