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“I’m going to regret admitting this later, but I had a great uncle named Canyon. Either he was born in a canyon or conceived in one, or hell, he might have lived in one. I can’t remember.”
I squinted at him, trying to determine if he was serious. “You’re joking, right?”
“Wish I could say I was,” he returned solemnly.
“I don’t even know what to say to that.”
“You could start by asking if his father’s name was Valley,” he suggested.
I gave him a genuine smile. “I was actually going to guess Gorge.”
“Ah, she does have a sense of humor,” he mused with a wink.
“Occasionally.”
Stone flashed his brilliant white teeth. “There may be hope for us to be friends after all.”
Chapter Four
Muriella
“Where are we going?”I asked once we were in Stone’s F-150 pickup. He’d led us out the back of the apartment building to the alley, where he’d parked out of sight. In my nervousness, I hadn’t really thought about the fact he was a movie star. When I was with him, Ineverthought about that. He didn’t complain about being chased by paparazzi and was quite good at avoiding them.
I was grateful for his discretion because I didn’t need the attention. One photo of me posted in the international media, and my perfect life would be over. That was another reason this was stupid. Sharing the spotlight with Stone was too risky. There wasn’t a day when I didn’t worry that the past would catch up with me. With every year that passed, I became more relaxed, but there was always a chance I’d be found. Last night had brought that reality crashing back.
“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, would it?” A cocky grin spread on his tanned face. It was as if he’d struck a match and tossed it inside me.
“I suppose not,” I returned primly. I was trying to collect myself, but I was wound up tight, sitting stiffly, my back so straight it didn’t touch the plush black leather. It was then I noticed a man singing through the car speakers about cowboys and angels. This was so Stone, country music and a pickup truck in the city, but as I listened to the words, I realized the song was not playing by accident, which only heightened my nervousness.
Stone placed his hand palm up on the console, an invitation he’d never made before. “Muriella.” He waited until I turned to look at him, which was a good four blocks. “It’s just me.”
I blinked at his hand. “I know,” I said quietly before I glanced away. I wiped my hands on my jeans. I wasn’t ready.
Stone didn’t know I’d never been on a date. Literally never. That the only man I allowed myself to be alone with was Daniel…except that time in Capri. He was aware there was something, but neither Vivian nor Daniel had betrayed my confidence. It was one thing for them to know my history, but I had my pride. It wasn’t Stone’s business that I not only didn’t trust men, I was afraid of them.
The previous night with the thugs Daniel did business with had only reinforced that fear: men touch violently and without permission. And even though I knew Stone was an exception to this rule, I had trouble feeling the difference.
“I wanted to take you to Texas but figured we’d waste half our day on a plane.” Stone maneuvered through traffic as if he’d been driving in New York City all of his life.
“But what could we do there we can’t do here? This city has everything.” I looked out the window and marveled at the holiday decorations.
“I could show you what’s important to me. You could see my home, meet my mama, get to know me better.”
I was glad we weren’t doing that. “I already know you.”
“People are different when they’re at home. Except you. No matter where in the world we’ve been, you’re always the same,” he said.
“That’s because my home is wherever Daniel and Vivian are.”
He nodded, though it seemed impossible he wouldn’t know that for as much time as he’d spent around us.
“I’ve wanted you to meet my family for years, but it just never worked out. Y’all were always here, there, and everywhere. And you know how my schedule is.” He shrugged.
I sensed his disappointment, but I wasn’t sure if it was because we didn’t know his family or for the time he’d lost with the people most important to him. The urge to soothe that disappointment was strong.
“I know Miss Ruby, and everyone else through her letters.”
“She won’t tell me what you two write about.”
