He opened his mouth to respond and then shut it again. She might have been right before. But now, God, she was wrong. So totally wrong he wanted to laugh.
He loved Abby. The knowledge was so clear, so right, that he could almost have hugged this woman for showing him.
Almost. Instead, he smiled and put out his hand—to her obvious shock. Now, he wanted one thing and one thing only: to get rid of her so he could go to Abby. He’d have to brave the crowds at the Nook to get to her, but what did that matter?
“Thank you.”
“What?”
“I appreciate you coming here and trying. I know how hard this must have been.” She blinked. “But I’ve got to go.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Actually…will you take me into town?” he asked, to Céline’s obvious surprise.
“What are you talking—”
“Don’t ask, all right? Just…just go out to your car. Pretend to say good-bye to me on the porch, drive past that curve down there, and then wait. Will you do that?”
“You’ve gone mad,” she whispered, eyes round with shock and pity and a hint of revulsion.
“Please. Just take me into town and drop me—”
“Luc, you’re worrying me. Let me take you back to France. Back to your life, not to this…wild place.”
“If you don’t want to give me a ride, fine. I’ll just—”
She huffed a sigh, looked around the cabin, and turned back to him. “Around the bend? That’s where I wait?”
“Yes.”
She shook her head but finally agreed. “You will explain this to me?”
“Yes, of course,” he lied. But he didn’t owe this woman a solitary thing. Nothing.
It was night outside when he made a big show of waving her off before heading inside again and locking the front door. He stuffed the fire full of wood, turned off the lights, grabbed his coat, and whistled for Le Dog. No way he’d leave him out here alone when God only knew what those crazies would do next. As quietly as he could, he made his way out the kitchen door—too bad he didn’t have a key for this one—and down the hill, half expecting that Céline had left without him.
He ignored her protests when Le Dog hopped in first, then got in, pulled the door not quite closed, and said. “Let’s go.Go!”
They rode in silence, Luc ducked low until they’d gotten to the main road. Céline’s driving, too fast and choppy at the best of times, was much worse with an automatic. Her hand hovered over the gearshift, as if she itched to grab it.
“Pull in there,” he said as they sped down Main Street, past the dermatology clinic where he’d last seen Abby, and on to the Nook, the only place open at this time of night. His breathing picked up speed at the possibility of seeing her.
She pulled over and looked at him, her expression almost comically shocked. “You’re going in there? You? In a bar?” And then, totally unexpectedly, she burst into laughter. “Oh. My God. It’s a woman! You’re… Wait. Are youstalkingher or something? Is that why you had me drive you? Because I will not—”
“Of course not.” His face flushed red. “It’s…it’s more complicated than that.”
“I see.” Although he didn’t think she did. She stilled, then, her eyes serious on him, and whispered, “You’re in love.”
His chest convulsed.
“Okay, okay.” She smiled, almost affectionately, and nodded. “Okay.” She patted his hand. “Go on. I’ll… Good-bye, Luc.” She gave his hand a squeeze and released him, looking sad now.
Luc got out of the car and stood on the sidewalk to watch her pull away. He looked down at Le Dog, noticing for the first time that, though he’d gotten him a collar, he’d never bothered with a leash. Not that they needed one. Le Dog was never far.
It suddenly occurred to him that he couldn’t very well bring the animal inside the bar with him.
Luc lifted his gaze to the Nook’s bright sign and fogged-up windows and the long line of cars parked out front. Christ, what had he gotten himself into?
