“I usually get the Cuban, but I’ve had the turkey before and it’s pretty good. Is that what you want? What about to drink?” His muscles thanked him when he stood up. He looked forward to the walk across the street, short as it may be.
“Yes, please, and a sweet tea to drink.” She stood and crossed the room, grabbed her purse hanging from a dining room chair.
He declined the money she attempted to hand him. “I told you I’m buying. A small way to say thanks for your help today.”
She stashed the money in her wallet and smiled. “Thanks, but I’d have helped with nothing in return. I’m a history nerd. I love tracking down information.”
“Either way, I really appreciate your efforts.” His own stomach rumbled this time. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
When he stepped outside, rays of sun met his gaze and warmed his skin. The fog had lifted since he’d arrived at Anna’s earlier that day. If anyone had had told him how this day would have turned out, he would have scoffed. Not only find the bottle, but that he’d spent hours researching with Anna and lost track of time.
He studied when needed. Marketing trends, sales reports, the necessities to be successful in his career. Researching for fun? He never would those words next to each other in the same sentence.
The deli was empty of customers, typical of the hour during off season. He was able to place his order within seconds of walking in, and five minutes later carried a bag of sandwiches, chips, and pickles along with a drink tray of two iced teas back to Anna’s apartment.
He knocked with the hand not carrying the food. Anna quickly opened the door. “I cleared off the kitchen table while you were gone. We can eat there, and it will be a better workspace and allow us to spread out the notes we’re taking.”
“Perfect.” After crossing the room, he set the bag and carrier on the table and unpacked the food. He washed his hands at the kitchen sink before eating.
Anna sat across from him at the table. “Oh, good, you got pickles. Some days, I’ll buy a few and have only those for lunch. They also make great fried pickles, but I have to be feeling ambitious to makes those.”
Her chattering made him smile. He enjoyed listening to her as they ate. Despite him invading and taking over her day, she didn’t appear a bit disturbed and had welcome him into her home. Looking across the table at her, it struck him that she’d turned into a beautiful woman. As a teen, she’d often had a tan born from a bottle, but her creamy skin had only a hint of a tan from natural time spent in the sun. Her sun-kissed hair was pulled into a ponytail, and her jade green eyes were only a few shades darker than the bottle he’d found.
When had she grown from the gangly teen he’d known for years into the woman she was now? Disgusted with his train of thought, he closed down those paths. Regardless of the woman she’d become, she was still his sister’s best friend, and he had no business even thinking of her in any other terms.
“Am I talking too much?” she asked. “I tend to do that when I get excited, and it’s the small things in life that make me happy, so I talk a lot.”
“Not at all,” he assured her, amused. “No wonder you and Kelly are friends. She’s the same way.”
Anna laughed. “Back in high school, before we could drive, your parents and mine would joke about needing earplugs every time they drove us anywhere. I’m not sure we ever shut up. Even now, Tommy jokes that he can’t get a word in edgewise when Kelly and I are in the same room, except now, there’s also Reagan, who you know can also talk up a storm.”
“Don’t I know? Especially when she starts on her ponies.”
“Oh no. What time is it?” Anna’s eyes opened wide.
He looked at his watch. “Five after four.”
She groaned. “I completely forgot that I’m baby-sitting Reagan tonight. Tommy and Kelly will be here any minute with her.”
“Oh man.” He jumped up and began gathering his trash. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, but I know you don’t want anyone to know about your find…”
“And if they show up and I’m here, there will be questions,” he finished for her.
“Exactly.” She took the trash from his hands. “I’ll finish cleaning up so you can be on your way.”
He hesitated. True, he didn’t want to reveal his find to anyone other than Anna, and he only told her because she could help him find information, but he didn’t feel right leaving her to clean up a mess he helped make.
A knock sounded on the door.
Too late.
Anna grimaced. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, really,” he promised while inwardly groaning. Guess he was fessing up to his sister. That or come up with a lie as to why he was at Anna’s, but that didn’t sit well with him.
She moved her arms in a questioning manner after she threw out the trash and moved toward the door. “What do I do?” she mouthed.
