A visit from the sheriff.
Barring another disaster or medical emergency, however, he’d have no excuse to stop by. And Natalie had endured more than her share of those this month.
Cara sidestepped a large rock.
Too bad she hadn’t crossed paths with him on her trip to town yesterday—ostensibly to restock her supply of bagels, ifanyone had asked. No way would she have admitted that her real motive had been the hope of another chance encounter with the sheriff, like the one she’d enjoyed the day of Natalie’s doctor visit.
It was just as well that they hadn’t met, though. Letting herself get interested in a man who lived two hours from Cape wouldn’t be prudent. He was GU, as her brother had once termed a woman who lived too far away to consider dating. Geographically undesirable.
Steven, on the other hand, was safe. Because much as she enjoyed his company, the lack of sparks between them suggested they had no long-term future. If that happened to—
At a sudden movement a few yards ahead to her right, she jolted to a stop, fingers tightening on her pepper gel.
A nimble doe sprang up onto the narrow path from the steep bank that led down to the water. Stopped. Looked at her.
Odd.
All the deer she’d encountered on the property had bounded away the instant they’d noticed her.
This one didn’t move.
And it was blocking the path.
Would taking a step or two forward convince it to bolt?
Worth a try.
She edged forward, but the deer didn’t budge.
Huh.
Maybe she should barge ahead and hope the doe would take off.
But what if it didn’t? What if this animal with the big, soulful eyes attacked her instead?
Unlikely—but why take the risk?
So unless there was an off-trail option to skirt the deer, she’d have to retrace her entire route or wait for it to leave.
She inspected the hill to her left, which slanted up. Too steep to traverse.
Turning her attention to the right, she peered down the short slope to the water. It wasn’t quite as vertical as the incline on the left, but—
Wait.
What was that?
She changed position to get a clearer view between the branches of the trees.
Was that Micah’s boat, caught in a tangle of reeds and tall grasses on this shallow edge of the lake?
Yes, it was.
How strange.
Why would he let his boat drift into such a difficult area to access?
At a sudden rustle to her left, she swung back toward the deer.
