A chuckle rumbled up inside him. “I like him already.”
“Fair warning—that won’t win you brownie points from me if you follow in his footsteps. I have to rein him in on a regular basis. Bri does too. From what I heard, her future husband and Jack had quite an altercation at their first meeting.”
“Duly noted.”
“However, I do appreciate your concern. And for whatever reason, protectiveness from you doesn’t rankle me like it does from Jack.”
“I’ll take that as a positive sign.” He was out of excuses to extend the conversation. “I’ll call you before Thursday.” Or drop in for a visit if he came up with a way to give Natalie his housekeeper’s contact information without telling her he and Cara had discussed it.
“I’d like that. See you soon.”
As they rang off, he watched through the window as a stray hummingbird zipped over to a patch of late-blooming goldenrod at the edge of the yard, where it flitted among the flowers in search of nectar to help sustain it during its long, tardy journey south for the winter. If it didn’t leave soon for warmer climes, it would be in big trouble. Hummingbirds weren’t designed to live in a cold environment.
Neither were humans.
Happily, his world had warmed into the balmy range, thanksto the historical anthropologist who’d begun to dominate not only his waking thoughts but his dreams.
Another incentive to get answers in Micah’s case.
Cara’s safety had become a top priority, and peace of mind on that score would be elusive as long as doubts plagued him about the man’s death. If a murderer was on the loose, who knew when—or why—they might strike again?
He expelled a breath and turned away from the lengthening shadows outside as dusk succumbed to the encroaching darkness.
One thing for sure.
If someone had killed once, they’d kill again.
Meaning anyone who got in their way would be in deadly danger.
EIGHTEEN
ALL DRESSED UPAND NO PLACE TO GO.
What a bummer.
Expelling a breath, Cara made a face at her phone. Set it on the desk in the cottage.
Brad had been super apologetic, but when two young children went missing in your jurisdiction and the state patrol was called in to assist, duty took precedence over a date.
Totally understandable.
Also totally disappointing.
But finding those kids was way more important than a cozy dinner for two. And Brad had promised to reschedule ASAP.
Cara wandered over to the fridge in the cottage and opened the door. Surveyed the freezer compartment. Her initial stash of microwave dinners stared back at her, untouched, thanks to Natalie’s generous invitation to join her for evening meals.
If Steven hadn’t arrived for his weekend visit a day early, she’d mosey over to the house and suggest treating her hostess to dinner at the diner in town, as she had on a couple of previous occasions.
Or she could knock on the door, tell Natalie about the canceled date, and ask to borrow two eggs. Knowing her benefactor,an invitation to join her and Steven for dinner would follow.
But much as she enjoyed the company of Natalie’s cousin, she was too geared up for a date with Brad to socialize with a different man, no matter how charming and handsome he was.
A frozen meal would have to suffice.
After selecting one of the dinners, she put it in the microwave and set the timer. Then she stepped out of her heels, padded across the floor to her closet, and pulled out her most comfortable pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. No need to impress anyone tonight with a chic ensemble.
It didn’t take long to eat her dinner once the microwave pinged, leaving the whole empty evening to fill.
