One of the boys shouted, “He got a tummy ache!”
A little girl said, “His foot hurt.”
Rufus pointed at her. “That’s right. His foot hurt.”
I stared, stunned. Rufus wasn’t hurting the kids. Instead he was telling them a story—a children’s story—and they were eating it up.
He spoke with gusto and drama. The children laughed and clapped, happy at the entertainment.
I stiffened. This was only a facade. The real Rufus lay hidden deep inside that man.
A voice spoke beside me. “Morning, Clem.”
I smiled, the spell on me broken. “Morning, Julie.”
Besides Sadie, Julie Bender was the next closest friend I had that was my age. Her light brown skin always seemed to gleam under the lights, and her chocolate-colored eyes met me with kindness.
She handed me a paper cup. “Here’s your mocha. Chocolate, breakfast of champions.”
I tipped my head. “Thank you. What do I owe you?”
“Nothing.” She nodded to Rufus appreciatively. “He’s been entertainment and help enough.”
My jaw dropped. “Ru—I mean, John?”
She nodded. “Yep. Helped me serve the customers this morning, and now he’s entertaining the kids. Look at how they’re smiling. They all love him.”
I glared at Rufus. Yes, they loved him, but they didn’t know the real man behind the face. Underneath that skin lay a stone-cold villain, one that I had to keep the town safe from.
Chapter 10
Ieyed Rufus as he finished up the story. The children, bless them, loved him. The moms, naive as all get-out, loved Rufus as well. Several approached after he finished, batting eyelashes and touching his arm gingerly.
Rufus, for what it was worth, glanced up and met my gaze. Hopefully he enjoyed the glare I threw him thanks to the deep hatred that I felt in my heart.
As one of the mothers spoke to him, he nodded absently, his gaze lingering on me. A tightness in my chest uncoiled, and heat rushed to my cheeks. I glanced away, annoyed.
“You might have a hard time getting John away from all those women,” Julie said. “I’m sure they’ve heard of his predicament and how he’s lost his memory.”
“I’m sure,” I nearly growled.
Julie lifted her brows. “Jealous?”
“What? Me?” I spat. “You’re kidding, right? Of him? A man who wears leather pants in a small town?”
She winked. “Very rock star, don’t you think?”
I sputtered, annoyed that I’d even mentioned it.
“Clem, I’m glad I found you.”
Shane Prader strode up, concern washing over his face. Before I could greet him, he wrapped me in a hug. It took all my balance to keep from sloshing hot mocha on him.
“Ooh,” I said.
He crushed me against his rock. Hard. Body. Wow. “I heard about Sadie. Are you okay?”
My heart felt like it would explode. “I’m dealing with it.”
