Page 24 of Clumsy in Love

“Mi casa es su casa,” she said. “Can’t see much outside in the dark. But I’ll show you around tomorrow.”

“I go back to work tomorrow afternoon, and I guess Cole’s coming with me. Rain check for tomorrow night?”

“Sure,” she said. “Make yourselves at home. I’m heading upstairs to bed. Cole, there’s a flashlight next to the door.” She pointed to an entryway table. “See you in the morning.”

“Is she really a farmer?” Cole asked.

“No,” Holly said. “We just call her that ’cause she lives on so much land, has a big garden, and lots of animals.”

He nodded. “Is your ankle going to be okay to work?”

“I’ve played with worse,” she said, shrugging. “I’m hittin’ the sack too. Looks like the couch is made up for you. Unless you want to sleep with the horses?”

“The couch is fine. I’m gonna take a quick lap around the house and make sure all the doors are locked. Good night.”

Outside was eerily quiet. Disconcertingly so. Even the crickets and frogs had taken a break, and it was like the world had been unplugged. He did his checks and brushed his teeth.

He’d only been in town a few hours and already regretted agreeing to this assignment. Yes, it was important to keep Holly safe, but he resented having to give up his vacation time to be here. He should be studying for the detective exam, not traipsing around Hicksville babysitting a witness. Then again, if not him, who?

And Holly was nice enough. Even kind of pretty if he was being objective. Not that it mattered. He would stay vigilant, keep her safe, and hope the detectives back home caught Cruz soon. Until then, he’d make the best of it. Maybe things would look better in the light of day.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Holly woke the next day disoriented. It took her a second to remember where she was and why. She climbed out of bed and took a quick shower.

The blessed scent of coffee met her at the door, and she followed her nose to the kitchen. Cole sat rigid, hands gripping a mug while Jen chatted away. His eyes locked on Holly’s as if she were a life preserver and he was drowning.

“Good morning,” Holly said. “Ready for a day on the mountain?”

“I was just tellin’ Cole here how I plan to breed Maisy. Explainin’ how we go about inseminating cows.”

Holly fought back a grin. That would explain the look of desperation. Cole remained stoically silent, sipping his coffee, and probably mentally planning his escape if needed.

“You can’t wear that to work,” Holly said.

He looked down. “What? Why not?”

“Cotton kills,” she said, pointing to his jeans. “And those tennis shoes might be great for traipsing around city sidewalks, but they’ll be worthless on the trails.”

“I didn’t bring my overalls and cowboy boots,” he said then quickly turned to Jen. “No offense.”

She waved a hand. “Don’t knock it till you try it.”

“We’ll stop by Tess’s and get you fixed up.”

“Tess’s?”

“She owns an outdoor store. The Outdoor Outpost.”

“You want I rustle up some breakfast?” Jen asked in a heavy backwoods accent.

Cole’s cheeks reddened. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m a little out of my element.”

Jen laughed. “I’m just teasin’ ya.”

“No thanks, Jen. We’ll grab breakfast at the diner. See you tonight.”

They rinsed their coffee mugs and headed out to the truck.

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