Page 179 of Valor

“Yes. There is a coffee shop next to the store. Would you like to stop there?”

“Great.” She would love a coffee, or two to ward off the terrible fright of the near accident.

“You look like you could use a large latte. I guarantee it will be better than the one at the train station.”

How had he known what she had ordered?

The feeling of unease crept back into her mind. The sense of distrust, once again, took over her thoughts. But if Oliver had bad intentions, there were plenty of turn-offs along the road to town he could have taken and driven her who knows where. She understood from the online map that the forests in the area stretched from the outskirts of the villages across the mountains all the way to Poland to the north. Slovakia’s national park was to the east, and the forests still extended for hundreds of kilometers westward as well. They continued across the state line of Germany. A coffee shop was probably the safest place she could be.

“Could I ask you a favor?”

“Of course.”

“Would you tell me all that you know about the mill?”

He blew out his cheeks. “If anyone should know about the history of that place, it should be you, right?”

“Is there ahistory?”

He pulled into a parking space. “Every house in this country has a history, even the new ones, because, most likely, they stand on a spot someone else once lived.”

Oliver unbuckled his seatbelt. “That’s why I love teaching at the high school. The kids need to know where they came from and who their ancestors were. The lack of sense of identity is a huge issue among many teenagers.”

Is he stalling?Meghan wondered at his long reply, which truly didn’t answer her question.

They got out of the car.

“How is this relevant to the mill?”

“Let’s just say that story is better told over a piece of dessert to combat the bitter taste it tends to leave in one’s mouth.”

* * *

Tread lightly.He scolded himself. Meghan was so personable and easy to talk to that he almost forgot he was on a job. The more lies he told her, the harder it would be to backtrack in the future. Oliver decided to stick to the truth as much as his mission allowed. He didn’t want to burn any chances with this woman if he could help it. Yes, she wasn’t from here, but that was one of the things that attracted him. Her questions made him smile. She was genuinely interested. They were almost at the entrance to the coffee shop. He scanned the parking lot. There were no black SUVs in sight. He would report the incident as soon as he got back to his laptop. In the meantime, he would keep a keen eye on their surroundings because the near collision wasn’t an accident. It was a message. She was shaken, and he needed to distract her.

“How about a couple of desserts to go with that latte?” He slowed his pace as they approached the entrance. Meghan’s eyebrows shot up.

“Cake for breakfast?” She peered inside the shop through the large display window.

“It’s a local tradition,” he chuckled.

“I hope they have one of those cream-filled desserts I remember eating as a kid.”

“You are in the Czech Republic. Every coffee shop has cream-filled desserts. It’s a law.” He shot her a playful, teasing glance.

“Is it?” She winked at him.

“An unwritten one.” He laughed.

“I still feel a little guilty.”

“Nah,” he waved his hand. “You are on vacation, aren’t you? What’s a little coffee date?” He reached for the door.

“Isn’t there someone expecting you back with the groceries?” Her eyes searched his as he pulled at the swirly handle. “Like a girlfriend or a wife?”

Nice.Oliver chuckled, holding the door open for her. “You don’t beat around the bush.”

“I just don’t want to get into trouble.”

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