Page 206 of Hidden Nature

Then the woman turned, took the hand of a man—about five-ten, a hundred and sixty, Black, hair in twists.

The woman pointed to something in a shop window, and they moved closer.

The timer on Sloan’s phone signaled. And thinking no more about them, she walked back to pick up her order.

“She looked right at us, babe.”

“I know it. But we’re protected, doll.” She reached up to close a hand over the cross around her neck, and swore she felt its warmth, its light. “In that moment, we were protected. I didn’t feel the burn like in the vision. I know I would have if she’dseenus.”

But she squeezed his hand, as that turn and look had shaken her.

“We’ll give it a minute,” she decided. “See if she stays in or comes out. We’ll stand here like we’re looking at something in this shop. No, no, we’re walking down to the next. We’re just window-shopping.”

“I don’t like the look of her, babe, and that’s the pure truth.”

“Because we see and know what she is. It’s more clear than ever. Didn’t she go into the restaurant where Terrance Brown works? The signs are everywhere, doll.”

“She’s coming out now. Don’t look around! She’s got a couple take-out bags. And looking our way again, like she’s trying to figure it out.”

“Put your arm around my shoulders, give me a hug like you’re laughing at something I said.”

He obeyed, hating that he felt Clara tremble as the witch crossed the sidewalk.

“She’s going to drive away, take the food home.”

“We’ll let her do that,” Clara said. “We’ll wait, give her time to get there. We’ll drive by, see if anybody’s waiting for her, but that’s all for this trip on her. We’ll come back, and get our dinner. See close up where Brown works.”

She took a long breath. “Careful steps, doll. This is too important to rush.”

Sloan drove past her house, but slowed enough for a quick glance. It just made her smile.

When she pulled into Nash’s, she had to admit this one brought a smile, too.

They’d fixed up the porch here with new railings and wider steps. He’d replaced the old and inadequate porch lights and gone with a pair of large lantern-style lights with an oxidized copper finish.

And they’d started work on the decking of the upper porch.

He’d use the same lantern-style lights there, the same finish. And it would look fantastic.

She liked a man who knew what he was doing, who knew what to preserve, what to repair, what to replace.

And took the time and effort to do it right.

Was that part of the attraction? she thought as she parked. Sure it was. Though she hadn’t expected to fall for a man with those particular attributes, she could admit she should’ve known better.

And she hadn’t expected to fall for a man starting an entire new phase of his life. But she’d reached the point where she’d stopped denying she’d taken the fall.

Those weren’t the sum of his parts, she considered, but they counted in that sum.

As she walked to the door, Theo came out of it.

“Hey!” Dressed in jeans, high-tops, a flannel shirt open over a gray tee, he jogged down to her. “That smells good.” He gestured at the bags. “I told Nash you guys could join us for the fun and frivolity.”

“Pizza and bowling, right?” She angled her head to study him. “Have you ever been bowling?”

“Sure.” Then he laughed. “Well, once or twice. Once and a half, I guess. I’m going to get crushed. It’ll be fun anyway. Door’s not locked. CJ’s upstairs with Nash. Wait’ll you see.

“I gotta jump. Running late.”

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