Page 22 of Ocotillo Kisses
“Well, we were here, and we have to start someplace.”
A quick frown flashed across Britt’s face.
“Are we keeping you from something?” Con edged even closer to Poppy to give Britt space to pass down the narrow walkway to the counter, but she didn’t move.
“No, I just came in to see what you were doing. I couldn’t imagine.”
“I didn’t want Poppy to get her pretty dress dirty,” he said, and saw something flash in Britt’s eyes. He didn’t want to hurt her. He wasn’t sadistic. But if his alluded relationship with Poppy stung her, well, he didn’t mind that so much.
“We should go talk to Mrs. Lopez,” Poppy said, touching his arm lightly.
Britt’s smile seemed forced. “I’ll walk over with you, if that’s okay. My grandmother is at the doctor’s office, and the waiting room was too crowded, so I thought I’d walk around town a bit. Not a lot of places to go.”
He wasn’t sure how to say no to her, but he did not want to walk into the grocery store with both her and Poppy. Mrs. Lopez’s head might explode.
Poppy apparently didn’t know, either, because she carried the cleanser and dirty paper towels back to dispose of them, leaving him alone with Britt.
“I hope your grandmother is okay?”
“Just a check-up. She’s healthier than people I know who are half her age.”
He nodded, and swallowed, thinking of his own parents.
When his gaze cut away from Britt’s, she gasped. “I didn’t mean—”
“No, I know. I’m not going to begrudge your grandmother’s health because my dad passed away, Britt.”
“No, of course you wouldn’t. But I’m sorry. That was very callous of me.”
But he wouldn’t say he was surprised that she thought of no one but herself. He was relieved when Poppy rejoined them, and again touched his arm lightly.
“Shall we go?”
He motioned for him to precede him from the shop, leaving Britt behind.
Chapter Nine
