AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I wince. “I’m not a cheater. You have no reason to believe me, but it’s the truth.”
He studies me for several long moments, before he shakes his head with a grimace. “She seems to know you now. You need to tell her.”
“I will. What did you want to know about my tour?”
He looks at Honey, grinding his teeth, before looking back at me. “I have a niece who’s a huge fan of yours. I want three tickets…” He pauses and looks at the sky. “Make that ten tickets and backstage passes to whatever concert is closest to Catalpa Creek.”
He doesn’t have to explain that’s the price for his silence.
“Not a problem. You’ll have the best seats in the house.”
He slaps my back harder than necessary. “Thanks.” He gets in his truck and rolls down the window, starting the engine as he glares at me. “Be good to Honey.”
“I promise.”
He nods and backs up to pull out of my driveway.
“What was that all about?” Honey crosses the front yard to meet me.
“His wife is your cousin. He was explaining to me that if I make you sad he’ll end me.”
“He’s such a good guy.” Honey smiles fondly, apparently unconcerned about my end. “What was he saying about a tour?”
A lifetime of having to say the right things to reporters should have prepared me for this, but I never went to college. All I know about what professors do is what I’ve seen in movies. “I’m not sure. Clover told him I’m a professor, and he thought I might offer classes at the local university sometimes. He called it a tour. Like professors travel from college to college offering lectures.”
She frowns at me thoughtfully. “Weird. I didn’t know Jared was interested in taking more classes.”
I shrug. “We need to check on Barley in an hour, but there’s a site on your treasure map that’s not too far from here. We could get there and back before Barley wakes up.”
“You’re sweet.” Honey brushes her fingertips lightly over my cheek and I lean into her, gripping her hip in one hand. Her blink lasts longer than usual. “I know you’d rather be here with Barley in case something happens. We can postpone our hunting until tomorrow.”
This woman couldn’t possibly be any more perfect. I pull her close and wrap my arms around her waist. “Thank you.”
She hugs me back without hesitation, rubbing my back. “Of course.”
She doesn’t seem any more eager to end the hug than I am and we stand there for several minutes, just holding onto one another. She feels amazing in my arms and she’s rubbing my back in slow, comforting circles.
I pull her tighter against me, her hair brushing the backs of my hands. She smells so good, and I press a gentle kiss to the top of her head.
She pulls away suddenly. “We should check on Barley.”
She practically runs to the house and around it. I watch her go, and try to convince myself it’s for the best. As much as I’d love for her to run to me the way she keeps running away, it would only end in heartbreak for us both.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Honey
Mac’s eyes go comically wide. “What are you wearing?”
I glance down at my t-shirt, which has a picture of Bigfoot carrying a woman in his arms. The image is inside a giant heart. The text reads, Bigfoot does it in the woods. “I got it from your aunt’s store. Isn’t it great?”
He slaps a hand over his face and peeks out between his fingers like he’s hoping reality will have changed. “How did she get that done so fast?”
I shrug, holding back a laugh. “I don’t know, but she’d nearly sold out when I bought this one. I’m going to make her a mug to match.”
He drops his hand and mock glares at me. “Don’t encourage her.”
“It’s not her I’d be worried about. Her store was full of women who’re fed up with human men and want to try their luck with Bigfoot. You’re lucky we didn’t run into any of them in the woods this week.” Three days of hunting and still no sign of treasure.
