Page 49 of Tempest’s Torment

"You still haven't told me where we're going."

My lips twitch. "No, I haven’t."

"That's why you're doing this, isn't it?"

I meet her eyes. "I'm doing it because staying inside isn't helping."

She looks at me for another second, like she's trying to decide whether to argue. Instead, she lets out a quiet sigh. "I still don't like surprises."

"I know."

"But you're not going to tell me."

I shake my head. "No."

She mutters something under her breath that sounds suspiciously like stubborn man. "I heard that."

"I know you did."

I open the diner door and step aside. "Ladies first."

She stops. Her eyes move from me to the sign above the door. "You brought me for breakfast?"

"Problem?" I ask.

"I've spent the last ten minutes trying to work out what you were up to."

"Well, you can stop."

She narrows her eyes. "You're enjoying this." I don't answer her and she smiles. "You are."

I continue to hold the door open. "You coming in?"

When we step back onto the sidewalk, she looks both ways before falling into step beside me.

"So..." she says, glancing at me.

"So?" I repeat.

"Now are you going to tell me where we're going?"

I nod toward the next block. "Now we're grocery shopping."

She groans. "I knew there was a catch."

I grin and continue walking.

"I should check in at Petals," she says as we turn onto Whitmore.

I glance at the florist. "Cara and Louise have it," I say. "You're taking two days."

"I know. I just..." She looks at the window. "I want to check on them."

I don't argue about it, I just follow her to the door.

A woman in her late fifties appears from the back when the bell over the door rings. She stops when she sees Lilah, and the look on her face before she gets it under control tells me everything.

This has to be Cara.