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Caroline recalled she and friends in high school reading popular historical romances where the hero was a Native American. They’d giggled over the descriptions of men she always thought came strictly from the author’s imagination. After meeting Cooper she was positive the books were nothing compared to the cold hard reality of the man.
“Caroline, dear, dinner in half an hour.” Anna’s voice filtered through the door.
“Thank you,” she called back. Instead of waiting another twenty minutes before climbing out of the tub, she leaned forward and pulled the plug. She grabbed her towel and wrapped it around herself as she stepped out.
So much for relaxation.
“THIS IS WHEN I HATE CARS,” Caroline muttered between clenched teeth as she turned the ignition key one more time. As before, the engine refused to turn over. She slapped the steering wheel with the flat of her hand as she leaned back in the seat.
It was clear she wouldn’t be going any farther. She grabbed her small backpack, which doubled as her purse, and climbed out of the car. After locking the door, she walked down the road in the direction of town. With luck, someone might drive by and pick her up.
Caroline hadn’t gotten far before she realized the sandals she’d put on that morning weren’t meant for walking along a dusty road covered with gravel. Not to mention it was starting to get dark, and sounds she hadn’t noticed before, coming from among the trees on either side of the road, seemed to grow louder.
“Lions and tigers and…” she whispered, looking left to right. She tried to pick up her pace, but the rocky road hampered her steps. “Oh, boy. Okay, no lions here. Wrong country. Tigers, no. Bears, could be. Bigfoot is in the Pacific Northwest. And I’m not.”
She stopped to empty pebbles from her sandal for what felt like the twentieth time. Her balance was precarious as she stood on one foot, slipped off one shoe and brushed off the dirt. She wobbled when a truck slowed down and stopped by her.
“I heard Californians liked to walk, but I thought you’d be wearing something a bit more…sporty,” Cooper said, eyeing her black tank top, which skimmed the waistline of her white-and-black-print capri pants molded to slim, tanned legs. Black thong sandals displayed feet gray from road dust. He could smell a light floral scent coming off her skin, sweeter than that of the colorful flowers growing alongside the road.
Caroline just stared at him. “You know, right now I would love nothing more than to come up with some witty little comeback, but I’m too tired to think of one,” she admitted. “My car died down the road.”
He leaned over and pushed open the passenger door. “Get in. I’ve got a tow hook in the back, so I can tow your car to the garage if it’s something that isn’t a quick fix, like a loose wire or you ran out of gas.”
“Unfortunately, I know from personal experience what happens when you run out of gas, and that wasn’t it. I have no idea about a dead battery.”
She climbed up into the cab and dropped onto the seat. She noticed the earthy aromas of horse and man mingling companionably in the small interior. Instead of his black deputy’s uniform, Cooper wore a denim shirt with the cuffs rolled back to reveal dark forearms, and jeans that had seen better days. His boots were scuffed and dusty. His aviator-style sunglasses hid the eyes she sensed never displayed any emotion. An equally battered hat perched low on his forehead.
He looked as imposing as he did in uniform. Now she understood about a man with presence. Cooper Night Hawk had it in spades.
“I was beginning to think I wouldn’t run into anyone,” she admitted. “I heard that country roads are quiet. They’re more than quiet. They’re downright empty. I guess I should feel lucky my car didn’t break down after dark. Who knows what I might have run into?”
“The only critters you’d find around here after dark are horny teenagers,” Cooper said. He glanced at her lap. “Put your seat belt on.”
She secured the harness and sat back against the door so she could face him. She slipped her sandals off and rubbed her feet. “What were you doing out here? Planning to pick off the teenagers when they show up?”
“We only come out here every so often,” he replied. “That way they don’t know when to expect us. We look around, see which car has the most steamed-up windows and tap on them. The area usually clears out within five minutes.”
“What a spoilsport you are, Deputy.” She grinned.
“That’s my job.”
“Right now you look more like a cowboy who’s been out on the range.”
He shook his head. “More like helping my grandfather with his garden. Which means he stands there and directs while I do the heavy work. He claims he’s the one doing the work through my hands. Yet I always seem to be the one with the blisters and muscle aches.”
“It sounds as if your grandfather knows how to delegate,” Caroline pointed out. “It’s considered a highly prized skill in the corporate world.”
“I don’t know if the corporate world could handle Grandfather and his insistence of consulting his spirit guides before making important decisions.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know very much about Native American culture,” she confessed. “But I have heard of spirit guides. Are your spirit guides your ancestors or just someone who appears in your life?”
He drove with lazy confidence, one hand on the steering wheel, the other arm braced on the open window. A glance in her direction showed him she was genuinely interested. “Everyone has different guides. Your guides can be an ancestor or someone from your tribe. Animals are also spirit guides.”
She studied him closely. “But you don’t believe in them.”
Cooper took his time answering. For a while she wasn’t sure he was going to say anything. “My grandfather clings to the old ways. He uses herbs for healing, asks for guidance before planting, goes off to commune with his guides before making any important decisions. I believe in antibiotics, I check the almanac, and usually just flip a coin before making important decisions.”
“I have a friend who visits her psychic once a month,” Caroline said. “The woman isn’t always right, but Sheila never minded. She said she only sees Rena for a second opinion. Perhaps that’s what your grandfather is doing. Looking for a second opinion.”
Cooper quickly glanced her way. “Sounds as if you saw that psychic once in a while for those second opinions.”
“I went to Rena once. She told me my life would take some surprising turns and I should just go along with the ride.” Caroline thought of the turns her life had taken in the past months. “ I guess she was right,” she murmured.
“So that’s how you ended up in Tyler? This psychic sent you here?” he asked.
She lifted her shoulder in a shrug. “She didn’t exactly give me a map.”
“Funny, I would have thought someone would have directed you to come this way,” Cooper said casually. “It’s not as if we’re on all the major maps. Tyler isn’t a typical destination for just anyone.”
“I guess the reason I ended up here was because I decided to go off the highway and do some exploring. I drove into town and liked what I saw,” she replied.
“It’s not always a good idea to go off the main road. It’s been known to be hazardous to a single young woman’s health. More than one woman has disappeared because she wanted to see more of the countryside,” he said. “Not all small communities are friendly.”
“Now you sound like one of those true crime programs. I try not to watch them. They give me nightmares.” She leaned her head back, resting it against the partially open window. She twitched her nose in a way that reminded Cooper of a puppy sniffing the wind.
He doubted she’d appreciate being compared to a puppy. Even a cute one. He mentally kicked himself and returned to his lecture.
“They’re meant to scare you,” Cooper said flatly. “All it takes—”
“I’m careful, Deputy,” she interrupted. “But I refuse to live my life under a cloud of fear.”
He nodded. “Admittedly, our crime rate in Tyler is low, but you still have to be careful. People lock their doors now, when ten, fifteen years ago, they didn’t. Still, Tyler is a small community where people look out for each other. Maybe everyone knows your business, but when the chips are down, it’s nice to know there’s people around who will care.”
“That’s quite a switch—from a warning to an advertisement on reasons to move to Tyler,” she told him.
“I don’t know. It seems they both cover you.” He favored her with a sideways glance. “Any other surprises in store for us where you’re concerned?”
She turned her head to look out the window, as if she was afraid he’d read something in her expression. “I’m not really the surprise type. I’m known as a very up-front person.”
Now why did he have the feeling she was lying? She had the face of a Madonna. He didn’t want to think she might have the soul of a devil. But he also felt she wasn’t telling the complete truth.
“It seems a lot of the families in Tyler have lived here for many years,” Caroline said.
“Some go back to the founding of the town. Others arrived later. It’s been said you’re not considered a true local resident unless you can count back at least five generations,” he explained. “My family can count back even further.”
“So your family still lives around here?”
He shook his head. “Most live out of the area. My grandfather has a small cabin on my land. He claims it’s so he can keep an eye on me.”
“You’re close to him, aren’t you?” she guessed.
“Yeah, I am. He’s an old coot but I guess I have to say he’s my old coot.” His voice was warm with affection. “What about you?”
“No one,” she murmured. She wasn’t aware of the wistful longing in her voice, nor did she see the quick look he flashed her.
Cooper steered the truck off to the side of the road and stopped behind Caroline’s car. He silently held out his hand. “Keys?” he prompted when she looked at him blankly.
“Oh!” She dug into her bag and pulled out the key ring. She grasped the correct key and held it out to him. “I locked it up before I left.”
He opened the door and climbed out. “I had an idea you would. Stay here. No need for you to get out.”
Cooper unlocked the little sports car and lifted the hood to check the engine. After making sure the radiator was filled and she had oil, he returned to the driver’s seat and tried the ignition. Just as Caroline had said, the engine refused to turn over.
He walked back to his truck and leaned on the open window.
“You’ve got a dead battery,” he told her. “I can jump-start the engine, which should get you back to town okay. I’ll follow you to make sure it doesn’t die on you before you get to Carl’s Garage. You’ll need a new battery right away.”
“This is when I hate cars,” she confessed.
“That’s a sweet little car you have. You need to take good care of her if you don’t want to end up stranded again,” he told her.
“I should have remembered that it needs more than filling up with gas and having the oil changed on a regular basis,” she admitted.
In a matter of minutes, Cooper had his truck turned around to face Caroline’s car. He instructed her to wait for his signal while he attached jumper cables to his truck battery, then to her car’s.
“Okay, start her up,” he called out.
He whistled a victory tune when the little car roared to life. He yelled for Caroline to back off on the accelerator, and quickly took off the cables.
Cooper trailed behind Caroline who kept to a fairly sedate pace as they headed toward town. He doubted she normally drove this slowly. The sporty red Miata convertible didn’t look like a car that enjoyed staying at the speed limit.
“Why does someone who drives a car like that work as a waitress in a town that has little to offer anyone?” he mused as he watched her drive away. Normally, those kind of questions would raise a red flag in his mind. He’d see it as something he’d want to check out.
Temptation to run her license plate rose strongly. It was the best way to find out if she’d left any secrets in California she wouldn’t want anyone to know about. Except his sense of honor was stronger than his curiosity. If the lady ran a stop sign or exceeded the speed limit, then yeah, he’d do everything by the book, along with running her plate and checking for outstanding warrants. Until then, he’d have to find other methods in his quest to find out just who Caroline Benning was.
“I COULD HAVE WALKED HOME from the garage,” Caroline protested after Cooper had bundled her back into his truck and headed for the Kelsey Boarding House.
“No reason for you to when I’m driving past the house.” He pulled up in front of it and stopped. He climbed out and helped Caroline out of the truck.
“Thank you,” she said sincerely. “You saved me a long painful walk back to town.”
“Just part of my job.”
“You were off duty,” she reminded him.
“Cops are never off duty,” Cooper explained. He took a deep breath and seemed to look off into the distance. “The spring dance is next Saturday night. I was wondering if you’d like to go.”
She blinked in surprise. “You’re asking me out?”
He instantly backpedaled. “Look, if you’re going with someone else…”
“No,” Caroline said just as quickly. “No one else has asked me, and yes, I’d like to go with you.”
Cooper nodded. “I’ll pick you up at six-thirty, then,” he said gruffly as he turned back to his truck.
Caroline strolled up the walkway, listening to the low rumble of Cooper’s truck as he drove away.
“You wanted to keep a low profile,” she told herself. “You knew it was best that you let the people get to know you while you got to know them. You have to be careful not to step over that self-imposed line. But going to the dance will give you a chance to see more people.” She gave the dozing Sam a wide berth as she opened the front door. The cat opened one eye, then closed it as if Caroline offered no threat to his peace and quiet.
Anna walked out of the parlor. “What are you doing here? I thought you went for a drive.” She looked surprised by her boarder’s dusty appearance. “What happened to you?”
“I was, but the battery went dead,” Caroline replied. “Luckily, Deputy Night Hawk drove by while I was walking toward town. He jump-started the battery, then followed me back to Carl’s Garage. Carl’s putting in a new battery.”
“Just one of those times when cars are more trouble than they’re worth.” Anna nodded in understanding. “It’s a good thing Cooper drove by.”
Caroline headed for the stairs. “Yes, it was.” She paused when she reached the first step. “Anna, does Deputy Night Hawk date a lot?”
“Cooper? He keeps his love life pretty much to himself,” she chuckled. Then she noticed the expression on the younger woman’s face. “Why do you ask?”
“Because he asked me to the spring dance. I have got to clean off this dust. I feel as if it’s in my teeth,” she confessed, running up the stairs.
“Caroline!” Anna called after her, with no response. She quickly turned around and headed for the rear of the house. “Johnny!” she called out to her husband, who was in the backyard bent over a lawn mower.
He looked up, his screwdriver in his hand. “I don’t care what you say. I know I can fix this damn thing.”
Anna rolled her eyes. “That’s what you said about the toaster. We ended up buying a new one. This is something entirely different.” She walked swiftly over to her husband and lowered her voice as she gave him the news. “Cooper just asked Caroline to the spring dance.”
He raised an eyebrow in surprise. He grabbed a rag and wiped the grease from his hands. “Did she say yes?”
“Since she just told me he asked her, I’d guess she accepted. Not to mention she couldn’t look at me after she told me about it.”
Johnny raised his eyes heavenward. “The man doesn’t have a chance.”
“None of that!” She playfully swatted him. “And no teasing her about it, either.”
“No worries there. But I will ask him if his intentions are honorable.”
“You will not! This will be the first time that child has gone out since she arrived here. I think she’s nervous about it as it is.”
Johnny returned to his task. “I don’t know why you’re worried about Caroline. It’s Cooper who’s a goner.”
Chapter Three
If Caroline hadn’t already known that the spring dance was a major social event for the citizens of Tyler, she quickly learned. No matter where she went, it was the main topic of conversation during the week before the dance.
She was looking forward to the evening because it would give her a chance to meet more of the townspeople in a relaxed atmosphere. She remembered her father saying it was easier to get people to talk when the surroundings were congenial.
Caroline was determined to mingle as much as possible. With Cooper as her date, she knew she had the perfect opportunity to meet people she hadn’t seen in the diner. She might even be able to ferret out a little more information about the elusive Deputy Night Hawk.
She’d already learned that just because he asked her to the dance didn’t mean his manner toward her would change all that much when he came in to Marge’s for breakfast. She wanted to assure him his face wouldn’t crack into a million pieces if he smiled.
It was turning into a campaign for her to find a way to get him to smile.
Arranging blueberries in a happy face on his pancakes didn’t do anything other than solicit a quizzical look.
“The least you can do is appreciate those little touches that make your breakfast special,” she told him.
He picked up his fork and poured warm syrup over his pancakes. “Believe me, I do appreciate everything you do.”
His orange juice served in a borrowed Flintstones glass only had him commenting that Marge must be getting low on glassware.
“What are you doing?” Alice asked one day.
“That man has a smile in him somewhere,” Caroline insisted. “I intend to find it even if it kills me.”
“It just might happen with the way you’re going at it.” The other woman shook her head. “Honey, Cooper doesn’t smile. At least, he doesn’t smile the way you and I do.”
Caroline leaned against the counter. “Then how do you know if he’s in a good mood?”
Marge chuckled from her corner, where she’d been unashamedly eavesdropping on their conversation. “That’s easy, hon. When Cooper’s in a good mood, he doesn’t shoot anyone.”
Caroline threw up her hands. “Well, that’s a comfort! Everyone knows as long as he doesn’t pull out his gun he’s laughing on the inside?”
The two women nodded. “That’s about it.”
“Then the man will just have to learn it wouldn’t hurt for him to smile on the outside.”
Marge and Alice exchanged looks that said Caroline would have to learn something herself.
Caroline stiffened when she noticed two men walking into the diner. They chose a booth near the rear, in her station. She snagged two coffee mugs and one of the coffeepots and headed for the booth.
“Gentlemen,” she said crisply, holding up the mugs. “Coffee?”
“Yes, thank you,” Elias Spencer said, barely giving her a glance.
The other man, who Carolyn knew worked at the bank, took a moment to look her over thoroughly. She didn’t know his name and she didn’t care to. “Definitely,” he said.
She mentally poured his coffee in his lap while she filled both mugs. “Do you need a little time before ordering?”
“Two eggs, over easy, hash browns crisp and my bacon crisp.” Elias’s tone matched how he wanted his food.
“What would you recommend, darlin’?” the other man drawled.
“Enough,” Elias snapped at the man. “The girl is trying to work here. Either order or don’t.”
“I’ll have the same thing.”
Caroline nodded and walked away to put in the order.
After all this time working in the diner, this was the first time she’d waited on the illustrious Elias Spencer, since he usually sat at one of Alice’s tables. Caroline had met him at Jenna and Seth’s wedding and wasn’t too sure she liked the man even if she knew him to be her mother’s first husband. She knew her mother must have loved the stern-looking man at one time, so there had to be something special about him. But she’d also left him to marry Caroline’s father.
Elias appeared so stiff she thought his spine would snap from the pressure. Not that his sons were any different. Quinn seemed to be the only one who hadn’t carried on the tradition. When she looked at Elias this morning, Caroline thought the man seemed bitter. She didn’t think he smiled any more than Cooper did, although he did seem to unbend a little when he was around Lydia Perry. Maybe there was hope for the man yet.
It was tempting to blow that stiff-necked manner sky-high by suddenly asking him why he’d divorced her mother. She’d love to hear that answer.
Instead, she was the picture of the perfect waitress. Elias’s dining companion had given up trying to charm her. Good thing, since she would have dumped coffee in his lap for real if he’d tried anything.
Later, Caroline was clearing the table when Elias stopped back. He looked hesitant when she glanced up.
“Was there a problem, Mr. Spencer?” she asked formally.
“No, everything was fine.” He dropped a couple of bills on the tabletop. “I’d just like to apologize on behalf of my colleague. There was no reason for him to act that way.”
“Don’t worry about it. Perils of the trade,” she quipped.
He nodded. “I just wanted you to know I don’t hold with that kind of behavior.”
“Thank you.” She smiled. “As for your colleague, tell him if he tries anything else, next time he just might find himself wearing his coffee instead of drinking it.”
Elias’s somber face broke into a smile. “I guess you’ve had to learn to handle just about anything that comes your way.” He nodded and walked away.
The dishes forgotten, Caroline watched his exit. The opening was there. She could have easily slipped it in. Maybe even gotten some answers she’d been looking for.
The only thing that bothered her was the knowledge that Elias knew things about her mother that Caroline had no hope of knowing.
After work, she walked over to the library in search of reading material. On her way out of the library, she ran into Jenna Robinson Spencer, Seth’s wife, who now moved slowly due to her blossoming pregnancy.
“Jenna! Look at you! I swear, you look ready to pop,” Caroline said, giving her a hug, which wasn’t easy with her belly between them.
She rolled her eyes. “Let me tell you, as far as I’m concerned, right now wouldn’t be soon enough.” She patted her abdomen. “You know how you can buy those turkeys with those little red pop-up thingies? I’m positive I got a defective thingie because it definitely forgot to pop up to say I’m done.”
“I’ve always heard the last month feels the longest,” Caroline said with sympathy.
“Every day seems like a year,” Jenna declared dramatically.
Caroline could easily tell the other woman was tired. Looking at her, she could understand why. “Still, before you know it you’ll have those beautiful babies.”
“Let’s see if you say the same thing when it’s your turn to carry around a couple of baby elephants for what seems like forever,” Jenna told her.
“Considering my serious lack of a social life, I don’t think that will be happening anytime soon,” Caroline said.
“I’m sure I said something to that effect. Look where it got me. Well, time for me to waddle off.” She grimaced. “Just tell me I don’t look like one of those inflatable clowns that just pop back up when kids punch them.”
“Not even close. I’ve heard of some restaurants that serve a cabbage soup that pregnant women eat and they’ll go into labor the same day,” Caroline said helpfully.
“Tell Marge to put it on the menu and I’ll be right over,” Jenna said over her shoulder.