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“Every store we’ve been in, you’ve had the clerks eating out
of your hands.”

“Jealous much?”

She was naturally easy with people like his father—like
her
father. Something he’d never been
able to master. It just wouldn’t ever be one of his skills, even if he had
found himself smiling a whole lot more since Kendall had come into his life.
Despite this ridiculous situation. The only other person he’d been this at ease
with had been Kain. And that was with twelve years of history. He hadn’t been
with Kendall for twelve days.

“Cautious.”

Her dark eyes softened in the low light from the dome light
of the cab. “He’s harmless.”

“You hope.”

“I could take him.” She flexed her biceps, then dragged him
down and nipped at his chin. “I’m not helpless, Shane.”

He let her hand go reluctantly. “I know.”

“You sure about that?” She took the flashlight and clicked
it on under her chin. “We’re being rude to the man who’s come here to help us.
So lighten up, all right?” She widened her eyes and crossed them before
stepping back out. “Jasper. You gotta see this huge muffler. Maybe you can help
Shane drag it off the side of the road so this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

“Sure. Let’s see what we got.”

Shane rolled his eyes. The woman could talk the devil into a
deal. While she showed off the tires, he gathered the phone chargers, a few
bottles of water from the back, work gloves, his wallet, and her knapsack of
tricks. This was going to put a serious dent in their travel money. At the best
of times his tires were expensive. In Bumfuck, Nevada, who the hell knew how
much they’d be. Luckily it was truck country, so they had a chance his size
would be in stock.

She was laughing, and Jasper had a starstruck look on his
face. Typical. The woman was dangerous. Shane came up behind her and laid his
hand on her neck and shoulder. She smiled up at him. His chest tightened as he
swiped his thumb along her nape.

Jasper put his hat back on. “We’ll get you folks back to
Lund. I’ll give a shout-out to the Coopers at the church. We don’t have a
hotel, but they have a room they let folks stay in. Nothin’ fancy, but it’ll do
for a night.”

“We’d appreciate that.”

“Now let’s get this muffler off the road and get you guys
into town.”

Shane nodded and handed Kendall her bag. The wind kicked up,
and rust flakes scored his jeans and boots by the time he and Jasper got the
muffler across the road. It was damn heavier than it looked. No wonder it took
out two of his tires.

“The truck that dropped this bad boy probably sounds like a
jet engine,” Jasper said.

Shane grunted as they heaved it well into the bush. “That
stupid muffler is going to cost me over five hundred.”

“More like seven, I’m afraid. Your tires are big ones.”

“Dammit.”

“You gonna be able to pay that, son?”

“Yeah.” It would take more than half of what they had left.
With the price of gas, they were going to have to get creative. “Any day
laborers out your way?”

Jasper took off his gloves and tucked them into his hip
pocket. “Not in Lund. We’ve got people movin’ on left and right.”

“Yeah, that’s everywhere.”

“Where are you two headed?”

“We’ve got a place in New York.”

He whistled. “That’s one helluva drive.”

Shane rubbed the back of his head. “Sure is.”

“At least your wife is a good sport.”

“She’s not my wife.”

“Girlfriend, then. I wouldn’t let that one get away for very
long, son. She’s a bottle of sunlight and smiles. There’s always someone out
there a little smarter than we are who’ll snap that up.”

Shane looked over his shoulder. Kendall was perched on the
end of the tow truck, her feet swinging. The light from the phone cast her face
in overbright white. She looked up, a lopsided grin on her face. “Ready,
Oscar?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Oscar? Didn’t you—”

“As in the Grouch.”

Jasper laughed. “She’s a pistol.”

“You have no idea.”

His laugh got louder as he stuffed his hands back into his gloves.
“Let’s get this on the flatbed. We’ll get you on the road by morning.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

“Oh, and I’d go with married as your answer when you get
into town. The town is a bit particular about a woman and a man together if
they’re not married.”

Shane paused with his glove half on. “Pardon?”

“The town is kind of old-fashioned. God-fearing, and most of
us are of the Mormon church.”

“Well, shit. Er…shoot.”

Jasper grinned. “What you do isn’t my business, but with the
church being the only place to stay…”

Shane tugged his gloves on. “I see your point.”

Getting the truck on the flatbed was easier than he
expected, but the drive itself took over an hour. Jasper called the church and
okayed an overnight stay. The town boasted five hundred and thirty-seven
residents. He couldn’t imagine where. Main Street was a desolate stretch of
open spaces and a church on either end with a single stoplight in the center.

“These are the towns in Stephen King books,” Kendall
whispered.

He pressed his lips together to swallow a laugh. Finally a
gas station with one pump and a one-story building behind it came into view.
Jasper’s name was in red letters over the bay doors. He kept on driving till
the end of the street where a pristine white and brick church was lit up with
floodlights. The spire was spotlighted to show off the simple spire.

“Go on in and ask for Delinda. She’ll fix you guys up for
the night. I have your phone number. I’ll call you with a figure in the
morning.”

“Thank you, Jasper.”

He smiled down at Kendall, who sat between them on the seat.
“You’re very welcome, Mrs. Justice.”

Her mouth dropped open, and Shane pulled her from the truck
before she could say anything. He waved, holding the duffel he’d grabbed before
they loaded the truck onto the flatbed. The tow truck chugged away, and still
she stood with her mouth open in shock.

“Small-town life, babe. Jasper told me it was better to drop
the hint we were married so we could find a place to stay tonight.”

She peered up at him. “Seriously?”

He took her hat from her and plopped it on her head,
smoothing her curls behind her shoulders. “Afraid so.”

“But we live in the twenty-first century. Surely they don’t
still—”

“Believe it, babe. You saw the sign as well as I did. With a
town this size, how much change do you think goes on?”

“Crap.”

He slung his arm around her shoulders. “Want to play virgin
and patient husband later?”

She socked him in the stomach, and he gasped out a laugh.
“Tie-her-up is fine. Role-playing is a no. Got it.”

“How can you joke? We’re staying in a church basement. It’s
probably blasphemy to have sex,” she whispered.

“I doubt that’s what the preacher and his five kids think.”

“How do you know he’s got five… Oh.”

There was a photo beside the door with the community
bulletins. A pretty blonde woman stood with a baby in her arms and four in
varying ages around her.

Shane linked their hands and went up to the door at the side
of the building. He pressed the doorbell and took her bag, slinging it over his
shoulder.

“I can carry my own stuff—”

“Let me play the doting husband, will ya?”

The door opened, and the pretty woman from the picture stood
before them, smiling. “You must be the couple Jasper mentioned.”

“This is Kendall, my wife.” He didn’t even trip over the
word. The idea wasn’t nearly as terrifying as it should be. He’d just met her,
and she’d blown his world to hell, but the idea of her and forever didn’t send
him running. He needed a damn lobotomy. “And I’m Shane Justice.”

She ushered them in and led them to a small kitchen. “I’m
Delinda Cooper. My husband is finishing up a visit to a ward member, but he’ll
be back in a little while.” She gestured to a chair in the adjoining dining
room. “You two look tired. Can I get you something to eat?”

Kendall smiled back. “No, we don’t want to be a bother.”

“It’s no bother. I’ll be right back.”

Kendall sagged into a ladder-back chair and dropped her head
onto her folded arms. “It’s not even eight o’clock, and I could sleep right
here.”

He smoothed her hair absently and looked around the room.
Oak furniture infused with beeswax polish calmed him. It was a room that would
have suited his mother. Understated and well cared for, the eight-foot table
was perfect for large gatherings. Even in a town as run-down as Lund, he
imagined there would be a feast for Thanksgiving.

And this would be his first holiday alone. The pang of loss
curled his fingers into her hair. She looked up at him; surprise changed to a
soft questioning glance. Kendall read him far too easily. He drew his hand
away, but instead of letting him go, she snagged his pinkie. He could pull
away. She’d left it open for him to pull back if he wanted, but he
didn’t—couldn’t. Soaking in her softness and laughter was addicting, and he
found himself going to that well more often than was wise.

Delinda came back with two covered plates, and he let her
hand go. “You two must be just exhausted. Why don’t you eat, and I’ll make sure
the room is ready.”

“We don’t want to trouble you—”

Kendall stood and took the plates. “We really appreciate the
hospitality. I run a bed-and-breakfast myself. My mother is just like you. She
needs to take care of all the people who walk through the doors.”

Delinda blushed. “I don’t get much of an opportunity to do
it, but I love it. Five kids keep me on my toes, though. And Jonathon.”

Shane shut his mouth. Kendall had a sixth sense about
people. The two women chattered on about kids and the husband. Before he knew
it, he was sitting in front of a plate of meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and
brussels sprouts, and Delinda had disappeared again.

“How do you know what to say to these people? It boggles my
mind.”

She forked up a brussels sprout and held it out to him.
“Some people just like to take care of people.”

He turned his mouth away. “I suppose.”

She laughed. “Eat your brussels sprouts, little boy.”

He gave her a bland look. “No.”

She popped it into her mouth. “They’re delicious.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“No, really. She seasoned them with all sorts of
deliciousness. I’ll have to get the recipe for my mom. Most of our recipes
revolve around perch or trout fish.”

“Lots of fishing goes on? I’m trying to picture you with a
fishing pole.”

Her grin faded, and she focused on her plate. “Yeah, well,
it’s not pretty.” Before he could ask her more about that, Delinda came back
in.

“There are towels on your bed and a minifridge stocked with
water, juice, and some fruit. Help yourselves.”

Shane stood. “Thank you for putting us up tonight. We
appreciate it. Just let us know how much we can pay you—”

“Oh, there’s no payment. We just help when it’s needed.”

Shane sat. That wasn’t the way the world worked.

Kendall covered his hand. “Surely we can donate to the
church.”

Delinda’s smile was wide and nearly rivaled Kendall’s in
punch. “You do whatever makes you happy.”

And that was the correct answer, Shane thought. But it
didn’t have the oily, preachy tones he’d been expecting. The idea that there
were people out there who still did things out of the kindness of their hearts
was foreign to him. His father’s charm was friendly, but in the end, it served
a purpose. It drew people in, made them trust him, and helped build his
business.

But really, was it any different? Obviously his father
continued to help his clients even when the money wasn’t coming in. That was
the only way he’d have gotten into so much trouble.

Kendall squeezed his hand to bring him back to the
conversation. “Shane isn’t quite used to the small-town mentality. I’m bringing
him home to Bradley, and he’ll learn.”

“Oh, are you two newly married?”

Shane swallowed a laugh when Kendall’s face blanked. “We
decided a change of scenery would be good for us. A new adventure,” he said.
Not a lie. It certainly had been a new adventure for both of them.

Kendall’s eyebrows lifted. “Ah, yeah. That’s got me a little
nervous. Big change of pace for us as a couple.”

“I bet.” Delinda looked down at their plates. “You two must
have been starving.”

Shane glanced down, surprised to see his plate was empty
save for the green bits.

Kendall smiled. “I really need your recipe for the brussels
sprouts. My mom would kill for it. They’re great, aren’t they, honey?”

Shane shot a sidelong glance at her and popped one in his
mouth. The salt and garlic and…God, was that bacon? He nodded and stabbed three
more. “Amazing.”

“I’ll write it up for you tonight.”

“That’d be great.”

Kendall stood and went for the plates, but Delinda waved her
off. “I’ll just bring them over to the house and put them in the dishwasher.
I’ll show you to your room.”

Shane took both bags and followed the women. They talked
about the more colorful aspects of having strangers in their lives, and he
realized just how much Kendall loved her place. Her eyes brightened, and her
entire face lit up. He dropped the bags inside the door. The room was full of
more oak furniture in the understated Shaker style he loved so much. Simple
lines and slatted inserts that were such a signature of the style were echoed
in the bed and side tables. He smoothed his hand over the butter-soft surface.
More beeswax polish and a sweet berry scent filled the room.

The walls were an unobtrusive cream with a matching beige
carpet that let the furniture shine. Fat green bottles and deep red candles
ringed with holly over crystal gave it a homey touch.