Page 46 of Sycamore Circle

“Her name is Joy?”

“Yeah. It’s pretty, right? Plus, she has a daughter named Chloe.”

“She has a baby girl?”

“Not exactly. Chloe’s sixteen. Joy’s divorced.”

“So she’s older,” Jennifer murmured. “How old is she?”

“Thirty-six. Why?”

“No reason. I’m just asking.”

“She’s a nice lady. She lives over on Sycamore Circle. You know that area? All the streets are named after trees and such? It’s like Mayberry over there.”

Lincoln propped a foot over the opposite knee. “Now what’s going on? Does she not trust you or something because of your background?”

“She knows I’m an ex-con. That ain’t it.” He rolled his shoulders. “I feel bad for her. I feel like her, uh, ex-husband wasn’t too attentive.” Maybe if he felt more secure with him and Joy, he would feel like sharing that her ex-husband broke up with her because he wanted to move on to better pastures. That felt like too much to share just yet.

Jennifer’s expression softened as she looked at her husband. “If he wasn’t attentive, maybe it’s good they’re not together anymore.”

“I don’t know. So anyway, I’ve got that going for me. She’s older, has a kid, has an ex, and is a literacy tutor. And some kind of artist too. She paints.”

“You have just as much going on. It sounds like the two of you are a good match too.”

“She’s worried and I don’t want to rush her.” That was where question one was embedded, he reckoned.

“Then don’t rush her,” Lincoln murmured. “If she’s the one, and you’ve waited all this time to find her, then let her set the timeline.”

“There’s just a problem.”

“What is that?” Jennifer asked.

“She’s getting hang ups and creepy text messages.”

Lincoln frowned. “From who? The ex-husband?”

“No. From unknown numbers.” He waved a hand. “And they could be from anyone. Plus, she drives all around God’s green earth, meeting strangers in odd places.”

“Because of her tutoring job?”

“Yeah.” Hating the idea of her being out in the world alone, he scowled. “She needs a keeper—or at least someone keeping tabs on her. I mean, someone needs to know when and where she’s meeting clients, right?”

Lincoln’s lips twitched. “Are you volunteering for that position?”

“It doesn’t matter if I am or I’m not. Because if I start doing what I think I should—which is put a stop to all of her gallivanting around... I’m going to lose her and I don’t even have her yet.”

Lincoln leaned back. “Whoa. You’ve got yourself twisted up into knots there, Bo.”

“I’ve come to that same conclusion.” He cleared his throat. “Jennifer, what do you think? I need a woman’s perspective.”

“Does she know how you feel?”

“About what?”

“About all of it. Does she know that you really like her, Bo?”

“She should. I’m afraid I’ve been obvious.”

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