Page 39 of Luna

“It is quite something to see,” Hunter said although he found Ilsa’s taste more aligned with his grandmother’s than what he preferred.

While Dally and Nik had added quality pieces to the ranch house, nothing they purchased was pretentious, and everything made the house feel welcoming. The few times Hunter had been in Ilsa’s parlor, he’d worried about accidentally breaking something.

Luna gave him a curious glance, then turned her attention to an overstuffed chair covered in mottled gray and brown upholstery. It was one of the ugliest things Hunter had ever seen.

He waggled an eyebrow at Luna and tipped his head toward the chair, making her work to hold in a giggle.

When she took a step toward the door, he knew she was ready to leave. He lifted a hand to Mr. Weston. “Thank you, sir. Have a pleasant day.”

“You folks do the same!”

Back on the sidewalk, Hunter held out his arm to Luna, and she gingerly placed her hand on it.

“Let’s return to our conversation about the festivities on Saturday. Would you accompany me, Luna?”

“I would, but only if you are certain my possible hysterics won’t ruin the day for you.”

He stopped abruptly, and she took three steps before she turned and walked back to him.

When she faced him, he shook his head. “I would not call what happens to you hysterics, and even if that were true, you won’t ruin anything. Spending time with you will brighten my day, not dim it. Besides, I have given the situation a great deal of thought.”

“You have?” Luna asked, then turned and once again wandered down the sidewalk. “Do tell, Mr. Douglas.”

He grinned and fell into step beside her. “I propose we watch the parade from Caterina’s restaurant. Harley John invited us to view it from his apartment. I think there, above the crowd, you won’t feel quite as exposed to uncertainties and can enjoy the parade.”

Luna stopped again and stared at him. “But don’t you usually ride in the parade?”

“I do, but I hadn’t planned to this year. I thought it might be fun to be a spectator.”

“But Hunter. I don’t want … that’s to say, I feel as though …” She snapped her mouth shut and looked away, then back at him again. “Are you certain you want to do that? What about Harley John? Will he watch the parade with us?”

“No. He’s going to be in the parade, but he said he didn’t mind at all if we sat by the window to watch. Will you keep me company?” Hunter offered her his most boyish, pleading look.

It must have worked because Luna smiled and nodded her head. “I would like that. Thank you. I suppose you have the rest of the day all figured out.”

“I do. I think you’ll find it enjoyable.”

Her gaze met his, and her expression softened. “I have yet to find your company less than tolerable, Mr. Douglas. I do feel bad about today, though. I’m sure you had dozens of things to do at the ranch or your new place instead of escorting me here. I don’t know why Caterina was so adamant we come today, or that you come with me. I certainly would have been fine on my own. By the way, thank you for lunch. It was kind of you to order so many things for us to try.”

“We had to get a good sampling of the menu to be able to give Caterina an accurate report, don’t you think?” Hunter grinned and pointed to a bookshop across the street. “How about we try in there?”

“Wonderful,” Luna said, already dashing across the street. While Hunter looked at books about horticulture, Luna headed straight for the children’s books. She selected four books, one for each of her siblings, and asked if they could be sent directly to her family. The shopkeeper assured her they would go out in the following day’s mail. Luna paid for the books and the cost of shipping, looking quite pleased when they stepped back outside into the sweltering heat.

“I vote for heading over to the drugstore to enjoy a cool beverage or a dish of ice cream before we have to board the train. Is there anything else you’d like to see before we do that?” Hunter asked as they continued aimlessly walking along the sidewalk.

“Perhaps we could walk to the end of this block and return on the other side. There was a store that carried a few things of interest,” Luna said, looking up the street.

“This is quite a fascinating display,” Hunter said, stopping in front of a jewelry store with a glistening array of necklaces, rings, and bracelets reflecting the afternoon sunlight. “What do you think of—” Hunter’s words died off as he watched Luna’s face turn pale and her eyes get as big and round as saucers. She backed away from him, fear filling her expression, but he had no idea what was wrong.

He glanced at her, then looked behind him, his gaze landing on a half-grown brown bear that stood on its hind legs a few feet away. It held a glass bottle of what appeared to be water in its paws, drinking from it. A piece of broken chain dangled from the thick leather collar encircling the animal’s neck. Oddest of all was the bird dog that sat beside the bear, like he was in charge of keeping it out of trouble.

Hunter eased back a few paces, grabbed Luna’s hand, and tugged her inside the nearest doorway, which happened to be a milliner’s shop.

The woman behind the front counter took a look at Luna’s face, glanced out the window, then made a calming motion with her hand. “If the bear frightened you, don’t give it a thought. Barnaby is probably tamer than the dog. His owner will be along shortly, I’m sure. In the meantime, may I show you a hat, miss?”

Luna finally pulled her gaze from the bear sitting in the street to look around the shop. “I would like to look around. Thank you.”

Hunter remained just inside the door, keeping an eye on the bear as Luna looked over the selection of summer hats. He wasn’t surprised she didn’t purchase anything, but by the time she was ready to go, the bear had sauntered off with the dog beside him.

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