Page 52 of Scorched

“Maybe she’ll make me my own batch to prove me wrong.”

“Doubtful. She’ll probably ban you from her kitchen.”

He shook a finger at her. “That’s more likely, yes.”

She stuffed the rest of the cookie in her mouth, chewing it as she buckled up and started the car. “So, where am I going? I get the feeling you don’t want to go home.”

“No. I need to… do something.”

“What do you normally do when you’re antsy?”

“Rock climbing. Skiing. Running.”

“Basically, all the things you’re not currently allowed to do.”

“Bingo.”

“Okay. So, what are we going to do? A movie?”

He shook his head. “It needs to be something physical. If I just have to sit there, my mind will wander. I need to concentrate on a task.”

Maggie tapped her chin, thinking. Her face brightened after a moment. “I have an idea.” She put the car in reverse and backed onto the street.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

He squinted, trying to determine if he was going to like where she was taking him, but it was no use. The woman had an excellent poker face.

They traveled out of town, passing the inn and heading toward her family’s ranch. She made a turn down another road before she reached the drive, though, and Declan knew where they were going.

“Duvall’s? What’s out there?” Knox Duvall raised some of the best horses in the country, but he couldn’t imagine why Maggie would take him there. Knox didn’t offer trail rides, and if that was what she was thinking, they would go to the Broken Bow. He couldn’t ride, anyway, with his busted ribs.

“You’ll see,” she repeated.

He sighed. “Maggie. I’ve had enough surprises for one day.”

“It’s nothing bad, I promise. I find it relaxing.”

“Something you do with Knox?” The first tendrils of jealousy snaked through him. Knox was a nice man, as well as unattached and good-looking.

“No. With his sister.”

“Alice? I thought she lived in town.” Alice Duvall was the elementary school art teacher and had her own little house just off of the downtown area.

“She does.”

“I’m confused.”

She giggled. “It’ll all be clear soon, I promise.”

“Fine.” He wasn’t going to quibble with her. She and Alice were good friends, having been in the same grade together. Instead, he sat back in his seat and tried to enjoy the ride. It was pretty out this way, even with the rain. The road to the Duvall ranch wound up the side of the mountain, so the overlooks were breathtaking.

A few minutes later, Maggie took the turn onto the ranch driveway. The tires made a sluicing crunch as she drove up the gravel path. At the end of the quarter-mile drive, she took the fork that led to the main house, parking near a yellow Jeep that sat beside a metal building behind the farmhouse. Lights shone in the windows, and cheery autumn decorations bracketed the door.

Maggie shut off the engine, unfastening her seatbelt and opening her door. “Come on.” She offered him an encouraging smile. He was so afraid she was leading him to something terrible. She could only imagine what he thought it was. Probably some super girly spa treatment or something. Granted, what they were doing was a bit girly, but it wasn’t that bad.

Backs hunched against the downpour, they hurried inside, stomping off the water as they entered.

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