Page 91 of Tangled up in You

Maybe to do with the earlier snafu?

Wait, focus.

Because she stood there, awaiting his answer.

What was the question? Oh, right?—

“You are correct.”

“Correct that you sound like a botanist? Or youarea botanist?”

Is this what love at first sight feels like?“I am a botanist. Are you here on business or for pleasure?”

JESSE

“Yes,” she said.

She felt…playful. The music wasn’t bad. The bar, while crowded, had a safe vibe to it that didn’t overwhelm her. She’d decided she would try to give it at least twenty minutes.

And now she was talking to a cute guy.

Dad wanted me to have fun, so technically this is his fault.

“Yes…?” Chris asked, his meaning obvious.

“Both.” She was wary about providing details that might put her safety in jeopardy. “I’m only out here until tomorrow. Taking the night off.” Okay, that was a fib, but she hoped to drive to Gardiner tomorrow.

“‘Out here’? Where will your work take you?”

She shrugged and hoped it came off playful. “Around.”

A sudden whine of feedback made her flinch and she cursed that she didn’t have her earplugs—they were stashed in her laptop case in the car. That’s when she noticed Chris wore a style similar to the ones she used.

“Do you mind if we take this outside for a moment?” She pointed to her ear. “I need to get mine out of the car and that waspainfullyloud.”

“Oh, sure! I completely understand.”

CHRISTOPHER

Wait, follow a strange woman outside without even knowing her full name? Mark’s going to kill me.

Then again, if they hit it off with this cutie maybe he’d kiss him.

Bothof them.

Christopher preferred talking outside anyway. Then he could talk without having to scream. The music filtered through the open door at a more acceptable volume, and there was a spillage of customers out onto the covered wooden deck. Not many smokers tonight. While the air felt crisply cool there wasn’t a biting wind. The sky was clear, stars blanketing it from horizon to horizon and threatening to distract him.

Wait, focus. Cute woman.

He followed her at a respectful distance, stopping when she unlocked a brand-new BMW sedan bearing Washington State plates.

Whoa.

Money.

“Nice car,” he noted. “How’s it drive?”

She shrugged. “It’s fine. Smaller than what I wanted, but I settled for it because it was available. It’s starting to grow on me.”

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