Page 111 of Nate

“Okay, honey. We’re going out to dinner later, so I need to get off here and make myself beautiful.”

Markie laughed. “You’re already beautiful.”

“I agree with that,” Nate said when he reentered the room with a bottle of water.

“Did you hear Nate?” Markie asked her aunt.

“Yes. I promise you; you’d have a run for your money if I was much,muchyounger. We love you, kiddo.” Her aunt hung up.

Markie put her phone back into her pocket and noticed Nate staring at her.

“Don’t say it.”

“You should tell them, Markie.” Nate frowned. “Like you should have told me.”

“I said, don’t say it.” She sighed. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but you know why, and it would just worry them.”

“But they’d keep an eye out for him. They need to be on guard.” Nate shrugged. “Just my two cents.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“It’s up to you, baby. I’ll go by your decision. Let’s get out of here. I hope you have some food. You made me work up an appetite.” He winked.

Markie laughed. “I love making you work up an appetite.”

Nate put his hand out toward her, picked up his duffle bag and they walked out of the house. He locked the door behind them. Something he’d been doing since the incident with Jarrett.

After she got into her car, he followed her in his truck to her place. The entire way, she kept glancing into the rearview mirror to make sure no one was following them.

Chapter Sixteen

When September arrived, Markie was almost to the point where she thought maybe Jarrett had left. Not just Clifton but the state. He might have traveled to Canada since no one could find him.

Standing at the window in the lobby of the animal hospital, she smiled as she watched people out and about. It was a beautiful day.

“It’s pretty today, isn’t it?” Tess asked from behind her.

“It is.”

“I just got off the phone with Sam. I wanted to let him know I was heading home soon. I told him once I get out into that sunshine, I might not come home.” Tess laughed.

“How did that go over with him?” Markie grinned.

Tess grinned. “He said, ‘don’t make the sheriff come looking for you. I’ve put handcuffs on you before, I can do it again.’”

Markie raised her eyebrows. “So… handcuffs, huh?”

Tess burst out laughing. “It’s nothing like that. Before we started seeing each other, he actually arrested me. He pulled me over for speeding, ran my license and found there was a warrant issued for me for an unpaid ticket.” Tess shook her head. “I was so angry at him that I poked his chest with my finger telling him he was not handcuffing me.”

“Oh, please, do go on.” Markie laughed.

“He asked me if wanted to be charged with assaulting an officer too.” She sighed. “I had just lost a mare giving birth, and I was so upset about it, then Sam comes along and just infuriates me.”

“I love that. I’m so glad you fell in love. You’re a wonderful couple.”

“I think you and Nate are too. Just be on guard until they find Knowles. I’d hate for something to happen to either of you, so be careful.”

“I’ll be careful. I’m always careful nowadays,” Markie murmured.

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