Page 22 of Bridge to Safety

She turned to the older man with a smile. “Ready to redo my kitchen and bathroom?”

He chuckled. “You send me a picture of how you want them to look, and I’ll pick up the supplies. Enjoy your weekend, Miss Sloan. The yard’s looking nice, too.”

Shiloh was proud of her hard work. “Want to help me bring the rocking chairs out of the shed, Peanut?” She’d bought them a few days ago but wanted to wait until the house was finished before setting up her porch.

A man yelled for her attention.

She turned, Peanut stepping in front of her. “Can I help you?”

“I’m Nick Nelson, a neighbor. There’s this man…drives a white van. He sits in front of my house for a while every day staring down this way. I thought maybe he was on his break from all the work going on down here.” His brow furrowed. “Looks good, by the way. Anyway, I don’t think he’s one of the workers.”

“He’s not.” Her voice turned hoarse.

“Is he bothering you? I can call the cops next time he shows up.”

“That’s not necessary. I don’t want to get you involved.” She didn’t trust Duke not to hurt someone just to make a point to her. “He’s nothing more than a nuisance.”

“Are you sure? Because as a woman living alone, you can’t be too careful. My wife and I don’t like him sitting out there.”

“He’ll get bored with it soon enough.” No, he wouldn’t. Duke would remain a hovering threat until someone stopped him. That was something that would never happen. This town didn’t mess with the Larson family. Never had. “Thank you for your concern.” She pasted on a smile, then headed for the shed.

By the time she’d finished making the porch feel welcoming, the sun sat high in the sky. Her stomach growled, reminding her it had been a while since breakfast. “How about we have lunch at the diner? I heard they’ve set tables outside since the weather turned nice so people can eat out there. I bet they won’t mind you being outside.”

Peanut’s tail thumped the ground.

Shiloh locked up the house and set the alarm. Rowan had been correct in saying she’d sleep better with the security system turned on. With the cameras and Peanut, it wouldn’t be easy for anyone to sneak into her home. She drove across the bridge and into town, parking in a spot near the picnic tables. While waiting for someone to bring her a menu, she looped Peanut’s leash around the table leg.

“Hey!” Rachel darted across the lot. “We can eat together.”

Shiloh smiled at the embarrassed look on her father’s face. “That’s fine by me.”

“Sorry. Sometimes, my daughter doesn’t know her boundaries.” He ruffled the girl’s hair. “I like to bring her out to eat on my days off.” He scratched Peanut’s ear. “How’s the house?”

“The outside is complete. Please, sit.” She thought about telling him what her neighbor had said that morning but decided against it. All Duke did, creepy as it was, was watch her from the top of the hill. She hadn’t spoken to him in a week. Maybe he’d already realized she meant it when she said she wanted nothing to do with him.

The arrival of their server broke off her thoughts, reminding her she wasn’t alone. She was having lunch with friends. Living alone tended to make her stay to herself too much. Maybe she needed to get out more and not just go to work.

“The special, please.” Rowan didn’t glance at his menu.

“What is the special?” Shiloh glanced up. “Do you ever order anything from the menu?”

“Today’s special is a BLT with Texas fries.” He grinned. “And no, I usually order whatever the special is. That way, I don’t lock myself into ordering the same thing all the time.”

“What if you don’t like it?”

“I’ve always liked it so far.”

She laughed. “Okay. I’ll have the special, too.”

“Popcorn chicken for me,” Rachel piped up.

“A plain burger for my dog, please.” Shiloh returned her menu.

The server nodded and returned to the building.

“I like the tables outside.” Shiloh put a hand on her dog’s head. “This gives me somewhere to take her.”

“The two of you would love the hiking path around Misty Lake.” Rowan put an arm around his daughter’s shoulders. “The park offers several paths to take, depending on your time limit. Anywhere from one mile to five.”

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