Page 607 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“It just goes to prove that you can’t always tell how something’s gonna look unless you try it on.”

Trying it on. That’s what Sydney was doing with Kendall. And so far, he seemed to fit.

She’d been surprised and a little disappointed that he hadn’t called her after their first date. The weekend was approaching and no call from Kendall. She’d slept in on Saturday and wassitting at the kitchen table eating a bowl of fruity pebbles, still wearing the shorts and long T-shirt she’d slept in the night before, when she heard the roar of an engine outside.

If rednecks are going to race up and down the street, the least they could do is buy a muffler, she thought. She waited for the sound to pass, but it only got louder. Annoyed, she put her empty bowl in the sink and went into the living room to look out her front window. By the time she reached the window, the noise had stopped. She opened the blinds and frowned. Why was there a motorcycle in her driveway?

The knock at the door caused her to jump. She looked down at her clothes. She went to the door and looked out the peep hole, raking her fingers through her disheveled hair.

“Kendall, this is a surprise. I wasn’t expecting … um … you.” Her face warmed when she watched his gaze go from her face to her clothes.

He smiled boyishly. “I just thought you might wanna go for a ride.”

Her eyes widened and she pointed to the bike. “On that?”

“Uh huh.”

“But I’m not dressed.”

He stepped inside the living room. “It’s okay. We’re in no hurry. I’ll wait.”

There were probably at least half a dozen reasons why she shouldn’t go. She’d planned on spending her Saturday recouping and reading the journal. “Make yourself at home,” she heard herself say. “I’ll only be a minute.”

“Make sure you wear jeans. I’d hate for those nice legs of yours to get scratched up on my bike.”She smiled at the compliment.

“How in theworld did I let you talk me into this?” Sydney yelled, tightening her grip around Kendall’s waist.

In response, Kendall’s laughter floated through the air. She looked at the brilliant blue sky, feeling the wind whip through her hair. The sun had finally broken through the clouds, dispelling the rain. She could feel the warmth of Kendall’s body against hers. They raced against the wind, down the secluded country road. Her heart was pounding in her ears. She felt more alive at that moment than she’d felt in a very long time.

The picturesque landscape, with the gentle sloping mountain covered with green trees, whizzed by them like a movie reel. She didn’t know where Kendall was taking her and really didn’t care. It was nice to let someone else be in control for a while.

Kendall slowed down the bike and maneuvered it to the side of the road where it came to a stop. Sydney loosened her grip on his waist.

“How ya doin’?”

“Great.”

“I wanna show you something.” He pointed to the mountain. “See that old steel cable?”

Sydney nodded. A rusty cable extended from the top of the mountain to the bottom and across the road to the other side. The thick foliage made it impossible to see where the cable ended. “Where does it go?”

“To an abandoned factory.” He pointed. “The river is over there. The factory was directly on the river. Coal was mined on top of the mountain and then put in a cable box and taken to the river where it was loaded onto barges.”

Sydney wasn’t sure where this was going. “That’s interesting.”

“Just a little Stoney Creek trivia for ya.” He smiled. “And a good excuse to get off of this bike and stretch my legs.”

Sydney laughed. “Ah, now the truth comes out,” she said, taking off her helmet and running her fingers through her hair. “Kendall, what is that over there in that field? It looks like hundreds of tiny a-frame tin huts.”

Kendall gave her a quizzical look.

“Well?

“You’re serious? You really don’t know what those are?”

The condescension in Kendall’s tone irked her. “If I knew I wouldn’t have asked you.”

“I’m sorry. I forgot that you’re not a country girl. I guess they don’t raise fighting roosters in Dallas-Ft. Worth, do they?” He laughed.

---