Page 49 of The Moment They Can't Forget

The deep words had her looking up into a face she didn’t know. He seemed familiar, but she wasn’t sure why. Something about that jaw niggled at her memory. The man wasn’t as tall as her brothers, but he still topped her by a few inches. With dark hair, green eyes, and a nice smile, he was handsome in a slick way. Dressed in navy suit trousers and a pale blue shirt, he was out of place here in Lyntacky. A salesman, perhaps?

“Can I help you with something?”

“I sure hope so.” He kept right on smiling. “Nice town you have here.”

“We like it.”

“Do you know where I can find a place called The Gnat?”

She studied him. He had the look of someone who regularly had haircuts, facials, and likely manicures. She doubted there was a tattoo anywhere on that body, however, but she’d been wrong about that before. A vision of the ink JD had on his body flashed an unwelcome memory through her head.

“Also, where would be a good place to stay the night and get some food that won’t give me indigestion?”

“Because all the food in Lyntacky will?” Her smile wasn’t pleasant. His didn’t slip. Zoe had suffered through all kinds of innuendos in Chicago when people learned she was from a small town.

“No offense intended, Miss…?”

“It certainly sounded like you were being offensive.” She got to her feet. “Perhaps you should just keep driving if you find this place not to your liking.”

“Look, I didn’t mean to be rude.” His accent sounded like he was private school educated and maybe vacationed in the Hamptons. In fact, she had a feeling this guy thought he was a great deal better than everyone else.

“Sure you did,” she drawled. “Head on out that door, turn right, and keep walking. I’m sure you’ll find The Gnat. But if it’s a tattoo you’re wanting, the man who does them doesn’t work today.”

“I’m sorry if something I said offended you. That wasn’t my intention. You have a very nice town.”

“You be careful those words don’t choke you now.” Zoe had her arms crossed.

“Sorry again if I offended you.” After a final look, he headed out the door.

“Don’t let it hit you in the ass,” Zoe muttered. She then watched the man climb into a sleek-looking sedan and drive away.

Minutes later, Lil walked back in, arms full of food and coffee.

“I thought you were just getting coffee?”

“Breakfast was hours ago,” Lil said. “Right. Caffeine up, and then we’re doing a makeover,” her friend added.

“Do you think Mrs. C will mind?”

“No. And you said you told her you were moving things around in here,” Lil said with her mouth now full of donut, of which she’d brought two.

“Too much sugar will rot your teeth,” Zoe said.

“My teeth are fine, thank you, and my best feature.”

Beside her brother Dan, Lil was the hardest person she knew to insult.

They ate and then began moving things around as per her plan, which Lil had approved. An hour later, the shop was already looking better.

“Grouping things is a far better concept than just chucking stuff wherever it fits,” Lil said after she’d guzzled down water.

“Aha,” Zoe said from the depths of the large box she was currently bent over inspecting. She’d found five of them pushed into a corner. This one held yet more fabric samples.

“Where is Mrs. C?”

Zoe froze. She knew that voice. She kept sorting through the box, pretending to ignore JD, who had just walked in.

“Hello, JD, nice to see you again. I believe Mrs. C had some kind of emergency. Your goats are doing just fine, FYI.”

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