Page 43 of Seaside Cowboy's Marriage of Convenience

Then Austin felt comfortable enough to show the guy the drawing of Zoey. “This is the cousin of my friend here. Have you ever seen this woman?”

No recognition flashed in the waiter’s eyes, and he shook his head. “I see the rrrresemblance. But I’ve neverrrr seen this perrrrson. Sorrrry.” HisRs were roaring rather than rolling.

Kennedy’s face fell, and disappointment ripped through Austin. “Thank you. We appreciate it anyway.”

Then Austin and Kennedy placed their order, and the man left with a nod.

“Is it weird that I’m missing Caramel and Smiley already? I mean, I’m thankful the hotel curator loves dogs and offered to dog sit, but still...” Kennedy paused. “It must be difficult to let the animals you foster go.”

“It’s heart-wrenching to let someone we love go. But we must do what’s best for them.” He looked away because he didn’t want her to suspect what he was thinking.

She’d never professed to love him. Marriage seemed to be another contract to her, one to make her uncle happy. A lump formed in Austin’s throat, ruining the wonderful mood. If later she wanted to get out of that contract, he’d have to let her go.

No matter how heart-wrenching it would be.

No matter how much he wanted her to stay.

Partly for distraction, his gaze roamed over people who indeed seemed to be in no hurry to move as they enjoyed the café food and each other’s company. The scents of coffee, vanilla, jasmine, gardenia, and many others mixed in the air. The buzz of conversations included words he didn’t recognize, and some of their bags and T-shirts sported words in foreign languages, adding to the mystery. Outfits ranged from said T-shirts to elegant dresses and from extravagant bright hats to faded caps. Against the backdrop of the café’s green accents, some female patrons looked like bright flowers. For example, a woman with a wide-brimmed magenta hat matching her dress reminded him of a hibiscus, but thankfully, that wasn’t the kind to make Kennedy sneeze.

What were the stories of these people? Of this country? What was his own story going to be? And would Kennedy always share that story with him, like he wanted her to?

Of course, he loved their coastal town and the ranch. But maybe it was time to expand his horizons and learn and try new things. Okay, except maybe caviar.

The waiter brought their order, and while Kennedy thanked him, Austin stared at the tiny ceramic thing. Once the waiter left, Austin lifted the miniature cup that emanated an amazing aroma. He leaned forward and whispered to Kennedy. “What is this?”

“Um, a cup of coffee?” She bit into her éclair.

“Yeah. They can’t be serious. That’s like three sips in here. That’s it.” He counted as he drank it. It was sweet, flavorful, and strong. “Okay, four sips. But I wasn’t that far off.” He caught himself. Was he being rude?

An amused smile lifted her lips. “I don’t think they have coffee-pot-sized mugs here, but we certainly can order more.”

He gestured to the waiter for more coffee, then glanced at the imprint of a shield and some animal on the canopy. “What is that?”

“The town’s coat of arms.”

“Is it also seven hundred years old?” Weird and amazing how historical everything was here. Good thing the castle’s plumbing was modern.

“No. Just six hundred and fifty.” Her fingers tapped on the glass surface and apprehension flashed in her eyes. She stopped eating, and her coffee remained untouched.

She must be nervous about meeting with the video’s creator, Mme. Lavigne, who’d agreed to talk to them this evening, the meeting still an hour away. Kennedy might also be upset that, so far, no one recognized Zoey.

He wanted to see her smile instead of being nervous, even if it was at his ignorance. “Okay, let’s see if I can remember all the things I’ve learned are different here. The week starts on Monday, not Sunday. Well, I already knew that when writing the date they start from the day instead of the month, then the year. When people buy something, taxes are already included.” He looked around at the other tables. “I guess they don’t put ice in their drinks here.” The glasses were much smaller than back home, as well. If he stayed here too long, he’d have to learn to conserve water somehow. Like a camel.

Kennedy nodded, looking more relaxed as she returned to her éclair. “That’s right. And if I asked for water with ice, the waiter would’ve been surprised.”

Did people have different temperature tolerance here? “Not that I’m complaining, but the castle doesn’t have air-conditioning because it’s a historic building, right?”

She shook her head, giving him a beautiful view of her blonde hair flying. “To my knowledge, most buildings here don’t have AC.”

His jaw slackened. How did people survive the summer?

“I know. I know.” She sipped her coffee. “It was a total disaster when the AC stopped working in several rooms at my hotel during the summer. I was afraid people would start climbing inside their refrigerators.”

He used to work outside in the heat for hours. But then he knew he could always come inside to cool off if needed.

“On the bright side, I haven’t stumbled and knocked anyone out yet. But then, the day is still young.” He sat back, pleased his words made her chuckle. Smiles and laughter were abundant in his family and among their stock and his patients—yes, he stood by the unscientific statement that some animals could smile. But such joy seemed rare in her work-focused world.

Their conversation mixed with the lively chatter around them. But then something made his stomach uneasy. Or someone? A lone person at the café patio’s far end had stopped in soon after they had and nursed a glass with amber liquid. With the man’s cap drawn low and large sunglasses, Austin couldn’t see the face. Usually, he wouldn’t pay attention. But after those things had happened to people around Kennedy, he’d forced himself to be more on guard.

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