Page 38 of A Thirst for Franc

Gio tugged on my arm, his blue eyes heavy with boredom. “Dad, are you coming or not?”

“You go ahead,” I said. “We’re right behind you. No running, and don’t touch anything.”

Gio nodded and turned to run, but then stopped himself. I sighed in relief as he calmly moved about the exhibit.

I nudged Quinn. “Ready to go?”

She grabbed my elbow as if she’d done it time and time again, a beautiful glow radiating from her cheeks. “Yes.”

Steve motioned toward the displays with a handful of pens. “Let me know if you have questions.”

“Will do.” I waited for Quinn to pass and fell into step beside her. “I had no idea you had such an interest in Big Foot.”

“I don’t, but did you see how happy he was to talk about his experience? I’m interested because he is. He makes it sound so exciting.”

My gaze shifted to her a content happiness spreading through me at how this woman kept surprising me. “You’re not really going to go on one of the hunts, are you?”

“I think Gio would get a kick out of it.”

“I think he’d be disappointed if you don’t actually find Big Foot.”

“Great learning opportunity about expectations and reality.”

“That sounds like such a teacher thing to say.” This time I didn’t bite my cheek to keep from laughing.

She shrugged, causing her shirt to dip slightly toward the crease between her tits. “Can take the teacher out of the school but can’t take the teacher out of the person.”

I wanted to ask her if she planned on searching for another teaching position, but I was afraid of what the answer might be. She had come into our lives and fit perfectly. I didn’t want to lose her, even if she was way overqualified.

“Oh wow. Look at this.” She tapped one of the many glass cases filled with Big Foot memorabilia. I moved closer, the scent of fresh cut apples overwhelming my senses. It was fitting for a teacher to smell like apples.

My gaze followed her outstretched finger to the plaster footprint.

Excitement danced across her pretty features. “Is that the actual footprint Steve found in the woods?”

“It is.” Steve had shown it to me many times over the years.

Her eyes widened as if she was standing in front of Big Foot himself. “I can see why he thinks it was Big Foot. That thing is massive.”

A slight bump to my shoulder had me looking to my side.

“I’m sorry,” a young couple in their twenties said as they passed to look at the other display case. The girl with long blonde hair and blue streaks stared at Quinn.

“Excuse me,” the girl said. “Do I know you?”

Quinn’s entire body froze, and without making eye contact, she shook her head. “No, sorry. I don’t think so.”

“You look really familiar,” the girl said. “Doesn’t she look familiar?” she asked the tall, slender guy she was with.

“Isn’t she—?” before the guy could finish, Quinn took off toward the door.

Shock and confusion rolled through me, and it took a moment for my brain and body to get on the same page. I hurried toward the door, stopping at the counter. “Steve, can you keep an eye on Gio for two seconds?” I hated to ask, but I also knew Steve didn’t mind. A benefit of small-town living—everyone looked out for each other.

“Of course. Go do what you have to do.”

“Thank you.” I pushed through the door and ran out onto the sidewalk, coming to a halt for a moment to scan the parking lot. My eyes spotted Quinn’s red mane bobbing between cars and bee-lining it to my Porsche.

She didn’t have keys, so I wasn’t exactly sure what she planned on doing. I made my way toward her and hit the unlock button as I went. Before I made it to her, she was already inside, door shut, hands in her lap as she stared out the window, pale as a crisp white sheet.

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