in her eyes. A wild thumping on the door made her finally nod.
Utah zipped his dick back into his jeans while Caroline righted her clothing. Then he grasped her hand and led her out of the restroom, out of the club, and back into the street, where he hope to draw a breath. But unease clogged his chest.
•●•
Caroline ran her fingers through her hair. Nervousness made her jittery, and she wished she hadn’t drunk two cups of high-test coffee with breakfast.
Why am I so nervous? It’s not my brother and sister I’m meeting for the first time.
She and Utah stood outside the office building while he tried to gather the gumption to go in. The town of Bennett was sleepy this morning. Only a few people walked the quaint streets. Trees lined the sidewalks, dappling the ground with spots of shade.
Caroline raised a hand to her nape where a single bead of sweat slid from her hairline.
Utah shifted his jaw, and a bracket cut around his unsmiling mouth. Creases lived around each eye, only giving him a more rugged appearance.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Hell, no.” He looked deep into her eyes and then huffed out a laugh. Reaching for the door handle, he said, “Let’s go.”
The air-conditioned interior of the office felt like a sanctuary after standing for so long in the hot summer sun. Caroline filled her lungs with cool air.
A receptionist sat behind glass. She smiled as they approached. “Can I help you?”
“We’re here to see Bennett Davies.” Utah’s voice grated on the last name.
“Oh, Mr. Davies is out today. There’s a golf scramble. He’ll be in tomorrow.”
Panic flashed in Utah’s eyes as he looked to Caroline for help.
She stepped up. “I’m afraid we need to see him today. If you could tell us where the golf course is…?”
The receptionist cocked her head, obviously suspicious of someone who might interrupt a man’s golf game.
Caroline gave her best reporter’s smile—dazzling with a hint of understanding. “We’re from out of town, passing through. Someone Mr. Davies was close to passed away, and we feel he should know.”
The woman’s expression transformed. “Oh! Yes, of course you must tell him. The golf course is…”
Caroline tuned out the directions, knowing Utah would photocopy them to his brain. Even if he forgets them, he could probably find the golf course by the lay of the land or something.
“Thank you, ma’am.” He tipped his hat to the woman, who tittered a response. Then he clamped a hand on Caroline’s shoulder and steered her out of the building.
Once they were in the beating sun again, he blew out a breath. “Golf! This brother of mine golfs .”
She couldn’t suppress a giggle. “Lots of people golf, Utah.”
“I know, but not Davies men.”
“Obviously Davies men do golf. C’mon. Before we get into that truck and then flub up Bennett’s golf handicap with our news, let’s drop by that little bakery we just passed. My stomach is turning inside out at the smell of those donuts.”
He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. His eyes softened, and he flashed her the chin dimple she loved so much. “A donut for my baby.”
“Two.”
“Anything you want.”
He draped an arm around her shoulders, and they drifted down the street, passing a mom and pop drugstore, a clothing shop, and a jeweler.
Utah stopped dead in his tracks.
She followed his line of sight to the small window where diamond rings glittered on blue velvet.
Her stomach dropped out, and fear welled in her chest. If he swaggered into that store and bought her a ring, what would she do? She wasn’t ready to answer a big question that went along with a diamond.
Oh God.
She sniffed the air. “Those donuts smell so good.”
He turned his attention to her, his eyes holding a trace of sadness. He didn’t acknowledge her statement about the donuts, just moved away from the storefront and continued to the bakery.
She couldn’t—wouldn’t—get married again, no
Utah zipped his dick back into his jeans while Caroline righted her clothing. Then he grasped her hand and led her out of the restroom, out of the club, and back into the street, where he hope to draw a breath. But unease clogged his chest.
•●•
Caroline ran her fingers through her hair. Nervousness made her jittery, and she wished she hadn’t drunk two cups of high-test coffee with breakfast.
Why am I so nervous? It’s not my brother and sister I’m meeting for the first time.
She and Utah stood outside the office building while he tried to gather the gumption to go in. The town of Bennett was sleepy this morning. Only a few people walked the quaint streets. Trees lined the sidewalks, dappling the ground with spots of shade.
Caroline raised a hand to her nape where a single bead of sweat slid from her hairline.
Utah shifted his jaw, and a bracket cut around his unsmiling mouth. Creases lived around each eye, only giving him a more rugged appearance.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Hell, no.” He looked deep into her eyes and then huffed out a laugh. Reaching for the door handle, he said, “Let’s go.”
The air-conditioned interior of the office felt like a sanctuary after standing for so long in the hot summer sun. Caroline filled her lungs with cool air.
A receptionist sat behind glass. She smiled as they approached. “Can I help you?”
“We’re here to see Bennett Davies.” Utah’s voice grated on the last name.
“Oh, Mr. Davies is out today. There’s a golf scramble. He’ll be in tomorrow.”
Panic flashed in Utah’s eyes as he looked to Caroline for help.
She stepped up. “I’m afraid we need to see him today. If you could tell us where the golf course is…?”
The receptionist cocked her head, obviously suspicious of someone who might interrupt a man’s golf game.
Caroline gave her best reporter’s smile—dazzling with a hint of understanding. “We’re from out of town, passing through. Someone Mr. Davies was close to passed away, and we feel he should know.”
The woman’s expression transformed. “Oh! Yes, of course you must tell him. The golf course is…”
Caroline tuned out the directions, knowing Utah would photocopy them to his brain. Even if he forgets them, he could probably find the golf course by the lay of the land or something.
“Thank you, ma’am.” He tipped his hat to the woman, who tittered a response. Then he clamped a hand on Caroline’s shoulder and steered her out of the building.
Once they were in the beating sun again, he blew out a breath. “Golf! This brother of mine golfs .”
She couldn’t suppress a giggle. “Lots of people golf, Utah.”
“I know, but not Davies men.”
“Obviously Davies men do golf. C’mon. Before we get into that truck and then flub up Bennett’s golf handicap with our news, let’s drop by that little bakery we just passed. My stomach is turning inside out at the smell of those donuts.”
He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. His eyes softened, and he flashed her the chin dimple she loved so much. “A donut for my baby.”
“Two.”
“Anything you want.”
He draped an arm around her shoulders, and they drifted down the street, passing a mom and pop drugstore, a clothing shop, and a jeweler.
Utah stopped dead in his tracks.
She followed his line of sight to the small window where diamond rings glittered on blue velvet.
Her stomach dropped out, and fear welled in her chest. If he swaggered into that store and bought her a ring, what would she do? She wasn’t ready to answer a big question that went along with a diamond.
Oh God.
She sniffed the air. “Those donuts smell so good.”
He turned his attention to her, his eyes holding a trace of sadness. He didn’t acknowledge her statement about the donuts, just moved away from the storefront and continued to the bakery.
She couldn’t—wouldn’t—get married again, no
Similar Books
