because he steals as easily as he breathes.” Olive took a sip of her coffee. “But I don’t want to talk about Cal. The topic is Seth.”
Savannah raked her hands through her hair. “Olive, the man makes me weak in the knees, which is ridiculous since he’s accused me of three murders.”
Waving her hand dismissively, Olive said, “ That was him just doing his job. What I saw a little bit ago had nothing to do with work.”
“I’ve never felt this kind of instant attraction to a man,” Savannah admitted.
“Ever hear of love at first sight?” Olive asked.
“Of course. But I never thought it was true.”
“Until now?”
Savannah nodded, if cautiously. “Is it possiblethat I’ve fallen in love with Seth in a matter of days?”
“Anything is possible,” Olive reminded her.
“Did you know when you met your husband that he was the one?”
Olive’s eyes clouded, as they always did whenever anyone mentioned her long-deceased husband. Savannah thought she must have loved him very much to still feel the pain of his loss. And she had never remarried in all this time. That had to mean she still felt married to a ghost. It was kind of sad and romantic in a weird way.
“We got married two weeks after we met,” Olive said.
“Wow.” Savannah was impressed. It also explained why Olive was such a terminal matchmaker. Obviously she believed in love, especially at first sight. “Then I guess it means it is possible for me to have feelings for Seth.”
“Feelings? Darling, I’ve known you since the second day you arrived in Jasper. You’re all work and school. It’s good to see that Seth has cracked your practical shell. In fact, I think it’s great!” Olive proclaimed excitedly. “We’ll have a wedding shower and—”
“Slow down,” Savannah insisted. “We were kissing, not getting engaged. Besides, I have no idea how Seth feels. He may have kissed me because I was convenient.”
“Pooh,” Olive huffed. “Men are very transparent at times. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. The man’s in love.”
Savannah swallowed the yelp of cheer that was her first response. “Maybe the man’s just in lust,” she pointed out. “Sometimes you can’t tell the difference. Besides, even if he is in love, there’s no future for us.”
“Why would you say that?” Olive asked. “When you get your degree, you’ll probably be working closely with Seth on cases and things.”
If I’m still here. “Maybe,” Savannah hedged.
“Well,” Olive began as she rose, “you two enjoy the muffins.” Olive smiled, knowingly. “ And each other.” Then she headed for the door. “I’ll see you around one.”
“Okay,” Savannah called. “Thanks for talking to me, Olive.”
The woman glanced over her shoulder, her eyes moist. “You know I think of you like a daughter. I just want you to know I’m always here for you.”
“I know, and thanks.”
Savannah pondered the complexities of her situation with Seth until she heard the shower stop. Then she went into Plan B mode—pretend it didn’t happen unless he brings it up.
“N O MORE SCHOOL and no more Olive’s.” Seth proclaimed several hours later when she came out of the bedroom where she had been hiding.
She glared at him. “Wrong. I’m going to work and I’m going to school.”
Seth’s scowl was fierce and she noticed that his fists were balled at his sides. “How am I supposed to protect you when you’re out in public?”
“I’ve been out in public since I got here,” she reminded him. “The only thing that has changed is that now you know I’m a federally protected witness.”
He took a threatening step closer. “You think that’s the only thing that’s changed?” His tone was low and almost threatening.
Much to her chagrin, Savannah had to crane her neck to maintain eye contact. Or more accurately, their glaring battle.
“Let’s get that out of the way then.”
“Out of the way?” he repeated
Savannah raked her hands through her hair. “Olive, the man makes me weak in the knees, which is ridiculous since he’s accused me of three murders.”
Waving her hand dismissively, Olive said, “ That was him just doing his job. What I saw a little bit ago had nothing to do with work.”
“I’ve never felt this kind of instant attraction to a man,” Savannah admitted.
“Ever hear of love at first sight?” Olive asked.
“Of course. But I never thought it was true.”
“Until now?”
Savannah nodded, if cautiously. “Is it possiblethat I’ve fallen in love with Seth in a matter of days?”
“Anything is possible,” Olive reminded her.
“Did you know when you met your husband that he was the one?”
Olive’s eyes clouded, as they always did whenever anyone mentioned her long-deceased husband. Savannah thought she must have loved him very much to still feel the pain of his loss. And she had never remarried in all this time. That had to mean she still felt married to a ghost. It was kind of sad and romantic in a weird way.
“We got married two weeks after we met,” Olive said.
“Wow.” Savannah was impressed. It also explained why Olive was such a terminal matchmaker. Obviously she believed in love, especially at first sight. “Then I guess it means it is possible for me to have feelings for Seth.”
“Feelings? Darling, I’ve known you since the second day you arrived in Jasper. You’re all work and school. It’s good to see that Seth has cracked your practical shell. In fact, I think it’s great!” Olive proclaimed excitedly. “We’ll have a wedding shower and—”
“Slow down,” Savannah insisted. “We were kissing, not getting engaged. Besides, I have no idea how Seth feels. He may have kissed me because I was convenient.”
“Pooh,” Olive huffed. “Men are very transparent at times. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. The man’s in love.”
Savannah swallowed the yelp of cheer that was her first response. “Maybe the man’s just in lust,” she pointed out. “Sometimes you can’t tell the difference. Besides, even if he is in love, there’s no future for us.”
“Why would you say that?” Olive asked. “When you get your degree, you’ll probably be working closely with Seth on cases and things.”
If I’m still here. “Maybe,” Savannah hedged.
“Well,” Olive began as she rose, “you two enjoy the muffins.” Olive smiled, knowingly. “ And each other.” Then she headed for the door. “I’ll see you around one.”
“Okay,” Savannah called. “Thanks for talking to me, Olive.”
The woman glanced over her shoulder, her eyes moist. “You know I think of you like a daughter. I just want you to know I’m always here for you.”
“I know, and thanks.”
Savannah pondered the complexities of her situation with Seth until she heard the shower stop. Then she went into Plan B mode—pretend it didn’t happen unless he brings it up.
“N O MORE SCHOOL and no more Olive’s.” Seth proclaimed several hours later when she came out of the bedroom where she had been hiding.
She glared at him. “Wrong. I’m going to work and I’m going to school.”
Seth’s scowl was fierce and she noticed that his fists were balled at his sides. “How am I supposed to protect you when you’re out in public?”
“I’ve been out in public since I got here,” she reminded him. “The only thing that has changed is that now you know I’m a federally protected witness.”
He took a threatening step closer. “You think that’s the only thing that’s changed?” His tone was low and almost threatening.
Much to her chagrin, Savannah had to crane her neck to maintain eye contact. Or more accurately, their glaring battle.
“Let’s get that out of the way then.”
“Out of the way?” he repeated
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