church—and recalled that her name was Sally Monroe.
“I’m certain I will be available,” Abigail said. Sally appeared to be about her age, and she was quite nice. “I’d love to have lunch.”
“How about Tuesday? I could meet you at your hotel, and we could have lunch there.”
“That should work fine.” They set a time, and Abigail found herself looking forward to getting to know Sally better. She didn’t really miss her friends in Eureka Springs as much as she thought she might. And that, too, was strange to her for she saw some of them almost every day.
Mrs. Wellington called everyone to the table, and Abigail wasn’t disappointed to find herself sitting next to Marcus. He’d almost disappeared into the background while others had come up to speak to her. Now he leaned near and whispered, “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine. I just wish I could remember that couple right across from us.”
“They are the Bransons: Peter and Emily.” His voice was low and for her ears only.
“Oh, thank you. They want me to come to dinner soon.”
“You’ll enjoy yourself. They are very nice people.”
As the meal progressed, they all seemed to go out of their way to make Abigail feel welcome in their town. The minister and his wife were very nice, also.
“We’re very glad you joined us today. It’s sometimes hard to go to church when you are away from home.”
Abigail didn’t want to admit that there’d been times at home when it had been hard for her to go. “Your church has a very good feeling to it. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming.”
“We hope you’ll join us again.”
“I’m planning on it.”
The afternoon passed quickly. After dinner, they played a game of croquet in the big, shady backyard, and Abigail enjoyed herself immensely. After everyone else had left, the Wellingtons insisted that she stay for a light supper, and by the time Marcus took her back to the hotel that evening, she didn’t feel quite so alone in a new town.
He walked her to her room and, after checking inside, joined her just outside the door once more. “What time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow? Didn’t we decide on around ten?”
His smile showed his dimple, and as Abigail looked into those blue eyes, her heart fluttered against her ribs. “Yes, we did. I’ll be ready.”
“Good.”
“I’m sure you’ve had second thoughts about telling my father you’d be responsible for me. Between doing what you’ve been hired to do and doing what your family expects you to do, you certainly have your work cut out for you.”
He leaned against the door frame and looked into her eyes. “Yes, ma’am, I believe I do.”
The look in his eyes kept her from taking offense.
He shoved himself away from the door frame and gave her a push. “Lock up. Sleep well, and I’ll see you in the morning.”
“See you then,” Abigail breathed as she backed into her room. She shut the door and turned the key.
“Good night,” Marcus said from the other side.
She could hear him walk away as she whispered, “Good night.”
❧
Marcus walked out of the hotel after he’d had a word with Morgan and Ross, who were changing shifts. Abigail didn’t know just how true her words were. He certainly did have his work cut out for him. . .and the biggest part of it was making sure he didn’t begin to care too much for his client.
He’d watched her this afternoon at his parents’. She wasn’t nearly as confident as she would like everyone to think she was. And she seemed a little. . .apprehensive, especially when the Bensons had first gone up to talk to her. She’d turned quite pale for a moment. He wondered why. There was so much he didn’t know about Abigail Connors, and the more he was around her, the more he wanted to know about her. He’d put a man on it first thing tomorrow.
Marcus glanced up at her window and fought the urge to wait until her lights went out before heading for home. He had an agent
“I’m certain I will be available,” Abigail said. Sally appeared to be about her age, and she was quite nice. “I’d love to have lunch.”
“How about Tuesday? I could meet you at your hotel, and we could have lunch there.”
“That should work fine.” They set a time, and Abigail found herself looking forward to getting to know Sally better. She didn’t really miss her friends in Eureka Springs as much as she thought she might. And that, too, was strange to her for she saw some of them almost every day.
Mrs. Wellington called everyone to the table, and Abigail wasn’t disappointed to find herself sitting next to Marcus. He’d almost disappeared into the background while others had come up to speak to her. Now he leaned near and whispered, “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine. I just wish I could remember that couple right across from us.”
“They are the Bransons: Peter and Emily.” His voice was low and for her ears only.
“Oh, thank you. They want me to come to dinner soon.”
“You’ll enjoy yourself. They are very nice people.”
As the meal progressed, they all seemed to go out of their way to make Abigail feel welcome in their town. The minister and his wife were very nice, also.
“We’re very glad you joined us today. It’s sometimes hard to go to church when you are away from home.”
Abigail didn’t want to admit that there’d been times at home when it had been hard for her to go. “Your church has a very good feeling to it. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming.”
“We hope you’ll join us again.”
“I’m planning on it.”
The afternoon passed quickly. After dinner, they played a game of croquet in the big, shady backyard, and Abigail enjoyed herself immensely. After everyone else had left, the Wellingtons insisted that she stay for a light supper, and by the time Marcus took her back to the hotel that evening, she didn’t feel quite so alone in a new town.
He walked her to her room and, after checking inside, joined her just outside the door once more. “What time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow? Didn’t we decide on around ten?”
His smile showed his dimple, and as Abigail looked into those blue eyes, her heart fluttered against her ribs. “Yes, we did. I’ll be ready.”
“Good.”
“I’m sure you’ve had second thoughts about telling my father you’d be responsible for me. Between doing what you’ve been hired to do and doing what your family expects you to do, you certainly have your work cut out for you.”
He leaned against the door frame and looked into her eyes. “Yes, ma’am, I believe I do.”
The look in his eyes kept her from taking offense.
He shoved himself away from the door frame and gave her a push. “Lock up. Sleep well, and I’ll see you in the morning.”
“See you then,” Abigail breathed as she backed into her room. She shut the door and turned the key.
“Good night,” Marcus said from the other side.
She could hear him walk away as she whispered, “Good night.”
❧
Marcus walked out of the hotel after he’d had a word with Morgan and Ross, who were changing shifts. Abigail didn’t know just how true her words were. He certainly did have his work cut out for him. . .and the biggest part of it was making sure he didn’t begin to care too much for his client.
He’d watched her this afternoon at his parents’. She wasn’t nearly as confident as she would like everyone to think she was. And she seemed a little. . .apprehensive, especially when the Bensons had first gone up to talk to her. She’d turned quite pale for a moment. He wondered why. There was so much he didn’t know about Abigail Connors, and the more he was around her, the more he wanted to know about her. He’d put a man on it first thing tomorrow.
Marcus glanced up at her window and fought the urge to wait until her lights went out before heading for home. He had an agent
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