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Authors: Laura Browning
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and ‘witch’ around.”
Joe straightened abruptly and bumped the back of his head on the hood of Tabby’s car. “Oh for heaven’s sake. This town’s got more ears than a field full of corn.”
“And more tongues than the tower of Babel?” Jake finished. He patted Joe on the back. “Between Facebook and what I’m sure is going on behind the scenes over the phone, it could get ugly fast. Trust me, I know. I came by to offer some friendly advice if you don’t mind, Joe.”
He looked at Jake warily. “Advice from you I’ll take. There are a few, now, I don’t have a mind to be so charitable toward.”
Jake grinned lazily. “If the lady is worth it, then stand up for her early on and be damned to all of them. ’Scuse me. Holly would have my hide if she heard me cuss in front of the preacher.”
Joe laughed at that. “Trust me, Jake. You won’t say anything I haven’t already heard. I haven’t always been a preacher. Besides, it’s not me you have to worry about. It’s the guy up there… And he hears it no matter where you say it.”
Jake glanced at the car’s engine compartment. “See her publicly. Make all the gossips go public, too, so you can get it out in the open before it festers. And I’m telling you again, you need to get on Facebook. Read what’s there so you can put a stop to it. Good luck to you. She’s a real pretty lady. Classy.”
With that, Jake sauntered back out to his car and drove slowly down the street, waving to some of the neighbors out working in their yards. Joe stared after him. See Tabby publicly? He was having a tough time seeing her at all. She was more skittish than her cat.
Joe looked back at the car. All the belts and hoses were fine. Fluid levels were fine. He checked the battery connections and found corrosion around the terminals. He disconnected them, then went to his toolbox in the trunk of his Mustang for a wire brush. After cleaning the terminals and checking the wires, he reconnected everything as Tabby was coming back outside. He tossed her the keys.
“Get in and try her. Let’s see if she’ll start. You still might need a boost.”
The car started, a little reluctantly, but it started. Tabby grinned.
“Let it run for a few minutes. Chances are your battery is a little low.”
Tabby got out of the car and smiled. Joe couldn’t help himself. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and their eyes met for a long moment.
“Thanks,” Tabby said a little breathlessly. “You saved me calling a mechanic. Can I make you dinner to say thank you?”
Joe shook his head, thinking of Jake’s advice, not to mention the prospect of more tofu. “No, but you could let me take you out to dinner. That way I can have my cheeseburger and you can munch on rabbit food.”
Her face grew wary. Sure, it was easy for Jake to talk about going public, but Joe not only had to contend with his parishioners, he had to contend with Tabby’s own reluctance. He sighed, knowing he needed to deal with it head-on.
“It’s dinner, Tabby, not a lifetime commitment or an altar call.”
She blinked and chewed on her lower lip. “Joe…I…”
“I won’t even denounce you as a heathen.” He kept his tone light. Why was he bothering? Any other woman he would have already cut his losses and moved on, but Tabby was different. Special.
Her breath huffed out on a strangled laugh, and she looked down at her jeans and long-sleeved T-shirt. “Do I need to change?”
Joe felt a surge of relief. He noted she was covered once again from ankle to neck. “Not at all. Go grab your purse or whatever you need. We’ll take my car.”
Tabby’s eyes went to the Mustang and suddenly glowed. “With the top down?”
“Sure.”
“I’ve never ridden in a convertible before.”
What the devil? Where had she grown up?
“Then hop in.”
Joe’s red Mustang convertible no sooner pulled out onto the street than he could have sworn he saw curtains twitching in several windows on
Joe straightened abruptly and bumped the back of his head on the hood of Tabby’s car. “Oh for heaven’s sake. This town’s got more ears than a field full of corn.”
“And more tongues than the tower of Babel?” Jake finished. He patted Joe on the back. “Between Facebook and what I’m sure is going on behind the scenes over the phone, it could get ugly fast. Trust me, I know. I came by to offer some friendly advice if you don’t mind, Joe.”
He looked at Jake warily. “Advice from you I’ll take. There are a few, now, I don’t have a mind to be so charitable toward.”
Jake grinned lazily. “If the lady is worth it, then stand up for her early on and be damned to all of them. ’Scuse me. Holly would have my hide if she heard me cuss in front of the preacher.”
Joe laughed at that. “Trust me, Jake. You won’t say anything I haven’t already heard. I haven’t always been a preacher. Besides, it’s not me you have to worry about. It’s the guy up there… And he hears it no matter where you say it.”
Jake glanced at the car’s engine compartment. “See her publicly. Make all the gossips go public, too, so you can get it out in the open before it festers. And I’m telling you again, you need to get on Facebook. Read what’s there so you can put a stop to it. Good luck to you. She’s a real pretty lady. Classy.”
With that, Jake sauntered back out to his car and drove slowly down the street, waving to some of the neighbors out working in their yards. Joe stared after him. See Tabby publicly? He was having a tough time seeing her at all. She was more skittish than her cat.
Joe looked back at the car. All the belts and hoses were fine. Fluid levels were fine. He checked the battery connections and found corrosion around the terminals. He disconnected them, then went to his toolbox in the trunk of his Mustang for a wire brush. After cleaning the terminals and checking the wires, he reconnected everything as Tabby was coming back outside. He tossed her the keys.
“Get in and try her. Let’s see if she’ll start. You still might need a boost.”
The car started, a little reluctantly, but it started. Tabby grinned.
“Let it run for a few minutes. Chances are your battery is a little low.”
Tabby got out of the car and smiled. Joe couldn’t help himself. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and their eyes met for a long moment.
“Thanks,” Tabby said a little breathlessly. “You saved me calling a mechanic. Can I make you dinner to say thank you?”
Joe shook his head, thinking of Jake’s advice, not to mention the prospect of more tofu. “No, but you could let me take you out to dinner. That way I can have my cheeseburger and you can munch on rabbit food.”
Her face grew wary. Sure, it was easy for Jake to talk about going public, but Joe not only had to contend with his parishioners, he had to contend with Tabby’s own reluctance. He sighed, knowing he needed to deal with it head-on.
“It’s dinner, Tabby, not a lifetime commitment or an altar call.”
She blinked and chewed on her lower lip. “Joe…I…”
“I won’t even denounce you as a heathen.” He kept his tone light. Why was he bothering? Any other woman he would have already cut his losses and moved on, but Tabby was different. Special.
Her breath huffed out on a strangled laugh, and she looked down at her jeans and long-sleeved T-shirt. “Do I need to change?”
Joe felt a surge of relief. He noted she was covered once again from ankle to neck. “Not at all. Go grab your purse or whatever you need. We’ll take my car.”
Tabby’s eyes went to the Mustang and suddenly glowed. “With the top down?”
“Sure.”
“I’ve never ridden in a convertible before.”
What the devil? Where had she grown up?
“Then hop in.”
Joe’s red Mustang convertible no sooner pulled out onto the street than he could have sworn he saw curtains twitching in several windows on
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