carried away with a few choice names for his clan.
All conversation ceased as soon as dinner arrived. Jordan couldn’t believe the huge hunk of nearly raw meat that was placed in front of the professor. Next to it was a giant baked potato fully loaded. Her little chicken dish looked like a child’s portion in comparison. The professor’s head went down, and he didn’t come up for air again until he had devoured every bite. There wasn’t a piece of gristle or fat left on his plate.
“Would you like more bread?” she asked calmly.
In answer he shoved the bread basket at her. She was able to get the waitress’s attention and politely requested more. From the waitress’s wary expression, Jordan assumed she’d witnessed the argument, and she smiled to assure the woman that all was well.
“You have a great passion for your work,” Jordan complimented. She decided that if she didn’t start humoring him, he might leave without letting her see his research, and the trip would be completely wasted.
“And you admire my dedication,” he answered and then launched into another tale about the dastardly Buchanans. He stopped long enough to order dessert, and by the time it arrived, he’d worked his way back to the fourteenth century.
Everything in Texas was big, including food. She stared at the top of the professor’s head as he devoted himself to inhaling every bite of the huge wedge of apple pie with two scoops of vanilla ice cream.
A waiter dropped a glass. The professor looked around and noticed how crowded the room was becoming. He seemed to shrivel up in the booth as he kept a close eye on who was coming and going.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
“I don’t like crowds.”
He took a sip of his coffee and said, “I’ve stored some data on a flash drive. It’s in one of the boxes for Isabel. Do you know what a flash drive is?”
Before she could answer, he said, “All Isabel has to do is slip the flash drive into her computer. It’s like a disk, and it can store volumes of data.”
His condescending tone irritated her to no end. “I’ll make sure she gets it,” she said.
He told her the price of the flash drive and said, “I assume you or Miss MacKenna will reimburse me.”
“Yes, I will.”
“Now?” He pulled a receipt from his pocket and stared expectantly at her, obviously wanting payment right this minute, and so she got the money from her billfold and handed it to him. He wasn’t the trusting sort. He counted the money before tucking it into his wallet.
“As to my research…I have three large boxes. I’ve spoken at length with Isabel, and against my better judgment I have decided to let you take them to make photocopies for her. She has assured me that she takes full responsibility, and so I will rely on her integrity as a MacKenna. I’ll know if anything is missing. I have a photographic memory. Once I’ve read something, it stays with me.” He paused to tap his forehead. “I remember names and faces of people I met ten, twenty years ago. It’s stored up here. The important and the unimportant.”
“How long do I have to make the copies?” she asked, wanting to move the conversation along.
“I’ve been so busy getting ready for my trip. I’m leaving sooner than I originally planned. You’ll have to stay in Serenity and make your copies here. It shouldn’t take you more than two days at the most. Maybe three,” he allowed.
“Is there a print shop in town with copy machines?”
“I don’t believe so,” he replied. “But there’s a machine at the grocery store, and I’m sure there are others around town.”
After two more cups of coffee, he requested the bill. As the time for their parting grew closer, every minute seemed to drag. When the check came, he pushed it toward her. At this point she wasn’t surprised.
Her brother Zachary had always been able to gross her out. He was much better at it than any of her other brothers, but tonight the professor
All conversation ceased as soon as dinner arrived. Jordan couldn’t believe the huge hunk of nearly raw meat that was placed in front of the professor. Next to it was a giant baked potato fully loaded. Her little chicken dish looked like a child’s portion in comparison. The professor’s head went down, and he didn’t come up for air again until he had devoured every bite. There wasn’t a piece of gristle or fat left on his plate.
“Would you like more bread?” she asked calmly.
In answer he shoved the bread basket at her. She was able to get the waitress’s attention and politely requested more. From the waitress’s wary expression, Jordan assumed she’d witnessed the argument, and she smiled to assure the woman that all was well.
“You have a great passion for your work,” Jordan complimented. She decided that if she didn’t start humoring him, he might leave without letting her see his research, and the trip would be completely wasted.
“And you admire my dedication,” he answered and then launched into another tale about the dastardly Buchanans. He stopped long enough to order dessert, and by the time it arrived, he’d worked his way back to the fourteenth century.
Everything in Texas was big, including food. She stared at the top of the professor’s head as he devoted himself to inhaling every bite of the huge wedge of apple pie with two scoops of vanilla ice cream.
A waiter dropped a glass. The professor looked around and noticed how crowded the room was becoming. He seemed to shrivel up in the booth as he kept a close eye on who was coming and going.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
“I don’t like crowds.”
He took a sip of his coffee and said, “I’ve stored some data on a flash drive. It’s in one of the boxes for Isabel. Do you know what a flash drive is?”
Before she could answer, he said, “All Isabel has to do is slip the flash drive into her computer. It’s like a disk, and it can store volumes of data.”
His condescending tone irritated her to no end. “I’ll make sure she gets it,” she said.
He told her the price of the flash drive and said, “I assume you or Miss MacKenna will reimburse me.”
“Yes, I will.”
“Now?” He pulled a receipt from his pocket and stared expectantly at her, obviously wanting payment right this minute, and so she got the money from her billfold and handed it to him. He wasn’t the trusting sort. He counted the money before tucking it into his wallet.
“As to my research…I have three large boxes. I’ve spoken at length with Isabel, and against my better judgment I have decided to let you take them to make photocopies for her. She has assured me that she takes full responsibility, and so I will rely on her integrity as a MacKenna. I’ll know if anything is missing. I have a photographic memory. Once I’ve read something, it stays with me.” He paused to tap his forehead. “I remember names and faces of people I met ten, twenty years ago. It’s stored up here. The important and the unimportant.”
“How long do I have to make the copies?” she asked, wanting to move the conversation along.
“I’ve been so busy getting ready for my trip. I’m leaving sooner than I originally planned. You’ll have to stay in Serenity and make your copies here. It shouldn’t take you more than two days at the most. Maybe three,” he allowed.
“Is there a print shop in town with copy machines?”
“I don’t believe so,” he replied. “But there’s a machine at the grocery store, and I’m sure there are others around town.”
After two more cups of coffee, he requested the bill. As the time for their parting grew closer, every minute seemed to drag. When the check came, he pushed it toward her. At this point she wasn’t surprised.
Her brother Zachary had always been able to gross her out. He was much better at it than any of her other brothers, but tonight the professor
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