Home to Sparrow Lake

He grinned. “Not unless I catch you jaywalking again.”

Biting back a smile, she checked her list. “We need to deliver three meals here. Two regular and one vegetarian.”

“You get the vegetarian and I’ll grab the other two.”

Glad to get out of the vehicle—she’d merely been a passenger until now—Kristen opened one rear door as Alex opened the other. She dug out a vegetarian meal and then looked up. He was smiling at her. She couldn’t stop herself from smiling in return.

She let herself enjoy the moment as she followed him up the five steps to the door.

He rang the bell.

Movement at the corner of her eye made Kristen start. A silver-haired woman was staring through parted curtains out the window. Kristen raised the container of food to show her. The curtain closed, and a moment later, the door opened.

“A couple!” the woman exclaimed. “Well, that’s a first. Is that Kristen Lange?”

“It is, Mrs. Gerber. Good to see you again.”

“You, too.” Mrs. Gerber looked from Kristen to Alex. “Aren’t you two cute together!”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Alex said politely. “Would you like me to carry the food to your kitchen?”

“Nah, Herman needs the exercise.” The woman turned to yell, “Herman get off that couch and come get lunch!” Then she turned back to the porch and gave Kristen and Alex a sweet smile that made her face look like crumpled paper. “Herman and I have been married for sixty-three years. How long have you two been together?”

“About an hour.” Amused by the woman’s mistake, Kristen explained, “We’re not a couple.”

“Oh, really? You have that look about you. Doesn’t she, Alice?” she asked, as a silver-haired look-alike—her sister—stepped next to her.

“What look, Betsy?”

“Like they’re a couple in love.” Betsy yelled again, “Herman!”

“Coming! Give a guy a minute, would you?”

The two women beamed at them until Kristen started to grow uncomfortable. She was thankful when Herman finally came to the door. Completely bald, he looked at them out of rheumy eyes.

“I’ll take those,” he said gruffly as Alex handed him his boxes and Kristen put hers on top. “New delivery people, huh?” He didn’t seem to recognize either of them. “Thanks. Real nice of you.”

With that, he turned and shuffled away.

“Yes, thank you both,” Alice said.

“I still think you two belong togeher,” Betsy added, making Kristen practically run back to the patrol car.

She slid into her seat and pretended interest in the list when Alex opened the driver’s door and got behind the wheel.

“Quite the characters, aren’t they?” he said.

“Uh-huh.”

“Are you uncomfortable?”

Though heat surged up Kristen’s neck, she said, “No, of course not. Why would I be?”

“Why, indeed?” Alex murmured, as he started the engine.

Kristen gave him the next address, then said, “I wonder how old they are.”

“Depends on how young they were when they married. Could be mid-eighties. Herman looks older.”

“Sixty-three years. That’s amazing. I’ve never met a couple who’ve been together that long before. Relationships usually don’t last.”

“It all depends on the couple. My parents have been together nearly forty years. You just need to find the right person.”

“Well, that’s the trick, isn’t it?” She’d thought Jason was the right guy for her and look how wrong she’d been. “People can fool you.”

Feeling Alex’s questioning stare, Kristen looked away from him out the side window. She didn’t want to talk about the man who’d disappointed her, who’d ditched her when things got rough, so she was relieved when Alex didn’t press her.

She checked her watch. Good grief, she’d been gone for nearly an hour already, and she hadn’t even called her sister to tell her what was up. Heather had seen Alex haul her off, though, so it wasn’t as if she’d just disappeared. She left her cell where it was. Explanations could wait until she got back to the store.

The final few deliveries went faster than she’d expected. Alex kept the conversation on general topics about the town. Then he headed the patrol car back toward Sew Fine, and Kristen girded herself to be tormented by Heather. Undoubtedly her sister would have her own suppositions about Alex’s arresting her.