Page 56 of Close Match

“Hey, I didn’t mean to upset you.” He briefly touches my cheek before removing his hand, leaving a tingle in its wake. We both turn our heads toward the bag that went flying. I wince as I realize what bag it is. “Was there something breakable in there? Perfume or anything?”

“No, but you might regret it anyway.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s the one with all the food in it from the city.”

“Do you want to…”

I shake my head. “Only because if I open that bag and something’s broke, you’re going to be pissed you don’t get to eat it.”

“Well, crap.” We exchange pained expressions. “Why don’t you inspect the damage while I get your other bags?”

“There are two more big cases like this and a dress bag. All the same color.”

“The lime green makes them easy to spot. That’s both good and bad considering.”

I’ve lowered the first case to the ground and quickly unzip it. Smells of delicious New York bagels assail me. I quickly check the bubble-wrapped packages to make sure the deli mustard and other breakables didn’t shatter. Letting out a relieved sigh, I close it back up. “Considering what?”

“Considering who you are. In a lot of ways, you wouldn’t want to be noticed. I mean, it’s fine right now, but you don’t want to be recognizable so someone could tamper with your stuff,” he tells me.

“I don’t know whether to be petrified or touched you care,” I tell him bluntly.

“Figure it out while we’re in the car. I about died when you opened that bag and I got a good whiff of the bagels. I might break land-speed records getting us back to the farm.”

I laugh, which was Monty’s intent. Together we wheel my bags out. Stopping in front of a sexy red vehicle, I can almost feel Monty’s pain when I say, “I like the red color of your truck.”

“Okay, this isn’t a truck; it’s a Jaguar SUV.”

“Is that supposed to mean something to me?” Yep, there’s no denying the sick look that’s now taken residence on his face.

“You’re a star, Evangeline! Do you mean to tell me you don’t know anything about cars?” he demands.

“Sure. If I don’t want to ride in a nasty one, I order an Uber Black.”

After using a button to close the trunk once my bags are loaded, he rests his head on the back window. “Think of this as Uber Platinum. No, Uber Titanium.”

My lips part in a silent O.

“A Jaguar is an experience, Linnie. And that ‘red color’ is Firenze.”

“Umm, Florence. I love that city.” I head toward the passenger-side door.

Monty opens his door and slides in. I quickly follow suit before he decides to take my bag of goodies and drive off without me. “So, you know Italy, but you don’t know cars?”

I shrug. “I spent my time walking through Italy to experience it. What about you?”

He gives me a wolfish grin. “I spent my time eating and drinking my way through it. That is if I wasn’t driving like a bat out of hell.” Pushing a button to start the car, I’m fascinated when I can barely detect the engine, let alone any sounds outside the window. “Are you hungry?”

I shake my head.

“Want to stop for coffee on the way back to the farm?” he throws out casually. “Unless something in the bag is going to spoil, we’ve got plenty of time. Ev and Mom are running a few errands.”

“That sounds…” Disappointing Ev and Char won’t be there when we arrive but on the other hand… “Good.”

With a broad smile, Monty takes off. By the time we hit the highway, I have a newfound appreciation for Jaguars. As much as I’m clutching the door handle, I wonder if even the police could keep up with us as we speed westward.

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