Anything but Minor - Kate Stewart Page 0,25

could say that,” he said as we circled a roundabout and he parked at Lowe’s.

“She’s been there rain or shine for every single game.” He looked away briefly. “She loves the game and the team.”

“She’s your biggest fan.”

“And I’m hers,” he said as he turned to me. “Let’s go.”

A while later, our cart was filled with solar lights that complemented the walkway. Unbeknownst to Dutch, I’d purchased a porch swing that would be delivered later that week. I could see the appreciation in Rafe for the gesture as he looked over at me.

I shrugged it off. “Now that she’s got a view, she needs a good seat.”

Outside of Lowe’s and back in the Jeep, Rafe grabbed my hand and laced our fingers together and didn’t let go until we got back to Dutch’s house. Once we’d placed all our finishing touches and did a little clean up, Rafe turned to me.

“Follow me out. I’m taking you to eat.”

“Rafe, I’m filthy!”

“It won’t matter at this place.”

My stomach growled. “Okay,” I agreed as we said our goodbyes to Dutch, who seemed overwhelmed by our gesture. I could’ve sworn I saw tears fill her eyes before she quickly made her way back down her walkway and into the house.

“Maybe I should go after her. She seems upset.”

“Dutch is a very private person,” Rafe warned. “She’s just happy, I promise,” he assured as he pushed my wayward hair off of my shoulders. “Come on, I’m starving.”

I followed Rafe closely in my Prius as he took the back roads. I reveled in the feeling of a hard day’s work and smiled as I recalled the look on Dutch’s face and came to the conclusion again that there was more to Rafe than he let on.

Rafe Hembrey had depth and a giving and beautiful heart.

Rafe stopped outside a one-story, wooden house on the marsh that had a simple sign written in white and blue that read Peggy’s Fish Camp. I got out, still reluctant, with my hair in a tight, dirt-filled bun and covered in a day of sweat.

“Come on. It’s fine, I promise,” he urged as he gripped my hand and pulled me reluctantly inside. Once there, the smell of fried fish wafted through the air, and my stomach began to growl again with neglect.

“Let’s get you local and out of your Google-filled tourist trap,” he chuckled as we sat at a table covered in newspaper.

A lady with short, spiky, bright red hair made her way over to greet us.

“Hey, Bullet! Kickin’ ass this year, aren’t ya?!”

“Hey, Sue,” he said with a wink and a smile. “Trying to.”

“Ain’t no tryin’ to it. Ray, the boys, and I will be there this weekend.”

Rafe pulled out an envelope from his pocket. “I was just about to ask you if you’d been yet.”

Sue pulled the tickets out of the envelope and gave him a huge, toothy grin. “God, you’re an angel. Thank you. So who you got wicha?” Sue turned her attention to me, completely unaffected by the total mess I was.

“This is Alice. She’s new to town. We just left Dutch’s, fixing up the place a bit.”

“Nice to meet you, Alice,” she said sincerely.

“Likewise,” I said with a matching smile.

Sue looked down at Rafe with a dimmer expression. “How is Dutch?”

Rafe paused briefly. “She seems a bit better.” He gestured over to me. “Alice has been keeping her company at the games.”

“Really?” she said as she looked at Rafe with unbelieving eyes. “That is something.”

“She’s something,” Rafe said as he looked over at me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable as Sue cleared her throat.

Rafe looked around the restaurant filled with wooden picnic tables. “Peggy in tonight?”

“No, she wasn’t up to it today. She hit eighty-nine last week, but wouldn’t you know she still comes in every day or so. I’ll tell her you stopped by. She’ll be upset she missed you.”

“Tell her I’ll be back after we sweep Myrtle.”

“Will do. What you in the mood for?”

“The usual.” As an afterthought, Rafe looked at me. “Do you like flounder?”

“Never had it,” I said honestly.

“I’ve got you,” he said as he nodded at Sue. Sue looked between us, a smirk growing into a smile on her face before she made her way back behind the counter. Minutes later, Rafe and I sipped on delicious sweet tea and munched on perfectly cooked and odd shaped hush puppies. I’d eaten half the bowl without apology as Rafe stared on at me.

“Thank you again for helping.”

“Anytime, and I mean that,” I said through