exactly a lot,” Trevor said as Sophie wound a napkin around the tiny pile.
“I’m surprised you got any,” Kurt said.
“This is kind of tacky taking off my boot in a restaurant,” Sophie said, looking around at their fellow diners.
“Everybody’s too into their food to pay any attention to us,” Trevor assured her. “Better to be tacky than miserable. You don’t want it to swell.”
She took her boot off.
Harriet had spotted them and was making her way to the table. “Be right back,” Trevor said. Then, to his brother, “Where’s the can?”
“I’ll go with you,” Kurt offered, and fell in step with him. “So, how much money have you blown trying to impress Sophie?” he teased as they made their way to the restroom.
“Not nearly enough. I’ve just begun to impress.”
“She seems pretty nice.”
“She is.” She was more than nice, though. She was enthusiastic, obviously generous and fun to be around. He could see this going somewhere.
Harriet was still stationed next to the seat Trevor had vacated when he returned, visiting with the sisters. More like pumping them actually, asking where all they’d been.
“Mind if I join you after lunch?” she asked.
“Sure,” Sierra said. “The more, the merrier.”
For who?
Harriet happily turned her back on her professor and her fellow students and practically glued herself to Trevor when they left the restaurant.
“You probably shouldn’t be walking so much on that ankle,” she said to Sophie. “It’s gonna swell up. You should go back to the ship.”
“Maybe I should,” Sophie said.
Trevor was aware of Harriet next to him, oozing hope that Sophie would do a vanishing act. “Does it hurt? Want me to take you back?” he offered, and Harriet frowned.
“Do you want to go back?” asked her sister.
“Not really,” Sophie said. She looked in the general direction of where their ship was docked and bit her lip, considering.
“You did just ice it and take a pill. And your ankle is wrapped.”
Sophie looked down at her ankle. “I think I’ll be fine a little longer.”
“You’ll be sorry. It’s gonna swell,” Harriet predicted. Then she pulled on Trevor’s arm. “Hey, look. Chocolate stuff. Let’s go check it out.”
“Okay, ladies, it looks like we’re checking out the chocolates,” he said as Harriet started towing him away. The girl was surprisingly strong. He looked over his shoulder to make sure the sisters were following. Please don’t desert me.
One minute they were behind him and the next they’d stopped at the booth selling scarves. Harriet steered him on mercilessly, right up to the counter of the chocolate booth.
“Look at these awesome chocolate Santas,” she said.
“Yeah, cool.” Trevor watched as Sophie held up a scarf to her sister. Sierra shook her head. Sophie nodded, and dug into her purse.
“Oh, and a reindeer,” Harriet enthused.
Sophie bought the scarf and handed it to her sister. Then they started strolling toward Trevor and Harriet. Sophie glanced in the direction of the cathedral and her eyes lit up. She said something to her sister and pointed.
Trevor looked to see where she was pointing. There came Rudy and his daughter and Catherine.
Sophie took off in that direction, her sister following.
Trevor watched them, feeling suddenly sour. Of all the Christmas markets in town. Bah, frickin’ humbug.
* * *
Awkward was the one word that kept coming to mind as Catherine, Rudy and Athena strolled between the different booths, admiring the artisans’ wares. Still, she hadn’t let the awkwardness diminish her enjoyment of Cologne.
She had been awed by the beautiful Gothic cathedral with its twin towers. And those gorgeous stained-glass windows had left her breathless. She took a picture of one and sent it to both Lila and William. Just in case they were wondering if she was having a good time.
The market was a sweet finish, dessert for the soul. “I’m so glad you convinced me to leave the ship,” she said to Rudy as the three of them turned into the maze of booths, her on one side of him and his daughter on the other.
“I’m glad you could join me,” he said.
“Us,” Athena corrected.
“Both of you,” Catherine said diplomatically.
Although, really, glad wasn’t the word that came to mind when she thought of Athena’s presence. The woman was like some mythological creature, standing guard over her father.
It was a little mystifying. Catherine could understand Athena’s love for her mother and could appreciate her missing her mom. But this guardian at the gate thing seemed extreme. Her father probably had many years left. Surely his daughter would want him to be happy.