car. He had flipper-sized feet. Bare feet, since both of them had decided to forego their still-damp hiking boots for the car ride.
“I should. But I’m trying to decide what is preferable. Letting you keep driving, or me taking over and hopefully remembering what side of the road to stay on.”
“As fair as that decision is, it’s going to be taken out of your hands if there’s a snake in that grass. And if you get bit, I am not going to be the person holding your hand and crying by your bed.”
“Ouch.” But he at least pulled his foot out of the grass and walked toward the road. Approaching her, he leaned against the hood of the car. “What about sucking the poison out of the wound?”
“Can you just get back into the car? We need to make a short detour.”
At that interest sparked in his expression. “Where are we going?”
“Nowhere interesting.” They needed to get going. It was going to be tight to divert to Small Harbor and still make it to Duluth in time to get the last flight out.
“I disagree. I think it must be incredibly interesting for it to slow your return to the Big Apple.” He studied her face in a way that made her feel far too seen.
“I’m getting in the car now. Either get in or get out of my way.” Lacey jerked open her door and thumped into the driver’s seat, turning the motor back on.
Victor eyed her through the windshield for a second before shifting off the bonnet and sauntering around the vehicle as if he had all the time in the world.
Finally, he was back in his seat, his seatbelt very deliberately snapped and checked. “You’ve decided city life isn’t for you and you’re going to chuck it all in to do up an old B&B.”
“What?” Lacey put on her blinker and pulled back onto the road.
“I’m going to guess what this mysterious detour is until you tell me.”
“Not even close.”
“You have an ex-boyfriend whose wife died in a tragic accident, leaving him and his three-year-old twins, and you’re returning home to comfort him in his grief.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Your grandmother left you a surprise inheritance, and you’re giving into your secret passion to open up a small-town ice cream parlor.”
Lacey kept her eyes on the road.
“In case I haven’t told you, I’m not dating at the moment, and I’m not great with tools.”
Lacey’s eyes snapped from the road to his serious face.
He shrugged. “Your plans for your new B&B might include a hot handyman with a sexy accent for the city girl to fall in love with.”
A smile fought to land on the corner of her mouth. She forced her focus on the rural road. “You’re safe. I promise.”
“Funny. That’s not the first word that comes to mind when I think of you.” Against her better judgement, Lacey glanced to the right and found Victor looking at her intently. She jerked her gaze away.
She wasn’t stupid enough to deny an attraction. But she was smart enough to know that behind her attraction sat the desire to prove herself to a man who didn’t even remember rejecting her.
Eyes on the prize, Lacey. And the prize was not sitting next to her. “Far be it for me to ruin your Hallmark fantasies, but there is no B&B, ice cream parlor, widowed ex, or inheritance. I just need to take the gun back.” Because that would be the cherry on the top of the sundae that was this insane week—showing up at the airport with a firearm that, in her fury, she’d forgotten was in her possession.
What could only be described as a chuckle rumbled out of Victor’s chest. Lacey refused to look at him. “That was the reason for impaling me on my seat belt back there, O’Connor? You forgot about your handgun?” More laughter emanated from his seat. “Would it have been hidden in your checked luggage or your carry-on? Should I be imagining you under a pile of TSA agents at security, or them coming for you at the gate.”
“You’re not nearly as funny as you think you are.”
“I guarantee this is a lot funnier than you think it is.”
“Can you check my phone? See if we have reception?” She could make a good guess at which back roads to get them to Small Harbor, but she’d rather trust Siri. Assuming Siri hadn’t decided this far off the grid wasn’t worth her effort.