“So, are you stepping out with each other?” Mavis asked. When he scowled at her, she raised her chin. “You said to ask directly.”
“We’re not dating,” Megan said. “I already told you that.”
The women looked to Tione for confirmation.
“We’re not,” he agreed.
The corners of Betty’s mouth lifted. “You will be soon,” she said. “I’d bet my favorite scarf on it.”
“What did you see?” Mavis demanded.
“He kissed her.”
“On the hand.” Tione sounded exasperated. “Can you two busybodies find someone else to pester? I need to get Megan home.”
“Ooh, did you hear that?” Betty asked Mavis. “He said ‘home.’”
“I heard it,” she said. “How long, do you think?”
Betty eyed them. “I give it two weeks.”
Megan wanted to sink into the ground and disappear. If she looked anything like she felt, she’d be beet red with green undertones. When Tione told the women to zip it and helped her up, she gladly bid them farewell and tried to take the dog leash.
“Not in your state,” he told her.
“But you can’t take the groceriesandthe dog.”
“Can and will.”
The stubborn man did, too.
* * *
Those meddling old bats.Tione glanced at Megan, relieved to see that some of the color had returned to her cheeks. She was so damn pale when he found her on the shop floor. If he hadn’t been taught to respect his elders…
He gritted his teeth. What mattered was that she was okay, and at least now they knew that Seeley had been asking around. Better to know than not. Hot protectiveness flared within him. He’d assured her that she’d be safe with him, then this awful episode had happenedbecauseshe’d been seen with him. He wouldn’t blame her if she never wanted to leave Sanctuary again, or if she didn’t want anything more to do with him. It seemed half the population of Haven Bay had bets on his love life. The goddamn Bridge Club and their love sweepstakes. It had amused him when they were betting on Sterling’s future happiness, but it wasn’t funny now.
“Your expression is scaring people,” she murmured.
Huh. He hadn’t realized that his brows were knitted together and his jaw clenched until she pointed it out. He made an effort to relax. She didn’t need him on edge; it would only add to her nerves. He forced himself to smile at Doug, who owned the seafood restaurant down by the pavilion. Doug raised a quizzical brow, and Tione sighed. Was it so shocking that he might smile at someone?
They rounded a corner and someone called his name. On the opposite side of the street, Kyle Pride waved at him.
“Hey there,” he called.
Kyle motioned them over, but Tione shook his head. Kyle studied Megan with a little too much interest. Tione’s eyes narrowed, and he picked up his pace.
“Who was that?” she asked.
“Kyle. Friend of mine. Works at the library.”
“He’sa librarian?”
He could hear her incredulity, and it grated on his nerves. Kyle had the clean-cut good looks many women seemed to favor, and library patrons had been known to swoon at the sight of him with his nose in a book. Tione read books, too. They covered every available surface of his cabin. But did women fall at his feet? Not bloody likely.
“What’s so surprising about that?”
They were heading down Marine Parade now, back toward Sanctuary. The sky was overcast, but the air was warm. He slowed again. No need to exhaust her.