Free Stowaway by Becky Barker Page A

him. “I’m especially fond of hot apple pie, and it happens to be among my specialties.”
    He closed his eyes and groaned again. “Please tell me you brought some apples with you.”
    Keri couldn’t help but laugh at his silliness. “I didn’t, but there’s a small orchard at the back of the property. If the weather improves, I can go collect enough for a couple pies.”
    “You have everything else you need?”
    Keri’s smile faltered a little when she thought of the staples she’d packed. She nodded, feeling another wave of grief. She hadn’t baked a pie in more than two years. Taking a big swallow of coffee, she swallowed tears with it. Then a bite of cookie kept her mouth too full to speak.
    Lamanto’s next question was low and soft. “Want to tell me what brought the sadness into your eyes?”
    She swallowed hard and gave him a quick smile. “I lost my mom a couple years ago. It’s still hard sometimes.”
    “Mom and apple pie go together. It’s the American way.”
    She nodded. In her case, they really did.
    “I guess me and my pop have done a lot of bonding in the kitchen too,” he continued, allowing her time to recover her composure. “He loves to cook. I love to eat.”
    His tone brought the smile back to her lips. “My mom has a plaque in the kitchen that says, ‘The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.’ My brother Jack says I’ll never find my way since I’m such a lousy cook.”
    Lamanto gave her a deep, dimpled grin. Her stomach fluttered. She hadn’t known her stomach could flutter.
    “And what do you say to him?”
    “That a scalpel is much more efficient.”
    He chuckled and the sound warmed her.
    “You and your brother are pretty close?”
    “You mean despite the sibling rivalry and constant bickering?”
    He grinned and nodded.
    “We’re close, but he’s gotten so damned overprotective, it’s driving me crazy.”
    “Since the accident?” he asked.
    That he’d heard about the accident shouldn’t have surprised her. It remained high on the list of town gossip. The community suffered from a serious lack of newsworthy issues. She wondered if he’d heard a complete rundown on her medical history.
    “Yes. He and Dad babied me bad enough before the wreck. Since then, it’s gotten ridiculous and suffocating.”
    “That’s the reason for your solitary vacation plans?”
    “Mostly,” she hedged, not ready to discuss her burning need for answers. “How about you? Any siblings?”
    He accepted the change of subject without hesitation. “Four sisters, two older and two younger. Liz and Maria are happily married with a couple rug rats each. The twins, Sonia and Sophie, are seniors in college this year.”
    “So you’re the middle child and only boy. Wow, I’m sure the psychoanalysts would have fun with that.”
    He gave a long suffering sigh. “Save me from the shrinks.”
    She hid a grin but teased, “Sounds like a man with experience.”
    “Department policy. It sucks, but it’s part of the regs. Regulations,” he clarified.
    Keri understood all too well. She’d suffered through endless sessions with the hospital psychologist. They wouldn’t let her return to work until her surgeons and therapist had released her.
    After a few minutes of silence, Lamanto redirected the conversation. “So you think a man’s heart is better accessed with a scalpel than food?”
    “You doubt it?”
    He rose from the table, carrying his coffee mug to the sink. “I’ll wait until I taste the pie before I comment on that one.”
    “Wise choice.” She joined him at the sink and gently nudged him aside. “You’re no help with dishes. Go put another log on the fire and check the box of books I brought. You might find something that appeals to you.”
    She did the dishes and joined him in the living room a few minutes later. He’d propped himself in her dad’s favorite recliner and turned the lamp shade for optimal light. He’d started reading a thriller by one of