Free Renegade Moon (CupidKey) by Karen E. Rigley, Ann M. House Page B

seen such a flash flood—the water visibly rising, rain obscuring their vision, the wipers unable to keep up with it.
    “No, but it’s posi-track. We’ll be all right.” He never took his focus from his driving and soon they got through the soft, sucking wet sand and drove right out of the storm, leaving the gusting wind and pelting rain behind in a rainbow.
    Destiny was so glad to see her little dusty Mustang waiting at the Wagon Wheel she could have kissed it. She recalled Lee’s warning about gully-washers, and how dangerous they could be to the unwary.
    Several people stood outside chatting, pointing in the direction of the storm as if to lure it their way. Rain was always eagerly anticipated here.
    “Will you do me a favor?” Martin asked. That strange mood he’d displayed at the creek, his ‘coming on’ to her, had evaporated. Destiny wondered if she had imagined it.
    “What kind of favor?”
    “Can you return our picnic stuff to Estrella? I really need to get on the road. It’s a long drive to the Double Bar-M.”
    “Sure. Of course.”
    He handed it over. “Destiny, I enjoyed the day. I’ll be back sometime soon and I hope we’ll see each other then. Okay?”
    She smiled. “Okay. Have a safe trip.”
    “Thanks. See you soon.” Without any attempt to touch or kiss her, he got back into the Suburban and drove away.
    Bemused, Destiny put the things in the car. Her inexplicable reluctance to cross the stones, the wild ride through the savage storm, it all seemed dreamlike now. Just as she started to get into her car, Lee Duncan walked up. She figured he’d come to get his car.
    “Destiny, wait.” He stopped in front of her and gave her a rueful smile. “I apologize for my behavior last night. Really, all I can say is that I didn’t eat anything, and, well, I drank too much. Please forgive me. I promise never to pull a stunt like that again.”
    “That’s okay, Lee. We can all act foolishly at times.”
    “Will you go out with me again?”
    She smiled down at her feet. “Maybe. Let me think about it, okay?”
    “Okay,” he agreed, still a bit hangdog. “Are you going out to the dig today?”
    “I don’t know. I’m interviewing a local character this afternoon, so I’ll have to see how much time that takes.”
    “Oh? Is it concerning the dig?”
    The intensity of his tone surprised her. “No. Just something for another story I’m doing. There’s a lot to photograph and write about here.”
    Though he smiled and nodded, his expression showed he’d love to question her further. To forestall him, she got into her car, waved, and drove away. She’d take the picnic things to her cabin and wash them before returning them so they wouldn’t be all icky.
    Destiny waited until the following day to return the picnic items. When she drove up, she didn’t see Eric’s tan pickup, but he usually parked it behind the house out of sight from the front. She didn’t see Pinto in the corral either. Joby and Muddog came out from the side of the porch, barking. With a bit of trepidation, she opened the car door and spoke words of friendship. They appeared to remember her. After a couple of hello sniffs and licks on her arms, they trotted back into the shade.
    She gathered up the basket and started for the door. As she ascended the steps, the door opened.
    “ Niña!” Estrella exclaimed with obvious pleasure. “What brings you here? Eric George is not at home.”
    “I didn’t come to see Eric. I’m returning this.”
    “Ah! And I have been fussing that Martin went away with these things.” She gave his name the Spanish pronunciation, MarTEEN. “Come in. Here, let me have the basket.”
    Destiny followed Estrella into the kitchen. “Sit down, niña , and I will pour you some fresh lemonade.” Destiny sat down at the big oak table and Estrella joined her, bringing two icy tumblers.
    She sipped. “Delicious.”
    “ Grácias . Now tell me. Did you enjoy your picnic with Martin?” Her round