A Chance Mistake by Jackie Zack

Author:Jackie Zack
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2015-07-09T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Kory unlocked the backdoor, stepped inside, and shut it behind him, making sure it locked. Could he have a more unsettling vacation? No way was he going to answer that. Things could always be worse. He glanced down the steps to the black basement, sure that he wouldn’t be able to see his hand in front of his face down there. He shuddered, suddenly cold, and took the other steps two at a time into the kitchen.

It had to be Hoover in the yard after his goat. He probably forgot the leash and had to head back home for it.

Why had Dafina mentioned Hoover bounding into her life right after George? Was it matter of fact or something more? He paced the kitchen—only six strides each way, but he’d take it. Was she entertaining the thought of Hoover as a possible answer to her problem? She spoke well of him being a sheepherder, and that basically every man should be one to be happy. Ugh! Kory would simply go out of his mind doing that.

Or would he?

Before she’d said that Hoover wasn’t her type. She couldn’t go for the body-builder types…

“Oh, my word.” His hand smacked against his forehead, and he stopped dead in his tracks.

How could he be so dumb? It was her dry, sarcastic humor. Had to be. Men like Hoover drove women crazy. But there had to be a reason why she pushed away his friendship or advances. Maybe she thought it too soon after her husband deserted her.

And here Kory was, not much better than any of them. How had he gotten himself into such a bind? He wanted to help Dafina and protect her, but staying in her room? Sure it was innocent enough with him sleeping on the floor, but Nesta would find out sooner or later that he wasn’t Dafina’s husband. He wanted to protect her honor. So what if Nesta saw him sleeping on the couch? Married couples slept apart sometimes. He hoped.

He crept toward Dafina’s room and slipped in, not breathing or making any other sound. He grabbed his bag of new clothes. He could be up and dressed before either of the women knew anything. The paper bag crinkled. He worried that he’d awakened her, but she was a silent bump under her covers.

At the end of the hall, he opened a closet door to find space for his clothes. The door softly creaked. Instead of shelves, a wooden stairway stood in its place. He totally wasn’t expecting that.

Something soft touched his elbow making him jump. “Eeah!”

“Looking for something?” Dafina’s voice.

“Oh, you startled me.” Some great protector he was. “Yes. A place to hide this away.” He lifted the bag slightly. “I thought the door belonged to a closet.”

“It leads upstairs.” She rubbed an eye and frowned.

“Really?” He lifted both eyebrows. Not a stairway to nowhere?

“Wasn’t my closet okay?” She blinked.

“Uh.”

“Kory.” Her lip quivered. “Please don’t leave me alone with Nesta.”

“I’m not. But listen.” He set down the bag and lightly touched her arm.

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