A Summer in Sonoma by Robyn Carr Read Free Book Online Page A

one.
    â€œClassic Road King—touring bike,” a deep voice said behind her.
    She turned and there he was. A great big guy in a T-shirt and denim vest, jeans and boots with chains around the heels. And, of course, all that hair and the naked lady on his arm. And a cast on his right hand, almost up to his elbow.
    â€œOh, God,” she said, her eyes fixed on the hand.
    â€œIt’s nothing,” he said. “Just a little crack.” Then he grinned. “It was worth it.”
    â€œI’m so sorry,” she said.
    â€œDon’t be. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Seriously. Besides, it comes off in a couple of weeks—it’s really nothing.”
    â€œOh, brother,” she said, shaking her head. “So. How are you? Besides, um…”
    â€œGood. But how about you?”
    â€œFine. I’m doing fine. I thought I’d drop by to say thank-you. It occurred to me that after all that went on, I didn’t even thank you.” She laughed. “I thought about buying you a fruit basket or something, but what do you buy a biker?”
    â€œI don’t have the first idea,” he said. “How about a cup of coffee? You didn’t finish the last one.”
    â€œYou have time for that?”
    â€œI could sneak away. There’s a bookstore across the parking lot. They have a coffee shop. Good coffee.”
    â€œYou like your coffee.”
    â€œI do.”
    â€œOnly if you let me buy,” she said.
    â€œWhy not?” He shrugged. “Been a while since a lady bought me a cup of coffee.”
    He spoke to the salesman for just a second, then walked with her across a wide parking lot to a big bookstore. He let her buy them two coffees while he waited, then instead of sitting down at a small table in the coffee shop, he led her into the store. He seemed to know exactly where he was going. Tucked away in a corner were a couple of plush leather chairs with a small table separating them—a reading or study corner.
    â€œNice,” she said.
    He cut right to the chase. “Everything going all right with you now?” he asked, sipping his coffee.
    â€œYeah, I’m getting by. I’ll admit, I was a little tense for a while, but I’m better now. Very grateful you stepped in. I’m very lucky nothing worse happened.”
    â€œI take that to mean you haven’t heard from him or seen him?”
    She shook her head. “Thank God. I guess you were right—he’s going to pretend nothing happened. Everything he told me was just a line, a lie.”
    Walt frowned. “Somehow that wouldn’t really surprise me. You know that for sure?”
    â€œYeah. My friend, the paramedic, checked to see if he was with the fire department and he didn’t turn up.”
    â€œYou really ought to tell the police,” Walt said, sitting forward in his chair.
    â€œWell, funny you should say that. I called. I left a message on a detective’s voice mail saying it was a close call, I was rescued in time, but I was clearly set up and they might want to know about the situation, the guy. They never called back.”
    Walt just frowned.
    â€œAt this point, I just want to forget about it. I guess it’s going to have to be someone else who goes up against him. Or maybe he learned his lesson.” She grinned. “You might’ve put the fear of God in him.”
    â€œI hope so. The dirtbag.”
    â€œI was putty in his hands—I probably fed him all the information he needed to make up his lines, make his move.”
    â€œYou mind if I ask, how’d you do that?” Walt said.
    â€œWell, I told him I was a nurse,” she said, sipping her coffee. “Emergency room. We do a lot of business with police and paramedics. I don’t remember exactly, but I might’ve told him that before he said he was a paramedic.”
    â€œAh, so that’s how that went down,” he said. “Makes perfect