“Fifty—”
“No, how much did I have to pay for it?”
“Twelve grand.”
“What?!” Kim said.
“She drove a hard bargain,” Russell said, obviously enjoying himself, “and besides, she needed a new roof.”
“I’ll reimburse—” Kim began but stopped at the look Travis gave her.
“So how is he related and how does he fit in the family tree?” Travis asked.
“I haven’t found that out yet. Give me the afternoon and at dinner I’ll tell you everything.”
“So you don’t know if there are any Hanleighs still in town?” Travis’s tone was that of a challenge.
“Not yet.” Russell was calm, amused even.
Kim kept her attention on her food. Her mind was so full of all that Mrs. Pendergast had told her that she couldn’t think about finding the descendant of some young man who may or may not be her relative.
When they finished eating, Travis asked if she was ready to go to the jewelry store.
For a moment she had no idea what he was talking about and stared at him blankly.
He smiled at her, his eyes alight. “I agree,” he said in a voice that could only be described as seductive. Travis looked at Russell. “Kim and I are going to . . .”
“Take a nap,” Russell said.
“Well put,” Travis said as he backed his chair out, and held out his arm to Kim. “Thanks for lunch and we’ll see you at dinner.”
Travis led her out of the diner and to the car. The ride back to the B&B was silent.
Kim knew that Travis was hinting at sex. And why shouldn’t he? It was a romantic little town, a charming B&B. They were young and by all accounts in love, so they should be spending every waking moment together in bed. Isn’t that what she’d told her brother that she wanted? What had she said? “I’ll take all the passionate sex I can get. Days of it. Weeks if I can get it. Months would be divine.”
So now she had it and what she really wanted was to call her friend Jecca and spend about four hours on the telephone. Right now what Kim needed more than anything else was the release that discussion would bring.
So maybe I should find Red and ask him for advice, she thought. Ask the man who caused all the problems how to fix them? She gave a snort of laughter.
“What was that about?” Travis asked as he parked the car.
“Nothing,” she said as she got out.
He held her hand as they went up the stairs to their connecting rooms. Once they were inside, he bent to kiss her, but Kim pushed back.
“Sorry,” she said. “I have a . . . a headache and I think I should lie down for a while.”
Travis stepped away from her. “Can I get you anything?”
“No, nothing,” Kim said. “I just need some time . . . alone.”
“Sure, of course,” he said. He walked to the door to his room, opened it, went through and shut it behind him.
Kim looked at the bed. Maybe if she took a nap she’d feel better, but she knew she couldn’t sleep. Mrs. Pendergast’s words ran through her head. How much to tell? How much to hide? How much to—?
“No!” Travis said from the open door. “This isn’t all right. None of it is. Something happened to you t
oday and I want to know what it is.”