Armored Hearts (The Town of Pearl 7)

“I have to say that hearing the music did make me feel a little better. If you don’t mind, I’d like to listen to it every now and then. Quietly, of course, since your old ears may be affected.” She cracked the wise guy comment toward Fenton, and Flynn and Ford chuckled.

“You sure can. Maybe we’ll get you to like some country music,” Flynn told her.

She looked at him and smiled.

“You never know,” she said and then the sound of country music replaced the techno stuff. Fenton eyed her over then walked away.

She had to hide her chuckle. It seemed she had the capability to get under Fenton’s skin. That was some pretty thick skin the man was sporting.

* * * *

“How about some pancakes? Do you like fresh berries?” Flynn asked her as he carried over the platter of flapjacks.

“I love pancakes and yes, on the fresh berries,” she told him and Ford smiled as he took off the last links of sausage and then shut off the burners on the stove.

He joined them at the table and they fell into conversation about the country music that played and about the dance halls.

“So it’s like where they do line dancing and get dressed up in the fringy outfits?” she asked Ford as she took a spoonful of berries and placed them on the side of her dish.

“Some people wear the traditional country attire,” Ford told her as he watched her lift the fork of pancakes to her mouth. She was such a beautiful woman. Her gorgeous blues eyes held his and then Flynn spoke, drawing her full attention to him.

“There are a lot of people who get really dressed up. Some dance halls are more traditional. But closer to the bigger cities and more populated areas, there are upscale dance halls and clubs where people get dropped off in limos and have to wait on line and be chosen to go inside.”

“Really? That is so cool. It sounds a lot like the clubs in Chicago I go to with friends. There’s one place called Stilettoes, where the bouncers actually pick the women to enter by the height, color, or style of their stilettos. They choose other ways, too, but that little promo scheme sure did make the place popular.”

“Did you go there a lot, and wearing stilettos?” Flynn asked her.

She looked at him. Ford could tell she was blushing. A nice shade of pink crept up her neck and to her cheeks. She held Flynn’s gaze as she forked a berry and brought it to her lips.

“Guilty as charged. I love a nice pair of stilettos, just like any other woman.” She popped the berry into her mouth.

“Hmm, maybe when your ribs are better, we can bring you to one of the clubs near the city and you can wear a pair?” Flynn teased and winked. Ford couldn’t believe how Flynn, the quietest of the bunch of them, was actually flirting. He didn’t trust people, just like Fenton.

“You wish, Flynn. Nice try, though,” she teased back and Flynn chuckled then continued to eat.

They talked to her a little more about Pearl.

“It sounds like a fantasy town. Are the shops old or new?” she asked.

“The shops are

beautiful. They kind of combine both an old-fashioned patriotic-town feel, and a more modern, upscale look. There are arched entryways, lots of stained glass and wood work. It’s kind of hard to explain,” Flynn said then looked at Ford.

“You’ll have to see it when you’re feeling up to it. It’s very welcoming, with benches and flower gardens. It really is a nice town,” Ford added.

“It sounds like it’s architecturally stimulating, yet has a down-home town feel. I like that. I would love to see it. How often do you usually go into town?” she asked.

Ford was caught off guard at her question. They only went into town as a means to get things they needed. Rarely did they travel in for pleasure.

“As often as we need to,” he replied.

“Hm, with a town as appealing as you make it sound, it doesn’t seem right that you wouldn’t go there all the time.”

“We’re not really the social kind,” Flynn stated, and he looked down at his plate.

Ford couldn’t help but think a woman like India loved being social and entertaining. It was something they definitely didn’t have in common. She seemed to realize that she put them on the spot with her question, and instead of pushing the issue, she changed the subject.

“What about your land? Do you own a lot of property out here?”