Hearts in Harmony. Gail Sattler

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      She wanted to turn and give him a dirty look, but she didn’t want him to see her exhaustion.

      “If you don’t want to talk, how about if I turn up the music? Although you’d hear it better if you got in the car.”

      Celeste opened her mouth, about to reply, but snapped it shut again. She dearly wanted to accept the ride, but stubborn determination and self-preservation won. She valued her life.

      She kept walking.

      “I’ll take that as a yes.” He reached forward and turned up the volume. To Celeste’s shock, one of the songs from her favorite praise album resounded through the open window.

      She dearly wanted to trust him. Every step hurt. Her throat was so parched every bit of dust she kicked up while walking burned her dry throat.

      For now, at least, the music was making the long walk slightly less intolerable. Despite the harsh dryness in her throat, Celeste found herself humming to her favorite parts, until they finally reached the gas station.

      At the same time as Celeste filled her red container, the man topped up his tank. They walked into the building at the same time to pay. He headed straight to the cashier, but Celeste detoured to the cooler for a cold drink, allowing him to be first in line.

      She placed the drink on the counter while he counted out his money to the clerk. At her height of five foot five with shoes, he towered above her. He had removed the clip-ons when they got inside, which allowed her to see friendly hazel eyes through his glasses. He remained silent as he paid the clerk. Judging from the paltry amount of money exchanged, he really hadn’t needed any gas.

      Celeste opened the drink and took a long sip before she spoke. “Thank you for keeping an eye on me and caring for my safety on the long road here. I really do appreciate it.”

      Adrian smiled and bowed his head. “You’re welcome, Miss Mind. Always willing to help a lady in distress.”

      Not that she’d been in distress, but she supposed she could have been if another car with not such a nice driver had shown up on the deserted road. Now that she was safely at the gas station, Celeste could appreciate the thought.

      He started to walk out, but stopped at the magazine rack. Instead of leaving, he picked up a magazine and started paging through it.

      Celeste fished through her wallet while she spoke to the young attendant behind the counter. “Is there any way I could trouble you or any of the other staff for a ride back to my car? I would be happy to pay for the inconvenience.”

      “Sorry, lady,” the young clerk replied with a shrug of his shoulders. “Like, I’m the only one here, you know, and I can’t lock up and leave. My shift just started. If you need a ride I’d be happy to oblige you, but you gotta wait for my shift to end and Josh to get here.”

      Celeste contemplated her options. A cab would cost more money than she could afford, but she didn’t have anyone she could call to come and get her. She certainly wasn’t going to wait seven hours at the gas station for a ride.

      Adrian appeared at her side. “I’ll gladly give you a ride back to your car. What would it take to convince you that my intentions are indeed honorable?”

      She stared up at him. Her mind went blank.

      “I know…” His voice trailed off as he dug into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. “Here.”

      Celeste automatically accepted what he gave her. It was his driver’s license and a credit card.

      “This proves I’m who I say I am. It’s a bad picture, but that’s me. See?” He frowned and closed one eye slightly more than the other to imitate a typical bad driver’s license photo. “And that’s my signature, right there. Besides, everyone at the gas station has seen us.”

      Celeste somehow doubted that mass murderers gained the trust of their victims with photo I.D. and a major credit card.

      She smiled politely, resigned to her fate, while she read the information on the driver’s license. The walk back would surely kill her anyway, even if Braithwaite, Adrian Andrew, single male, age twenty-nine, 185 pounds, six feet one inch tall, dark-brown hair, hazel eyes, didn’t. “You win,” she mumbled, trying to sound gracious. “I would be forever grateful if you could give me a ride back to the car.”

      They walked in silence to his car, where in gentlemanly fashion, he opened the passenger door for her, then closed it firmly when she was settled in her seat. When he entered the driver’s side, Celeste pressed herself against the door and watched his every move.

      He sighed as she continued to watch him. “Please, don’t be so nervous. Let me show you I really am a decent human being.” Instead of starting the car, Adrian reached between the seats, pulled out an envelope, and handed her the paper from inside. It was a phone bill.

      “That’s my mother’s phone number. See how often I call her? You can even phone her yourself.” Triumphantly, he retrieved the cellular phone from under his seat and offered it to her again.

      Celeste scanned the bill, showing a number of charges to the same number. “This bill is overdue.”

      Adrian’s smile faded as he snatched back the paper. “No it’s not.” He studied it further. “That’s an old bill. See where I tore off the bottom part to mail it in?”

      “How do I know it’s your mother? I only have your word for it.”

      He shrugged his shoulders. “So then phone your mother.” He handed her the phone, then reached in front of her and flipped open the glove compartment, revealing a jumble of papers stuffed so tightly she didn’t know how the small compartment hadn’t exploded. He pulled out a plastic envelope, quickly pushed the papers back, and slammed the door shut. “Here’s my vehicle registration. You’ve already seen my driver’s license. Phone your mother and tell her who you’re with so if you go missing the cops will come and arrest me.”

      As she pressed the power button and waited for the phone to locate the signal, she could feel his eyes upon her.

      Celeste didn’t raise her head, only her eyes, and blatantly stared back. The privacy and confined quarters of his car allowed her to study his face closer than she had inside the gas station. He didn’t turn away. He only smiled, openly inviting her scrutiny.

      Even with him looking right back, she couldn’t stop staring. Up close, his hazel eyes seemed more than friendly. They radiated sincerity and kindness. While he wasn’t exactly movie-star handsome, he wasn’t bad.

      Summoning all her self control, she forced herself to quit staring and switched her attention to the phone. Quickly, she punched in her mother’s phone number, then held the phone up to her ear until it made the connection. While she waited she looked back up at Adrian.

      He hadn’t moved. It suddenly occurred to her that while she had been studying him, he had been studying her. As soon as their eyes met, he crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat, almost as if he could tell she needed more space.

      Despite the fact that he’d been nothing but a perfect gentleman, her insides still quivered and she remained tense, ready to open the door and run.

      “It’s busy. I guess СКАЧАТЬ