You’ll never believe who’s in town.” Lyssa hung her leather purse on its hook behind the townhouse’s back door and turned to the kitchen. Her roommate glanced up from chopping asparagus at the peninsula counter. “Hmm?”
“Kirk Kennedy.” When Jeannie’s brown face registered nothing, Lyssa added, “Professor Kennedy. From Lincoln University.”
“Oh, really?” Jeannie slid the spears into the sizzling wok. “Wonder what he’s doing here. Not that we’re so far from Jefferson City, but still.”
“Messing with my mind, that’s what,” muttered Lyssa under her breath.
Jeannie turned. “What?”
Never mind. “Have you seen that new business just off the parkway? Communication Location?” Lyssa poured herself a glass of sweet tea from the fridge.
Her roommate shook her head, black curls swinging. “Can’t say that I have.”
Figured. Jeannie drove west across the Grand Glaize Bridge to work, not north. “Professor Kennedy’s brother is the owner.
It’s a shop that carries cell phones, GPS units, and … I don’t know. Games and stuff, I think.”
Jeannie grated garlic into the wok with a little extra energy. “Weird. Wonder if he quit teaching. Maybe he got fired.”
Lyssa hitched herself onto a stool across the peninsula and snagged a slice of red pepper from the cutting board. “Probably not. He said he’s helping get things going at the store.”
“How’d you run into him?”
“It’s your fault. You made me volunteer to help Noah with the treasure hunt.”
“Serves you right, then.” Jeannie stirred the wok’s contents. “God knew you needed a good challenge right from the get-go. You went in there looking for donations?”
“Yeah. There’s no way I’d have gone in if I knew he’d be there. Not after what he put you through in college, class after class.”
Jeannie grimaced. “He certainly kept me on my toes.”
“That’s not the weirdest thing. He didn’t make a single snide comment about the event being church sponsored. Not one.” Lyssa still couldn’t figure that out. She crunched through another piece of pepper before Jeannie whisked the rest into the wok. “He made a good-sized donation on top of the prime ad.”
Jeannie set the spatula on the counter and parked her hands on either side of it. She leaned across the peninsula toward Lyssa, dark eyes wide. “He what?”
“You heard me. He’s our biggest corporate sponsor.”
“Let me get this straight. Professor Kirk Kennedy, Humanities 237, Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Missouri? We’re talking about the same guy here?”
Lyssa pointed at the smoke curling from the wok. “Stir supper, if you don’t mind.”
Jeannie whirled back to the range. “He called Christianity a residue of the Dark Ages. A crutch for feeble minds. Church was—”
“‘A social club for pansies,’ I believe were his exact words.” Lyssa remembered all too clearly.
“Yeah.” Jeannie poured a shot of lemon juice into the wok and turned the element down. “He had no respect.”
“You’d never guess it was the same guy, but there’s no doubt.” He was just as hot as he’d ever been, for starters.
“I don’t understand, Lys. He knew it was for a church event?”
“Yep. He even came by the office to drop off two checks and the ad copy. Probably the first time in his life he stepped foot in a church. And never a word.” Not about that, anyway.
Jeannie tossed two catfish fillets in cornmeal then into another fry pan. “Wow. He almost did me in, back in the day.”
It wasn’t “almost” for Lyssa. “I hated him for what he did to you.” Hated herself for being too chicken to stand up beside Jeannie.
Hated herself for thinking he was cute anyway.
“I can’t say I looked forward to humanities, but being challenged did make me understand better what I believed and why.” Jeannie shot a look at Lyssa. “It was probably good for me.”
No answer to that. The sweet saltiness of frying fish wafted to Lyssa’s nose. “Is that your mama’s recipe? Smells awesome.”
“Sure is.” Jeannie flipped the fish. “Almost ready.”
“You’re lucky I came home to eat. If you hadn’t told me your brother dropped off the catfish, I might’ve stood you up.”
“Uh huh. Like you have a life.” Jeannie plated the fillets.
“I was invited out for dinner.”
“Oh, yeah? By whom?” When Lyssa didn’t answer, Jeannie looked up, a scoopful of stir-fried veggies in midair.
Lyssa couldn’t help smirking. “Professor Kennedy.”
Asparagus and spoon clattered to the floor. “Oh, no you don’t. Just because I’ve been encouraging you to get out of your shell doesn’t mean I think dating him is a good idea.”
“Relax.” Lyssa reached for a cloth to wipe up the mess. “I said no.”
Changing a few words on the coupon layout was a slim excuse to swing by the church, but Kirk couldn’t help himself. She’d turned him down for dinner the other day. Had she been trying to get rid of him, or was her excuse legit? Somehow, he had to know.
School-aged kids seemed everywhere in town today, so he figured classes must be out for the summer. And that might mean Lyssa would be at the church, working on the treasure hunt. It was worth a shot.
He pulled into the parking lot in time to see her exit the building in knee-length khakis and a striped tank, pulling her luxurious thick hair through the back of a baseball cap.
“Lyssa?”
She froze then glanced his way. “Um, hi.”
He waved the paper. “I guess this isn’t a good time to go over the ad copy?” He tried for his most charming smile.
“I can take a quick look.” She headed toward him, a picture of grace.
“Going somewhere? I don’t want you to be late.”
“Oh, it’s okay. I was just headed up to the park to hunt down a geocache. A couple of people noted on the website that they couldn’t locate it, so I wanted to double-check it hadn’t gotten trashed before the treasure hunt lifts off.” She slipped the paper from his fingers and looked it over.
“You’re going hiking alone? Isn’t it … dangerous or something?”
“Dangerous? Why?” She flashed him a grin.
He’d do nearly anything to see that again. “Snakes. Skunks.” He waved his hand. “I don’t know. You might trip on a root and sprain your ankle.”
Lyssa laughed. “Anything is possible, but highly unlikely. If I waited until a friend wanted to go hiking, I’d spend far too much time sitting around the condo. So I’m just careful.”
The best opening he’d found yet. “How about if I come with you?”
Her eyes widened, and then she glanced away. “Oh, I’m sure you’re much too busy for that. I’ll be fine.”
“Why not? I’m not expecting any new freight today, and Dale won’t be back until later this week. It might be the last chance to do something spontaneous before the grand opening.” He gestured at his white button-up shirt and dark slacks. “I’d probably want to change first, though.”
“Yeah, you would.” She sized him up uncertainly.
“My apartment is on the way to the park gates. I promise not to hold you back.” With those long lean legs of hers, she was probably in great shape. Hopefully all that jogging he’d been doing would make a difference.
Lyssa broke their gaze and glanced back at the paper he’d handed her.
“I could use the escape.” Kirk touched her arm. “Besides, I was serious when I asked you out the other day. I’d like to get to know you better. If you’re interested.” He held his breath.
Her hand clenched around the paper, crumpling it slightly.
Somehow that gave him a perverse hope she wasn’t as immune to his charms as she pretended. Been a while since a woman had that kind of effect on him. Like, never.
Lyssa peered at him through long lashes. “Really?”
She didn’t seem to know how attractive she was. Kirk vowed to wipe the uncertainty off her face. “Really.”
“Okay.” Lyssa pulled a deep breath. “No point in taking two cars. You can ride with me.”
The only vehicle in the parking lot besides his, a green hatchback, had seen better days. Besides, it was only chivalrous for him to do the driving. But the wary expression in her eyes cut off his protest before he started. He shrugged. “Sure, no problem.”
“I’ll just run back and set this on my desk for later.” She pivoted and jogged for the church door.
Heart lifting, Kirk watched her go. He shoved aside the question of what his brother would have to say. Dale had been after him for years to meet a great girl. It wasn’t Kirk’s fault Lyssa arrived right on the heels of Dale’s big loss.