The Tourist Attraction (Moose Springs, Alaska #1)(25)

Even Zoey didn’t believe herself.

Her spot on the sidewalk couldn’t have been easy for him to sink down to. Yet there he was, settling in on cement when it probably hurt terribly, careful not to sit too close. Whatever else he might be, Graham Barnett was kind. Kind enough to hold her hand in the holding cell. Kind enough to lie to keep her from being arrested. Kind enough to care about a stranger not having a ride.

Guilt squeezed like lemon juice on her frayed nerves.

“I tried to call her a couple times. L’s not picking up for me either. I’m not saying she won’t come get you. I just think it might be a while.”

Sighing, Zoey stood. “You’re probably right.”

Glancing at him, feeling stress and guilt twist her stomach into knots, Zoey added softly, “I’m sorry I hurt you. Thank you for not letting me run off the cliff, and thank you for helping me in there. If you have any medical bills, please send them to me.”

Nodding in acknowledgment, Graham climbed back up to his feet.

“It’s a long walk back to the resort. Jonah’s squad car gets better gas mileage than tennis shoes, but he might be a while. There’s a lot of paperwork to go along with our festivities this morning. I don’t know how much you remember about last night, but I got you home safe and sound once. If you don’t mind, I bet I can do it again.”

“I think this tourist has trapped you in enough of her drama for one vacation.” Offering him a tight smile, she added, “But if I could use your phone to call a cab, I’d appreciate it. Then you’ll never have to set eyes on me again.”

“That would be a shame.”

An odd expression crossed his face, as if Graham hadn’t planned on saying that. Then he held out his phone in one hand and his keys in the other, offering her the choice of either.

“It’s up to you. But if I make you nervous, you can drive.” Graham jingled the keys enticingly. “I’ll even sit in the bed. No chance of mischief.”

“What if I steal your truck? Or worse? Women are capable of dismembery-type hijinks too, you know.”

“Then at least I went out with a good story. Red pill or blue pill?”

Zoey tapped her fingers on his hand, the one holding the keys. “You drive. My nerves are shot. I could use another Growly Bear about now.”

“You and me both.”

The truck was a newer model, but something had damaged the side door enough to give Zoey pause.

“Do I want to know what happened to your mirror?”

“Unrequited love. Okay, back to the big house. They’re going to start charging me parking if I keep going there.”

When he started up the engine, Zoey noticed the time flashing on the Dodge’s dashboard. “I thought you had a diner to open. Aren’t you going to be late?”

“We’re past lunch, and I close between lunch and dinner. A few hours away from the insanity helps me keep my calm. Besides, I need to call Jake and make sure he hasn’t abandoned me for my friend and her far more exciting lifestyle. Ash is a helicopter pilot.”

“Who’s Jake?”

“The cool customer in the sock hat on my screen saver.” Like a proud parent, he tilted his phone her way, showing a black-and-white snout on the cutest border collie in existence. “You should meet sometime. He’s a great listener.”

Her lips curved despite herself. “What do you do when you’re not working?”

“Sometimes I sit out back and read. Sometimes I go home and—” Clearing his throat, Graham glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “Mass murder people.”

Zoey groaned. “I said I was sorry.”

“I know, but it’s fun making you say it again.” Chuckling, he turned onto the next street over. “I carve sculptures in my free time, what little of that I have these days. That’s what the chainsaw was for.”

“What were you carving?”

“You ask a lot of questions.”

“I’m working up the courage to ask why you’re not furious with me.”

As they stopped at a red light, Graham gazed down at her, his tone softening. “Because you were scared, Zoey. I’m not going to hold that against you. Accidents happen.”

The light switched to green, but his eyes swept her features. Biting her lower lip, Zoey stared back, wondering just what she was doing.

A car blared its horn right behind them, jerking her back to reality. Graham glanced in the rearview mirror, frowning. “Damn tourists.”

The moment broken, he pressed on the gas, deliberately driving slower than necessary to aggravate the person behind him.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Absolutely. See that little orange sticker in the top corner of their windshield? It means they’re in a rental car. There’s tons of similar things planted all over town so we know who to avoid.”

“And who to mess with?”

A smug expression was his answer. They turned a corner, driving past the Tourist Trap. “See how I don’t have a sign? No one should have known about my place. It was supposed to be locals only. When your town is overrun by tourists, sometimes you just want to get away from them.”

“And yet you keep getting stuck in close quarters with me.”

Graham shook his head. “Who visits Alaska and doesn’t rent a car? We’re not exactly known for how little this state is.”