a bone, Hunter would just nag at her until he found out what was wrong. He was like her brother that way.
Luckily for Gaylynn, Michael had been distracted by events in his own life at the time of the attack on her. He’d been fighting to keep custody of little Hope, who’d been abandoned and left with Brett before she and Michael had gotten married. Yes, her brother had had his hands full, which was the only reason he hadn’t given her his customary third degree about her wanting to use his cabin. Instead, he’d just let her do her thing.
That wouldn’t be the case with Hunter. So she’d better have her story down pat by the time he came back because he could sniff out a mystery a mile away.
“Okay, I admit it, you do make a mean spaghetti sauce,” Gaylynn admitted as she licked a stray bit of sauce from the corner of her mouth.
Hunter watched her with the eyes of a hawk. She’d noticed the way he’d been watching her all evening, but she was unable to discern the thoughts going through his head. For her part, she’d been deliberately cheerful, talking about some of the people from their old neighborhood.
“I can’t believe little Joey del Greco is a priest now,” Hunter said with a rueful shake of his head.
Gaylynn grinned. “I’ll tell him you said so.”
“Last time I saw him, he was what we call down here ‘knee-high to a grasshopper’ and was stealing apples from the Jablonskis’ apple tree.”
“The apple tree is gone, and so are the Jablonskis.”
“Funny how you picture things staying the way they were when you saw them last. Like you. I pictured you with that White Sox cap on your head.”
“I still wear it on bad hair days,” she declared dryly. “How about your folks? How are they doing?”
“Fine. They’ve retired down to Florida now. Have a nice condo in Sarasota.”
“Does your dad still claim the Cubs are gonna win the World Series before the year 2000?”
“He sure does,” Hunter confirmed with a slow smile. “Although I’ve got to say that he’s starting to get a little nervous about that prediction. And how about your folks? Your dad still making those Gypsy weather forecasts that amazed the entire neighborhood?”
“You bet. He’s more accurate than any of the weathermen on TV.”
“I remember one time he took Michael and me fishing up in Wisconsin and tried to teach us how to ‘tickle’ trout. Neither one of us managed to catch on, though.”
Groaning at his obvious pun, Gaylynn crumpled up her paper napkin and tossed it at him.
Hunter merely grinned and ducked before continuing his story. “Your dad caught something like half a dozen trout. And I’ll never forget the way he left one hanging in the tree nearby before we left.”
“To bring good luck and ensure there would be good fishing at that site the next time,” Gaylynn explained.
“That’s right. You know, I’ve got to tell you, I was always envious of the way you guys got to open your Christmas presents early on Christmas Eve. And if I remember right, you got extra presents even earlier than that.”
Gaylynn nodded. “Left in our shoes on Saint Nicholas’s Day.”
“We had some good times in those days.”
“Yeah, we did,” she agreed softly. When she’d been a child, the world had been her oyster. She’d been the only girl in her family, with one older and one younger brother. Their protective presence had seen her through life’s rough spots. Until now. This was one rough patch she was going to have to make it through on her own. She didn’t want them knowing how weak she was; she didn’t want to disappoint them.
If Hunter saw how spooked she was, he’d tell them.
Spooked. That reminded her to ask Hunter about the feline family. “Listen, I meant to ask you before if you know someone who might have lost a Siamese cat and her two kittens. I saw them in the woods earlier today and gave them some food.”
Hunter shook his head. “Haven’t heard of anyone in this area missing their cat. Chances are they are strays.”
“They need looking after.”
So do you, Hunter wanted to say. Gaylynn had shoved more pasta around her dish than she’d actually eaten. Did she think he wouldn’t notice? Did she think he was buying her restless cheerfulness as the real thing? If so, she had a lot to learn.
“You never did tell me why you decided to come to Michael’s cabin,” he prompted her.
“I already told you, I needed a vacation.”
“So you’re on spring break from school?”
“Not exactly.”
“Then what exactly?”
“You’re nosy, you know that?”
“Hey, I’ll have you know that my interrogation techniques have been honed to a fine art. You might as well tell me all your secrets now,” he stated with a lazy grin as he helped her stack the dirty dishes on the table. “I’ll get them out of you sooner or later.”
“Oh, no, Officer Davis.” She gasped mockingly, putting one hand to her heart. “Not your dreaded tickling routine!” Hunter might not have learned how to tickle trout but he’d excelled at tickling her in their childhood days. “Anything but that!”
“So you’re willing to confess now?”
“You’ve got me.” She sighed, putting a dramatic hand to her forehead. “I’m an escaped felon, wanted by the city of Chicago for two overdue parking notices. I’ll give myself up peaceably,” she added, holding both her hands out to him. “Cuff me now and take me away.”
“Don’t tempt me,” he muttered, disturbed by the sudden sexy image of her wearing handcuffs and little else. What was wrong with him? She was Michael’s kid sister, for heaven’s sake!
“Then stop making such a big deal about this,” she said in exasperation. “I needed some time off from my teaching position so I took a vacation. End of story.”
“How long are you staying?”
“I’m not sure.”
“When is your vacation up? Wait a minute, now that I think about it, teachers can’t just up and take vacation during the school term.”
“Bravo, Sherlock.”
“Which means you’re what.on some kind of leave or something?”
“That’s right.”
“A medical leave?”
His persistence was irritating her. “That’s none of your business,” she said, taking the dishes from him and transferring them to the stainless-steel
