Chapter Twenty

"Something interesting happened this morning," Kat said without so much as a 'good morning' as Sophie stopped in at Hay Coffee to pick up a couple of muffins for her and Matt on her way down the road to Belletristic.

"More interesting than that soul crushing, life threatening, completely terrifying storm last night?" Sophie shot back with a wobbly smile.

Kat's brow wrinkled in sympathy. "Oh god… you've never lived through one of our big storms, have you?"

Sophie shook her head. "I've lived through a couple in Indiana, but barely. Tornado warnings are easier to take than all that thunder and lightning. I'm really not a fan of the thunder and lightning. It can rain for days, I'm fine. That lightning starts up and the thunder that shakes you out of your seat, and I'm toast." She gave an involuntary shiver at the memory of the night before, as she had sat in the kitchen, willing herself to take on the storm, to not break, to not cry. She felt like she'd sat there for hours, unwilling to move, until the worst of it passed.

She was stunned when she looked at the clock later and realized the worst of it had only last about ten or fifteen minutes.

Long enough, she'd thought humbly, finally getting up from the table and fleeing upstairs as the rain continued to hammer the roof well into the early morning hours.

"I'm so sorry. They can be a little… intimidating," Kat said sympathetically. "Especially if you aren't used to them."

"I think my heart stopped a couple of times. I almost had to perform CPR on myself," Sophie said with a grin.

"Well, I'm glad you survived," Kat said, opening the pastries case as Sophie silently pointed to the still-warm muffins. "Two?"

"Please," Sophie replied easily. "I'm treating Matt to breakfast since I'm about to ask him to completely rearrange one of the upstairs rooms. I'm sure he'll be thrilled."

Kat grinned. "Bribery with food. A tale as old as time. Next thing you know, you'll be flashing him your girls."

Sophie snorted with laughter, and then sobered as Kat's mother emerged from the kitchen for a moment to place some croissants in the case. After exchanging a cheery good morning greeting, Kat's mother disappeared, and Sophie cocked her head, looking at Kat. "You said something interesting happened this morning. Spill!"

Kat grinned, the cat that ate the canary. "Mm hmm…"

Sophie jokingly planted her fists on her hips. "Spill, Slave. I haven't got time for your shilly shallying today," she said in mock anger.

Kat laughed out loud. "Shilly shallying? Would you care for a spot of tea, ma'am?"

Sophie joined in her laughter. "Stop stalling! What happened?"

Kat leaned on the counter conspiratorially, and Sophie took several steps closer, glancing around to see if any other customers were in earshot. "Daniel was in earlier."

Sophie rolled her eyes, disappointed in the news. "That's the big news bulletin? My snotty neighbor was in? Probably on a caffeine run for the devil."

Kat snorted. "Ouch."

Sophie shrugged. "I think he's one of Satan's minions. I'm serious. Or I did, until…"

"Until…" Kat prompted eagerly, hoping for a dishy new story.

Sophie's eyes looked downward. "He kind of… did me a favor the other night. Saved me from a… mouse. It's kind of complicated, but he was actually kind of… nice for about two minutes."

Kat smirked. "Hmm. That explains it."

"Explains what?"

"Why Daniel was in this morning. He was buying coffee – though not for Lucifer – and asking about you. Something is definitely brewing with the hunky, broody neighbor man."

"Asking? About me?" Sophie asked, her voice on the edge of incredulous.

Kat nodded with a wide smile. "Yes, about you."

"Well… what did he ask?" Sophie asked, despite herself. She didn't want to think about Daniel, but if he was asking about her, she had a right to know why…

Kat shrugged, playing it cool. "Just wanted to know a few things about you. I told him you were an army brat, I told him how smart you were, I told him about your dissertation topic and that you are really, really close to finishing it, and I told him how sweet you are."

Sophie snorted again. "He probably had some scathing things to say about me not finishing my dissertation, I bet. Probably wanted to know if I ever graduated from high school, or why I'm such a freak. I know you said nice things about me, Kat, but I'd be willing to bet he didn't buy a single one of them. He's not exactly a trusting, 'take you at your word' kind of person. I'm sure he bought all that you said," she said, ending with a note of sarcasm.

"He did, actually," Kat shot back archly. "He was interested to know more about you, and… eager. He kept peppering me with questions – some I could answer, some I couldn't. So, obviously, he's doing some checking on you. Maybe he's not so evil after all? Maybe you've finally broken through that damaged core of his, left courtesy of his evil bitch of an ex fiancée?" Kat ventured, watching Sophie's face flush with colour as she talked about Daniel. "I'd say the man is a wee bit smitten, myself."

"I'm sure he was just being… neighborly. Probably wanted to know if I had a history of breaking and entering or anything," Sophie said, trying for breezy but instead sounding slightly strangled. She was puzzled, that was for sure. Why on earth would Daniel, who either sneered at her or avoided her, want to know more about her? "Any history of mental illness or institutionalization after that mouse stunt the other night. God, that was so embarrassing…"

Maybe he really was one of the devil's minions, scouting out her soul, Sophie mused absently, barely focusing on Kat's next words.

I don't think so, love. He wanted to know more about you," Kat replied. "And his face was about the same color that yours is right now."

Sophie's hands immediately flew up to cup her cheeks, embarrassed. "I'm… I'm hot. From the brisk walk down here this morning. This isn't blushing."

"Redheads just can't get away with hiding their feelings, can they?" Kat teased. "Anyway, I thought it was interesting to see Daniel this morning. Particularly stuttering, nervous, flushed Daniel, which is something I've NEVER seen. And it was all about YOU, Colonist."

And with that parting shot, Kat gave her a wide smile, and then turned back to the cappuccino maker, leaving Sophie stunned, her heart hammering out a concerto at the image of a nervous Daniel making inquiries about her.

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