“So where are we going?” she asked even as she started to turn toward Williamsburg.
“No,” Ramsey said. “Go right.”
“But—”
“But what?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she said. “I just assumed we were going into Williamsburg.”
“I thought about it, but there’s time to do that later. I thought we might spend some time alone together.”
“‘Alone together,’” she said under her breath.
“What?”
“It’s just something I heard and I liked it. ‘Alone together.’”
“Turn here,” Ramsey said at a sign that said they were now leaving the State Wilderness Park. “Unless you want me to drive?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“So how many ladies did you get this morning?” he asked.
“Surprisingly few. There were three of them on the doorstep as I left. I almost knocked them down.”
“So who were they?”
She glanced at him.
“Right,” he said,
smiling. “You have no idea. Describe them.”
“Dark red hair, not natural. Not athletic.”
“‘Not athletic.’ How diplomatic of you. Ken’s mother. You haven’t met him, have you?”
“I thought I was going to meet him today, but you were outside waiting for me.”
“Tess’s idea. She said everyone would be staring at you, so if I actually wanted to talk to you, I should take you away.”
“Ah,” Jocelyn said.
“I’m not sure that’s a good sound. What does ‘ah’ mean?”
“Luke said that Tess runs your life. In fact, everyone says that.”
“And she does a good job of it too,” Ramsey said. “Please tell me you’re insanely jealous and you’d like to snatch her bald.”
Joce laughed. “Sorry, but no. She’s abrasive and has a chip on her shoulder the size of a mountain, but I almost like her.”
“If you do, you’re only the second woman in town who does. You and Sara. The girls in the office are terrified of her. They run into the restroom and talk about her so much that now if Tess is going in there, she yells ‘incoming’ then gives them three seconds to shut up.”
“Why would they hate her for that?” Joce asked, wide eyed.
“Beats me,” Ramsey said, smiling. “Turn here, down this dirt road. There! That’s it. Park under that tree.”
She pulled under a big oak tree and got out of the car. Ramsey got out, then pushed his seat back and removed the basket and quilt.