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pleading way. “Are you going to hurt anyone in Walnut Grove?”
    This was a legit question.
    “You see, I’m not the most popular gal in town and I really want to get on the up-and-up,” I didn’t know why, but like a fool, I started to tell him my tale. “And if I’m going to kind of turn my life around, I don’t want to be known as the girl who helped you out. Whoever you are,” I mumbled.
    He stared at me and burst out laughing.
    “No. I’m not going to hurt anyone as long as anyone stays out of my business and I get what I want.” The laughter took a spiral downward as his lips tightened into a serious glare. “Tony. My name is Tony. See you tomorrow at nine a.m.”
    “Sharp.”
    “Yep, I think we are gonna get along just fine while I’m in town.” Tony looked at me intently before he turned around. He strode through the door of the hotel, never once turning back.

 
     
    Chapter Six
     
    “Walnut Grove.” Someone opened the back passenger side, opposite where Tony had sat, throwing a duffle bag to the other side and slammed the door.
    “Oh my God! You scared me!” My hands clasped over my heart. “Get out of my car!”
    I jerked around, gripped the back of my seat, and glared at the hazel eyes staring back at me.
    Okay, so he was hot. For a second, I wished I had looked at him before I told him to get out.
    “You aren’t working?” His chiseled jaw clenched, his bold eyes narrowed. “You off duty?” His leaned forward. His eyes darted around the taxi. “Where is your license?”
    License? Damn . Derek was going to have to repaint the Old Girl to anything but yellow after I got squared away with the big guy and his wad of cashola tomorrow.
    “What’s with all the questions?” I turned back around and readjusted my clothes, and then ran my hands down my hair. I reached over and dug deep in my bag to get my lip gloss. Quickly I added a little shine to my pout.
    “Well? License?” he asked again.
    “Yes. I’m on duty.” I might as well let him ride along since I was driving home and I could charge him anything I wanted. And he was easy to look at. “I just got the car back from the shop so my license hasn’t been hung up yet.”
    The lies just kept coming. Piling up, like they had done when I was younger. My stomach started to hurt, my head ached. What was wrong with me? Why did trouble always seem to follow me wherever I went?
    “Good. I need a lift to Walnut Grove.” He settled back into the seat and propped his elbow up on the window frame.
    I caught myself staring back at him a couple of times. There was no one — and I mean no one — that looked as good as him in Walnut Grove. Not even Johnny Delgato. Close, but not quite. I shook Johnny’s good looks and bad boy image from my head. This was no time to think about him.
    The guy’s chest filled the navy button down, but not too much like the muscle guy before. His hair was black and silky straight with just the right amount of gel to give it a little spike in the front. He was well manicured and if I didn’t know better, it looked like his eyebrows could’ve been professionally waxed. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties.
    Sigh . A small amount of air rushed out of my lips. I pursed them shut and slid my eyes back to the road when I saw him looking back in the rearview at me.
    “Do you live in Louisville?” His eyes danced in amusement. I bet he was used to women staring at him.
    “No. I live in Walnut Grove.” Okay, idle chit-chat was good. Maybe he was single.
    “How long have you lived there?” He looked back out the window bringing his fingers to his chin and keeping his elbow in the window.
    “All my life.” Hearing those words escape my mouth left me sad. It was true. I’m not sure how I got to the orphanage but all of my memories were there, with Trixie.
    I glanced down at my watch. It was lunch time and I was sure Trixie was home watching “Judge Judy”. She loved trying to figure out