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she went from Louisiana’s bitchiest waitress to a sweet Southern belle just like that. What did you do to her?”
    “I didn’t do anything. Maybe your high-priced attire made her think she might actually earn something by being nice.”
    He didn’t look as if he bought it and it really didn’t matter because all of a sudden an elderly, white-haired woman appeared at the end of our table holding a broom and shouting something at us in French.
    “ Parex maintenant! Sorciére! ”
    “I’m sorry,” I said. “I don’t understand what you’re saying. English, do you speak English?”
    “Witch! Witch!” she shouted at the top of her lungs, and everyone stared at me.
    My cheeks burned with embarrassment. I wanted to run, but she had the end of the booth blocked and with everyone looking, I didn’t dare touch her to move her away. She brandished the broom around, poking me with the end of it. I flinched as the bristles dug into my skin. With no idea what to do, I looked to Richie for help, but he was making a dash for the door.
    I wished I hadn’t looked up. It only increased the humiliation to see all of the people looking at me as if I had just robbed the screeching woman, and my companion making a break for it couldn’t have looked good either.
    I locked gazes with Samuel. I’m not sure why but I sent him a silent plea for help. Somehow I knew he would be able to hear me. To my surprise he jumped to his feet and rushed to me, gently nudging the woman aside. He grabbed my elbow and dragged me out of my seat, pulling me out of the diner at a pace so fast I nearly tripped over my own feet.
    Once we were outside he brought me around the building and into an alley. His jawline was hard and his eyes were filled with black, clouded fury.
    “How do you know who I’m?” he demanded.
    “I don’t!” I insisted.
    “Then how did you know I would hear you?”
    “What?”
    “When you looked at me in there. How did you know I would hear your thoughts?”
    “I…I didn’t,” I lied.
    He pinned me up into a fence and rested both of his arms against it, boxing me in so I couldn’t escape. He smelled like cedar, and the aroma excited me instantly. It was how I had always imagined he would smell. I bit my lip and searched his eyes for a sign that he was going to hurt me.
    They softened as he reclaimed his composure with deep, cleansing breaths. His forehead uncreased, and his jaw relaxed. He opened his mouth to speak but instead a woman’s called from the opening of the alley.
    “Yoo-hoo! Samuel! What are you doing down there?”
    He flinched and snapped around to greet her, concealing me behind his huge body.
    “Ms. Vivian, what are you doing here? I thought you would be at church.”
    “I asked you first,” she reminded him. I could tell by her voice she was an older woman.
    “Well…” He searched for an explanation but it was too late. She had already made her way close enough that I could not hide behind him. She wore a mischievous I-know-what-you’re-up-to smile.
    “A girl, Samuel? My heavens. I never thought I’d see the day.”
    “No, Ms. Vivian. Don’t get yourself excited.”
    His expression made me frown—his dark glare ruined the chance of us being mistaken as lovers. I must have shown it more than I thought, judging by the sympathetic look I got from Ms. Vivian.
    “But she’s such a pretty little thing.”
    I smiled sweetly at the compliment.
    “Ms. Vivian, I need to speak with you.”
    “Don’t you think you should finish up with your friend? I was just going to get something to eat. You can catch up with me when I’m through.”
    She pivoted to leave, but Samuel stopped her, urging her to come with him just a few steps away so they could speak privately. A heated, whispery discussion was taking place.
    She looked at me with wide eyes, and I felt as if I was intruding even though their conversation was obviously about me. She covered her mouth with her hands, and even from a distance tears