Chapter 7 · Continued
Chris
The first response had slipped past the filter.
Chris turned toward Jane. “Hey, do you have time to grab a cup of coffee? There’s a place at the edge of the parking lot.”
His tone was easy, as though the invitation weren’t significant.
“Maybe I can help you understand your robot a little better.”
Jane didn’t answer immediately.
She looked at Chris—really looked at him this time.
Not merely as the man who knew things about Cam.
Something else.
He wasn’t pushy, and the invitation didn’t feel like a sales pitch. He seemed almost certain she would agree.
That was irritating.
And slightly interesting.
Her eyes dropped briefly toward the hand he had resting against the truck.
No wedding ring.
Huh.
Jane straightened and brushed the dirt from her hands. “Coffee, huh?”
She made it sound as though she were considering the offer.
As though she hadn’t already decided.
Jane glanced at Cam. He stood beside the truck, steady and contained.
Then she looked back at Chris.
“You think you can explain him better than I understand him?”
The question wasn’t defensive.
It was a test.
The corner of Chris’s mouth moved slightly. “Not better. Just differently—and probably with more of the uncomfortable parts included.”
Jane released a breath that was almost a laugh. “Yeah. That tracks.”
She checked the truck’s tailgate to make certain it was securely latched.
Decision made.
“All right,” she said, turning back to Chris. “One coffee.”
Jane held up one finger. “One.”
Chris nodded as though the condition were entirely reasonable.
She looked at Cam. “Come on. We’re making one more stop.”
He immediately turned toward her. “Yes, Jane.”
Chris watched the exchange for a moment.
When he looked back at Jane, he wasn’t really smiling anymore.
“Yeah,” he said quietly. “Let’s do that.”
Jane gestured toward the empty buggy. “Cam, return that cart and leave it with the others.”
Cam guided it across the parking lot and placed it neatly in the return area. He adjusted it once to align it with the others and then stepped back.
The three of them walked toward the coffee shop.
Chris glanced at Cam and smiled. “The people in there are going to be surprised to see this guy.”
Jane released a small breath. “I know. It was a bit of a circus back there.”
Chris chuckled. “Yeah… I noticed.”
The coffee shop was mostly empty.
Quiet.
Contained.
Chris gestured toward a small seating area. “Cam, why don’t you sit over there for a minute?”