Connections of the Mind by Roseanne Dowell Page A

burst out laughing. Too bad Lester didn’t approve. Oh well, too bad for him. Nothing he said was going to change her mind about staying here.
    “Were you with my sister when she fell?” Lester glared at Jeremy.
    Rebecca held her breath. They had discussed this at length last night.
    “Yes, I was. Too bad I couldn’t keep up with her. I might have prevented it.” Jeremy looked at her as if for approval.
    Rebecca moved to Jeremy’s side and took his arm. “I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m starved.”
    “Me, too,” Allison joined in. “Can we go eat now?” She batted her long lashes at Lester.
    Rebecca almost fell over her own feet. Allison openly flirted with Lester, and his face turned red as a beet. She put her hand to her mouth to cover a giggle. When Allison hooked her arm through Lester’s, it was all Rebecca could do to hold back the laughter.
     
     

Chapter Twelve
     
    Rebecca no more than sat down next to Jeremy in the restaurant, when his cellphone rang.
    He flipped it open. “Excuse me, I have to take this.” He got up and walked toward the lobby while he talked.
    Rebecca hoped it wasn’t an emergency; he looked so serious. He came back to the table, leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Sorry, I have to go. There was another robbery last night at the camera store. Chief wants me in on it.”
    Rebecca’s heart fell. Another robbery, did that mean it was the same guy? “Okay, be careful.” She didn’t like this. Didn’t like it at all. Why did they need him in on it? He was supposed to be off duty.
    “I’ll call you later.” He brushed his thumb across her cheek then straightened up and looked at Lester and Allison. “Nice to have met you both. I hope I’ll see you later.”
    The look from Allison that said she couldn’t wait to be alone, and the look on Lester’s face, while he watched Jeremy walk away, spoke volumes. Probably thought without Jeremy here, he’d be able to talk some sense into his sister. No doubt Lester thought Jeremy influenced her.
    “So what’s going on here, Beck? He’s awful familiar with you in such a short time. You’ve only been here less than a week.”
    What was going on here was simple. She fell in love with the town and with Jeremy, but she didn’t dare tell Lester that. “Nothing’s going on. What do you mean?” Rebecca took a sip of her coffee.
    “You sure as hell know what I mean. The guy’s all over you.”
    She set her cup down, put her elbows on the table, laced her fingers together, and glared at her brother. She didn’t need this. “Damn it, Lester, you keep forgetting I’m not sixteen anymore. I’m a grown woman. Jeremy and I have something special.” She lowered her hands and sat back in her chair. “You can’t tell me what to do anymore. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself. I feel like I’ve known Jeremy forever.”
    She held her hand up to stop him from commenting. “All right, I’ll tell you the truth. I’m falling in love with him.”
    Lester glared back at her. Allison put her hand on his arm. “I know it’s none of my business, but you asked me to come along, so...”
    Rebecca couldn’t believe Allison’s boldness, and Lester’s reaction to her. Allison looked at Lester as if to see his reaction. He didn’t look like he was going to disagree, so she continued.
    “Rebecca has a point. Besides you always wanted her to go to college. Give her the eleven weeks. Let her take her course and see what develops.”
    Lester shook his head. “No good can come of this. Nope, I don’t like it. Rebecca doesn’t know the world the way I do. Hell, she’s still just a kid.”
    Lester looked from Allison to Rebecca. Rebecca swore she saw the light go off in his head. She and Allison were the same age, yet he thought of Allison as a woman. And Rebecca had a feeling, Allison would be Lester’s woman before long. She had to suppress a giggle at the bewildered look on Lester’s face.
    “Hell...” He ran his hand