She grinned. “Well, since you appreciate my field so much, I’m sure you’ll be A-okay with me sketching you.”
Without letting him respond, she whipped her sketchbook out of her backpack, then fished a drawing pencil from the front pocket.
Next to her, Austin chuckled. “Are you serious?”
“Dead serious.” She shot him a grave look. “I’m sorry to inform you, but I’ve become obsessed with your jawline. I must draw it.”
Chuckling again, he dragged a hand over his tantalizing stubble, then gave a little shrug. “Knock yourself out.”
Almost immediately, Mari’s pencil started moving across the blank page, while her eyes stayed glued to Austin’s sexy-as-sin face.
“Wait, are you going to be staring at me like that the entire time?” He sounded dismayed.
“Uh-huh. But don’t worry, just pretend you’re Kate Winslet.” She paused. “Oh wait, that reference is probably lost on you since you don’t watch movies.”
Austin wagged a finger at her. “Hey, I know that one. And as I recall, Kate Winslet is lying there naked while DiCaprio draws her.”
Mari pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. “Not totally naked,” she protested. “She’s wearing the Heart of the Ocean.”
“Just keep it PG,” he warned, but she could tell from his expression that he was just joking around.
“How about PG-13?” she countered.
“Deal.”
Smiling to herself, Mari settled back in her seat, got comfy and started to sketch.
Austin couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so at ease with a woman. He and Mari had been driving for forty minutes, but the time had passed so fast it felt more like forty seconds. He was seriously enjoying the redhead’s company, and knowing that the bus terminal was only twenty minutes away sent an odd feeling of reluctance through him.
He wasn’t sure he wanted to say goodbye to her yet. Not only was she smart, funny and utterly entertaining, but her presence was a much-needed distraction. For the first time in forever, he wasn’t thinking about his family troubles. He felt centered and relaxed, and the quirky woman beside him was definitely responsible for that blessed state of being.
Which was why he found himself slowing down when a bright-blue sign came into view.
Welcome to Haven!
Haven, Iowa. That was one of the towns on his list, wasn’t it?
“Can you do me a favor?” he said to Mari, who’d fallen silent and was diligently scribbling in her sketchbook.
She lifted her head. “What’s up?”
“Grab that messenger bag from the backseat? There’s some papers in the front pocket, a long list of locations. Can you check if Haven, Iowa is on the list?”
Nodding, Mari closed the sketchpad and twisted around in her seat. A minute later, she confirmed what his photographic memory had told him. Haven was on the list.
“Do you mind if we stop?” he asked. “I’m not obligated to do every town on the list—it’s more of a guideline—but I remember liking the look of this one when I researched them all online.”
Okay, that was a lie. He didn’t remember Haven one bit, but he’d photographed enough Main Streets these last few days that he was fairly confident he could conjure up an accurate description if Mari pressed for details.
Luckily, she didn’t. Instead, she smiled broadly. “Sure, it sounds like fun.”
He tried to hide his surprise, but clearly some of it showed on his face, because she furrowed her delicate reddish eyebrows. “What, you don’t believe me?”
“No, I believe you,” he answered. “I’m just not used to women looking so enthusiastic about taking a spontaneous detour so I can snap some pictures. The ones I dated in the past griped and complained about how impulsive I am.”
“Like I said, I’m in no hurry,” Mari replied with a shrug. “Besides, I’m all about spontaneity.”
Less than ten minutes later, they drove along the picturesque Main Street of Haven, Iowa, quickly finding parking in front of a small café with an outdoor patio. Not surprisingly, Haven’s Main Street was similar to the half-dozen streets he’d already visited, boasting the same cobblestone sidewalks, old-fashioned lampposts, and wrought-iron everything. But this one had a lot more charm than he’d expected. The storefronts lining the street were colorful, and the random residents ambling down the sidewalk didn’t hesitate to smile and say hello to the newcomers. Austin knew small-towners tended to be friendlier than city folk, but he hadn’t been greeted by this many people in the previous towns he’d gone to.
It took a few minutes to realize that most of the smiling, hello-chirping people were greeting Mari, who beamed and waved at everyone who walked by.
“Oh my God, this is the cutest town,” she gushed. “I wish I’d grown up in a place like this.”