Page 17 of One Kind Hand

Charlie took it as a good sign that he’d taken the steering wheel of the conversation. “We met in kindergarten. On our first day, she shared her peanut butter and jelly sandwich with me because my parents had given me a banana. They still hadn’t figured out that me spitting out banana every time they gave me one was me telling them I hated bananas.”

Austin let out a soft chuckle. “And does that distaste for bananas continue today?”

“Yes. I need fruit that has some juice to it, you know?”

“I agree, but what about a banana split?”

Charlie’s brain immediately went wild with visions of putting whip cream in interesting places. “Why would anyone want to defile ice cream by adding bananas to it?” She shivered. “That’s criminal.”

“Noted.” Austin tapped his temple as if recording her preferences for future use and that made her insides tingle a bit. She’d never been a tingler, but this guy was next level. “And you’re a native Vermonter?”

“Yes, sir. While I’ve been to a lot of places with my chopper, I’m always led back to Vermont.”

“What is it like where you live?” Austin picked up his sandwich and took a bite. How the man managed to look dignified while eating pulled pork dripping with sauce was a mystery.

“Maplehaven is your basic small-town paradise. Landscape-wise, it looks like what you’ve seen in Montpelier, but less built up. We have one of everything. Like you won’t find ten coffee shops in a two-mile stretch, you know?”

“And where do you get your coffee?”

“Cups Café. It’s owned by a good friend, Marco Vieira, but he’s not there as much since his—”

“Book became a bestseller,” Austin finished. “I read it. A fantastic tale. Hard to believe it was his first book. He’s got a great storytelling style.”

“I’m sure he’d be glad to hear that you read and liked his book.”

“Maybe you’ll introduce me to him while I’m in Vermont. I’d love to meet him.” Austin’s cheeks pinked and while Charlie wanted to appreciate how adorable that was, another part of her was freaking out that he’d basically said he wanted to meet her friends.

“I’m sure you’d both have a lot in common with him writing the words of a story and you acting the words of a story.”

“Writers and actors are definitely overlapping circles.”

“What was your favorite movie to do?”

“Actually, it was Ice Crimes that you mentioned earlier. I enjoyed Alaska. I’ve been meaning to get back there for leisure and haven’t had the time.”

“Being a big movie star means a tight schedule, huh?”

“It is a go-go-go type of career, but I’d rather have that than be struggling to get roles.” Austin sifted through his fries. “Cody is brilliant at keeping an eye out for opportunities that match my talents.”

“Has he been with you since the beginning?”

“He has. And he’s never steered me wrong.”

“From the viewer perspective,” Charlie said, “I’d have to agree.”

“And this movie should be even better because it’s got a badass chopper pilot in it.” Austin raised his glass to her.

Charlie clinked her ginger ale to his glass. “Can it say badass chopper pilot in the credits?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“Cool.”

They finished up their lunch with more chit-chat about Vermont and the Hunting Justice script and rescues Charlie had assisted with. By the time they spilled back outside, the sun had burrowed behind some clouds and the weather had gotten cooler.

“Smells like snow,” Charlie said, turning her nose up and sniffing.

“Can you fly in snow?” Again Austin took the outside edge of the sidewalk, his arm brushing against hers as they walked to where he’d parked a sleek rental sports car—one ill-suited for a Vermont winter.