The smattering of waves she earned from the left side of the bus managed to register in some dusty corner of her thoughts, but not until the opportunity to return the connection-making gesture was long gone. “Good one, Claire,” she mumbled to herself. “Great way to bridge the gap between the tour and the shop…” Slowly, she released a whoosh of air from her lungs and dropped her gaze back to her feet, the pace with which they were moving more than a little hypnotic. She’d walked this same road not more than sixty minutes earlier with one real task in mind. Yet, here she was, on her way back to Lighted Way, with more questions than ever about Daniel Lapp—questions she’d been unable to ask him in light of Sarah’s less-than-subtle desire for Claire to leave. When he’d come to the house after ringing up Keith’s customers, Claire had wanted nothing more than to secure the previously sought moment or two alone with the toy maker. But, Sarah’s well-timed stomach clutch, coupled with impressively realistic complaints of feeling light-headed, nixed that.
