Top Gun Guardian. Carol Ericson

over the news, but Malika’s picture hadn’t been splashed anywhere. The government had suppressed any news of her attempted abduction and Raven’s role in her rescue.

      He blew out a breath and squared his shoulders. The plan came to him in a flash and Raven might even laugh about it…someday.

      He pulled up to the curb and pointed to the restaurant. “I hope you ladies are hungry.”

      Buzz yanked his coat around his wrinkled suit and opened the door of the truck for Raven. She hopped out and scooped Malika from the seat. “Ahh, I can smell the bacon from here.”

      “Bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy. The Arapaho has it all.” Buzz pushed open the door and several pairs of eyes turned in their direction.

      “Well, if it isn’t Buzz Richardson.”

      “Must’ve dropped out of the sky.”

      “It’s Steve’s boy.”

      Raven stiffened beside him as he raised his hand in greeting. “Hey, guys. It’s good to be back.”

      “Whatcha doing here, Buzz? You gonna take up residence at the ranch?”

      Buzz shrugged out of his coat and hung it on the rack by the front door. “Just thought it was time to bring my wife and our new daughter home to White Cloud.”

       Chapter Four

      Raven squeezed Malika’s hand so tightly the girl whimpered. She immediately loosened her hold, but still had a death grip on the back of the chair with her other hand. If she squeezed any harder she’d snap the wood.

      Raven’s stiff face formed a wooden smile as she met the curious gazes of the old men seated around a red Formica table. She peeled her fingers from the chair and waved like a queen from her motorcade.

      She’d kill Buzz.

      Buzz winked at her and grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the group. He performed a round of introductions, but the names whirred through her brain, replaced by the surprise at the warmth of their greeting. After each introduction, the men jumped to their feet and pulled her in for a kiss on the cheek, their gray whiskers tickling her chin.

      Then they turned their attentions to Malika. They tugged lightly on her pigtails and chucked her beneath the chin. She seemed to take it much more in stride than Raven. At the end of the introductions, the old guys had Malika grinning and giggling as though she’d just discovered a roomful of doting grandfathers.

      Buzz held up his hands. “That’s enough socializing. My girls are tired and hungry.”

      The men grumbled but went back to talking about…whatever old men talk about in a diner in the wee morning hours.

      Raven glared at Buzz as he pulled out her chair. She even flared her nostrils for added effect. He grinned at her and lifted Malika into her seat.

      After the waitress took their order, Raven folded her hands on top of the plastic menu. “Why did you tell them we were married?”

      “It was the best cover I could think of on short notice.” He slid a blue crayon toward Malika, who had her head bent over a children’s menu, ready for coloring. “Until I saw that bunch sitting at the table, it didn’t occur to me how suspicious I’d look marching into town with a woman and a little girl from Africa at my side.”

      Raven snapped her brows over her nose. “I thought it was your job to think of things like that. You had an entire seven-hour plane ride to think of a story.”

      “It’s a good story, Raven.” He shrugged. “Nobody in White Cloud needs to know we’re hiding some African president’s daughter. The world at large doesn’t even know she’s missing. Most people in diplomatic circles don’t even know President Okeke brought her.”

      “Have you had contact with the president?”

      “On his orders, no. He doesn’t want her location to be compromised at all. We’re supposed so stay here with her until further notice.”

      Malika glanced up from her coloring through dark lashes. “My father does not want me to talk of him.”

      Buzz patted her hand. “We know that, Malika. You’re a smart girl.”

      Raven’s nose tingled. How easily this little girl adapted to subterfuge. She shouldn’t have to live her young life like that.

      “Do you understand our game, Malika?” Raven tucked a stray curl behind Malika’s ear. “While we’re here in White Cloud, we’re going to pretend we’re a family. Just until we can get you safely back to your father.”

      Malika lodged the tip of her tongue in the corner of her mouth while she colored in a tiny bird. Then she looked up. “I understand…Mama.”

      The tingling in Raven’s nose spread to her eyes, which flooded with tears. She scrabbled for a napkin from the dispenser on the table and pressed it to her eyelids. Then she blew her nose.

      Avoiding Buzz’s gaze, Raven rapped her knuckles on the table in front of Malika. “Our food’s going to be here in a minute. Let’s wash our hands.”

      Malika dropped her crayons and hopped from her chair. Raven crossed the small dining room to the restroom, her high heels clicking on the floor. If they were going to stay here for a while, and it looked as if they were, she’d have to buy some clothes for her and Malika. High heels and silk suits wouldn’t cut it in this little backwater town.

      They finished washing up and pushed out of the ladies’ room. As they passed the old men, one called out. “So where’d you meet Buzz, Raven?”

      “Umm, at work.” Might as well keep this as close to the truth as possible.

      “What are you, a stewardess?”

      “Ah, I meant at his previous job.”

      The man’s shaggy gray brows shot up. “You were in the military?”

      Oh boy. Nothing was going to be simple. Of course, Buzz could never be open and honest about what he did. He was in covert ops. He was a spy. He’d lived his life in the shadows with secrets that could topple governments.

      And she’d helped him. She’d been a member of Prospero. Translating, teaching, training.

      Falling in love.

      “Oh, on the civilian end. I’m a translator.” She waved her hands as if to brush off his question and stumbled back to the table toward the heavenly scent of bacon.

      Buzz waved a knife at the old ranchers. “Giving you the third-degree back there?”

      Raven spread a napkin on her lap and pointed to Malika’s lap. “Asked where we met. I said we met at work, where I was in a civilian capacity.”

      “That’ll do.” He slid a basket of biscuits toward her. “Biscuits and gravy?”

      She gave a slight shudder and plucked a biscuit from the basket. “No on the gravy, but I might try one with honey.”

      She pulled the biscuit in half and drizzled a little honey on one side. She bit into the biscuit and closed her eyes as it melted into her mouth. “I may have to shop for one size up if I stay here and keep eating like this.”

      Buzz held his fork suspended over his plate. “That means you’re staying?”

      “You pretty much sealed my fate back there.” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder at the table of gossiping men.

      “You could always find an excuse to leave, Raven.” He dropped his fork and handed a napkin to Malika. “You did before.”

      Heat flashed across Raven’s cheeks. He was the one who’d changed the rules. She slid a glance toward Malika, who was clutching her fork between coiled fingers. Could she sense the tension at the table? Hadn’t Raven always been able to sense the tension in her family?

      “Nope.”