Rainer hadn't been joking when he said that they would be making a few stops that were out of their way.  Their first stop was in Blanco County. The ghost town was named Peyton Colony and was one of the first African-American settled towns in Texas.

Rainer told her he had a few interviews lined up but that he would drop her at the county courthouse in Johnson City so that she could start on her research. When they got to the courthouse Alice was amazed at its beauty.  It was a huge limestone building with a red tin roof set back on a huge lawn.

"They're expecting me so I'll take you in and introduce you. That should make it easier for you to get started."

Alice opened her door and looked down at the ground which seemed a long way down.  She slowly edged her way off the seat feeling below her with her foot for the step. She was so focused on her feet that she was not aware that Rainer was watching her less than graceful decent. When she felt her foot hit the pavement she breathed a sigh of relief and then looked up to catch Rainer shaking his head, trying his best to hide a smile.

"What, I'm afraid of heights." She said defensively.

He couldn't help himself any longer as he started to chuckle. 

Alice should have been upset, knowing she was the reason that he was laughing, but instead it made her happy that she had amused him. As soon as she had the thought she had to hold back a groan.  She was like every other panting female out to impress the great Rainer Stevens.

When they entered the courthouse Rainer was still smiling which smoothed the way to the records department. After he saw Alice settled he looked at his watch and told her he would be back in a few hours so that they could grab a late lunch.

Alice was aided by a sweet older woman named Rose, who had worked at the courthouse for over thirty years. She was a wealth of information and she spent the next two hours helping Alice with her research. Without her, her task would have been much harder and taken a lot longer.

The time flew by and when Rainer returned she was sitting at a table with a few of the other ladies talking to them about Peyton Colony or Freedman's colony as the white community had referred to it.

The women stopped talking and their heads all turned towards the door to the records room. Alice didn't have to turn around to know that it was Rainer and he must have given that heart stopping grin because she heard a few sighs from the women.

She turned to look at him as he approached and rolled her eyes at his swagger.

He signed a few autographs and they thanked everyone sincerely.  Alice even got a few hugs.

"You seem to have made a good impression." Rainer said as he took her elbow and guided her out the door. Alice tried to ignore the little thrill that zoomed through her at the simple touch.

"Me...you're the one that made the impression. Do you realize that you swagger when females are paying you attention? You did it earlier when we arrived."

"I do not swagger." He looked disgusted at the thought.

"Oh yes you do and the sad thing is you can carry it off, you don't look at all ridiculous as some men would." Alice assured him.

Rainer shrugged off her comment and led her out the main door, into the hot sun, past the truck, and towards a little restaurant in one of the historic buildings across the street from the courthouse. The hostess led them to a back corner booth and they settled in with menus.

"How was your afternoon? Mine was very productive." Alice said trying to break him out of his suddenly sour mood.

"I could tell." Rainer noted as he looked over the menu.

Alice got the distinct impression that he was upset and she found it hard to believe that it was her previous comment that was upsetting him.  He had proven that he had thick skin when it came to joking. She studied him for a moment.  He appeared fine on the surface but he kept tapping his finger on the table as he looked over the menu.

"O.K. what's got your panties in a bunch?" Alice set her menu down as the waitress moved towards them with their drinks and to take their order so Alice missed Rainer's quick smile at her question.

"We have a slight problem." Rainer continued when the waitress had left.

Alice swore he looked nervous.

"Well out with it?" She took his lemon, no longer asking if he wanted it, and squeezed it into her water.

"My schedule had me staying in Fredericksburg this evening so that I could get an early start on researching Luckenbach and then move on to Camp Verde and the Camels."

"Is there really a place called Luckenbach, and what do you mean camels, camels as in the animal or the cigarette?"

"Yes, there really is a place called Luckenbach but I don't think Waylon, Willie and the boys will be there and I mean the animal." This time she saw Rainer's grin at her question.

"So what's the problem, Willie Nelson's absence or the camels?" She knew she was being silly but she couldn't help it. It made her incredibly happy that she could make the man smile with her hokey jokes.

"The bed and breakfast where I booked a room is full, in fact everything is full, they're having some annual golf tournament and everything is booked. I tried to find another room but couldn't." He came directly to the point.

"I thought that we were headed to San Antonio tonight?" Alice swallowed hard at the thought of sharing a room with Rainer. She felt the tension building in her neck that meant one of her headaches was starting.

"I hoped that it would be possible but I didn't cover as much ground as I thought I would today which means that we would have to double back tomorrow. We could do that if it would make you more comfortable but it would mean a loss of a whole day's worth of work due to traveling." He was watching her closely.

Alice took a deep breath, calming herself, "You said when we started this journey that some of the sleeping arrangements would be less than ideal." She shrugged trying to down playing her nervousness as she played with her straw. She was nervous but she was doing her best to pretend she wasn't hence her headache.

"We'll pick-up a sleeping bag and I'll take the floor, maybe we'll get lucky and there will be a couch." Rainer was watching her fingers as they twirled the straw.

"Don't worry I'll do my best to control myself in our confined quarters." Even though Alice was trying to joke she was also aware that it would not be an easy task.

"Would you excuse me for a minute?" she rose and moved towards the bathroom.  She needed a moment to collect herself and take one of her pills that the Doctor had given her when she felt a headache starting. Walking into the empty restroom she leaned against the counter and took a deep breath. She could do this. She could pretend that it didn't matter.

She looked at herself in the mirror taking in the short haircut and the makeup free face. Wrinkling her nose at her appearance she gave a half smile.  Really what was the worry? It was not as if Rainer was about to develop a sudden and fierce attraction that he just couldn't control.

She took her pill then moved into a stall just as the door opened.

"Oh my God he is so gorgeous.  Did you see his blue eyes? I swear he smiled at me."

Alice didn't have to guess too hard about who they were discussing.

"You should so slip him your number.  I am sure that the woman he is with is just a friend."

"I know right, she is so not his type."

Alice should be glad that they had just affirmed what she herself believed. There was no way that the famous Rainer Stevens would ever go for her.

They were silent for a moment, probably primping in the mirror. 

"I think I'll give him my number it can't hurt right?"

"You're so lucky that he sat in your section."

They moved towards the door, "Maybe I should spill something on him and see if he takes off his shirt?" their waitress said just before the door closed behind her.

Alice's first thought was yes please then she couldn't help the giggle that escaped her as she herself left the bathroom, finding the humor in the situation despite her personal depression.

"What are you smirking about?" Rainer asked still in a sour mood.

"Oh get over it already Rainer.  We'll share a room and I imagine we'll both survive." The last thing she needed was a moody Rainer.

A moment of shock registered on his face before it turned to amusement.  "I suppose your right."

"I have it on good authority that you will be getting the waitresses phone number so I cannot in good conscience make a bet this time. However I would be careful of all beverages." Alice felt her smile return

"Do you have fortune cookies stashed in your pockets?"

Alice just shook her head and smirked again.

"Al..." he warned.

Her smirk turned into a full on grin just as their waitress delivered their meal.

They ate in silence both absorbed in their own thoughts.  Alice of course finished everything on her plate but she didn't ask Rainer if she could have some of his. 

"What's wrong Al? You didn't ask to share mine."

"Am I that predictable?"

"About your food yes about everything else definitely not."

The waitress brought their check and Rainer threw down his credit card.

Alice couldn't help the wistful sigh that left her.

"Give Alice, you have been waiting for something since you got back from the restroom." His eyes narrowed and she knew that this was one time that he was not going to let her go without an explanation.

"I am a bit disappointed." She said dramatically.

"Why?" He sighed heavily.

"The waitresses had a plan to spill something on you in hopes that you would take your shirt off for them."

Rainer didn't even try to hide the grin that split his face.  He looked over his shoulder at the young waitress assessing the situation.

"Don't you dare?" She hissed at him.

He just winked at Alice as the waitress returned and he gave her his most charming smile.  "How much are those t-shirts behind the counter? I think I'd like one for a souvenir."

"Rainer..." this time Alice was the one issuing the warning.

"My friend here would like one too."

The waitress looked at her with a smirk as if to say 'I knew she was just a friend.'

Alice just gave her, her best 'I'm still better than you' look.

"You look like an extra-large." The waitress eyed his chest all but licking her lips.

Alice sighed. "I'm a small." She was not about to be ignored.

After the waitress had left Rainer turned to look at her. "What was that all about?" He had caught on to her and the waitresses exchange.

"Nothing." Alice wasn't going to reveal the comments that had been made in the restroom at her expense.  She was honest enough but she did not have to undermine herself.

"I thought you told it like it was Alice?" he challenged.

Alice made her face as blank as possible. "You used the word friend."

Rainer looked perplexed and Alice wasn't going to give any more help on figuring out the problem. The waitress returned with the shirts and all but threw Alice's at her not in the least concerned about customer service. Then she handed Rainer his as if she was bringing him the crown jewels.

Rainer gave her a polite smile then handed over his credit card again.

"Oh no it's on the house." The waitress sounded all husky and breathy. 

Alice couldn't help but roll her eyes, something she seemed to be doing a lot of lately.

"Thanks." He said holding up the shirt and looking at it. "I'm not sure if this will fit, Al what do you think?"

"I think it will fit fine Rainer. Don't we have a long drive ahead of us?" she reminded him in hopes of providing a distraction.

Rainer nodded thoughtfully holding the shirt up in front of him, when he reached for the hem of the t-shirt she reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Don't you dare Rainer Stevens!" her fingers brushed against the bared strip of flesh between his pants and shirt hem and her breath caught at the simple contact. He looked at her hand then at her, his eyes unreadable.  Alice refused to look away but she did drop her hand. "You will not strip in a restaurant." She hissed.

He shook his head pretending to be disappointed. "Oh well young lady. If Alice says I can't then I can't." He smiled again at the waitress as Alice stood and walked on trembling legs towards the door.

How on earth was she going to share a room with him?

She could feel the waitresses' eyes, once again, shooting daggers at her. She should ask Rainer for hazard pay if they were going to continue to eat in restaurants with cute waitresses.