Chapter 45

"Excuse me," a feminine voice said from behind me as I scooped a spoonful of casserole.

"Yes? May I help you?" I asked, turning to see a pretty, young woman with stunning features standing near. I knew that I would have remembered her if I had ever seen her before.

"I'm sorry for your loss," the young woman said with kind eyes. At least they weren't filled with pity.

"Thank you," I replied, placing the large metal spoon back into the casserole dish. "How did you know Steven?"

She took a deep breath as she hesitated. "The woman he was with was my sister," she whispered in a rush, and then looked away.

I nodded, looking around to see if anyone had heard. Thankfully, everyone was lost in their own conversations. "Maybe we should go some place more private," I said in a low voice, nodding toward the back patio.

She nodded in agreement. I set down the plate and walked through the sliding glass doors that led to the patio in the backyard.