“It’s okay, Abbie, he’s a friend. I’ll explain later.”
“My carriage is waiting with Wyatt out front. Cooper is scouting. I’ve seen two so far, and they are determined to find you.”
“Bait and switch?” Tucker asks with a grin.
“I think that’d be the safest thing to do. You remember where the house is?”
“I’ll meet you there,” Tucker glances at Abbie who is watching them closely.
“I need you to go with Shep, and I’ll meet you soon.”
“No, we should go together. Tucker, I won’t have you hurt because of me,” she insists and reaches for his arm.
“Abbs, we’re out of time. You said you trusted me. Prove it,” he demands and presses a kiss to her shocked mouth before disappearing into the crowd.
Shepherd whistles, “Well, It’s about time.” Shep snaps out of his surprise and guides her quickly through the crowd while Tucker marches straight up to the ticket counter.
“That man has no concept of self-preservation,” she grumbles as she follows the large man through the train station.
“That is an accurate assessment of Tucker,” he chuckles.
“Can you explain to me how following you through the train station is going to be inconspicuous?” Abbie demands.
His bark of laughter causes people to glance in their direction. “I bet you keep him on his toes, don’t you?”
“I guess I do,” she smiles and follows him closely.
“Just ahead is my carriage, third one to the right. You will see Wyatt, he’s a friend of ours. Cooper is here, and if he’s doing his job, you won’t see him at all.”
Carriages are lined up waiting for their travelers, and they are very similar in looks and size. Wyatt shakes his head, no, at Shep. A group of men is walking along and talking to each of the carriage drivers.
“Change of plans,” Shep says softly, and steps in front of her to shield her from view.
Wyatt sees him and watches as Shep guides her across the street towards a street sign.
“What has Tucker gotten you into?” Shep wonders.
“I’m afraid you’ve got it all wrong. Three men attacked me on the train,” she murmurs and takes the arm he offers.
Shep glances down in surprise, “Attacked you, how?”
“Struck me from behind and kicked me,” she murmurs and rubs her head absently.
“That explains why Tucker needed us. You are safe with me, Miss?” he asks.
“Ms. Abbilene Gilbert. You can call me Abbie,” she says.
“Well, Ms. Abbie, have you ever heard of a streetcar?”
Abbie’s eyes light with excitement, and despite the situation, she claps her hands. “Truly! A cable car?”
Shepherd laughs delighted by her excitement and guides her to the station. “That’s right. The first in the city, and it’s running perfectly.”
Abbie doesn’t look behind her, she decides to trust Tucker and his friends and enjoy this new experience.
Soon they are boarding the streetcar and Shepherd lets her choose where to stand. He is surprised when she decides to stand on the corner. Most ladies want to be inside, but Abbie is through hiding in the dark.
“Hold on tight, Tucker will kill me if anything happens to you,” Shep insists, and he stands close enough to grab her if he needs to. “The streets are steep, I hope you like speed,” he teases.
“I don’t know if I do,” Abbie says with a frown of concern. A few minutes later, she is smiling at him as the car takes off. When her shoulder starts throbbing, she ignores it, deciding to enjoy the moment. Who knows if she’ll ever get to do this again?
The streetcar takes them on the most visually stunning route. Abbie smiles with excitement as Shep describes the wharf to her. He points out the different parts of the city as they pass, including China Town.
“Look, here comes Fisherman’s Wharf,” Shep points.
“Why is it called that?”
“It is where the fishermen bring their daily catch to be sold on the waterfront. You can get the freshest seafood, from clams, oysters, mussels and more. They will broil, grill, or steam it right on the streets.”
“That sounds wonderful!” she smiles.
The view changes as beautiful hotels and the Bay Bridge appears.
“Oh,” Abbie gasps, staring at the striking colors.
“I’m glad you think so. Our stop is coming up.”
Shep smiles at her excitement, jumping down the moment the car stops. He lifts her down, frowning when Abbie winces in pain.
“That was memorable, thank you!” Abbie says hoarsely.
“You’re very welcome,” Shep guides her as quickly as he can to his home being sure to shorten his strides for her.
“It’s so colorful!” Abbie gasps, looking at the row of boldly painted townhomes.
They walk a few blocks, and the townhouses give way to larger single-family homes. “My home is just ahead on the corner. It was built with a view of the ocean.”
A large Queen Anne style house with wrap around porches, turrets and angled roof brackets greets them.
“It’s wonderful!” Abbie stares in open-mouthed shock.
“Thank you,” Shep says with pride. “Let’s get you inside to clean up.”
“I must look a mess!”
“Not possible,” Tucker snaps from the front porch.
She smiles and turns when she hears Tucker’s voice. Abbie removes the clips holding her hair and runs her fingers through it. Her face is flushed with excitement, and he can’t help but smile when she hurries to him and grabs his hand.
“Tucker, we took a streetcar!”
“That’s good,” he turns to Shepherd, “You took the scenic route, didn’t you?”
Cooper laughs before Shep can respond. “Of course, he did.”
“It’s her first time in San Francisco,” Shep explains.
“Shep,” Wyatt groans.
“Welcome to San Francisco, Ms. Abbie,” Shep says and opens the door to his home, ignoring the glares from his friends.
“Thank you,” Abbie walks inside with Tucker.
“Tucker, you must tell me how the
