by Linda Palmer
I couldn't resist stepping back into the hall and checking my reflection in the mirror. Yikes. A wild tangle of curly brown hair framed my flushed face and fell over my shoulders. "I had my window down. Didn't realize there was that much moisture in the air."
"It's forty degrees out!" This came from Neecy, who'd appeared with paper plates, cups, and sodas. She set them on the table so she could feel of my hands and face. "Geez! You're freezing."
"I'm fine, okay?" I sat in one of the chairs at their wooden table and rummaged through the sack to get my French dip sandwich. Neecy and Theo exchanged a glance before digging in the sack for their Reubens. There was no more conversation until we'd taken our first bites and swallows.
Then Neecy spoke. "Was Tooly's crowded?"
"Uh-huh. Only saw a couple of empty tables."
"You should see the place on Friday nights," Theo said. "There's live entertainment, and it's standing room only."
"I can imagine. Does it ever get rowdy in there?" My way of asking how much commotion Cowboy and his friends might've caused if the barkeeper hadn't been around. Had they ever made other customers feel uncomfortable?
"I've never heard of any trouble, if that's what you're asking. Why?"
I shrugged. "No reason." Scooping up my trash, I dumped it in the can. "I need a shower and some comfy sweats."
Neecy just smiled, probably because she'd already taken care of those needs. Even dressed in yoga pants and an oversized thermal shirt, she was beautiful. I'd always longed for her green eyes and slender build. Her light sprinkling of freckles gave her an innocent, country-girl look, but I knew the imp hiding inside.
In no time, I stood in my shower with hot water beating down on my tired shoulders. And I'd only had two clients. What would happen when I had a full five-and-a-half day schedule? I wished for that more than I worried about it. Building up a clientele took time and hard work.
Lying awake in my bed later that night, I listened to the scrape of a tree limb against the window pane and tried to fall sleep. Couldn't. The wind had clearly picked up since that evening. Was it storming? I loved wild weather. Hopeful, I slipped out of bed and ran lightly to the window seat. The glass panes weren't wet, but the wood framing them had swelled from the high humidity. I struggled to raise the thing and finally managed to. A low rumble of thunder and a flash of lightning told me that drops would soon be pelting the panes. How soon? Very. As in a huge one hit the screen and splattered into my face right then, making me blink.
I automatically began tugging the window back down so the wet wouldn't ruin the freshly painted sill. I ended up balancing on my knees to get some leverage on the thing. That's when my gaze landed on a shadowy shape on the ground a story below my window. I only saw it because of the lightning. A dog. A huge dog that appeared to be sniffing the ground as if tracking something. I stared for several seconds, trying to guess breed, and decided it was a Husky or maybe a German Shepherd.
Wolf.
Hearing Mara's voice inside my head was a surprise I quickly discounted. If she hadn't mentioned wolves earlier, I'd never have thought of them now. The dog in question kept its nose to the ground as it checked out the back yard and garage. Inexplicably drawn downstairs, I descended the back staircase as quietly as possible. The first floor lay in darkness, with the only light source whatever lightning flashed through the windows. No sounds came from my hosts' bedroom, big surprise. It was after midnight, and Neecy had been so tired. Determined not to wake either of them, I opened the back door.
The porch on the south side of the house was in as much disrepair as the one in front, but I went out anyway. A gust of chilly wet wind almost knocked me sideways and sent a chill down my spine. But another glimpse of the dog put spring in my step. Just then, my left foot hit an unexpected puddle and flew right out from under me. Landing hard on my butt and smashing an elbow, I exhaled in a screech of pain.
One mortified glance at my hosts' window, just a few feet away, revealed that the mini-blinds didn't move. As for the dog, he'd stopped in his tracks and was now staring at me across the yard. His eyes lit up an iridescent blue every time lightening struck.
For a second my tailbone hurt so much I couldn't move. When I finally made a shaky attempt to get up, a stabbing pain made me cry out again. The dog actually took several halting steps toward me, and the closer he got, the louder I heard Mara's voice.
Every time I see wolves…
Captivated by delicious possibilities I ignored my tailbone and slowly stood. My gaze clashed with the animal's. He pulled up short, stared for a second, turned, and loped out of the yard.
Had I just seen a wolf?
Though I truly wished for it, chances were slim and zero.
But I sure as heck understood why Mara thought she had.
Chapter Six
Cade
I hid nearby for the longest time in the storm, watching the house and cursing my own stupidity for trailing her home from the pub. I didn't know why I'd done it. It's not like I could apologize for that night, and someone might've trailed me. I felt like one of those guys in the perfume commercials that aired during the holidays. Gorgeous woman; possessed man; nonsensical circumstances. Her perfume would be called Tantalizing, because that's what she was.
Tantalizing and brave. She'd seen my wolf, but hadn't run inside screaming. In fact, I'd gotten the distinct impression that she was way more curious than shocked by its appearance. I liked that about her, even if it was foolish.
And what now? Going to my apartment was the smart plan even though I actually felt more comfortable in the weather at the moment. Thank God for the rain that had canceled tonight's crime spree. The good citizens of Moonrise Ridge could sleep soundly in their beds for a change. As for me, well, if I slept at all, I'd be lucky. My mission pulled me in one direction. My heart pulled me in another. Bottom line? Defending Lily at Tooly's was the most idiotic thing I could've done, yet I'd done it without hesitation.
As a result, I'd piqued the interest of Choco, who never missed a beat and usually reported everything to Mike. Had I convinced him my actions were about our food and not Lily?
Chapter Seven
Lily
I didn't mention my escapade to Theo or Neecy at breakfast on Tuesday. There wasn't really a reason to. Although my butt felt bruised, there was no discoloration. And my elbow only had a minor scrape on it. Luckily neither of them noticed when I sat rather gingerly at the table.
Without a single appointment for Tuesday, I made myself useful by assisting anyone who needed help. I also did the laundry, basically towels and sheets. I cleaned and dusted. At lunch I even took orders and went to a couple of different places in town so everyone could eat what they wanted. After all, it wasn't as if I were rushed for time.
Although it was only my second day at Ah Spa, it was hard not to get discouraged. I'd known this wouldn't happen overnight, and that's exactly how long I'd been on the job—literally. The bright spot of the day was when Patsy from yesterday came in. She told me she'd talked to her great aunt Elise Merchant, who was open to a massage. We agreed on a time—four-thirty that afternoon—and she gave me a hand-drawn map and a tactful warning about her aunt being eccentric.
I wasn't sorry to get out of the spa a little early. Using the map, I drove fifteen miles by odometer, where I began looking for a mailbox with Merchant on it. It was easily spotted. I turned right onto a narrow gravel drive that disappeared into the woods. Catching a glimpse of the house through the trees, I dreamed about living in a spot that secluded. While there might be problems getting decent internet, bars on my cell phone, or city water, the beauty would more than make up for the inconvenience, especially in autumn.
My gaze swiveled appreciatively from one side to the other of the car as I soaked in what remained of the colorful foliage. Then something caught my eye that definitely wasn't botanical—a big gray dog loping parallel to my path, of necessity weaving its way among the trees, yet somehow keeping up. The winter sun
sank low on the horizon, but I got a pretty good look and decided it was definitely a wolf-mix with distinctive coloring.
Just how many half breeds were there around here? With Mara's sighting, we were up to three. Wait… Had she said wolf or wolves? For the life of me I couldn't remember. If there was more than just the one, we might be spotting members of a pack. And if there wasn't more, well, this one surely got around. I promised myself I'd do some online research when I got to Neecy's that night.
Elise's house was a visual oxymoron. I'd expected one built of stone or maybe logs. What I saw was a gingerbread house. Not the edible, Hansel-and-Gretel variety, but one with the usual elaborate embellishment of that architectural style. I fell in love with it on the spot. If the three bears had a house like this, it was no wonder Goldilocks had trespassed. Two-storied, pale yellow with white trim, it made me think of secret closets, twisty stairs, and plates of warm cookies.
By the time I stood on her porch, there was no wildlife in sight. It was easy to forget the dog I'd just seen with my thoughts consumed by the picturesque setting and the massage I was about to give. Several things made it a little tricky, not the least being her fibromyalgia. People with that disorder had extra-sensitive nerve endings and were always in pain to some degree. I wanted to soothe her muscles, not inflame them, and that required a special touch. Another distraction was not having a portable table. I planned to get one, but for now we'd have to use her bed. That made my work a little more backbreaking.
Elise opened the door as I rang the bell.
"You must be Lily."
"I am."
"Come in. Come in. This is such a treat." She smiled, but I thought she looked nervous.
I gave her a smile to relax her. "Your house is amazing."
Elise beamed. "I'm so glad you like it. I sometimes feel as if I'm living in a fairytale.
"Well, I did think of Goldilocks when I drove up."
That made her laugh.
"Is this your first massage?"
"Yes."
"I don't suppose you have a twin bed…" That would make things a little easier.
"I do, and it's one of those that adjusts."
As it turned out, the bed was a lot like a hospital bed, which meant I could raise or lower it. That definitely helped. Elise didn't fully strip. I'd have been surprised if she had. But she took off enough that I was able to get the job done. The whole time I gently worked on her front, she studied me with pale blue eyes and asked questions about me and my life.
"I understand you're from Little Rock."
"Yes." I applied some lightly scented oil. "Born and raised there."
"Tell me about your family."
Guessing that she probably got lonely living in the woods all alone, I told her about my parents, who were both dermatologists, and my two siblings. I even talked about the family dog, a chocolate Lab named Cocoa, which was the perfect segue into a question I wanted to ask. "I saw a gray dog when I pulled up. Is it yours?"
"I don't have any pets, but there is a wolf that comes around. He and I get along very well." She chuckled. "Loves my cooking."
Was this the "eccentric" side Patsy had warned me about? "Missouri has wolves?"
"We get the odd one every now and then. My baby brother Pete was a game warden for forty-three years. He told me he's gotten calls when a wolf has been killed or injured by a farmer who thought it was a coyote. He told me they sometimes migrate from other states, usually Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Michigan."
That explained a lot and gave me food for thought as I worked on Elise's upper back. I felt some of the tension leave her body, which pleased me. I might've gone over the hour Patsy had prepaid for, but it was only because my patient was such good company and I had time to spare. Before I left around six-thirty, she wrapped up way too many pieces of a lemon cake she'd baked that morning and sent them home with me. My last view of her was standing in her front door—petite, slim, and with a face framed by wispy white curls.
So what if I didn't need the sweets? How could I refuse without hurting her feelings?
I didn't see the wolf as I left. Darkness had settled on the woods, making the drive out a little eerie. That took my full concentration. I got to the house just after seven and was glad of the porch light as I fumbled for the key. Before I could find it, I heard Neecy and Theo arguing. That stopped me in my tracks. I considered driving myself to McDonald's to give them some privacy. Then I heard him yelling my name.
"The same thing goes for Lily. I can't believe you sent her to Miss Elise's house alone. It's in the middle of nowhere, and that old lady is a bona fide nutcase. Something could happen, and we wouldn't know for hours, maybe days. Maybe even never."
"Could you be more dramatic?" Frustration laced Neecy's tone. I guessed they'd been at it a while.
"What I'm being is the man of the house. As such, it's my job to keep you two safe."
"From what, honey? Maybe if you clarified the threat—"
"Can you just this once do what I ask without the questions? Damn, Neecy. Don't you trust me?"
"Of course. Always have. Always will. You know that."
"Then why in the hell are we arguing?"
I heard Neecy sputter something and then burst out laughing. In seconds, he joined in, hearty mirth that was wonderful to hear. Exhaling my relief, I pasted a smile on my face and used my key to get in. I found them making out in the kitchen. They jumped apart like guilty teenagers. I'd have backed out the way I came in, but it was too late. "I am so sorry."
Neecy giggled like a little kid and yanked down her T-shirt. "How does homemade chicken fettuccine Alfredo sound?"
"You make the pasta and everything?"
She lost it. "It's more me boiling fettuccine that comes in a box and then smothering it with a jar of Alfredo sauce. The chicken comes from a bag of grilled breast strips. I do cut them up, though."
Hooting, Theo left us. I heard the TV a second later.
"Are you two okay?" I kept my voice at a whisper.
She sagged against the counter. "You heard us?"
"Just the tail end. I'm sorry if you got blamed for something I did."
"It's not you. And, honestly, I don't think it's me, either. He's flipping out over nothing, and I'm going to get to the bottom of it, just not tonight. I'm too stinkin' tired."
*****
Wednesday morning at the spa was crazy. Women came and went, but only a couple belonged to me. I had one scheduled massage plus one booked on the spot. By eleven I was pretty much done for the day. I decided to use the time to rearrange my workspace, and was tugging on the heavy table when I realized that someone stood in my doorway. Smiling automatically, I turned to see who.
Un-Cade.
Yeah, all six feet of him, wearing jeans and a gray hoodie. I waited, my pulse pounding in my throat.
"Hey."
I didn't answer.
"I guess you're pissed."
I still had nothing to say.
"Can we talk somewhere private?"
That's when I realized that the entire spa had gone quiet except for the pop music piped into some of the rooms. I could guess why. Few men came into the place, and this one's voice was deep enough to carry. I kept my own voice down. "What could two complete strangers possibly have to talk about?"
He flushed. "I deserve that, I guess for being such a prick."
"So you admit it?"
Cade shrugged, which could've meant anything.
That rankled. "Sorry, Cowboy. I'm really busy right now."
"Doing what?" His gaze pounced on the empty table. But no one was waiting there or anywhere else for my healing hands, dang it.
"Rearranging. I don't like having my back to the door when I work."
"Neither would I. Tell me what you want where."
I only hesitated for a second. "I need that over there, and that over there." It took him maybe a minute to do it.
"Nice room."
"It's okay, I guess. I could use a
table fountain and some art for the walls." I glanced at my watch. "We close the doors at noon. Everyone should be out of here shortly afterward. I can give you a few minutes."
"You want to talk here?"
I could tell he wasn't thrilled. "You have a better idea?"
"Yeah." He kept his voice very low. "Your cousin's place after dark."
"Because?"
"I don't want to be seen."
He'd piqued my curiosity and no doubt knew it. I pretended to give his request some thought before I gave in to temptation. "Okay."
He stepped out the door.
"Don't you want my address?"
"Oh yeah." He came back.
I scrawled it on his palm with a Sharpie. "Which is it?" I asked when he started toward the door again. I got a blank look. "Cowboy or Cade. Which is it?"
"Cade, but the guys know me as Cowboy."
"Is there a last name?"
"Messig. My real name's Cade Messig." And then he was gone, but not by the front door. He left by the back, which opened into an alley. That door quietly clicked closed behind him. My coworkers and a woman with wet fingernails spilled out into the hall.
"Is that your boyfriend?"
"He's sure a hottie!"
"That guy was so tall."
"Did you see those glacier eyes?"
"Who in the heck was that?"
I didn't answer anyone but Neecy. "A guy I helped the other day. He had a flat, and his arm was in a—" Wow. So many avid listeners. "—um, cast."
"No cast today," she said, her thoughtful gaze on the back door.
"Too bad. I'm sure my kiss would've made it all better." The lady with the half-done nails gave us a smug smile and a wink. Several of the girls laughed.
I was so glad Cade wasn't there to hear all that. He'd have been as embarrassed as I was at Tooly's the other night.
Wait…
Was I trying to shield him?
Why would I do that? He sure hadn't shielded me.
Wait…
He actually had.
Confused and oddly off my game, I turned on my heel and retreated to the massage room, firmly closing the door so I could catch my breath.
