“Hey, girl.”
Robyn heard the familiar voice and turned to see her friend, Marilee, heading her way. She waved and checked her watch as Marilee caught up to her. “Shouldn’t you be home by now?” she asked.
“The kids are taking the school bus to my mom’s house for the weekend. I’m a free woman!” Marilee squealed with delight before she noticed Robyn wasn’t celebrating with her. She squinted her eyes. “And what are you doing out here? You never leave the shop this early.”
“I…had some things on my mind.”
Marilee wrapped her arm in Robyn’s as they walked to the parking lot behind the row of shops on the main street of town. “It wouldn’t be anything to do with that handsome new deputy in town, would it? I saw you two with your heads together in the coffee shop.”
“Did you know he used to go to school here?”
“I did. He stops by most mornings before work and he told me. How I missed a hunk like that in high school, I’ll never know.”
Robyn laughed. “He moved after the tenth grade. And he’s filled out a bit since then. Besides, you were several years ahead of us so you wouldn’t have noticed him.” She remembered Marilee’s current boyfriend was several years younger than her and she gave her friend a quizzical look. “Were you after the younger guys even back in high school?”
“Nah. I was too busy making out with the seniors.” Marilee gave her a serious look. “Were you friends with him back in the day?”
“I knew who he was. Except for a few words now and then, we never really talked.” Robyn said. “He was really good at baseball. He made varsity easily and everyone thought he might make it to the big leagues.”
“For someone who didn’t talk to him in high school, you sure know a lot about him.”
Robyn blushed. “He was cute and all the girls noticed him. It wasn’t just me.”
“Cute…he’s more than cute, sweetie. He’s a hunka, hunka, burning love.”
“Marilee!” Robyn laughed as her friend swiveled. Marilee’s voluptuous hips were known for bumping into certain of her male customers. A real flirt, she had no problem showing off her hips, along with her other assets. Robyn sometimes wished she were more like her friend. “In case you forgot, you already have a man.”
“Oh, I haven’t forgotten,” Marilee responded. “I’ve got all the man I can handle right now. I’m simply scouting out the deputy for you. If you don’t claim first dibs, someone else will scoop him right up.”
“Thanks for the advice, but I’m not planning on doing dibs.” Robyn frowned. “Besides, you know I have the worst luck when it comes to love.”
“That’s because you’re too good for most men. The deputy, though…” Her friend gave a swoon worthy sigh. “I think he’d do.”
There did seem to be a shortage of attractive single men for Robyn to choose from. She’d grown up with most of them, and of those who’d stayed in town, she’d dated a few, but nothing ever clicked. Her fault, not theirs, she was sure of it. Maybe she was too set in her ways, even in her twenties. She’d had a long-term boyfriend in college until their dreams clashed. He went his way and she went hers, and sad to say it was without any hard feelings on either side. Was that as close as she would ever get to finding love?
“It doesn’t help that you hang out in a fabric shop all day,” Marilee reminded her. “You should’ve opened a gun store.” She opened her eyes wide and grabbed Robyn by the arm. “Now that I think about it, your grandma’s place would be perfect for a rifle range. Think of the men you could meet.”
Robyn snickered. “Yeah, I’m going to pass on that one.”
The two women continued to giggle as they headed to their cars. Parked next to each other in the lot, Marilee gave her friend a serious look after opening her car door. “Seriously, Robyn, I don’t like the idea of you out in the country by yourself like that. What if the town prowler shows up?”
“I’ll be fine. I keep the doors locked.” Not exactly the truth, but she’d be sure to lock everything from now on. She picked at her nails before looking back up. “If it comes down to it, Grandma taught me how to use the shotgun.”
“Oh, okay then, Annie Oakley. I won’t worry about you anymore.” Marilee rolled her eyes emphatically. Robyn didn’t bother to remind her she kept a pistol as well.
“Are you going to the wishing well tonight like you said?” Marilee asked her.
“I don’t know yet.”
Marilee took her hands. “Promise me. I expect magic to happen under the full moon.”
“Okay, already…I promise. But I’m not doing any of that tall, dark, and handsome stuff like we did last time. I have my own wishes to make.”
“If you’re going to wish for a dog again, don’t bother. We could just go out to the pound and pick one up.”
“It wasn’t about the dog. It was about having time for a dog. There’s a difference.”
“Sure, sweetie. Whatever you say.” She gave Robyn a kiss on the cheek before leaving. “You be safe. And if you need anything, you know where I live.”
Robyn watched her friend drive away before getting settled in her own car. Her nerves were on edge as she drove home. Could she really protect herself if she had to? Maybe it really was time to get that dog. At least that way she’d have some companionship at night and she wouldn’t be so lonely.
When Robyn drove back to town later that night, she felt a bit silly. A light snow drifted dreamily but her wipers brushed the flakes away with ease. Hopeful’s Christmas lights were off to conserve energy, but the full moon provided plenty of light to see by. Robyn parked in her regular spot behind the store. Opening the door, she was a bit spooked by the quiet. Checking her watch, she saw it was eleven thirty. If she remembered right, the witching hour was between 3 a.m. and 4. At least she should be safe from ghosts. She laughed softly at her own wild imagination, but she wondered who else might show up to make their wish under the light of the December Moon…
The night did feel a bit magical as she traipsed across the fresh snow descending upon the town. With one gloved hand, she rubbed at the lucky coin in her pocket. This was crazy. She should have asked Marilee to come with her. She stopped for a moment in front of her shop, checking out the Christmas display in her store window. Pleased with what she saw she continued on, only stopping to look up and down the deserted street before crossing.
The Christmas decorations lining the road lost some of their brilliance at night. A thin mist swirled around the dim lamppost, and darkened holiday ribbons added to the mystical feel. The only sound came from Robyn’s footsteps, a lonely, muffled clomp as she placed one foot in front of the other.
From the edge of the park, the moon and the mountains rose magnificently up before her with the light from the sky centered over the old town well. She stopped, taking in the beauty even as a cold wind blew through the trees. Robyn wrapped her coat tighter around her chilled body as she crossed to the well, leaving a trail of solitary footprints behind in the softly falling snow. The magic of the well was a fixture inside her now, a sure thing, and she flipped the coin over and over in her pocket as she considered her wish. She was homesick for her grandma. This first year was the hardest and despite her good friends and relatives, she had never felt so alone. Robyn stood over the low archaic stones, considering how best to phrase what she wanted. She finally said, “I wish for the same love and laughter in my life which my grandparents shared in theirs.”
She tossed the coin in as she spoke, thinking of how happy and content her grandparents had been with what they had. She listened for the sound of a splash as the coin hit the icy black water at the bottom. The wish was silly since she didn’t even have a man in her life, much less any intention of seeking one out. She sighed and turned away from the well, knowing she’d wasted a perfectly good coin when she could have wished for fame or fortune like normal people did.
At the edge of the park, the cold wind whispered once again. Had something moved in the trees? Yes, the
re. Robyn shrank back as she saw a dark figure step out of the shadows. With the mist circling around, the scene resembled one of a gothic novel. Foolishly, she was alone out here and she could only hope the man…she felt sure it was a man…was here for the same innocent reason as her. With the figure’s back to the moonlight, she couldn’t make out his face. His body was nothing but a shadow. She raised a hand to her mouth, her nerves primed to fight or flee. Whatever his purpose was for being in the town park at midnight, she should let him be.
Robyn turned to leave, stopping only when she heard her name. She glanced over her shoulder and the man behind her raised a hand in greeting. She turned. Anxiety gnawed at her but she stood her ground while wishing she had her pistol. As he came closer, relief flooded through her. She recognized the uniform first and then the man; it was none other than the tall, dark, and handsome Ben Dawson. She shook her head as if she’d been under a spell? That wasn’t what she’d wished for. What was he doing out here? She checked her watch—midnight on the dot.
“I didn’t expect to see you here,” he said when he was close enough to speak. A frosty vapor came from his lips, adding to the dream-like state she found herself under. “You do know it’s freezing out here, and a storm is coming in.” He glanced around the park but she had no idea what he was looking for. The two of them were the only ones in sight, and probably the only ones awake in all of Hopeful.
She glanced up at the sky and saw dark clouds in the east. “The forecast was for tomorrow.”
“Yes, well, it is tomorrow.” He pointed to his watch. “But I know what you mean. The storm’s coming in earlier than they thought. What are you doing out here this time of night?”
“I…um…wanted to see the Christmas lights at night.” She didn’t want to confess to her silly trip to the wishing well. That was between her and…whoever…or whatever could make her dream come true.
“They shut the lights off at eleven. Done it for years from what I was told. You’ve lived here your entire life and you don’t know that?”
“Okay. You caught me.” She blushed and looked away. She’d have to tell him the truth no matter how ridiculous it sounded. “I came to make a wish at the well.”
“And you couldn’t do it in the middle of the day?”
“I could. But the magic is more powerful at night,” she spoke the words fast, “and on the last full moon of the year.” Gads, he probably thought she was crazy. And maybe she was. Other people made falling in love, getting married, and having babies look so easy. What was wrong with her? All she wanted was the same. She searched Ben’s solemn eyes, as if she could find an answer hidden within their depths.
“Look, it’s too cold to be standing in the middle of the park. My patrol car is just over there. Why don’t you come and warm up. We can talk for a minute and I’ll drive you back to the parking lot. I swear, the temperature has dropped at least ten degrees in the past half hour.”
She agreed, appreciating his logic, but seeing the town logo on the side of his patrol car she had an irrational thought. What if he thought she was the town prowler? Did he want to talk…or did he plan on arresting her? Walking in the moonlight next to the attractive deputy, Robyn wondered if that would be so bad. He could cuff her and…Oh, stop it, Robyn! You’d freak out if he tried such a thing. Her head told her one thing, but her body was telling her something entirely different.
She chastised herself--you’ve been hanging out with Marilee too much lately. Robyn pressed her lips together as an idea formed. The thought suddenly hit like a ton of bricks. Marilee, what did you do this time! What were the odds Ben Dawson would be patrolling the town park at midnight, the same as her? Marilee had kickstarted the idea that she come out here, making it sound like a mysterious and magical adventure. She’d known Robyn’s romantic nature would not allow her to pass it up. Marilee, you are in so much trouble! What had she told the deputy to get him out here in the middle of the night? Should Robyn tell him they’d been set-up?
Ben opened the passenger door and moved his computer around so she could slide inside. This was a set-up for sure. The only question left was whether Ben was in on it.
Chapter Seven
What the hell was Robyn Meadows doing roaming the town park in the middle of the night? Was she playing at being a witch? That was a big thing around some communities these days. He’d once been called out to a house where a half-dozen naked women were singing in the backyard. Turns out, they’d had been a part of a women’s meeting with some sort with spiked brownies as a party favor. Good times in the city. He couldn’t see Robyn in the role though. From what he’d seen, she was far too practical. Not that he wouldn’t mind seeing her dancing naked in the moonlight. With this cold weather moving in though, she wouldn’t be likely to strip.
He slid into the driver’s seat beside her and started the car to get the heat going. When he faced her, he saw her brown eyes were illuminated with a strange glow. Amusement? He didn’t see the humor in freezing his ass off for no good reason. “What?” he asked.
“How did you happen to be out here at midnight?” she asked him.
“A woman called. She didn’t say much, just that she saw some kids playing down by the park. She thought I should check it out.”
“She called your house?”
“My cell phone. I was on duty tonight anyway, so I came on down.”
“Did you happen to recognize her voice?” She asked with an arched eyebrow.
He stopped to think it over. “Aww, damn.” He slapped the steering wheel with one gloved hand. “That was Marilee, wasn’t it. But why?”
Robyn’s lips were tight, and her eyes lowered. When she raised her head, he could see she was not happy about something. “Because she knew I’d be here.” She pressed her palms together and raised her hands to her lips. “I am so sorry. She had no business messing with you.” Her words came out in a hurry and she blushed as she said it.
“She set us up?”
“It seems that way. She’s been pushing me to make a wish under the full moon and I was foolish enough to fall for it.” Robyn took a deep breath and let it out. “She even gave me a Farmer’s Almanac so I’d know which day.” Robyn looked at Ben with alarm and she placed a hand on his arm. “Don’t get her in trouble though. Her heart was in the right place.”
Ben barked out a laugh. “Your fairy godmother, eh?” His eyes softened as he searched Robyn’s face. Was she telling the truth?
“I’m really sorry, Ben. When Marilee gets her mind set on something, there’s no telling what she’ll do.”
He had no objections to sitting in his patrol car with Robyn Meadows, but he had to at least pretend to be a professional. He kept a serious expression on his face…keeping his amusement under wraps like he often did while on the job. “Messing with law enforcement. That’s some serious stuff, Robyn. I don’t know that I can overlook it.”
Her look of distress made him feel bad. What Marilee had done could get her in big trouble, but he couldn’t complain about the results. He was sitting in a car with his old high school crush. Now what should he do about it? He lightened up his hard-nosed cop expression into one meant to help Robyn relax. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten the woman. “Since we’re here, it’d be rude not to offer you a drink.”
She looked out across the dark town. “Where? Everything’s closed.” Her mouth fell open in surprise. “Don’t tell me you keep booze in your patrol car?”
He couldn’t help but grin at her reaction. He remembered her as the girl most likely to speak her mind; one of the things he’d liked about her back in the day. “Not likely,” he said. He reached into the back seat for a thermos, his arm brushing against her. Even through their heavy coats, he could sense how close they were and he resisted an urge to move closer. When he straightened back in his seat and unscrewed the top of the thermos, the aromatic smell of hot cocoa wafted out. “Interested?” he asked, teasing her with the thermos.
She grinned. “Oh yes.
I’d love some of that.” She bit down on her lower lip and held his gaze, just long enough to let him know she might be interested in more than the cocoa.
Damn, he liked that look. He turned down the car heater. It was getting warm and steamy in a hurry. Pouring the sweet smelling concoction into the cup, he offered it to her.
She took it with her neatly manicured hands and gave a delicate little blow across the top of the cup before sipping. “Now that your big case of the mystery at the town park has been solved, what do you have planned for the rest of the night?”
“The mystery is not solved. You haven’t told me your wish yet.”
“Slugger, I am not the sharing kind. You might as well know that right off the bat.”
“I am. And I have a confession to make.”
She raised her brows.
“I had the biggest crush on you in tenth grade.”
Her eyes grew wide and she gave a laugh he wanted to hear more of. “You should have told me back then,” she said. “You were a rising star and I could’ve made all the girls green with envy.”
They spent the next twenty minutes reminiscing about their experiences at Hopeful High, talking about old friends they’d lost touch with over the years, and the teachers they both hated and loved. Ben wanted to say he moved back because of her, but he didn’t dare. Too much like a stalker, not to mention it wasn’t completely true. When he wanted to escape Joyce, he’d thought of the mountain town…the beauty of it and how friendly the people were. He wanted to share the experience of living in Hopeful with his daughter. Maybe even put down roots of his own for the first time in his life.
“It’s been fun catching up, Ben, but I need to get going before the roads get any worse.”
“Do you have good tires? I could follow you home.”
“Snow tires and four-wheel drive. I’ll be fine. I’ve lived here all my life, remember.”
He drove her back to her car and was surprised when she leaned over to give him an innocent kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for warming me up, Slugger.”
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