by Mia Carson
“Nice to see Lundy has moved up in the world,” he commented.
She grinned and shifted his view. “That is our hospital.” She pointed towards another brick building farther down. “It was a barn, once upon a time, but thankfully, they removed the horses when they started treating humans.”
“Too bad. Horses can be great surgical assistants,” Alec muttered, and Iris shook with laughter.
“And that is the best bar in town, but you know that,” she said, nodding towards the bar he’d met her at. “And beside it is the general store, where you’ll find the essentials to survive—unless there’s a zombie attack, then you have to go to the hardware store down that street.”
He nodded seriously. “Got it. Zombies, go to hardware store. Didn’t know they were a problem this far north. Thought the ground was too cold for them to pop out of.”
“Will be eventually,” she agreed. “And over there is the Lundy Historical Museum, established thirty years ago and procured mostly by… uh, by my mom.”
Alec held her hand. “I want to see it sometime,” he said.
“I haven’t been in there since the accident,” she told him. “I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it through the whole exhibit.”
“Well, whenever you’re up to it, I’ll go with you.”
She leaned away, her eyes narrowed. “Why are you so interested in Lundy?”
“I live here now and like to know about the towns I reside in. Is that so bad?”
“No, but then you should know I’m not the most likable person here.”
He shifted. “Does that have anything to do with Jenson?”
Her face changed in a blink, etched with rage, and her eyes filled with hatred as if Jenson was standing beside her. “Yes, actually. It has a lot to do with him, but you’re supposed to tell me what happened last night.”
Alec shoved his hair out of his face and nodded. “I am, but I’m not sure you want to hear it right now. Might ruin the day.”
Iris opened her mouth but closed it quickly and shook her head. “I’m not sure why, but I’ll let you keep your secrets, for now,” she said and poked him hard in the chest. “Come on. I have to get to the pawn shop.”
“Now that’s a store I do know the location of,” he said and guided them across Main Street towards the pawn shop. As they walked, it wasn’t hard to miss the looks directed at them by people passing by. When they reached the barbershop, he swore every man in the chairs as well as the barbers stopped what they were doing to turn and look. “Did you kill someone or something?” he asked with a nervous laugh.
“You’d think that, wouldn’t you?” she muttered as she waved, smiling brightly at them until they frowned and looked away. “No. My parents were killed and… Well, I went downhill for a bit. Jenson didn’t help.”
“Want to talk about it?” She shook her head and bit her lip hard. “If he’s going to show up again and I have to deck him, I’d like to know I have a good reason.”
Her steps slowed, and her grip tightened on his arm. “You’d deck him for me?”
“I was going to do it last night,” he said quietly and reached up, running his thumb against her full bottom lip, not sure what made him do it. He shifted so they faced each other, and the idea of slanting his lips over hers filled his mind, but she smiled sweetly and hung her head.
“Jenson’s bad news. He got mad at me for pushing him away and told everyone in town I was a drunk and a cheater. He ruined me, but I had to deal with Sam and the shop so I let it happen,” she said bitterly. “Thanks to him, I have very few friends in this town. Everyone thinks I’m rotten.”
“Why don’t you tell them he’s wrong?” he insisted. “Show them.”
Her laugh was dark and filled with pain, a sound that told him she’d given up on that a long time ago. “I didn’t care to, and as far as I’m concerned, they can all kiss my ass.” She sighed and tugged him on. “I’ll understand, you know, if you don’t want to be seen with the troublemaker.”
Alec moved his arm so he could put it around her shoulders and drew her against his side, kissing the top of her head. “I always was attracted to trouble.” He didn’t know what to expect, but Iris relaxed under his arm, leaning into his side, and reached up to hold his hand hanging over her shoulder.
They walked down the street together, and every time someone shot them a look, Alec grinned wider and winked. He didn’t know what he’d walked into the middle of, but the woman at his side didn’t deserve to be treated like this. As long as he was around, he’d keep her from falling over the edge and proving them all right.
Chapter 5
“Ah, Iris, there you are,” Joe said as she and Alec entered the shop.
She waved at him as he stood on a stepladder to hang a few new paintings on the wall. “What are you doing?”
“New merchandise,” he told her as he hung a painting on a nail and nodded. “There, much better, don’t you think? I have to tell you, though, feel free to rearrange this shop any way you wish. I was never one with an eye for decorating.” He stepped off the ladder and wiped his hands on his jeans before holding one out to Alec. “And Mr. Wolf, nice to see you again,” Joe said with a wide smile, pumping Alec’s hand hard. “How is it you found yourself with my sweet Iris?”
“Long story,” Alec replied when Iris nudged him in the side. “She’s giving me a tour of the town today, though.”
“And what do you think so far?” Joe asked, waving them back towards the counter.
Iris followed, Alec right behind her, as she asked over her shoulder, “Yeah, what do you think so far?”
He pursed his lips, but his eyes lit with amusement and warmth spread through Iris when his hand reached out and brushed against hers. “I think I’m going to enjoy living here.”
“Good, that’s good,” Joe said and walked behind the counter.
“What are you doing here anyway—for work?” Iris asked, remembering he hadn’t said a thing about it yet.
“You know that thing I wanted to take you to do this afternoon? You’ll find out then.”
Iris wanted to push, but Joe brought up a stack of papers and slid them over with a pen. “Straightforward, and I have already settled on your salary—and if you argue with me, I will feign deaf and ignore you,” Joe warned. “Alec, would you like to see more of the shop while she fills those out?”
“I’d love to,” Alec said. “I was actually wondering what you had hidden in here.”
Joe and Alec wandered off into the stacks, and she walked around the counter, dragged over the old rickety wooden stool Joe used, and plopped down. She tried to listen, but their voices drifted further away. All she could hear was the low rumble of Joe’s laughter every now and then, followed by Alec’s. She hoped Joe wasn’t talking about her too much. She was still working out what was happening between her and the new guy in town. The moment shared between them on the sidewalk, feeling his thumb brush her lip, stuck in her mind. He might look like a damn wolf of a man, but he was tender and gentle, a rare thing for Jenson.
The years she had spent with Jenson were fine in the beginning, but when her parents died, her world had shattered. She thought he would be there for her, understand what she was going through, but he took every mood swing she had personally. Every night she got drunk, trying to cope with the pain, and he sat by and watched. He didn’t try to stop her or comfort her, just leered at her from across the room.
Danny had remained her only friend during all of it, but even he didn’t know the worst of it. No one did, and she was going to keep it hidden as long as possible.
The first time she saw Alec, she had seen the pain in his eyes—not of loss, but betrayal. He was running from someone and she wanted to know who, but asking him questions would allow him to pry into her life, too. Was she ready to have someone digging around in her life again? Dragging all the skeletons out of her closet? Sheriff Pueller had always been on her side, but he’d brought her into the jail numerous times to s
leep off her drunken bouts when she’d wandered down Main Street. She had a record, and eventually someone would tell Alec everything she had done. Maybe it was best she told him everything herself.
Why do you care so much? What are you doing with this guy, anyway?
She didn’t have an answer, but she knew last night could have ended differently if he hadn’t shown up when he did. With him beside her, she felt lighter, as if the world wasn’t pressing down on her shoulders. Meeting someone who didn’t grow up in this town was refreshing, and she wasn’t ready to cut him off just yet.
Iris smiled, wondering what the surprise for her was when she flipped to the last page with her salary agreement on it. The number stared back at her, and she sucked in a breath. “Joe! What the hell is this?”
Joe’s chuckle reached her, and she tapped the pen angrily on the counter until he reappeared without Alec. “I said no arguing, and what are you doing? You’re arguing.”
“This is way too much, and you know it,” she said, holding up the page. “I can’t accept this.”
“Iris, I have never had an employee in my shop. Ever,” he told her sternly. “I can afford it, trust me.”
“I’m not even technically qualified for this job.”
He raised a graying eyebrow at her. “Really? Are you not the daughter of Jim and Astrid Newton, who both owned and operated the antique store next to me as well as the museum?”
“I am, but—”
“And did you not work directly under them since the time you were ten? Did you not run both for them when they needed days off?” he continued, holding up his hand to cut her off. “You know you did, so stop arguing with me and sign the paper. You start Monday morning.”
Iris glared at him, but he leaned on the counter and stared right back. She held his gaze as long as she could before she blew out a breath and hung her head. “Fine, fine. I’ll make sure I earn every cent.”
“I’m sure you will, otherwise I would not be willing to give it to you.” He patted her hand and scooped up the papers once she had finished signing them.
“What did you do with our Mr. Wolf?” she asked, resting her elbows on the counter.
“He was quite fascinated with the old gun collection that came in a few days ago,” Joe said, pointing down the aisle. “Hey, you could make your first sale today.”
She hopped off the stool and went to find Alec. As she walked, she noticed the old photograph Joe had showed her the other day of the Lundys. She slowed as her eyes met the woman’s in the photograph, and she smiled. Her fingers reached out and ran down the glass, wondering what this woman had been like. Steps sounded behind her, and she turned to see Alec holding an old wooden sign in one hand, an excited look on his face. He was going to ask Joe to open the gun case.
“Who were they?” Alec asked.
Iris turned back around. “The founders of Lundy, Gyda and Boden Lundy,” she told him. “Joe’s had this photo in here for years.”
Alec moved closer, his eyes narrowed at the photo. He frowned, looked at Iris, and back to the photo. “Are you related to them?”
“No,” she said with a laugh. “Why would you think that?”
“Gyda… She has the same look in her eyes I’ve seen in yours,” he said quietly.
Iris looked at the photo, tilting her head as she stared at Gyda wearing the same necklace she’d brought in yesterday to sell. “Maybe, but trust me, I’d know if we were related. Did you find a few things to buy?”
He held up the sign. “I moved into a house and have no furniture and no decorations whatsoever. I think this is a nice first piece.”
She took it from him so she could see it better and read the words aloud. “'Here on this day was the town of Lundy established, a town for new beginnings and love.’” She smiled sadly and ran her fingers over the painted words. “You know this isn’t the town motto at all, right?”
“I had a feeling, but someone made it out of an old whiskey barrel. That, in itself, is pretty nifty.”
“You could just buy a barrel and do it yourself,” she told him as she handed it back.
“You’re killing my excited buzz here,” he said, and she led the way back to the counter.
“I was wondering if you would find something you liked,” Joe said as Alec laid the sign on the counter. “And I wanted to tell you, that piece you brought in yesterday has already been sold.”
Iris watched Alec’s face closely, but he gave nothing away. “What did you sell?”
He turned to her with a bright grin and rested his elbows on the counter so he was at eye-level. “I'm not going to tell, at least not yet. Joe? Do you mind if I put a hold on that old double barrel in the case? I don’t want to cart it around town.”
“You can hold this here, too, if you like,” he said and winked at Iris. “See? You’re not even on the clock yet and you’re making me money.”
“I guess I’ll just have to flirt with all your customers,” Iris teased, but Joe barked a laugh and she glared at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You remind me so much of your mother,” Joe said through his laughter, wiping the mirth from his eyes. “She used to think she was so suave with your dad all the time, but she couldn’t flirt to save her life.”
Alec nudged her with his elbow. “I bet the story about their meeting is pretty funny?”
“Another time,” she groaned and tugged on his arm. “We have to go the hospital now.”
“You going to introduce Sam to Alec?” Joe asked skeptically.
“If he wants to meet my brother, I don’t see why not,” Iris said. “Why?”
Joe shrugged and bent down to fiddle with the smaller items in the glass case. “No reason. Good luck, Alec. You’ll need it.”
Iris thanked Joe again for the job, but he waved her away with an annoyed snort. She and Alec reached the sidewalk and turned in the direction of the hospital. Without even thinking about it, she leaned against his side, and his arm circled her shoulders. When she’d dated Jenson for two years, it never felt this comfortable, this natural, to be by his side. With Alec, Iris felt as if they had been friends for years, maybe more.
They didn’t talk much on the way to the hospital, but it was far from awkward. He asked a few questions about the town and her life growing up there, and she told him stories about her and Sam finding ways to get in trouble during the festivals that visited in the fall and winter. Building inappropriate snowmen had always been their favorite.
“Mom would scold us in public,” she told him as they reached the hospital doors, “but she’d sneak a pic and put them all together in a photo album afterwards.”
“I think I would’ve liked your mom,” he said.
Iris waved at Lisa sitting at the front desk today and guided Alec towards the stairs. “I think so, too. What about your parents?”
“Dad died a couple years ago,” he told her.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, but he shrugged. “You didn’t get along?”
“We did, but I’ve moved on. We had a good relationship and it was hard, but other events have put my life into better perspective lately. My mom’s a piece of work, though.”
Iris hoped she didn’t cringe as she said, “I’m sure I’ll have a good time when I meet her.”
She glanced up at him and something in his eyes said he hoped she never would. Iris’s brow furrowed, wondering if she should be worried about him not wanting her to meet his mom, but then they were down the hall and at Sam’s door. Her brother had never liked Jenson and had bugged Iris to go out and meet someone else. Since their dad died, he’d also taken it upon himself to be the over-protective man in her life.
“Sam?” she said as she entered to find her brother and Brad, his nurse, playing cards on his bed. “You two busy?”
“Not too busy for a visit,” Sam said excitedly.
Brad scooped the cards up. “Time for his dinner, anyway. I’ll be back in twenty.”
Iris squeezed his shou
lder in thanks on his way out. “You happy to be going home tomorrow?” she asked and plopped down on the edge of Sam’s bed. “I’m even going to clean your room in the morning. It won’t even feel like you left.”
“Yeah, I’m ready for my bed. I miss my bed.”
Iris smiled and patted his hand. “You up for meeting someone?”
Sam gave her the same quizzical look their dad always had when he wasn’t sure how to answer a question. “Am I going to like this person?”
“Maybe. I like him so far.”
Sam’s face brightened, then his eyes narrowed at the door. “It’s a guy? Are you dating? Boyfriend?”
“Alright, slow down, kiddo,” she said, laughing even though the sudden image of Alec being her boyfriend was really hard to get rid of. “His name’s Alec Wolf, and he’s new in town. I met him last night and was giving him a tour of the town.”
“Right, tour of the town,” Sam said and leaned back against the pillow, crossing his arms. “Well then, let’s meet this Alec Wolf.”
Instantly, Iris regretted bringing Alec, but it was too late now. She called for him to come in. He strolled into the room, walked straight to Sam’s bed, and held out his hand to shake. “Sam, a pleasure to meet you.”
Sam held his hand tightly—or as tightly as he could. Iris saw the strain on his face and wanted to tell him to stop acting macho, but she knew he’d get upset at her for pointing out the weakness that plagued his body.
“You too,” he said, but didn’t let go of Alec’s hand right away. “You’re new in town?”
“Yes, I am,” he said, and to his credit, kept a serious face. Iris knew what was coming and sighed, moving away from the bed as Sam sucked in a breath to start playing twenty questions.
“What do you do?”
“Can’t tell you that,” Alec said, “not yet.”
Sam’s eyes narrowed. “You a spy or something?”
Alec’s deep, throaty laugh filled the room and warmed Iris. “No, but it’s a surprise for your sister.” He leaned closer and whispered something in Sam’s ear that made him glance at Iris. He laughed brightly, nodding in approval. “Good. I was hoping she’d have a good time.”
