He just shrugged at my question, “I don’t know. I’ll just be glad to see it all over and done with.”
“Why?” I asked, ignoring the way that Mrs. Allen was posturing and trying to get his attention.
Alec walked over to the front window and looked out, even from my spot behind the counter; I could see a group of the gypsy girls on the sidewalk just outside the camp.
“There is just something about them I don’t trust,” he said. “I’ll just be glad when it’s all over and done with and they go on their way.”
Before I could say anything else, Mrs. Allen called him over to help her with the wind chimes. I came around from the counter and walked over to the front window.
Looking at the traveller camp, I wondered what it would be like once they did leave and life went back to the boring normal it was before.
* * *
I sent Alec home in the late afternoon. There had been no customers for over an hour and it didn’t seem likely that there would be any the rest the day.
He was reluctant to leave, but I insisted.
“Go on,” I said. “There’s no sense in both of us sitting here doing nothing.”
Please don't make me tell you the truth... I can’t afford to pay you for the rest of the day just to sit here and keep me company...
Thankfully he spared me that humiliation and hung his dusty apron up behind the counter.
“Well, if you do get busy,” he said. “Just give me a call and I’ll come back.”
“You need to get a real life,” I said as I waved him away with my hands. “Now get out of here.”
“Yes boss,” he said with a wink and a smile as he went out the door.
Once Alec left, I paced the front room. I straightened the few items that were on display, rearranging the birdfeeders and rain gauges even though no one ever bothered to look at them. That took all of twenty minutes and I still had almost two hours until closing time.
I looked out the front window and it looked like out there, in the real world outside of the store, people were going places and doing things while I was stuck inside my nearly bankrupt store.
So Grandma, this is what it means to be all grown up... Well it sucks and I don’t like it one bit...
Turning from the window, I started walking back to the counter, but about halfway across the floor I stopped, stretched my hands over my head and performed a cartwheel. It served no purpose, but I did it anyway, just because I could.
I went back behind the counter and pulled up the wobbly wooden stool. Taking a seat, I rested my chin on my hand and watched the clock on the wall tick by the minutes.
I must’ve fallen asleep because it seemed like one moment I was staring at the clock and the next I was lifting my head from my arms and it was dark outside. I stretched and looked around for my keys, more than ready to close up for the night. I made it all the way to the door before I remembered that tomorrow was Thursday and that meant that Alec’s grandfather would be making his weekly trip to Hayswood Park. It also meant he would stop in the store for corn for the squirrels and the duck feed the Grandma used to make special just for him.
Part of me wanted to pretend that I forgot, but I felt the pull of loyalty. No matter how sick she was, Grandma always had that feed waiting for him every Thursday morning. I couldn’t not do the same just because I was tired and ready to go home.
I turned and walked back towards the stock room, dropping my keys on the counter as I passed. I was still stretching and yawning when I pulled two ears of corn out of burlap sack. Holding them under one arm, I filled a paper bag with a mix of dried breadcrumbs, dried peas, and cracked corn.
Just as I finished, I heard the bell on the door. I gathered everything up and went back out; expecting Alec or one of the nearby shop owners to be stopping in to see why I was open so late.
It wasn’t Alec though; it was a scraggly haired blond man in a dirty tee-shirt and stained jeans. He stood there without saying a word, just looking around the store in silence.
“Can I help you?” I asked, placing my armload of goods on the counter. I was more than ready to go home for the night, but considering my finances, I couldn’t pass up a possible sale.
The man didn’t seem to hear me.
“Good evening,” I said a little louder this time. “Can I help you?”
The man looked at me with bloodshot eyes, “Where’s the other guy?”
My senses began to tingle in warning. There was something wrong in the way that he was looking around and how he was craning his neck to see behind me and into the back room.
I read somewhere that fear was a sign of weakness, so I balled my shaking hands into fists and came around from behind the counter. Whatever his purpose here was, I wouldn’t let him see that he was frightening me.
“You need to leave,” I ordered.
Instead of leaving, he took a few steps towards me.
“Now don’t be like that,” he scolded.
“I said get out!” I yelled, hoping someone nearby would hear.
He stopped for a moment, as if he too was waiting to see if it was possible for anyone to hear me. When no one came, he clicked his tongue on his teeth and took a few more steps towards me.
I stood my ground, fighting the urge to back away from him. I glanced around at the things within my reach, hoping for something I could use for a weapon, but unfortunately anything that would’ve been useful was out in the barn.
He chuckled as if he could read my thoughts or maybe he was just amused by my predicament.
I looked past him to the front door. My stomach knotted as I wondered if I could make it past him and out into the street.
Following my gaze, he laughed again.
“Go ahead missy,” he said. “But are you sure that you’re fast enough?”
Before fear could paralyze me, I made a run for it. I darted past him, reaching the knob and clawing at it before he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me away.
“Turn me loose!” I screamed as I struggled against him.
I kicked and scratched at him, but it was all in vain. I was about to scream again but I felt a knife at my throat.
“Now that’s enough of that,” he hissed as he pulled me back against his chest.
I whimpered as the knife pressed into my neck, “Please... Please...”
He tightened his grip on me, “We’re going to lock the door and then you’re going to go over and get into the register like a good little girl, and we’re not going to have any problems are we?”
“Please," I begged. "Take anything you want.”
Releasing me with a shove, he nodded toward the door. “Go ahead, lock it.”
I turned and went to the door, turning the latch with shaking hands. I could feel him watching my every move.
Tonight’s top news story: Harmony Jacobson was killed in an attempted robbery because she was an idiot...
He came up behind me again, placing the knife against my cheek as his other hand stroked the side of my hip.
“Now let’s have some fun,” he whispered in my ear.
I closed my eyes, praying that fate would be kind enough to make it a quick death.
There was a loud crash of glass in a rush of air behind me. I waited for the blood to come. I waited to die, but my heart continued beating, pounding in my ears.
I’m not dead...
My eyes fluttered open and took in the broken remains of the front window. I turned around to see a bloody Kieran standing over the limp body of my attacker.
Chapter 8
“So what exactly happened here?” Officer Reynolds asked as he kicked at the broken bits of glass on the floor, not even looking up as his partner led the beaten intruder out the door.
I came out of the back room with the white first aid kit and walked back over to where a bloody Kieran was seated. Kieran’s eyes met mine and there was a silent plea there that I didn’t quite understand.
“Well,” I began as I placed the
open case on the counter and started cleaning the small cuts on Kieran’s face. “It all happened so fast.”
Officer Reynolds took a pen and a small pad of paper from his shirt pocket, “Just take your time.”
I hated the patronizing tone in his voice. I wanted to remind Officer Reynolds that I knew him back when he was just Brad Reynolds, the guy working summers on his uncle’s farm and cruising the shopping center in his beat up old truck. It wasn’t exactly like he was some seasoned crime scene investigator or anything; he was just a regular small town guy that got lucky with the job.
“Like I said, it all just happened so fast.” I said, deciding it was better to just play along and then there was the way Kieran was watching me. “I came out from the back and there he was with a knife. I thought I was dead, and I probably would’ve been if it wasn’t for Kieran.”
Stepping closer, he turned his attention to Kieran.
“Yeah,” he said, clicking his pen a few times. “How did she get so lucky?”
Kieran kept his eyes on me, “I was just across the street at our camp. I heard her scream and came to see what was the matter.”
Officer Reynolds motioned to the gaping hole that was once the window, “And is that how the window got broke?”
“The door was locked.”
“I see,” Officer Reynolds said as he made a few more scribbles in his notepad. He looked up at Kieran, seeming to study him for a moment.
“You’re awful cut up there,” he said with a wave of his hand towards Kieran’s face. “Maybe I should take you over to the hospital.”
Kieran still kept his eyes fixed on mine, “It’s just a scratch or two.”
I wasn’t sure what it was Kieran was trying to mutely tell me but I knew that I would never find out with the local law enforcement hanging around.
“I’m just glad you and your partner got here so quickly,” I said to Officer Reynolds before he could ask another question.
“No problem,” he said, seeming to take the hint by moving towards the door. “Do you need help with all of this glass?”
I came around the counter to shake his hand, trying to politely usher him out the door.
“No,” I said, waving my hand at the mess. “You’ve already done so much. Thanks.”
He looked past me to Kieran, “Are you sure that you’ll be okay?”
“Oh yes,” I said, moving him toward the door. “I’ll be fine.”
Officer Reynolds looked back one last time and then joined his partner in the squad car. I watched until they went through the intersection at the corner and then on up Capitol Avenue.
I shut the door and leaned back against it. “I don’t think he likes you.”
“Ah, tis alright,” Karen said as he dabbed at the cuts on his forehead.
“Let me get you another towel,” I said and stepped away from the door, but my feet slipped in the shards of broken glass.
Kieran was at my side grabbing my arm before I could fall.
How did he do that?
I looked up at him, wanting to ask him that very question, but he let go of my arm and backed away.
“Why don’t you let me help clean all of this up before you hurt yourself?”
It should have been a simple thing, sweeping up the glass, but as we moved our brooms across the floor, I became very aware of his every movement. Each time we got near each other, my skin tingled at the possibility that we might touch. I closed my eyes and waited for that moment, anticipating that jolt when our shoulders would brush against each other.
“Now what are we going to do about this then?” Kieran asked.
I opened my eyes and turned around. Kieran stood before the gaping hole that had been the front window.
The night air was drifting in, hot and smelling of honeysuckle. I could see the mosquitoes flying in, passing Kieran to come nibble on my arms.
I smacked at one bloodthirsty mosquito, “I have some plywood in the back. I’ll just nail it up until I can get the glass replaced.”
“Let me help you,” he offered as he stepped up and examined the window frame.
“No,” I argued. “You’ve already done enough.”
Kieran turned from the window shaking his head and holding up his hand.
“Nonsense,” he said. “I can’t let you do that by yourself. My mother would be rolling in her grave if she knew of such a thing.”
I snapped to attention at the mention of that personal tidbit, but as if he realized he revealed too much, Kieran turned back to the window.
“It shouldn’t take but a moment to nail the board to the frame,” he said, keeping his back to me.
There was no point in arguing with him, I could see that by the determined way that he followed me into the back to find the wood. Again, I could feel his presence radiating against my back.
I found the plywood by bumping my foot against the edge of it. I swore under my breath and pulled it out from behind the shelves. Kieran took it from me and easily carried it back out front while I followed uselessly behind him.
So there it is... First sexy man that comes to town and shows me the least amount of attention and I turn into one of those girls that lets the man just do everything for her... I’m pathetic.
I helped him hold the board up to the window, watching the way he held the other end up with one hand and then stretched the other to reach the nails. He placed a few nails between his lips and then reached for the hammer; all the while I watched his every move.
He hammered his side easily, much more quickly than I would’ve been able to do it. He moved closer to me, bringing the hammer down with a ringing thud as he secured the middle section of the board.
“Now hold still,” Kieran said as he moved up behind me. He brought his arms up on either side of me, placing his hands up beside mine.
My heart began pounding and my hands started to shake. The sweet smell of his skin overpowered me, making it difficult to think.
“Okay then,” Kieran said. “You can let go.”
I ducked out of his arms and moved to the side as he hammered in the last of the nails. I watched the way that the lights from the street played in his dark hair, making a warm halo around his head. My eyes drifted to his long fingers and lingered on his tanned forearm, admiring the way the muscles rippled under his skin. As my eyes traveled back up his arm, I saw the dark red spot near the shoulder of his white tee shirt growing larger and larger.
“Oh my God,” I gasped. “Your arm is bleeding.”
Kieran glanced down at his shoulder as he put the hammer down on the window ledge.
“Ah, it’ll be all right.”
I shook my head and took him by the other arm, pulling him back over to the counter. I pushed him back down onto the old wooden stool.
“Sit down and take off your shirt,” I ordered.
He hesitated, making me worried that I was too forceful, but at last Kieran smirked and peeled off his shirt. His skin was tanned and smooth, unblemished the scars that marred the skin of most men.
I began cleaning the large cut, picking out a few pieces of glass. I dabbed at it with a cotton swab and peroxide, a little surprised he didn’t complain.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?” I asked. “You might need stitches.”
He smiled, “I’ll be fine. I promise.”
I kept working on his arm, amazed at the heat radiating off of his skin as I tried to stop the small stream of blood.
“But you fell through the window,” I argued.
“I jumped, love,” he said with a wink. “That’s falling with a purpose.”
I smiled despite myself, “Still, this is a pretty bad cut.”
“Trust me, it’ll be fine.”
I could feel his eyes on me as I reached back in the first aid kit for the gauze and bandages. He wore a slight smile as if he was amused by my nursing efforts.
“Can I ask you something?” I dared as I began bandaging his arms.
“Of course.”
I glanced at his face, “How did you know I was in trouble?”
Lightning quick he looked away, “Like I said, I was just walking by.”
“Really? You expect me to believe that? None of the neighbors heard me, but you say you heard me all the way across the street.”
Kieran shifted on the stool, “That’s the way that I remember it.”
“I don’t believe you,” I said. “And what was it that you didn’t want me to say to Officer Reynolds?”
Kieran didn’t answer or look up at me.
“It’s okay,” I said as I finished bandaging his arm. “I’ll find out eventually.”
He stood and pulled his shirt back on over his head, “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”
“No.”
He leaned down so that our foreheads almost touched, forcing me to look up into his green eyes.
“Let’s just say that it is magic,” he whispered.
My heart was pounding against the walls my chest. We were so close that we were breathing each other’s breath and then at the last minute, just before our lips met, he pulled away.
Without a word, he turned and walked out of the store. He didn’t say goodbye and he didn’t look back, not even once.
Chapter 9
There was one thing that a person could count on in a small town and that was the speed in which news traveled. When I got to the feed store the next morning, my insurance agent was already waiting for me.
“What are you doing here?” I asked as I unlocked the door. “I didn’t call you.”
Following me inside, he took a small digital camera out of his jacket pocket and began taking pictures of the boarded up window.
“I heard you had a break-in last night,” he said. “I thought I’d come by and get the claim started.”
I flipped on the lights, pausing to touch the stool where Kieran sat the night before. Somewhere, just across the street at the traveller camp, Kieran was probably just waking up. Was he thinking about me?
The flash of the camera brought me out of my daydream.
“I wasn’t planning on filing a claim,” I said as I emptied the used coffee grounds into the trash. “After all, won’t that raise my rates?”
Faery Realms: Ten Magical Titles: Multi-Author Bundle of Novels & Novellas Page 106
