Desperate to get away from his thoughts, he got to his feet, thinking that the clamor of the restaurant was just what he needed. But when he walked out of his office and saw the time, he decided to make a quick detour on his way to dinner, which made a smile spread across his face. He chose not to think too deeply about what the burst of happiness that filled him when he thought about Amy meant as he walked out of the station. Instead, he drove over to the bookstore and waited outside, looking forward to hearing about her afternoon.
***Amy***
Amy hadn’t realized how much time had passed until she heard Horace clear his throat in the doorway and looked up. It had gotten dark outside while she’d been lost in the pages of the book and the strange tale of King Arthur, Merlin, and a race of dragon shifters created by Merlin to help them defeat an army of demons. She looked over at Horace, who had a sympathetic smile on his face, still lost in time, her imagination fueled by the words that echoed in her mind.
“Have you read enough?” he asked, breaking the spell.
It took her a second to answer. “To know that this is the lost volume of King Arthur’s history that scholars have been fighting about for decades?” she asked, grinning at him.
“I thought you might enjoy reading it,” he said, coming over to stand next to her. “But I’m afraid that’s all the time I can give you today; my niece will be home soon, and the great homework war will begin.”
Amy laughed. “Well, I hope you win,” she said, getting reluctantly to her feet.
She watched him put the book away, then gave him back the white gloves she’d been wearing. “Horace, how did that book end up here?” she asked, following him out of the room. “I mean, that’s the only copy...lots of people think it doesn’t even exist.”
Horace was silent as he locked the door, then looked over at her. “This valley was settled by a special group of people, and they brought it with them from the old country. They believed it was their history,” he said.
Amy’s mind was spinning, trying to make a connection but it wouldn’t quite come, so she said nothing. At the front door, she suddenly remembered the books. “I still owe you for those books,” she said, reaching for her wallet.
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” he said. “Consider them a gift.”
“Thank you, that’s very nice,” she said. “Maybe I can come back again.”
“We’ll see,” Horace said. “Have a nice night, Amy.”
She was a bit surprised by the abruptness of his goodbye. “Thank you again,” she said.
Still lost in her thoughts, she was all the way to the sidewalk when she saw Michael across the street leaning against his truck. He’d changed out of his uniform and into a pair of jeans that hugged his body and made her heart beat just a little faster. When he slowly pushed himself away from the truck, his eyes locked on hers, a thrill rushed through her, stealing her breath and making her stumble.
In an instant, Michael was next to her, holding onto her elbow to steady her. She looked up at him, feeling her cheeks turning pink, then down at her feet when her body began to hum with desire. “We might need another streetlight down here; it’s awfully dark,” he said. “I thought you might need a ride back to your cabin.”
Amy could only look up at him, trying to gather her thoughts, but finally managed to find her voice. “I didn’t mean to stay for long, but...” she trailed off, looking back at the bookstore, which had gone dark. “You set that up, didn’t you?”
Michael nodded. “I thought you might enjoy reading it,” he said. “Now, how about some dinner before I take you home? I’d love to know what you think about the book.”
Amy’s heart sank just a little. He just wanted her professional opinion on the lost volume, and suddenly it became clear why he’d been so nice to her. He wanted her to validate that book for them. Disappointment washed over her, but deep down, she wasn’t surprised. Nothing exactly like this had happened to her before. Usually, men wanted other things from her, like money or someone to wait on them. This time, it was her expertise.
As the realization that she’d been acting like an old fool washed over her, she remembered Molly. “Have you found out anything about Molly?” she asked, stepping away from him, his touch no longer so comforting.
“How about I tell you over dinner,” he suggested again, studying her in the dim light. “Is something wrong?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m fine, just a little tired I guess,” she said. “Dinner sounds good.”
After they’d ordered, she brought Molly up again. “Did you find out anything?”
Michael shook his head. “I put out some feelers, called the place you said she was going to work, and the manager of the apartment building, but so far, I haven’t gotten anywhere,” he said.
“Oh, I thought...” She didn’t finish; she wasn’t sure what she’d expected.
He reached out and covered her hand with his. “Don’t worry, Amy; these things take time,” he said. “You’ll see: tomorrow something will break loose.”
She was still disappointed but knew that she’d been hoping for too much. “I’m sorry, Michael. I’m lucky you’re helping me. No one else would,” she said.
“We’ll find her, Amy. I know we will,” he said, his voice full of so much conviction, she believed him.
When he squeezed her hand, she smiled at him. “Thank you, Michael.”
Their eyes met across the table, and she felt something pass between them, something she couldn’t describe but felt deep in her soul. Flustered, remembering his question about the book, suddenly confused about what was happening between them, she pulled her hand away. Michael was staring at her, his mouth hanging slightly open, and she wondered what she’d done, but then he closed his mouth, blinked a few times, and looked away from her.
To her relief, the waitress arrived with their food and the moment passed, the feeling vanished, replaced with a mild sense of disappointment. “This looks great. I’m starving,” Michael said, then began to eat.
“Yeah, it does,” she said, but she’d lost her appetite.
Chapter Thirteen
***Michael***
Michael ate his dinner, not daring to look at Amy, knowing that the protective instinct that had just been awoken would only grow stronger. He was beginning to hate the lies he was forced to tell her, knew that when she learned the truth, it might destroy what was blossoming between them. But he had little choice and wasn’t sure that he wanted what he felt to be true. It wasn’t what he had planned, might not even work if he did decide Amy was the one.
It was a dangerous game that he was playing, a game that could end with them both hurt and him pining for a mate that could never be his. Trying to tell himself that the old ways were best, safer for everyone, he did his best not to think about how Amy made him feel. But it took only one quick glance across the table for his body to begin to hum, and he knew that the damage had already been done.
Shocked by the depth of his feelings, he looked over at Amy, who had barely touched her dinner. “You haven’t eaten anything,” he said. “Don’t tell me it’s because you’re just tired.”
Amy shrugged. “I’m just not hungry,” she said.
He studied her for a second, then said, “Nope, I don’t think so. Now spit it out: what’s bothering you?”
Amy used her fork to rearrange the food on her plate, avoiding his gaze, then finally looked up at him. “I’m afraid I’m making a fool of myself,” she said. “I’m thirty-five years old and I’ve never...”
Michael didn’t hear the rest of what Amy said, his mother’s piercing voice drowning it out. “Michael, what a surprise to find you here,” she called from across the restaurant.
He turned to find her gripping a young woman by the arm and dragging her across the room, a surprised look on her face. When she got to the table, she ignored the look on his face and gushed. “Mary Beth and I decided to come into town for some dessert. Arthur couldn’t be budged, but I’ve f
ound you instead.”
“Mother,” Michael said, as evenly as he could. “We’re having dinner.”
“Oh, we won’t mind waiting until you’ve finished up,” she said. “Grab a chair, Mary Beth.”
Michael wanted to thrash his mother when she pushed Mary Beth into a chair right next to him, and he didn’t think Mary Beth was all that happy either. He could feel the tension in her shoulders. “We could just find another table,” she said, looking around. “There are lots of open ones.”
“Nonsense. I haven’t had a chance to meet Michael’s new friend,” his mother said. “And I thought maybe you’d like to spend some time with Michael. He’s been so busy lately; you haven’t had the chance.”
Michael didn’t like where the conversation was going, knew exactly what his mother was doing. “Mother,” he began, but she didn’t let him finish.
“Michael has been so busy lately,” his mother said. “He’s canceled on us twice this week. Poor Mary Beth has been waiting so patiently.”
“Well, I’ll just leave you all alone then,” Amy said, getting to her feet, a stricken look on her face.
“Oh, don’t go; we haven’t even been introduced,” his mother said, a triumphant look on her face. “I’m Michael’s mother.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Anderson, but I really must be going,” Amy stammered, getting to her feet.
“But you haven’t finished your dinner,” his mother said sweetly.
“I’m not all that hungry after all,” Amy said, digging through her purse for her wallet, her face pink with embarrassment.
Before he could stop her, Amy threw some money on the table and headed for the door. He got up to follow her, but his mother put her hand on his arm. “Mary Beth, this is my son, Michael,” she said.
Mary Beth looked at him, a bit stunned by the whole experience, and he felt bad for her. “It’s nice to meet you, Mary Beth,” he said. “I’m sorry my mother brought you all the way down here.”
“Oh, it’s okay,” she said, but he could see that it clearly wasn’t. “But it is getting late, and I think I’ll head home. I’ve got school tomorrow.”
“Would you like Michael to take you home?” his mother asked, an excited look on her face.
Mary Beth looked alarmed by the idea. “No, it’s only a couple of blocks. I’ll be fine,” she said, then quickly made her exit.
Michael waited until she was gone before turning on his mother. “What exactly do you think you’re doing?” he asked. “That was a disaster. Mary Beth probably thinks...well, I have no idea what she’s thinking, but I don’t think it’s good.”
His mother waved her hand in the air. “Nonsense,” she said. “Now, do you see what I mean about Mary Beth? She’s beautiful and smart.”
He couldn’t help the sigh that came whooshing out of his lungs. “Mother, I’m going to tell you once more: stay out of my love life,” he said, then got to his feet. “I have to go.”
“You’re going to that woman,” she said, pouting.
“That woman has a name, and it’s Amy,” he said, looking down at her. “I’m going to go apologize for your behavior.”
His mother opened her mouth to say something but closed it again, a hurt look on her face. “I just want what’s best for you,” she finally said.
“I get that, but you have to let me figure out who and what that is,” he said, then leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Go home, Mom. I’m sure Arthur is waiting there for you.”
She smiled up at him. “I will, Michael, but I hope you know what you’re doing,” she said. “Mary Beth really is a nice girl.”
“I’m sure she is, but I don’t think she’s the girl I’m looking for,” he said, the truth of his words sinking in.
***Amy***
Amy made it back to the cabin before the tears started, but it had taken everything in her to make it there, especially when she saw the curtain parted in the office window. The whole town would probably be laughing at her by morning, and she didn’t blame them. It was stupid to think that a man like Michael would really be interested in her. She’d almost forgotten that she was a thirty-five-year-old woman with mousy brown hair, a little too round figure, and a job that men found silly.
Why she’d ever imagined that Michael found her attractive, she wasn’t sure, but tonight had shown her how ridiculous the idea was. Deep down, she’d known that she wasn’t the kind of woman that men had romantic flings with, but if she were honest, she’d been so starved for attention, she hadn’t paused long enough to think. She’d lost herself so easily in the romance of the town and her sudden attraction to Michael that she hadn’t taken the time to stop and question what was happening, and now she was paying the price.
Thinking about Mary Beth made some of the hurt and humiliation fade, replaced by anger, and she welcomed the feeling. Wiping the tears from her face with the sleeve of her shirt, she headed for the bedroom. It was time to get out of Prospect Falls and away from whatever game Michael was playing. He had a girlfriend, that much was clear to her now, and she wasn’t the kind of woman who messed with another woman’s man.
She was stuffing her clothes back into her suitcase, mumbling angrily under her breath about what a jerk Michael was, when there was a knock on the door. Pausing with a handful of clothes, she listened, hoping she’d imagined it, but it came again. Knowing it had to be Michael, she took a deep breath, dropped the clothes into the suitcase, and ran her fingers through her hair, hoping he wouldn’t be able to tell she’d been crying.
When she opened the door and saw him standing in the moonlight looking as gorgeous as ever, her anger drained away, replaced by the crushing disappointment she’d felt the second she figured out who Mary Beth was. Tears rushed to her eyes, and she wanted to curse, but she took a deep breath, lifted her chin, and waited for him to speak.
“You’ve been crying,” he said, pushing his way inside. “I’m sorry Amy. My mother...well, she means well, but she...”
She held up her hand. “You don’t have to explain anything to me,” she said. “Mary Beth is a very attractive young woman.”
Feeling her bottom lip beginning to tremble, she turned and walked down the hall, suddenly determined to leave as soon as she could. “Amy, where are you going?” Michael asked, following her down the hall.
“I think it’s time for me to go home,” she said. “I should have left days ago.”
Stuffing clothes into her bag, she fought the tears, wishing that Michael would just go away. “I came here to find Molly but she’s not here. It’s time for me to move on. If you find out anything, you can call or email me,” she said, just to fill the silence.
“Amy,” Michael finally said, stepping up and grabbing her arm, forcing her to turn and look at him. “Why are you running away?”
She stared at him, shocked that he even had to ask, then turned and started packing again, knowing that if she answered, she’d just start crying. “Amy, answer me,” Michael said.
Turning to look at him again, she said, “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing exactly, but it’s clear to me that I don’t want to be a part of it. I should have known that a man like you wouldn’t really be interested in a woman like me. I just got carried away, but not any longer.”
“What do you mean a woman like you?” Michael asked, a look of confusion on his face.
She couldn’t believe that she was going to have to spell it out, that he didn’t even know what he was doing, and anger leaped to life again, her tears drying up instantly. “Look at me, Michael; I’m not exactly a spring chicken. I have wrinkles, gray hair, and places that sag that shouldn’t. I can’t compete with someone like Mary Beth, and I’m not even going to try.”
A grin spread across Michael’s face, and she wanted to hit him. “Who said you were competing with Mary Beth?” he asked.
“Your mother made it pretty clear that there was something between you two and that I was getting in the way,” she said, throwin
g her hands up in the air. “I don’t know why you kissed me that night at the high school, but I’m just going to pretend it didn’t happen.”
Michael still had a grin on his face, but his next words held no humor. “I kissed you that night because I wanted to. I kissed you that night because it’s all I’d been thinking about since that morning in the restaurant when I sat down next to you and smelled your perfume,” he said. “And I want to kiss you again right now.”
Amy sucked in a shocked breath. “But...Mary Beth...” she choked out.
Michael closed the distance between them, took the clothes she’d been holding out of her hand, and pulled her into his arms. “Tonight, was the first time I met Mary Beth,” he said. “That’s what I was trying to tell you earlier.”
She looked up at him, her heart thudding so hard she was almost light-headed. “You mean, you aren’t...”
Michael shook his head. “Nope. The only woman I want to kiss is you,” he said, then lowered his mouth to hers.
Amy felt the rush of desire sweep through her body, followed quickly by pleasure when Michael’s tongue slipped into her mouth. She slid her arms around his neck and held on as he kissed her breathless, her body filling with a feeling more wonderful than anything she’d ever felt before. More intense than just physical pleasure, she realized that it was passion; that somewhere over the last few days, she’d begun to really care about Michael.
But the thought was washed from her mind when his hand slid up her hip across her ribs to cup one of her breasts. She sighed into his mouth, pleasure stealing her breath as effectively as his kiss, then gasped when his thumb brushed over her hard nipple. Michael broke the kiss and began to nibble on her neck, his hand moving to the other breast, making her knees tremble.
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