Page 21 of A Love Like Candle Light

“That sounds like a good plan.” I pull the blanket off me, get up and follow him inside, Abby right behind me. “Goodnight, Erik.”

“Sweet dreams, Kylie.”

As soon as the door clicks shut behind Abby and me, I lean my back against it and slowly slide down to the ground. There is no way my dreams will be ‘sweet’ after the day I’ve had and that revelation. Knowing my brain, they’ll either be of skeletons doing a Riverdance, or a little kidnapped girl chasing me along the lake shore.

Chapter 7

Kylie

I peek into the town's one and only café, trying to make out the menu behind the counter.

As he announced, Erik was gone by the time my alarm rang this morning. A part of me didn't think he would be. I mean, who leaves a stranger alone in their house? I could have robbed him, burned it down on my way out or pushed all his furniture a centimeter to the right.

It just goes to show how trusting the people of this town are. What a contrast to the city, where anything not bolted down was basically up for grabs. Once, I made an attempt to grow my own strawberry plant, left in a pot by our front door so I’d remember to water it when Abby and I went out. Two weeks later it was suddenly gone.

Maybe one day I’ll share their level of trust.

There was no way I'd have taken advantage of his hospitality and rummaged through his kitchen for coffee. So, I packed all of my stuff back into my bag, tidied up the guest room he let me stay in as well as I could, left a little thank-you note, and went out in search of caffeine goodness. My phone brought me right here. Caleb’s.

It's the closest café my map showed me, right in the center of Wayward Hollow. What a cute little town.

The café is situated right by the town's main square, a park packed with trees higher than the surrounding houses and a gazebo peeking out between shrubbery. All stores along the square are decorated for autumn already.

There's a flower shop with the prettiest orange wreaths for sale, the currently closed hotel has garlands of artificial leaves hung around their doors and even this café has subtle leaves along the lower sides of the windows. Paired with the bright orange, red and yellow trees in the main square, it looks like a movie set.

Can Abby come inside the café with me? Back in the city most cafe's were really strict and only allowed her in outside seating areas. Which Caleb’s doesn’t have.

I scan every inch of the front door. There's no sign saying dogs have to stay outside. I'll try my luck. Then another thought pops up in my head.

This is it. The trial by fire, so to speak. My Wayward Hollow debut. The moment everyone gets to stare at the woman who’s responsible for law enforcement tearing apart the lake shore.

At least I’ll have it over with soon.

I take a deep breath, straighten my shoulders, then push the door open and motion for Abby to walk ahead.

The gentle murmur of voices dies as soon as I enter. At least, that's how it feels. But when I glance around, ultimately everybody is busy with their own conversations or coffees. Nobody seems to gives a damn about me. Thankfully.

"Hey, Kylie!" Whoops. I got excited to soon. This is the moment that all heads turn to me, because Kieran thought it’d be a good idea to shout my name through the entire café. He might as well have shouted “Hey everyone! Check out the new girl in town!”

If I stare at the ground hard enough, will it open up?

"Get over here!" He waves at me excitedly, oblivious to my wish to disappear and pulls an empty chair from one of the nearby tables to the one he's occupying with Nic and Lauren.

Abby tugs at her leash, trying to make her way over to them.

And she’s right. I can stand here and wish for the ground to swallow me, or I can own it and get to know the group that so kindly took me under their wing yesterday and not have breakfast alone.

As we weave our way to them through the labyrinth of tables, Abby sniffs anything and everyone in the way. Much to their delight. To my dismay, though, because small talk without having had any coffee yet is rough.

Once we get closer, I realize Dick is also here, curled up right next to Kieran's seat and having the nap of his life, judging by the soft snores and conked-out expression. When my eyes wander over to the counter, I see two more dogs hanging out and watching the seating area with curious eyes: a beautiful brown husky and a black labrador with a grey-speckled snout.

"There are so many dogs here," I say in awe and take a seat at their table.

"Isn't it amazing?" Kieran grins and leans down to greet Abby. "And not to toot my own horn, but they're all so well-behaved."

"You’re one to talk," Lauren snickers and shoots him an amused look. "Out of all the dogs here, yours is the worst behaved."

"Hey." His lips purse in a pout. "First off, Dick is an angel. Second, he’s going through puberty. Don't be so harsh on him."