AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He reached for the door handle, and she stopped him with a hand on the middle of his back. The hard muscle under his shirt had her swallowing the saliva that pooled in her mouth. “Did you pack a bag for the night?”
He spun around to face her, eyebrows raised. “You want me to stay with you all night?”
Heat flamed her face, but she wouldn’t back down. “I don’t want to be alone. Not with everything going on. You’ll keep me safe.”
Clearing his throat, he nodded. “Okay. Give me a second.”
She watched him jog down the hall and disappear into his room. Tonight wouldn’t bring as much excitement as the first night she’d spent with Beau, but it’d give them time to talk. Time to figure out how to move forward. And maybe, if she leaned on him the way she always had, he could give her the encouragement she needed to begin a new chapter in her life. A chapter that would include him but also open up the possibility of finally figuring out who she really was.
* * *
The sun dippedbelow the horizon, chasing away twilight as the sky morphed into the color of a deep bruise. The stars had yet to appear, and the moon was more white than yellow. Beau parked the car at a diagonal on the town square then jogged around the hood of his truck to open Izzy’s door.
Izzy took his offered hand and stepped onto the brick sidewalk. “You know, as much as I wanted to get away after high school, I always missed this.”
He followed her gaze to the grassy center of the square. “What? The gazebo?”
She chuckled and playfully slapped his chest. “All of this,” she said, extending a hand as if showcasing the town he loved so much. “The cute little benches on the square and the streetlights that are always adorned with seasonal decorations. How all the owners have twinkle lights strewn under their canopies. The city where I attended school was much bigger with none of the charm. This place…” she shrugged, as if searching for the words. “There’s just something special about it.”
Her declaration touched a special place inside him. Gave him hope that her extended stay here wasn’t just a pit stop before she moved on to something more. “I agree. Now let’s get some pastries. I can smell Mrs. Crawley’s cinnamon buns from out here. No way I’ll have the will power not to eat one before we leave.”
The owner of the new yoga studio right next door to the bakery, Mountain Serenity Studios, stepped out of the shop with a white to-go bag and a cardboard coffee cup. Her long auburn hair was pulled into a messy bun on the top of her head, and she offered them a quick smile as she held the door wide. “Evening. How ya’ll doin’?”
He nodded, catching the door with his hand to allow her to pass. “Hi Ms. Peyton. We’re well, thanks. You?”
“Please, call me Zoe,” she said, waving a hand through the air. “And you caught me giving into a little sugar craving. I better add some more classes if I’m going to keep grabbing these chocolate croissants all the time.”
“Ohhh, those are my sister and I’s favorite, and the exact reason we’re here. I hope they’re not all gone,” Izzy said.
“You’re in luck,” Zoe said with a wink. “She has three left. I’m Zoe Peyton, by the way. I don’t think we’ve met.”
Izzy shook her hand. “I’ve seen you around town, but never had an official introduction.”
“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you. If you ever want to try a yoga class, come see me. Bring that sister of yours, too.”
“I’d love that. Maybe I can even drag Beau along.” Izzy smirked in his direction, pure mischief in her eyes.
As much as the idea of watching Izzy doing all those moves in a pair of tight pants made his heart thunder, he didn’t relish the idea of being a part of such a class. “I’m more of a bakery guy. Was nice seeing you, Zoe.”
Zoe waved and strolled to her studio, disappearing inside.
“After you,” Beau said, letting Izzy pass before entering the cozy bakery.
Crawley’s Confections was a staple in Pine Valley and had been since his childhood. His parents used to bring him after church. Mrs. Crawley always wrote out the specials in colorful chalk on a giant board that took up most of the wall behind the display case. As soon as something sold out, she’d erase that treat and add a cute little picture in its place.
A petite woman with gray hair pulled back into a low bun and circle glasses over her milky blue eyes stood behind the counter and beamed. “Well look who’s here. Izzy Sterling and Beau Davis. Color me surprised. It’s so good to see you two together again.”
“I thought you were always happy to see me, no matter who I’m with,” Beau said, teasing the proprietor.
“Oh, you stop it, Mr. Big Shot Policeman.” She pressed her lips together and shook her head, losing her battle to hide her amusement. “And Ms. Izzy. I’ve heard you were back in town, but you hadn’t stopped in to say hello.”
Izzy scrunched up her nose. “I’m sorry I haven’t been in to see you.”
“Don’t you worry about that, Dear. Now what can I get you? If I remember correctly, you loved my chocolate croissants. And Beau, you’re always one for surprises, aren’t you?” She wagged her finger in his direction.
“You’re a mind reader, Mrs. Crawley. Add an extra croissant for Paxton, please. Can you bag it up for us?”
“Sure thing.” She retrieved a white bag then used parchment paper to pluck the goodies from the pretty cake stands and stuff them in the bag, grinning as she hid the mystery selection for Beau. “Can I get you anything else?”
