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“Hey, she’s one of us,” Caden quipped, then turned to Orly. “If this guy gives you any trouble, you have my number.”
She smiled, and they got ready to leave for an informal celebratory lunch at Madigan’s Bar and Grill. The day had turned out to be as perfect as Luke had hoped. As they walked out of the courthouse, he held Orly’s hand and couldn’t stop stealing glances at his beautiful bride. There were no words to describe how much he loved her.
I love you, too. She thought, meeting his gaze and picking up on his thoughts.
And I’ve never loved you more, Mrs. Luke Harmon. Just thinking of her with his name filled his heart with so much joy, Luke knew he’d never be happier or more content than he was right now.
Epilogue
FBI Agent Caden Dobbs had been on the lookout for a perfect wedding gift for his close friends for over a month now, and still hadn’t found anything he liked. As Luke’s best man, he was starting to worry he might never find the perfect gift and would be forced to get them something boring, like a gift card. Just the thought made him shake his head. He knew his friend better than that, and Orly...she deserved something unique and personal that would add to the memory of their special day.
Caden had just finished interviewing a witness at a laundromat in an ongoing drug cartel investigation involving the drug that a telepathic murderer had used to mind-jack Orly with, but he hadn’t provided any useful information.
It was just one more way Caden felt he was failing his friends.
To make matters worse, and despite his best efforts, the FBI had been forced to release Orly’s ex, Captain Russell Graham, with a stern warning to stay away from Orly Shepard, now Orly Harmon, due to the ‘he said, she said’ nature of the case.
Caden hated he couldn’t do more to protect her from the monster that had made her life a living hell, but he was more determined than ever to keep digging until he found something that connected Russell Graham to the murder of the woman Orly saw him kill, the murder of Orly’s brother, and the drug trafficking ring he was suspected of being a part of. Until then, Orly was under the protection of all his friends, and being married to Luke Harmon was likely all the protection she’d need since his best friend would kill anyone who dared try to harm even one hair on her head.
Caden walked back to his car, his head lifted to the bright light and warmth of the sun. Soaking in the rays, he was about to get into the driver’s seat when a hole in the wall shop across the street with a unique name caught his attention. The Mystic Cow. What did that sell? It was later in the day, and Caden didn’t have to be back in the office until tomorrow, so he crossed the street, curious to take a look inside.
The shop was nestled in a red brick building with a robin’s egg blue door. A large display window filled with various books, wind chimes, and other things caught Caden’s eye as he reached for the door handle. He pulled the door open and a little bell dinged overhead as he stepped inside. He inhaled appreciatively at the mix of aromas coming from various candles and incense displayed on a large shelf.
“Hi, welcome to The Mystic Cow,” a sweet melodic voice called out to him from behind a counter at the back of the store. “Please let me know if you need help finding anything.” The woman was petite, with long brown hair and bright green eyes that shone like fine emeralds. She wore a dark green blouse that made her otherworldly eyes stand out even more, and small earrings that accentuated her delicate features. If Caden didn’t know better, he’d think she was a fairy princess or some magical creature from another realm.
He swallowed, unprepared for the rush of attraction consuming his every thought. Shuffling his feet, he cleared his throat, desperate to regain his composure. “I’m actually looking for a wedding gift for my best friend and his new wife. I’ve been on the hunt for something for over a month now, and I still haven’t found anything.” Caden shoved his hands in his pockets, suddenly hyper aware of them and not sure where to put them. This was completely unlike him, and he briefly considered walking out and never coming back. Being unnerved by a woman like this wasn’t just silly, it was dangerous. He was an FBI agent. He couldn’t fall for some random woman he’d never met. He didn’t know the first thing about her.
She smiled broadly at him, her cheeks suddenly flushing with color. “We have lots of unique gift items.” She slipped off her stool from behind the counter and rummaged around the store pulling things from shelves and piling them onto a glass counter. A large wind chime with tiny glass hummingbirds and sea glass ornaments made Caden smile, thinking of Luke and Orly, but they didn’t need another one of those.
She also pulled out a large three wick candle with crystals embedded in the wax, an oversized picture album with a cover made of seagrass and seashells, and a gorgeous coffee table book of photographs from in and around Texas.
There were other items too, and it left Caden wondering how he’d never seen or heard of this place before. It sure carried an eclectic array of things. Not to mention the overfilled bookshelves lining the walls. He could spend hours in this place just sifting through the books and probably go home with hundreds of dollars in reading material.
“Wow. You really do have a lot of unique stuff,” he said. The woman gave him a warm smile that did something to his insides, spreading a kind of tingle that went all the way to the base of his spine.“Are you the owner?” He asked, wanting to make conversation and take his mind off this intense attraction that was probably making him act and sound like a fool.
“I am,” she beamed, offering her hand in greeting. “Hallie Owens, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
He took her hand in his much larger one, appreciating the softness of her milky white delicate fingers. Her nails were trimmed and unpolished, but the natural look appealed to him. She also didn’t wear a lot of makeup. Her lips were a bit glossy, and he spotted a small amount of eyeliner or mascara, but she’d done nothing to hide the light smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. He loved that she wasn’t one of those women who tried to make herself look like a fine porcelain doll. Women were beautiful just as they were. They didn’t need makeup, and they especially didn’t need to be wearing globs of it all over their face to mask their natural beauty.
He probably held onto her hand a moment too long, but he smiled and said, “Caden Dobbs. Thank you for helping me out. I really have no idea what to get them.”
“No worries,” she said with a wave of her other hand. They stood like that for a moment longer, staring into each other’s eyes as if the world around them no longer existed. Not sure what this was between them, he released her hand, and immediately missed the feel of it.
She cleared her throat, and tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear. “I have a few more things that might work. When’s the big day?” She asked, disappearing behind a tall shelf.
Caden let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.“Last month. They kind of had an impromptu ceremony so we’re throwing them a party next weekend after they come back from their honeymoon. My friends and I didn’t have a chance to get them gifts before, but I’ll feel terrible if I don’t find something for them by next Sunday.”
“That’s so romantic.” She emerged from behind the tall shelf with a smile. “I’m sure we’ll find something here, and if not, maybe you can tell me a little about them, and I’ll look into ordering something special for you from one of my catalogs.”
Caden usually shopped at malls and big outlet stores, so this personalized experience was completely foreign to him. Not that he wasn’t enjoying it. He liked it a whole heck of a lot. “Are all small shop owners as helpful as you?” He asked with a grin.
Hallie smiled with a shrug. “I think so. Let me guess, you’re a mall shopper, right?”
“Guilty,” Caden said. “Though after today, consider me a convert.”
She laughed, and the sound was both beautiful and erotic to Caden’s ears. Shit, he needed to get a grip.
“Okay,” she said. “Let’s take a look at the things I've picked out. Don’t worry if you don’t like anything. Like I said, I’m happy to help you brainstorm ideas or research something else you may want.”
