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CHAPTER6
Main Street was packedwith therians from all over Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas. I think a few might have even come in from Oklahoma, even though they weren’t a part of the Tri-State Council. The news of the murder must not have gotten out yet because no one seemed frightened or alarmed as they jovially shopped the local stores and the many craft booths set up around town.
Elton Brown smiled when I walked past his furniture shop. He was helping a non-local load up a unique hand carved side table. Some of his furniture was antique, but some he made himself. The craftsmanship on this one was special.
“That’s gorgeous, Elton,” I said as he helped the young woman close the tailgate on her small truck.
“Thanks, Chav.” His whole demeanor was more cheerful than I’d ever seen him. “I can’t believe how many custom made pieces I’m selling.” He lowered his voice. “And these people don’t mind paying for quality.”
“As they should,” I said. His happiness infected me, that and Ed being alive, gave me a sense of hope. I saw a basket full of ornate walking sticks. “Are those yours too?”
“Yes,” he said. “I’ve sold a half dozen in the past three days. I think this week is going to go a long way to paying for the new addition off the back of the store. It’ll be nice to have my workshop so close.”
“I’m glad for you, Elton. Real glad.”
“Thanks, Chavvah.” He put his hands on his hips in a very Superman kind of way. “I think things are finally turning around for me.”
“I’m glad.” I waved good-bye and headed for Sunny’s Outlook. I really didn’t want to go into the restaurant, but my need to get into my apartment for my car keys outweighed my need to avoid.
Just past the courthouse, someone shouted my name. “Chavvah!”
When I looked up, Dominic Tartan was striding toward me. He smiled, waving as he wound his way through the morning Jubilee crowd.
“Hey,” I said when he stood in front of me. I smiled, slowly raising my gaze to meet his.
Hubba,as Sunny would say. This was one handsome man. His features reminded me of a muscular, more handsome, less pretty Johnny Depp. In the bright sunlight, his eyes were the color of the inside flesh of an exquisitely ripe California avocado. They were light, opaque yellowish-green around the pupils and a darker green on the outside edge of the irises. I’d never seen anyone with that eye color. “Is it already Sunday?”
“I wish.” He hesitated and then gestured to the festivities. “Do you want to walk down to Riverfront with me and check out the Jubilee?”
“I…I don’t know.” Going with him was probably a bad idea, but I was flattered by the attention. I wasn’t sure I was ready to go back to the restaurant and my apartment yet, anyhow. Besides, Dom wasn’t playing games with me, like a certain werewolf I won’t name.
“I promise to win you a stuffed animal,” he said.
I laughed. “I don’t know how I can say no to such a generous offer.” I cocked a brow. “Throw in a corn dog and a fresh squeezed lemonade, and you got yourself a deal.”
“You drive a hard bargain, Chavvah Trimmel.” He grinned. “I like that in a woman.”
I flushed with pleasure and took his arm when he offered it. Twelfth Street to Riverfront was less busy than Main. It was a short two-block walk, but my left leg started to ache from all the activity. I hated feeling like a weakling.
“Something wrong?” Dominic asked.
“No,” I said. I didn’t want to admit to him that I hurt because that would entail telling him about my past. For Dominic, I didn’t want to be the girl who’d been kidnapped and tortured for three weeks. Right then, I didn’t want to be the girl who tripped over a body the evening before. I wanted to be the girl a guy like Dom wanted to woo. “I just got a hitch in my giddy-up. Must have slept wrong last night.” Not a complete lie.
“Well, it hasn’t taken away from your beauty.” He turned his gaze to me. “You are lovely, Chavvah. Uniquely beautiful. Your name as well.” He furrowed his brow. “Does it mean something? It sounds almost Native American.”
“It’s actually biblical,” I said with an easy smile. It wasn’t the first time someone mistook my name for something more exotic than what it was. It’s Hebrew for ‘breath of life’.”
“Are you Jewish?”
I snorted. “No, but my parents a die-hard Christians. They named my brothers and me after names they found in a Hebrew baby names book. They wanted to take it Old Testament with us.”
“It’s really lovely.”
“Thanks.” I shrugged.
Riverfront Street, the first and oldest street in Peculiar, still had the original paving laid down from more than eighty years ago. The rectangular brick-like stones gave the area an authentic old-timey charm. It made me glad the town kept this part of its history.
I saw Selena Messer holding hands with Deputy Connelly. Who would have thought two very different types of therians could be soul mates? My friend Sunny Haddock, that’s who. She’d told me about the vision she’d had of those two, and it made me warm with a strange kind of joy.
