Chapter Three

 

 

 

DINA

 

After showering and getting ready for the day, Dina headed downstairs to take advantage of that continental breakfast Shelby mentioned the night before. Her stomach was growling, and she really needed her daily cup of coffee.

A framed sign on the kitchen table told her there were muffins in the bread box, and fresh fruit, yogurt, and cheese in the refrigerator. It all sounded delicious, but it was the aroma of the freshly brewed coffee that was calling her name.

She poured herself a cup, added cream and sugar, and took her first sip. She was thankful that her stomach didn’t reject the warm drink. Her belly was a little queasy, after all. She loved JT’s, but drinking like a sorority pledge was probably not the best idea.

Dina did love letting her hair down for the night and celebrating her new found freedom. She also enjoyed the company of the townspeople. And, well, she really enjoyed the time she spent with the sexy, retired hotshot.

The two had a lot in common. They were both unemployed. They were both staying at the B & B. And they were both attracted to each other.

There were so many uncertainties in her life right now, but Dina didn’t doubt Avery’s attraction.

The way he looked at her.

The way she looked at him.

There was definitely a connection.

She stared at the door to the kitchen as she sat down to eat. With each bite, she continued to watch and listen for movement. Maybe Avery was gone. Maybe he was still asleep. Either way, she was slightly disappointed he wasn’t around. She wanted to see him—to look into his eyes and see that connection again.

Instead of waiting around though, she finished eating, rinsed out her dishes and left the house for an early walk around town. If she were lucky, she might run into her new friends.

As she walked into town, Dina looked down at her feet and smiled. Her sneakers were a welcome change from her Jimmy Choos the night before. Those beauties were so beat up now she was sure she’d never be able to use them again. In her Sketchers, she didn’t have to worry about breaking an ankle or falling flat on her face. Her soles and toes felt like she was walking on pillows.

Her first stop was Read Between The Lines. She loved her Kindle more than anything, but being in Hope Falls made her want to ditch the digital world and hold a real book in her hands. Dina picked up romance after romance, running her fingers over every cover, feeling the texture of the embossed titles and the smooth finish on others. She opened each one and smelled the pages. The scent was nostalgic. When was the last time she picked up a real paperback? Or the last time she had time to browse through a bookstore? She could really get used to all this free time.

A few hours passed before Dina walked out of the store with Katie’s latest children’s book to get signed for her little cousin and a few romance novels, too. She would have picked up Katie’s new happily ever after, but the store was out of stock. It would have been fun to read her sexy scenes and tease her as if she had read her diary. Although Casey had ensured everyone over and over that he was not the inspiration for Katie’s hero—unless the guy was hung like a horse and lasted two hours, of course.

Once again, Dina found herself with a grumbly stomach. The long walk must have kicked in her appetite so she made Sue Ann’s Cafe the next stop on her tour of the town. It was only a short distance to the cafe as she soaked in the sun and the light breeze. It was perfect out—not too warm and not too cold. Everything about Hope Falls made Dina feel like Goldilocks. Everything was just right.

Dina was pleasantly surprised to see Katie and Shelby sitting at a table inside Sue Ann’s.

“Hey, Dina!” Katie shouted. “Come over and join us.” Her new friend waved her over excitedly. It made her smile, to see someone so happy and enthused. She was so used to being surrounded by people with their noses in portfolios and paperwork. At work, people didn’t pass each other with smiling faces and a skip in their step. They rushed from office to office, meeting to meeting, taking care of project after project. There was little time to sit around, smile, and chat.

She welcomed the change of scenery and the change of pace.

“Good morning…I mean, afternoon, ladies.” Dina sat in the empty seat next to Katie. “How’s it going?”

“Great,” Shelby said. “I’m glad you caught us. We try to meet at least once a week for lunch and gossip.”

Dina picked up a menu and started scanning it. “Sounds like fun. Care to share the buzz?”

“Oh, honey, these two have been talking about the new girl and the new guy in town,” Sue Ann said as she put a glass of water on the table. She paused, giving Dina a good look up and down. “Well, now, this is uncomfortable. You’re not from Hope Falls, so you must be the new girl.”

Dina felt her cheeks warm. So they were talking about Avery and her. Her interest was definitely piqued. “How about you give me the insider scoop, a BLT with some fries, and a Diet Coke?”

“Let me get your order in, and I’ll be right back with the dirt.” Sue Ann winked at Dina before she turned to walk away.

The other two ladies let out a chuckle, but Dina narrowed her eyes at each of them. “So what’s the story? Did I do something to embarrass myself last night? Please tell me I didn’t have a momentary lapse in judgment and memory.”

Katie shook her head. “No. No. No. You’re fine. We were just talking about how much of a coincidence it is that both you and Avery, two very single people, were staying at the B & B.”

Dina arched a brow in Shelby’s direction. “So you’re trying to tell me single men and women don’t stay at your place?”

She scrunched her nose. “Not exactly.”

“Well, what makes us so special?” Dina asked.

Just then, Sue Ann placed a soda in front of her. “Chemistry, my dear. I heard the two of you were oozing more chemistry than the science Olympiad team at the high school. And that’s a lot. Those kids are a bunch of nerds.”

Dina stared at Sue Ann with her mouth gaping open. It was silent for a beat before they all started laughing.

“Sue Ann,” Katie said, “you are too much, my friend.”

Dina didn’t know Sue Ann, but the older woman looked pretty satisfied with herself. “Thanks for sharing. I never did well in science, so I’m feeling a little accomplished right now.”

“From what I hear, you should feel a lot accomplished,” Sue Ann said. Dina noticed Katie giving her the look. “What? Just sayin’,” she called out as she left their table for another.

“So,” Shelby began, “how about them Dodgers?”

“I heard they’re on a four-game winning streak,” Katie told her.

Dina watched as the two of them tried to keep a straight face. It lasted all but two seconds before they all started cracking up.

“Okay, really,” Shelby said. “We could see the chemistry.” She leaned in, her eyes focused on Dina. “Did you feel it?”

This is what it must feel like to be in a fishbowl, Dina thought. She didn’t turn around to check, but she wouldn’t be surprised if Sue Ann was also nearby trying to hear her answer.

If her face was warm before, it was now scorching with heat. She was sure she was beet red. “I did.”

Shelby let out a whoop. Katie started clapping and bouncing in her seat. And Sue Ann could be heard from behind saying, “Yes!” Dina could imagine that exclamation with a fist pump.

“So what are you going to do about it?” Katie asked, rubbing her hands together.

Dina could feel her eyes widening and the back of her neck starting to sweat. “Slow down there, Tiger. I just met the man yesterday.”

Katie slammed her hand on the table. “Tiger? What’s with everyone calling me names? Bug. Bear. Now, tiger.”

What in the world? Dina felt like she was missing something.

Shelby chuckled. “It’s because you’re so cute, Katie kangaroo.”

Katie stared her friend down. “Really, Shelb. Really?” Then, she flipped her friend the bird.

“I couldn’t help myself.” Shelby laughed again. “Now, back to the real issue. Dina, this is Hope Falls. Love prevails here. And hot guys get scooped up as fast a sundae on a sweltering day. Avery is five-alarm-fire—H. O. T. He won’t stay on the market for long.”

Dina was coming to the realization that her new friends were batshit crazy. But, Shelby was right. Avery was hot. Chocolate fudge sundae with brownies, whipped cream, and cherries on top. H.O.T.

She needed to figure out something.

 

 

 

AVERY

 

Now that Avery finally had the time to catch up on years of lost sleep, his internal clock was like a rooster waking him up at the crack of dawn. He stared at the ceiling for a good half hour before he rose to use the bathroom. He went back to bed and closed his eyes, but it was no use. He was not going to get any more shut eye.

Eventually, Avery got dressed for a run and headed downstairs. He paused in front of Dina’s room along the way and listened. He was hopeful, but he didn’t hear a thing. What was he thinking? It was just after six, and after all she had to drink last night, he was sure she’d be sleeping in past ten. Silently, he laughed at himself. Why was he so sure about what she’d do? He barely knew the woman. Still, it didn’t stop him from thinking about her.

He ran for about five miles before he stopped in front of the local fire house. Again, he laughed silently. Of all the places to go, places to run in Hope Falls, Avery had come to a halt there.

He didn’t go in. It was a small station, but he could see it was well stocked and manned. It had to be for their location and terrain. He stood there, admiring the truck, the engine, the damn building.

Avery couldn’t believe how much he wanted to waltz right in there and sit down with the guys for breakfast. Maybe whip up some ham and cheese omelets and his famous hash browns.

He couldn’t do that, though. He was an outsider. It wasn’t his place. It wasn’t his home. He looked around, took in the scenery, and wondered if it could be. Living out in the middle of nowhere wasn’t his cup of tea anymore, but staying here…in this small town? Maybe it could be.

“Hey, bro!”

Oh shit. Avery had been caught. He tried to turn tail and keep walking, but his name was called.

“Avery. Dude. Wait up!”

He could hear the footsteps smacking on the pavement, so he turned around again.

“Oh hey, Casey,” Avery said. When Casey got within reach, they shook hands. “What’s up?”

“Not much. It’s pretty slow. We can have months of doing jack squat and out of nowhere, the shit hits the fan. You know how it goes.”

“Yeah. I do.” And for the first time, he missed sitting around waiting for something to happen. The inner monologue started and he begin to question his retirement. Avery seriously wanted to karate chop his own ass. Dude, it’s done. You quit. Or retired. Or whatever the fuck.

“Come on in,” Casey said. “I’ll introduce you to the guys. That’s if you don’t mind them asking you a ton of shit about your old job.”

Avery shook his head and followed Casey up the path to the garage bay. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and prepared himself to join the guys. He didn’t know what to expect—a warm welcome or a bunch of sneers. Not all firefighters took kindly to hotshots. Probably had something to do with the name. Firefighters are arrogant by nature. It comes with the job. Hotshots are on another level, if he was being honest. They had to be. He tried to choke back that pretentious smug that was often associated with his kind, and he didn’t puff out his chest as much. He wondered if the local guys would do the same or if they’d want to square up for an old-fashioned pissing contest.

Casey introduced him to Eli first who was just as friendly as Casey was the first time he met him.

“Hey, man. I’ve heard a lot about you,” Eli said. “Welcome to our place. Mi casa es su casa!”

“Thanks,” Avery told him. “It feels good to be back in a familiar place.”

Casey and Eli seemed to share a look, telling each other something with their expression.

“We’ll have to keep that in mind,” Eli told him, but didn’t hint at anything else.

Avery spent the next few hours talking to the men and taking a tour of the house. He’d be lying if he said it didn’t feel good to sit on the back of the truck and look out on the town. He may have retired from the big leagues, but this was his life. It was his home. Maybe settling down in a small firehouse was what he really needed, but the chances of finding a job like this was highly unlikely. These guys were lifers. You had to wait until someone left town or died before a spot opened up. Well, at least he now knew what he might be looking for besides someone to spoon in the middle of the night. He was not going to find that at the firehouse so he went on his way.

He was jogging back to the B & B when he recognized a particular redhead walking ahead of him. He slowed his pace as he approached her, calling out her name so he wouldn’t scare her. He knew that women got particularly alarmed when they could hear footsteps behind them.

She turned around and smiled. “Hi there, good lookin’. How’s it going?”

Good lookin’, huh? He wasn’t going to complain. “Not too bad. I just ran into Casey and spent most of my day at the firehouse with him and the rest of the guys.”

“Can’t stay away, right?”

“It’s like a gravitational pull. It keeps sucking me right back in.”

She tilted her head back and closed her eyes. “God, I hope I don’t have that problem with work. The last thing I need is to get sucked back in.”

“Where are you headed?” Avery asked.

“To the house,” she said. “You?”

“The house. Mind if I join you?”

“Not at all.”

They both headed back on the path to the B & B, and it didn’t take long for the conversation to spark back up again.

“So what don’t you like about your job?” he asked her. Avery could see the frustration in her face when she mentioned it earlier. It definitely piqued his curiosity.

“For the last decade I’ve worked at a marketing firm. I was straight out of college when I got hired. I had this fire to be successful. I worked hard and moved up the ladder. The higher I climbed, the more my life revolved around my career. I didn’t have much of a life to speak of. If I wasn’t at the office, I was working at home or meeting clients for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I can’t remember the last time before today having a meal without discussing a proposal. I just got tired of it.”

“What do you mean by that? Did you quit?” It sure sounded like it. The longer she spoke, the faster it came out without all the frustration he saw in her eyes moments ago.

She let out a long deep breath. “I sure did. Just yesterday. It’s my parents’ twenty-fifth anniversary in two weeks. The big silver wedding anniversary, and my boss scheduled a huge weekend meeting with a multi-million dollar client.”

“And he expected you to ditch your parents?” he added.

“He sure did.” She glanced up with a weak smile. “Five years ago, I might have called my mom and told her I couldn’t make it. Now, I’m way past all the bullshit at work. I’m getting old and I need my family. Hell, I need a family of my own and it sure isn’t going to wait for me to come home at midnight or miss out on soccer games and bake sales. I don’t want to be that kind of woman in the future.”

Avery didn’t know what propelled him to do it, but he reached out and hooked his arm around her, with his hand on her shoulder. He gave it a gentle squeeze and left it there. “What kind of woman do you want to be, Dina?”

She stopped walking and turned to face him. His hand slid down her shoulder to her side and rested on her hip. Again, she looked up at him, her green eyes locked to his. Her mouth turned up in the corner, a little smirk on her lips. “I want to be loved. I want to love. I want to have kids, a dog, a house and a swing-set in the backyard. I want a regular old nine to five job so I can be the best damn mom and wife I can be.” She smiled, her eyes puddled with tears. “It’s really that simple. Isn’t it?”

 

 

 

DINA

 

Dina lowered her eyes. She couldn’t believe she had just spilled her guts to Avery like she had. It was now or never, she thought. He was either going to run or stay put. If he stayed, she’d be tempted to stand on her toes and kiss him again. On his lips this time.

When he didn’t move, she tilted her head to get a look at him. There was a grin on his face that started at his lips and reached all the way to his eyes. It was a confident smile, one that said I’m experienced and I understand. He winked, and she felt that little gesture all the way to her toes.

“Sounds simple to me.”

If they weren’t out in broad daylight in the middle of town, she may have very well stripped off her clothes and jumped in his arms. Instead, she leaped on her toes, leaned close to him, feeling the warmth of his breath on her cheeks and…and…fell flat on her feet again. She wanted to kiss him. She did. But Dina wasn’t entirely ready to go down that road. One small conversation and confession shouldn’t get her panties wet and make her do things she wasn’t ready for. Or maybe she was ready, but damn it all to hell, she had only known the man for less than twenty-four hours. She couldn’t go kissing every man she met when he listened and smiled at her like she was the only woman alive.

She couldn’t do that. Could she?

“Thank you,” she said to him.

“For what?”

She didn’t answer right away. She turned on her heels and began walking again. It was a slow stroll, but he matched her pace and dawdled with her.

“Thanks for listening. For not judging me and making me feel like a failure for ditching my job and wanting more.”

She could hear a loud breath come from Avery. She looked over as he exhaled, his chest heaving down. He peeked over at her, too, and smiled. “Why would I judge you? I did the same thing. I quit my job because I didn’t see myself having a life outside of work if I didn’t. I don’t want to grow old alone. I want to grow old with someone to talk to, someone to take walks with, and someone to eat ice cream with before we go to bed. I just didn’t see that happening in my line of work.”

To hear him say those things stirred up all sorts of feelings in her belly. The butterflies took off soaring, diving, and fluttering around. It was like she and Avery mirrored each other in their aspirations. They both wanted the same things and took a big leap of faith to go after it. It amazed her that they both ended up in the same place at the same time wanting the same things. Was it a coincidence? Or was it fate?

In the corporate world, there wasn’t anything that was left up to fate. You had a goal. You articulated a plan. And you moved mountains to make sure you made it happen. You didn’t go out on a whim, cross your fingers, and hope for the best. Everything was calculated.

Boy, had things changed so much overnight. Her life was so different now. She breathed a sigh of relief.

It was better.

“I’m trying to comprehend how you can’t have both your job and a family. You’re telling me the average hotshot doesn’t get married and have lots of firefighting babies?”

Avery stopped walking suddenly. When she turned back to him, he was standing with his hands on his hips and a brow arched up at her. “Dina, I am not your average hotshot.”

Dina let her head fall back with laughter. “Oh, my. Does someone have a major ego or what? I’m surprised you can balance that big old head on your shoulders.”

He chuckled right along with her as they continued back to the B & B. “Okay, fine. Most hotshots do, but I’m not gonna lie. It does wear on a relationship. And with the experiences I had, I didn’t want to take the risk. Ultimately, what’s important to me has changed. When I was younger, I wanted to be a badass. Now that I’m getting up there, I don’t need that high anymore. I don’t need to be the boss.”

“It’s crazy how similar our lives are. Our stories are pretty much the same. We could exchange a few details and they overlap.”

“Yeah, it is,” he told her. “Crazy.”

 

 

 

AVERY

 

When they got back to the B & B, Avery was at a loss for words for the first time since he met Dina. He still wanted to spend time with her. He was just unsure about how to go about it.

He opened the door for her and allowed her to go inside first. He was stalling, biding time for some idea to pop into his head and spill out of his mouth.

“Got any plans for the night?” she asked.

Thank God, he thought. “Only if you count reading a book on the patio out back.”

“That sounds lovely,” Dina said. “Want some company? I promise not to read my book aloud. I won’t be a distraction.”

Somehow he doubted that. All she had to do was breathe and it distracted him. When he looked at her, her green eyes gazing back at him and her long red hair flowing past her shoulders, it was plenty to keep his mind racing with all sorts of thoughts. Distraction was an understatement when Dina was around. He couldn’t think of anything or anyone else.

“It’s a date,” Avery said. He realized how it sounded, and he didn’t care. He wanted it to be a date. “How about I make us some dinner before we head outside to enjoy the view?”

“Sounds like a date.” She smiled wildly, her dimples winking at him.

“Shall I pick you up?” He smiled back.

“Knock at my door around six?”

“At six,” he told her. “I’ll see you then.”

She waved at him and then headed up the stairs. He watched until she was out of sight.

He looked around for someone to confirm what had just happened.

He had a date.

Son of a bitch.

This place was haunted.

 

 

DINA

 

Just like Avery had promised, he knocked on Dina’s door at six o’clock sharp. When she opened it, her eyes traveled from his broad chest all the way to his dreamy eyes. He smiled and goosebumps erupted all over her body. For a second, she thought about how she’d spent over an hour shaving her legs only to have her hairs sprout at one tingly sight of him. It didn’t matter. Standing there, inhaling his fresh, manly scent and taking in the amazing view was well worth it.

“For you,” he said, holding out a single stem hot pink daisy.

“Oh, wow,” she said, completely surprised. “This color is so beautiful. So vibrant. I love it.”

“I hoped you would.”

Her brows furrowed. “What woman wouldn’t?”

She left him for a second and stepped back into her room. She placed the flower on her pillow and returned.

“That’s sweet,” he said, pointing at her bed.

“So are you.” She patted him on the cheek and then hooked her hand around his arm. “Shall we?”

The two of them came down the stairs and went into the kitchen.

Dina was amazed by the time and effort he had put into dinner. The table was set with real plates and silverware, placemats, and candles. This was a welcome change from her last date that included eating bad Chinese food out of a carton with a spork.

“Everything looks amazing,” she said as she got closer. Their dinner was already on the table and it looked absolutely delicious.

“Thank you,” he said. “I love to cook, but rarely had the chance to branch out beyond meat and potatoes at work.”

“Meat and potatoes would have worked on me, too.” Dina sat down when Avery pulled out a chair for her.

“Noted,” Avery said as he sat across from her. “For next time.”

“Or maybe I’ll cook next time.” Dina smiled. “I make the best quesadillas.”

Avery’s eyes opened wide. “Cheese and a tortilla. How hard can that be?”

“Timing and temperature is everything. You have to heat each side to precisely one hundred and thirteen degrees for thirty two point four seconds or else it’s a disaster.”

There was silence. Avery’s jaw dropped as he gave her a blank stare.

Dina began to laugh. “I’m so joking. I’m the worst cook ever. When it’s my turn to cook, you’re going to be stuck with Chili Cheese Fritos and Dr Pepper.”

Avery shook his head with laughter. “I thought you were a little cuckcoo for a minute there. I was about to call Shelby and let her know I was going to check out.”

“Ha ha.” Dina chuckled. “I totally got you.”

Chatter volleyed back and forth between them in between bites of deliciousness. Dina was in love with his cooking skills. Each bite of chicken melted in her mouth. At one point, she actually moaned as the white wine sauce hit her tongue.

“That good, huh?” he asked.

“Times a million.”

When they were done eating, Dina sat back in her chair and patted her belly. “Oh my God,” she said. “I haven’t eaten that well in a long time. I have a total food baby happening.”

Avery planted his elbow on the table and rested his chin in the palm of his hand. He smiled at her as he watched her massage her food baby. “You are too cute.”

“I just woofed down dinner like a teenage boy after football practice. There is nothing cute about that.” She sat forward now and rested her own chin in her hand. “But, thank you.”

“It was fun watching you woof it down, Dina.” He laughed. “You seemed to really enjoy it.”

“I swear work completely took over my life and that included my meals. I would go to fancy restaurants and barely take a few bites. It was all about the bottom line, not enjoying your food. Other times it was about eating an apple to get some nourishment in.”

“That sucks,” Avery said. “Who wants to work in that kind of environment?”

“Not me. Obviously.” Dina couldn’t help smiling, knowing she made the right decision. “Want to know the worst part?”

Avery nodded.

“My office was very particular about the kind of food that was brought in. It had to be very bland if you were going to eat at your desk. Heaven forbid if you ate anything with an odor, or you’d get a good scolding.”

“Sounds a little uptight to me,” he said.

“Tell me about it,” she told him, rolling her eyes. “I need my comfort foods. I love me a small bag of Chili Cheese Fritos and a Dr Pepper Big Gulp. But I wouldn’t dare bring that into my office.” Dina paused, considering how much she should tell him, but the look on his face eased her. He appeared so interested—and entertained. “Whenever I was having a particularly stressful day, I’d take my break in the alley near my building and shovel down my snacks. I was like a chain smoker, dousing my hands with sanitizer and chewing gum to cover up the scent before I went back in. What kind of life is that?”

“A horrible one. A life where you have to hide your Fritos and D.P. addiction is not a life worth living.” His tone was serious at first, but the man couldn’t keep that straight face too long without a chuckle.

“Mocking my Fritos and Dr Pepper, huh?” Dina nodded her head, kiddingly. “You just wait. I’m going to be stuffing my face one day and you’re going to want me to share.” She wagged a finger at him. “And I’m not going to give you any.”

Avery raised a brow at her last comment. A blush spread across her cheeks when she realized how it came out.

“Food!” she shouted. “I’m talking about food.”

The two of them laughed aloud, big belly laughs filling the room.

Dina couldn’t contain her smile. Her cheeks hurt, but she didn’t care. She was so happy it was unbelievable.

Yesterday, she thought she wanted to sit in her office and cry after her she found out she was going to have to miss her parents’ party. Then, something came over her. She gathered her ovaries, and waltzed back into his office and told him he could take his job and shove it up his ass. On her way out, she ran into her co-worker and when he told her she’d regret her choice to leave, she told him to fuck off and if she never saw him again it would be too soon.

How her life had changed overnight. If someone had told her she’d be sitting across from the most beautiful man she’d ever seen and sharing a delicious meal and amazing conversation, she would have laughed her ass off.

Now, she felt like she should buy a lottery ticket. Her luck was finally turning around.

 

 

 

AVERY

 

Damn, she was adorable. Fritos and Dr Pepper. Who was this woman? He was so pleasantly surprised when she cleared her plate. At one point, she actually swiped her finger in the sauce and licked it off. She continued to blow him away with her stories and her appetite.

It shouldn’t have shocked him one bit when they went on the patio to relax and read that she was holding a book with a half-naked man on the cover. They sat down next to each other on chaise lounges, with only two glasses of wine on a small table between them.

He glanced over at her book and rolled his eyes.

“What?” she said, staring down at it.

“Really?” he asked. “That’s what you feed your mind with?”

She fluttered her brows at him. “Oh yeah.”

He shook his head with a chuckle. “I’ll just be over here reading an autobiography by one of our world leaders.”

“Auto, my ass,” she said. “You think that politician wrote any part of that book? I bet he didn’t even write the dedication.”

He smiled. “Probably not.”

“I bet you’d be more entertained with my book.” Again, she fluttered her brows. “You know, a lot of men have said reading romance novels has done wonders for their love lives.”

He shrugged. “Maybe I should give it a chance.”

Dina pouted, her bottom lip sticking out. “Struggling in the romance department?”

Avery reached across the table and put his hand on hers. He brushed his thumb back and forth over her fingers. “I don’t know. How am I doing?” He smiled inside when she tightened her grasp, holding his hand.

“I’d say you don’t need the book.”

 

 

 

DINA

 

Dina could have stayed outside all night with Avery, stealing glances at him and reaching out to touch his hand every so often. She would have loved to keep holding his hand, but it wasn’t practical while they were reading.

As it got later, and they started to doze, they both gave each other a look conceding that it was time to go in. Dina gathered their books and blankets while Avery collected their wine glasses and brought them inside. Together, the two rinsed their dishes and loaded the dishwasher before heading upstairs to their rooms.

Dina wasn’t sad or disappointed for the night to end. She was more than content with the evening they had spent together. She had come to Hope Falls for happiness, for peace, and that’s exactly what she had gotten.

Maybe Katie was onto something when it came to this haunted house. If it was… haunted… she wouldn’t run away, wouldn’t be scared. She would embrace all that it had to offer, because she had truly never been happier than she was right now, looking up at Avery and gazing into his hazel eyes.

A subtle grin spread across his lips. She wanted to kiss those lips.

She watched them while he spoke to her. She watched as they got closer and closer to her own. But just like the first night when he walked her back to her room, their lips didn’t meet. He kissed her on the cheek this time, lingering along her jaw and then said, “Goodnight.”