David was ready long before nine the next morning but knew that he couldn’t show up at the boarding house too early. But as soon as he saw Millie come out on the porch, he headed over, thinking that she was the perfect excuse for him showing up an hour early.

When she saw him coming up the walk, she said, “You’re early.”

He smiled at her and said, “Good morning to you too.”

“I hear you’re off to Marshall with that researcher woman,” Millie said patting the chair next to her.

“Her name is Michelle, and I thought you liked her,” David said, surprised to hear Millie talk about Michelle as if she didn’t like her.

“Oh, I do like her, I just forgot her name for a second,” Millie said. “The question is, do you like her?”

David knew what Millie was doing and wasn’t going to fall for her tricks. “She’s a nice woman, and I think she’ll do a good job of telling Molly’s story.”

Millie nodded her head, “Uh huh, and?”

David was saved from answering when Stephanie stuck her head out the door. “Do you want to come in for some coffee? Michelle said she’s almost ready.”

He jumped to his feet, ignoring Millie’s chuckle. “That would be great.”

When Michelle came into the kitchen not long after, she was dressed in her usual jeans and tee-shirt, the baseball cap back on her head, but he thought she’d never looked better. He opened his mouth to tell her but changed his mind.

“Good morning,” he said, instead.

“Good morning to you,” she said. “I just need to eat really quick and then I’ll be ready.”

Half an hour later, they were bouncing down the road in his truck, and he was suddenly nervous, not sure what to say. He concentrated on the road until his nerves began to calm, then said, “We don’t have to go down the mountain to get to Marshall but we we’ll have to cross the ridge.”

“I remember seeing that on the map; it should be a pretty drive,” Michelle said, her focus on the scenery. “I didn’t get to see much of this on the way in. I was too focused on the road.”

“Well, then today should be a special treat,” he said, relaxing back again the seat.

They didn’t talk much on the way to Marshall, but that was okay with David, who was just enjoying being with Michelle. When they got to town, he drove down Main Street thinking how different the busy town was compared to Gypsum Creek.

“It’s like we’ve come back to civilization,” Michelle said, echoing his thoughts.

“Yeah, Gypsum Creek looks like a ghost town compared to Marshall,” he said, looking at the fast food restaurants, convenience stores, and gas stations.

“Oh, David, I didn’t mean anything bad by that, I’m sorry. Gypsum Creek is a nice little town, just not as...” she trailed off, sure that she’d insulted him.

David laughed, “I’m not insulted. Gypsum Creek is pretty sleepy compared to Marshall, but we’re going to change that.”

“Not too much, I hope,” Michelle said.

David smiled at her. “Me too, but it might be nice to have a gas station in town.”

When they pulled up to the courthouse, David parked the truck in front of the old building and gave Michelle a minute to absorb its beauty. “There’s nothing like an old building to get me excited,” she said, getting out of the truck for a better look.

David let her look for a few minutes, then got out and joined her on the sidewalk. “I’m going to go take care of my errands. How long will you need?”

Michelle shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not sure; it depends what I find in there. It could be an hour, but I’d guess more like two or three.”

David pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. “Why don’t you call me when you’re ready to go?”

After exchanging cell numbers with David, she stepped inside the old courthouse and took a second to calm her heart. She’d enjoyed the trip to Marshall, found that the silence between them had been a comfortable one, but then she’d made that remark about civilization and was sure she’d insulted him.

She found a bench inside the entry hall and sat down to give herself a few minutes to get her thoughts together. It surprised her how much she cared about what David thought, and it made her a little bit uncomfortable. She’d promised herself that she’d start living her life only for herself, that she’d stop worrying about what other people thought.

Getting to her feet, she headed for the reception desk, promising herself that she wasn’t slipping into her old habits. She was entitled to her own opinion and if David didn’t agree, that was his problem, not hers.

It took her a bit longer to do the research, but it was worth the time it took, and when David picked her up, she was elated with what she’d discovered. “You look happy,” he said when she walked up to him.

“I am. I found most of Molly’s relatives, including a sister who moved just a few counties over,” she said, grinning at him.

“Are you going to visit her?” he asked, helping her into the truck.

Michelle laughed. “I doubt she’s still alive, but some of her family is still around.”

David laughed. “I keep forgetting that Molly died a long time ago.”

When he got into the truck and started it up, he asked, “Are you hungry? I haven’t eaten all day, and I’m starving. How does a late lunch sound?”

At the thought of food, her stomach began to growl loudly. “Now that you mention it, I am hungry. What did you have in mind?”

“I know just the place,” he said, starting the truck up and backing out of the parking space.

He drove her to his favorite place to eat in town: a converted barn that had the best food. “I try to stop here whenever I’m in town; this is the best place for burgers and fries,” he said, and when she sent him a questioning look, he added, “Trust me, you’ll never find a better place anywhere.”

Michelle looked at the old barn and the parking lot, which was full. “Well, if the parking lot is any indication, it must be good,” she said, getting out of the truck.

When they came back out of the restaurant an hour later, Michelle was groaning, “I shouldn’t have had that shake, but I’ve never had a blackberry one. I’m so full I feel like I’m going to explode, but it was worth it.”

David grinned at her. “Told you,” he said, guiding her through the parking lot to where he’d parked the truck.

They were about halfway to the truck when she suddenly ducked behind a car and crouched down, mumbling to herself. “Michelle, are you okay?” he asked, alarmed.

She looked up at him, clearly embarrassed, but didn’t get up. “Bryce is over there,” she said, pointing to the far side of the parking lot.

He looked to where she was pointing and saw a man with very blond hair, cut in short spikes wandering around the parking lot. “I saw him inside when you went to the bathroom; he acted like he was looking for someone,” David said, wondering if he should squat down next to her or pull her to her feet.

“Yeah, me,” Michelle said, mumbling curses under her breath.

David was shocked at first to hear foul words coming out of her mouth, then decided that it was cute. “Can I assume that you don’t want to see him?” he asked, still looking down at her.

“No, not now, maybe not ever again,” Michelle said. “Is he gone yet?”

David watched the man for a few seconds, trying to see him through Michelle’s eyes, but couldn’t get past the ridiculous haircut. “What’s with his hair?” he asked.

Michelle groaned. “He thinks it makes him look tough,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t know what I ever saw in him.”

“What’s he doing here?” David asked again.

Michelle had never been so embarrassed in her life, but the last thing she wanted to do was see Bryce right then, especially with David there to witness it. “I don’t know, I mean…I’m sure he’s looking for me, but I don’t know what he’s doing here in Marshall. I didn’t tell him I was going to be here.”

David looked down at her, and she knew that he was trying to decide if she was telling the truth. Finally, he looked back up then said, “He’s getting into his car, and it’s quite a car.”

Michelle rolled her eyes. “Let me guess, he drove the Porsche,” she said, hearing the engine startup.

“Oh, yeah, and that’s a lot of car,” David said, envy in his voice.

Michelle sighed; another man who was entranced by a car was just what she needed. “You men and your cars,” she said, then stood up when the sound of the engine faded away. “He spent more time with that car than he did with me.”

David looked at her. “That would never happen with me,” he said, then started for the truck, leaving her standing there open-mouthed, a thrill pulsing through her body.

By the time, she got to the truck, David was already inside with the engine running, he looked mad, but she couldn’t figure out why. “Are you mad?” she finally asked when he didn’t say anything.

“No, I’m not mad; I’m concerned,” he said, then turned to look at her. “Should I be worried that this guy came all the way up here looking for you?”

Michelle had to take a minute to think about that, hadn’t really considered what it meant that Bryce had driven all the way up here. “I’m not sure,” she finally said, her voice quiet.

They drove in silence for a while. Michelle was trying to decide if Bryce was a threat and David was imagining what he’d do to the man if he tried to hurt Michelle. But David finally broke the silence. “Do you want to tell me about him, or should I find out on my own?”

Michelle was immediately on her guard; the last thing she wanted was David poking around in her personal life. She liked things the way they were, and it wouldn’t be long before he found out who her parents were, found out that she was the only heir to a huge fortune. Not that it was doing her any good now since her parents had cut her off.

Even more concerning was the possibility that he’d trace her back to her grandmother, a woman who’d been open about her magic, a woman who’d been forced many times to leave her home and find a new one thanks to that openness.

“Oh, David, you don’t have to do that. I’m sure Bryce won’t be back,” she said, not believing her own words.

He turned to look at her quickly as he drove. “If you can look me in the eye and tell me that you really believe that, I’ll leave it alone. Can you do that?”

Michelle shook her head, knowing that she couldn’t. “My father introduced me to Bryce about two years ago,” she began, wishing that her love life didn’t have to be the topic of conversation. “We’d been engaged for a year when I broke it off to come up here. I guess Bryce isn’t ready to let me go, but I can handle him.”

“Why do I feel like I’m missing something, like there’s more to the story?” David asked, glancing over at Michelle.

Michelle shrugged her shoulders. “He and my dad have been doing business together,” she answered evasively, not about to tell David that she was Bryce’s way into the most prestigious coven in the United States.

“So, this is more about money than love?” he asked, then must have realized how harsh it must have sounded.

Michelle nodded, trying not to cry. “And appearances. I’m like that Porsche he’s driving: something to show off to his friends,” she whispered.

David pulled the truck over. “I’m sorry, Michelle,” he said, gathering her into his arms. “I didn’t mean it that way.”

Michelle let him hold her, let his strength seep into her. But as soon as she felt better, she pulled away, the desire stirring deep inside her making her want to do something stupid and kiss him.

“It’s okay. I should be used to it by now,” she said, sliding back over to her seat.