Thinking about the hot chocolate reminded her that she would get to see Devin again the next day at the festival. Even though she would have absolutely loved to have seen him sooner than that, she did have a shop to run and a favor to return for Valerie. It was only fair after she made her friend stay for the closing shift when she was obviously way too tired.
Yet, if she had a chance to do it all over again, she would have still traded shifts for the chance to spend time with Devin. She just couldn’t press her luck too far.
Chapter Six
Devin, Aaron, and the other officers from the department spent most of their morning setting up barriers around Main Street and making sure that traffic would be smoothly redirected down Johnson Avenue and other surrounding streets so the community had their space for the day.
Main Street was much like Johnson Avenue, except wider and the older buildings were occupied by lawyer and doctor offices instead of restaurants and boutiques. Though it couldn’t be considered the commercial side of town, it certainly had a different energy. The red brick sidewalks were lined with benches and short trees skirted with iron fences to keep anyone from trying to climb them. Almost twice the amount of traffic passed down Main Street compared to Johnson Avenue, but there were significantly less pedestrians to worry about.
Just beyond the overhangs in front of the offices, businesses, and organizations from all over town came together and set up their booths. A bouncy house had been blown up at one open end of the street and kids of all ages flocked in that direction. One overjoyed cop had the privilege of monitoring the play place for the entire day, and Devin didn’t envy him.
Other booths had games set up and there was a stage where a local band performed at intervals throughout the day. When the sun went down, a costume contest would be held for the scariest, cutest, and most intricate getups. Many teenagers, kids, and even adults, were already in their costumes and it wasn’t past noon.
A barbeque restaurant had moved their smoker to Main Street and was selling their pulled pork sandwiches while some booths were giving out canned sodas. Devin could smell the smoky, savory aroma of the cooking meats and he could hear his stomach rumble over the roar of the cars he was directing into designated parking spots. He and Aaron were just two of the cops on parking duty. The rest were on the south side of Main Street where all the food was.
Two things were making him extraordinarily grumpy. One, he didn’t get his coffee that morning – at home or at Perfect Books and Brews. Two, he hadn’t eaten since he and Aaron grabbed a donut from Mrs. McRae’s on their way to start prepping for the event. He was tired, hungry, and eager to see Krystal at her booth. Instead he was stuck waving his arms at families packed into their SUVs and giggling high school girls who weren’t paying attention to where they were going. Most people had the sense to walk to Main Street instead of drive, but the crowd of vehicles was becoming a little more than they could handle.
“Hey,” Aaron said as he walked up. Devin was busy waving on a couple in a sedan. “Do you think you could run down and grab us a couple of sandwiches?” he asked, slipping a ten dollar bill to his partner.
This was just the excuse he was looking for. “You sure you’ve got this?”
“Yeah, I’m going to start directing them to Lola Lane now. I can’t remember it being this insane last year.”
Devin clapped him on the back. “If you’re sure you’ve got it,” he said, taking the ten from Aaron.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Take your time,” Aaron called over his shoulder as Devin hustled toward the north opening onto Main Street. “I think Krystal’s booth is set up in front of the dentist office.”
Good to know. He couldn’t exactly remember which brick office front that was, but he was sure to pass it on the way to the barbeque stand. He kept his eyes peeled, searching for Krystal’s black bangs and listening for her bubbly laugh through the din of the crowd.
When he reached just about halfway down the street, he wondered if he had passed it. Devin couldn’t even tell which office was which behind the fall decorations of hay bales, stuffed scarecrows, comical animated monster cutouts, and big business banners. The bobbing heads, some half concealed by ghoulish masks didn’t help either. It was completely possible that the entire town had turned out for this evening. He had been to festivals and fairs in Boston, but it seemed that Goldcrest Cove took their community dedication to a whole new level.
Finally, he relented and decided to ask someone. Surely if he said Krystal’s name, they’d know exactly who he was talking about. At the very least, he could ask where the Perfect Books and Brews booth was and they’d be able to point him in the right direction.
He found a colorfully decorated booth where children were picking out plump pumpkins from a massive mountain piled on the back of an old fashioned wagon cart. The booth for Green Man Nursery was covered in ivy vines – probably artificial – and what seemed like a thousand different kinds of flowers sticking out of stacked hay bales around the table where the owner of the nursery was sitting. With half a dozen bright pink orchid blossoms pinned in her short, messy brown braid, she smiled and watched the children and their families choose. He couldn’t help but notice how her bright blue eyes contrasted so starkly with her hair.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” he began. “Can you tell me where Krystal Hayden has her booth set up?”
The woman looked up and her eyes went wide. “She’s not in any trouble, is she?” she asked, her voice so soft that he could barely hear her over the gleeful squeals of the children.
“No, not at all,” he replied. “I just need to find her.”
The woman pointed further down the street. “She’s three booths down on the other side of the street.”
Devin gave her a grateful nod and moved away. As if by pleasant chance, the crowd parted just enough for him to have a straight shot to where Krystal and Alexa were passing out cups of steaming hot chocolate. When his eyes locked on her, his footsteps quickened instinctively.
“Fancy meeting you here,” he said with a grin as he stepped up to the booth. The two girls, who had been in the middle of a good laugh, looked up.
Alexa cast a furtive glance to her friend before moving away. “I’m going to go see about getting more water,” she said before bending behind the table to pick up one of those bright orange water coolers that athletes used.
“Do you need help with that?”
But it was too late, she was already lifting it and waddling off down one of the alleys in between the stretches of old office buildings. This left him and Krystal alone to talk. Though, how alone could they possibly be on Main Street during one of the biggest community events of the year?
“Everyone really went all out on the decorations,” he said, slipping his thumbs through his belt loops.
Krystal looked especially pretty that day in her dark green dress and beige sweater. She leaned against the table top between the tub of chocolate powder mix and stacks of cups. “Yeah, it really brings people together, you know?”
“I can see that,” he laughed, looking around to the throngs of families. “I almost couldn’t find you. Luckily, the lady at the Green man Nursery booth pointed me this way.”
“Oh, that’s Taylor. She’s real sweet. She’s big into helping everyone out. The church is using her pumpkins for the carving contest later, and she helped decorate some of the booths with her flowers. In fact, this is her hot chocolate mix.” She tapped on the tin container. “Well, a part of it anyway. She grows a lot of herbs, not just plants and flowers.”
His naturally curious mind drove him to pop the lid of the container and take a sniff. It definitely smelled like powdered cocoa, but there was a distinct hint of something he couldn’t quite name. “Smells great. I’ll have to grab two cups on my way back from getting some barbeque.”
Krystal groaned. “It’s killing me not to go grab some. Have you had Mr. Coleman’s barbeque before?” When he shook his head and s
miled, totally entranced by her vivaciousness despite the long day they must have had already. She reached out and grabbed his arm excitedly. “You’re going to love it. His wife still won’t give me the secret recipe, but it’s absolutely amazing.”
“Is she as secret about her recipes as Mrs. Pazzini is about her lasagna sauce seasonings?” Krystal smiled. “Just about.”
He took her hand in his, and just as he suspected, her skin was ice cold. “You should be wearing gloves. It’s at least fifty-five degrees out here.”
Then, as if his touch were the key ingredient to helping produce her own body heat, her hand grew instantly warmer. He didn’t think he could transfer that much.
“Oh, I’m all right,” she giggled. “Handling these hot cups all morning is helping me stay warm.”
Despite the seemingly magical turn in her skin temperature, Devin sandwiched her hand between his and rubbed briskly to get more blood flowing to the surface. “So, when can I whisk you away from here?”
Krystal smiled that sexy, flirty smile she did just before returning his banter. “I think you may have to arrest me. That’s the only way I can leave the booth with good reason.”
He shot her a scheming look. “Well, it’s a good thing I brought handcuffs then, huh?” “You wouldn’t,” she said, her words laced with a challenge.
Devin chuckled. “No, I wouldn’t. That’s too much paperwork. I’ve been patient so far. I think I could wait a few hours. When is this wrapping up again?”
The smile faded and Krystal cast a glance toward the end of the street where the stage sat. Currently, it was empty of performers or announcers. “I don’t know. When the sun goes down, it’ll get even colder and we’re going to be extra busy.”
Devin thought so. He heard someone talk about the costume contests starting around nine or ten at night. Not to mention cleanup and hauling all her hot chocolate equipment back to the shop.
She’d be busy all night and probably in no mood for any company once she was done.
“What if I came over and helped you pack up?” he asked, taking up her other hand. It was just as warm to the touch as the other had been.
A slight panic streaked through her expression. “Oh, you don’t have to do that. The three of us can get it.”
Devin let out a long breath. “You know something I don’t get?” He didn’t wait for her to guess. “You three run the only coffee shop in town, you get plenty of business that would pay for a fourth or fifth employee, but you don’t hire anyone. Why is that?”
That bit of distress returned and lingered. As if by instinct, the cop in him came out and he gave her a hard look, as if demanding the truth. He’d let little things slide, like about what her family business entailed and the secret meaning behind the tattoo on her shoulder blade, but if they were going to start anywhere, it might as well be here with the thing that meant the most to her; the coffee house.
“It’s an agreement the three of us made when we started out,” she said. “We’re all in this together. I know it sounds silly, but it’s kind of like this sisterhood pact, even though we’re all just friends. I don’t know if you can relate, but we’ve always been close. We grew up together. It happens when you’re in a small town like Goldcrest Cove. We would never hire anyone else because… we just don’t have a lot of other people we can trust to stick around and be dedicated to a dream that isn’t theirs.”
Suddenly, Devin felt foolish for even questioning her. He thought there was some other, perhaps more mysterious, reason for their seclusion. He was wrong and he could see it in her eyes that she spoke the truth. He nodded in acceptance.
“Well, I guess that means we’ll just have to work around your schedule. What about tomorrow? It’s Sunday. Do you think I can steal you away for the afternoon?”
She gave an affirming nod and immense relief was written in her smile. “Yes. We close the store early on Sundays. We only stay open until four. We did have the store closed for the whole day at one point, but there are too many churchgoers who like to come in for coffee after services.”
He could understand that. Her talk of church reminded him that he had agreed almost a week ago that he would go with Aaron to the Catholic Mass the next morning. He wasn’t a religious man, but he was being polite to his partner. It wouldn’t hurt him to sit through Mass for an hour or two anyway. At the time, he didn’t think he had anything better to do. Now, as long as Krystal was busy, he still had no reason to stay home, twiddle his thumbs, and wait for her to get off work.
“Great. Can I pick you up from your house or the coffee shop?”
Krystal debated for a moment. “Go ahead and meet me at my place around four-thirty.”
He grinned. They were finally going to go on their second date, and he knew exactly what he wanted to do. “Great. The weatherman said it would be warmer tomorrow, so I met with one of the harbor masters and he agreed to let me borrow his boat for the day. Wear something warm, but maybe bring a change of clothes, just in case.”
Devin gave her a sly wink that might as well have turned her into mush. She laughed out an agreement, though it seemed a little slurred behind the spell he had unwittingly cast over her. He’d have to use that wink more often.
“I’ll stop by again to get that hot chocolate,” he said as he released her hand. “I’ve got to run and get that barbeque. Do you want some?”
Krystal blinked and nodded. “Sure.”
When she reached under the table, he waved her off. “No, no. My treat. I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll be here.”
Devin strutted away, proud that something was finally working out for him and Krystal now. Two evenings away from her company seemed like an eternity, but he would finally get his reprieve tomorrow. Out on the water, they’d be completely alone and free to talk, to kiss, and maybe something more.
For the last forty-eight hours, he searched his heart and mind for exactly why Krystal had knocked him senseless. He was happier than he had ever been, his mind free of the guilt and torment that had possessed him since the incident in Boston. Just knowing her had shone a light into his dim world and he couldn’t imagine going a single day without seeing her. He’d willingly try every fancy coffee and tea combination they had, just so he would have an excuse to see her at the coffee shop.
More than anything, Krystal’s presence began to feel like something Devin had always tried to avoid committing to.
Home.
She felt like the closest thing to home he had ever known. Boston was big, stressful, and held too many poisoned memories. The little house that he, his father, and sister were crowded into never felt like a place he could run to for safety and comfort. He wasn’t even sure if the modest home he rented out on the north side of town could ever be home to him.
But with Krystal, he felt like he didn’t have to be the one in need of protection, nor the one who was obligated to protect anyone else. He could relax with her. That might have been the only reason he didn’t make a big deal out of being seated in the middle of the restaurant the other night. He was okay with not being in control. He could let his guard down for the first time in months.
“Did I just hear you agree to go sailing on a boat with Devin?” Alexa said as she returned with the filled water cooler.
Normally, the petite witch wouldn’t have been able to carry that sloshing load on her own strength. With a touch of subtle magic, she could carry that cooler as easily as if she were carrying a feather pillow.
“What?” Krystal asked as she shook off the last of Devin’s little mind-melting trick. As if his smile wasn’t dangerous enough, now his eyes could make her a little wet too.
“Devin. Boat. Water…” Alexa leveled a look at her. “You’re terrified of the open water, remember?”
Oh, goddess.
Krystal covered her mouth. “I didn’t,” she gasped.
“I heard it clear as day.” Alexa crossed her arms. “At least you won’t have to trade shifts with anyone.
I would hate to have to cover for you like Valerie did.”
Fear skittered through her and she could already feel her hands tremble. “What am I going to do?” she squeaked. “The last time I went out on a boat, I nearly fainted. You remember that trip to the marina when we were in elementary school?”
Alexa nodded. “Yep. You fainted and almost knocked your head on the railing, but you fell straight into Jimmy Linder and he broke your fall.”
Krystal covered her face with her hands the way she had when she had accidentally used magic right in front of Devin. She still couldn’t wish away that nervous niggling in the back of her head that someone saw her do it too. “I have to cancel on him.”
Her friend took her shoulders in a firm grip and shook her. “Look at me, sis.” Krystal did. “You are a strong daughter of Gaia, remember? The water is not your enemy. It has the power to destroy, but you are one with it and the rest of nature. It has no reason to hurt you. You can do this.”
The logic behind her pep talk was compelling, but Krystal had never claimed that title of ‘daughter of Gaia’, even though her mother tried to drill that into her head as a child. She still believed in the goddess, but whether such an ancient deity would save her from drowning was another matter entirely.
Self-delivered pep talks would have to do.
“I can do this,” she said to herself. “It’s just water and boats have life jackets, right?”
Alexa grinned. “That’s the spirit.”
Maybe she should bring plenty of wine, so she could just get drunk and forget she was on a boat at all. Then again, what if she tried to walk while inebriated, and fell overboard? She didn’t want to risk it, nor have Devin think she was an alcoholic or something.
Bewitching Fire Page 9