“Why the silence, Z? You usually have opinions a mile long about anything related to sports.”
Zane shrugged. “I’ve got too many other things on my mind right now.”
Max looked over at him with concern. “How’s the audit going?” he asked.
“It’s fine,” Zane said. “It’s a pain in the ass but it’s not going to be as bad as I thought it was. But getting over Sasha has been harder. I really thought she was the one. And then she was just—poof—gone just like that. And gone for another man, no less. I’m still trying to process everything. But I see reminders of her everywhere. It’s hard, man. If it weren’t for Ma, I think I’d move away for a while. But I couldn’t bear to leave Ma.”
Max nodded sympathetically. Zane’s mother was known around town as one of the kindest, strongest woman around. She had been widowed when Zane was very young and his dragon shifter father had died. Ma was fully human, but had managed to raise three spirited dragon shifter boys on her own. It hadn’t been an easy task, but she had done a pretty good job of it. Zane and his two brothers had turned out okay.
Zane drained the rest of his mug of beer, then stood.
“I’m gonna head out, boys. I’m tired, and I’ve got an early day tomorrow.”
No one argued with him. They sensed that he had reached his limit for the evening, and let him go. Zane knew they would be on his case again very soon about getting out more, but for now he was thankful for the chance to escape back to his own home. The bar was growing louder and more crowded by the moment. Usually, Zane loved the energy of this place when it was packed to its edges. But tonight, he needed solitude.
He looked over at Cassie, who was wiping down the counter, and gave her a wave goodbye when she caught his eye. Molly was gone, and Zane wondered if Cassie had agreed in the end to allow Molly’s magic show. Zane hoped she had. He was actually curious what one of her shows would be like. He’d heard from a few people who had seen the show that it was impressive. Zane smiled wryly. He could use a little magic in his life right now.
He stepped out into the balmy March evening and made his way to his truck. Then his smile deepened. He had forgotten about the note he wrote to the mystery note writer until now. But his note was gone, and a different sheet of paper had been placed on his windshield in its place. With excitement, he pulled the sheet of paper from under his windshield wiper and unfolded it, wondering what answer the mystery writer would have for him.
I am just someone who loves to see people smile.
Zane stared at the words for a moment, happy that he had received a reply but frustrated that it was so vague. What had he expected, though? Whoever was writing these notes was being incredibly secretive. Of course they weren’t going to so quickly reveal any major details about who they were. Zane thought for a moment, then hopped into his truck to grab another sheet of paper and write a note back.
Well, I appreciate the reason to smile. It’s been a tough week. Now, are you going to at least give me a clue about who you are? Just one tiny hint, maybe?
Zane tore the sheet from the notepad, then grabbed some heavy duty masking tape he had in his truck for work. He ripped off a small portion of the tape, then hopped out of the truck again and walked over to a tree that was close to the spot where he had parked. He taped up the note, hoping that the mystery note writer would see it. He wasn’t sure if he or she was still around, but the person seemed to be a fairly observant individual. Hopefully this note he had written would be found and read.
Zane took one last look at the note to make sure it was securely attached to the tree before turning to hop back in his truck and head home.
Chapter Four
Molly still had no idea how she was going to pay her mortgage this month, but she was feeling happier right now than she had in a long time. Cassie had finally agreed to let her perform her magic routine at the Hometown Bar. She was going to perform tonight, and the thought of being on stage again filled Molly with joy. The show was strictly for tips, and Molly really had no idea whether anyone would tip her or not. But it was a start. Maybe if the show at the bar went well, then she could convince one of the local coffee shops to let her do shows for tips as well. And if she could get people in Persimmon Springs to accept her and appreciate her routine, maybe some of the families here would book her for their children’s birthday parties. Kids’ birthdays were always a big deal in Persimmon Springs, and Molly would love to be one of the go-to entertainment options for birthday parties in town.
Molly bit her lower lip and chewed it nervously. She knew that so many people in town viewed her as eccentric. Was it possible that they would accept her enough, though, to overlook her weird, quirky personality and let her do her magic? She could only hope.
She also hoped that she would get enough tips to at least tide her over until she could get larger, steadier gigs. She’d wasted a lot of time trying to get more gigs in Dallas before realizing that was a waste of time. But when she accepted the reality that Dallas wasn’t working out anymore, she realized that there were a lot of small towns around here that would probably give her business, if she could just make a name for herself. She could make it through this rough spot, but she needed a little bit more time. And she needed just a little bit of money so she could at least get some groceries. She was running low on everything. And, most worrisome for her, she was running out of baking supplies. How was she going to continue baking cookies to leave as surprises on people’s windshields?
Molly couldn’t hold back a wide, silly grin. Her little random acts of kindness project had been going better than she hoped. People in Persimmon Springs were in an uproar, trying to figure out who was behind the kind notes and cookies. Molly was more careful than ever not to get caught. She was pretty good at making herself disappear. What else would you expect from a magician, after all?
But the most exciting thing to come from her little project thus far was the interest Zane had taken in it. Molly had seen how sad he appeared. He seemed to be everywhere around town, which made sense since he was one of the few electricians here. He kept himself busy, but there was a certain unsettling despair visible behind his eyes. Molly had made it her mission to make him smile as much as possible. She’d kept a careful watch out for his truck, making sure to always give him cookies and write an extra happy note for him.
Apparently, he had taken notice of her efforts. When she went up to his truck at the bar last night, she had been surprised to see a piece of paper on his windshield that was not something she had written. She wondered for a moment whether someone else had also begun performing random acts of kindness. Carefully, she looked around to make sure no one was watching her. Then she removed the paper, and opened it. She smiled when she read the simple message: Who are you?
Something about the words, written in Zane’s messy chicken scratch writing, had sent a little thrill through her body. He wasn’t exactly flirting with her. He didn’t even know who she was, or whether she was male or female. But, for the first time in a long time, a man was interested in something she was doing. Molly couldn’t help but feel excited about that. She’d written him back a coy note that gave nothing away, only that she liked to see people smile. And then she had crossed her fingers that he would write back.
He had. And although the note was short, he had, in a very small way, opened up his heart just a little bit to her. Molly stared down at his note which she clutched in her hands.
Well, I appreciate the reason to smile. It’s been a tough week. Now, are you going to at least give me a clue about who you are? Just one tiny hint, maybe?
In her other hand, she held a response she had written: I could tell you’ve had a tough week. I hope it’s getting better. As for me, I’m a woman. That’s the only hint you get.
Molly was once again hiding outside the gym where Zane liked to work out. He came here nearly every day, so she could usually count on finding his truck here. After scanning the area to make sure that there was no one else
around, she quickly ran up to Zane’s truck and put the note on the windshield. Then she returned to her hiding spot to pick up her bag of notes and cookies, which she was planning to distribute to cars in another parking lot. She didn’t want to stay in the gym parking lot too long, for fear of Zane catching her. She would come back later and see whether he had replied to her note.
Molly felt another thrill of excitement run through her as she made her way quickly away from the parking lot. She knew deep down that the idea of Zane flirting with her was ridiculous. He was just curious who was writing the notes. But, then again, Molly had always had quite a ridiculous streak. She couldn’t help but entertain the fantasy that Zane might fall for whoever was writing him the notes.
Molly sighed and frowned, slowing her pace once she had reached a safe distance away from the parking lot. This little back and forth with Zane could be really fun, as long as it was all anonymous writing. But she would never be able to actually let him know who she was. Zane was well-known in Persimmon Springs. He was popular, handsome, and a successful businessman. People looked up to him. There’s no way he would want to be seen with the town eccentric.
Molly’s frown deepened. She did her best to have a positive attitude, but it was hard to always be labeled as crazy just because she was different. What was so wrong about wearing colorful clothing, or having wild hair, or having a career that wasn’t exactly mainstream? That didn’t make her a bad person? Yet everyone here always wanted to keep her at arm’s length. Molly had no doubt that Zane would do the same, if he knew who she was. Which was why she had to be extra careful not to let him, or anyone else, discover who was behind Persimmon Springs’ sudden streak of random acts of kindness.
* * *
Zane wiped the sweat off his forehead as he hopped off the treadmill and headed for the locker rooms. This day had been hellish, but a little less hellish than the days before. He’d been insanely busy at work, which had kept him from having much time to dwell on all the problems in his life. He’d filled up the empty space with a hard workout here at the gym, and now he was going to head home and get ready to go out to the bar tonight. He hadn’t planned on going out again for a long time after last night. He just didn’t think he had the energy to be social right now. But Drake had texted him to tell him that Cassie had agreed to let Molly do her magic show at Hometown Bar tonight. Zane couldn’t resist the chance to go see the spectacle. He figured he could always leave right after the show if he wasn’t feeling up to more conversation. Zane grabbed his bag from his locker and headed out for his truck. He would shower at home today. He wanted to be alone, in his own house, with his own thoughts.
Zane breathed in deeply as he stepped outside of the gym. The spring air today smelled sweet. The dogwood trees were flowering, and new buds were forming on the perennial flowers in front of the gym that had been dormant since last year. It was a time of new beginnings. Zane let out his breath in a long, resigned whoosh. He was going through his own new beginning, though not by choice. Losing Sasha had left him reeling, and had messed up his long-term plan for his life. He was still trying to figure out where to go from here.
As Zane approached his truck, his face broke into a huge smile at what he saw. There, on his windshield, was a note. He had been hoping all day that he would come out from one of his jobs to find a note on his windshield, answering his own note from the night before. But as the day went on and he still hadn’t seen anything, he was beginning to wonder if perhaps the mystery writer hadn’t seen his note taped to the tree. Or, perhaps, the mystery writer just didn’t want to answer him. He’d told himself he didn’t care that much, but, seeing this note now and feeling the excitement that filled him, he knew that he did care. A lot. He wasn’t even sure why. Maybe he was just happy to have a distraction from the troubles of his everyday life right now. But, whatever the case, he could hardly wait to see what answer he had received. He reached for the note and carefully unfolded it, letting his eyes scan quickly over the neat, flowing script.
I could tell you’ve had a tough week. I hope it’s getting better. As for me, I’m a woman. That’s the only hint you get.
Zane read the note again a few times, his smile deepening. He’d suspected that the mystery writer was a woman. The handwriting was too flowery to belong to a man. That wasn’t much of a hint, though. It did narrow down the number of prospective mystery writers to about half, but that still left a lot of people who might be behind this fun little scheme.
Zane wanted to write back and ask if the woman was single, but he worried that might come across as too creepy or forward. So he decided to talk about himself a little bit more first, and see how she responded. He hopped in his truck, and pulled out his notepad once again.
I had a feeling you were a woman! You’re too nice to be a man, ha! As for me, my week has gotten a little better. I’ve kept busy, which has helped. But it has been tough. I’m being audited by the IRS, and my girlfriend left me at the same time. My life feels like a country song. At least that gives me an excuse to drink lots of beer and whiskey, right? I plan to do that tonight, actually. I’m assuming you’re from Persimmon Springs, so you must have heard of Molly Graham? She’s putting on a magic show at Hometown Bar tonight. I’m really curious about it. I’m going to go check it out, and drink some beer and/or whiskey while I’m at it. Now, enough about me. Let’s talk about you. Do I get another hint as to who you are?
Zane frowned down at the note. It took up the whole sheet of paper. Was it too long? Should he have kept it shorter and simpler? His frowned deepened and he rolled his eyes. Why was he worrying about this so much? Was he actually worrying about impressing someone when he had no idea who they actually were? Before he could think about it any longer, Zane hopped out of his truck and went to tape the note to a nearby tree. Then he got back in his truck and sped away to his house.
He took a long, long shower, letting the hot water run across his back for ages before he even started soaping up. This week had been so strange, and he had no idea why he was so interested in notes from a stranger. Perhaps it was good he was going to see Molly’s magic show tonight. It would give him something to think about other than when the next note might appear on his car.
Chapter Five
Molly stood in the parking lot of Hometown Bar, her heart pounding as she looked around. The parking lot was jam-packed, which made her glad. It had been a long time since she’d performed to a full house. And although the “full house” tonight was here more for the beer than for her show, it was nice to know that she would at least have a decent audience to perform to, for once.
She knew she was risking a lot by being out here right now. Her magicians outfit was bright and sparkly, and every time she moved it caught the light from the moon and the parking lot lights. It would be easy for someone to spot her right now, and, if they did, it would be pretty obvious who she was. No one else in town traipsed around wearing magician’s clothes. But Molly was determined to slip her answer to Zane’s note onto his truck before she went in to perform. She waited, still as a statue behind a large Hummer, waiting for the coast to clear. A large group of women who were already quite tipsy were gathered around one of their cars, searching for something in the trunk. Their laughter grated on Molly’s nerves. She tried not to be jealous when she saw women hanging out with their gang of girlfriends, but it was hard. Molly had wished for a long time for close girlfriends—women she could laugh with, cry with, and have fun with. But she had given up hope on ever finding that after being shunned so many times. Now, Molly wished these girls would just move on, and take their raucous laughter somewhere else.
While she waited, Molly let her eyes drop to the note she had written to Zane, rereading her neat script once last time.
I’m really sorry to hear about your girlfriend, and about the audit. No wonder you’re having a hard week. If it makes you feel any better, I think any girl who left you is a fool. Some women just don’t know perfection when it’s right in fro
nt of them. Keep your head high. I’ve found that often, our worst times are followed by our best times. And yes, I’ve heard of Molly and her magic show. I hope you enjoy the show, and the beer and whiskey. As for me, I’ll give you one last hint about me, but it’s the last hint you get, so don’t ask for any more! I have green eyes. I got made fun of a lot when I was younger for the way I look, but no one ever made fun of my eyes. They are one of my favorite things about myself. Alright, that’s enough talk for now. I hope your week continues to get better.
Molly looked up again. The group of women was still laughing and searching through the trunk. Molly wasn’t even sure if they knew what they were looking for. A few of them were acting as though they’d been drinking for hours.
“Come on,” Molly breathed out under her breath. “I need to get back inside to do my show. I don’t have all night to wait for you gals to get your shit together.”
Molly didn’t want to run in all flustered at the last second to start her performance. But she also wanted to get this note on Zane’s car before she began her show. She wanted more notes from him, and the only way to get more notes was to answer the ones he had already written. If she got this note to him tonight, perhaps she would have a response from him before tomorrow. Molly knew she was letting herself fall for Zane and his notes. She knew this was a bad idea and was only going to result in disappointment. But she didn’t care right now. She was having fun, and enjoying a bit of flirtation for the first time in ages. She was going to ride this out as long as she could keep it going.
The laughing group of women finally made their way back inside, forgetting to close the trunk of the car as they left. Molly rolled her eyes. Luckily for them, there wasn’t much crime in Persimmon Springs. You could leave your car unlocked with the keys in the ignition and odds were good that it wouldn’t be stolen. Molly looked around to make sure no one else was in the parking lot at that moment, then she quickly made her way to Zane’s truck. She left the note on his windshield, then slipped away in a blur of shimmering fabric, her heart still pounding with the hope that no one had seen her.
Lone Star Magic (Shifters in the Heart of Texas Book 3) Page 3