week sometime.”
He reached in his shirt pocket, took out a card and handed it over. “If you should need me, here’s my cell and the station number. The station’s only about two miles from here. If you can’t reach me, you can call Ranger Alice Hicks. She actually lives there and is around most of the time. Again, don’t hesitate if you need us. Or if anything else comes up.” He tipped his hat. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way. Hope you enjoy the rest of your day, Amber.”
“You too. I’ll try.”
“And welcome to the neighborhood.”
“Thank you!”
She stood there and watched him walk away. He seemed like a very pleasant guy. And she did feel better now in knowing there was someone besides Shelia that she could call if she needed to. But she really hoped she wouldn’t need to.
She decided to take a shower and get dressed. There was a little store and Shell station ten miles up the road that practically kissed the foot of Mount Rainier. She thought she’d take a drive later and acquaint her herself with the proprietor. Maybe pick up a few more things to eat, snacks mostly. Maybe they even had some magazines for her to look at until the rest of her things arrived, as she hadn’t brought any of her books with her.
She liked to read herself to sleep at night. And she’d wished that she’d had something to read when she’s been frightened out of bed so early in the morning. She picked out a red sweatshirt and jeans and headed to the bathroom for her shower.
There were five cars parked in around the little store and gas station when she drove up. She pulled up in front of one of the pumps, deciding she might as well get gas now while she was there. A bell overhead the door tinkled as she went inside. It was a typical small community establishment. A pleasant looking teenage girl with mousy-brown hair pulled back in a pony tail was behind the counter.
And a noticeably handsome guy, tall, with ash blond hair, looked to be late twenties or early thirties, was stocking a shelf with Charmin tissue.
“Hi!” the mousy-haired girl beamed. “You’re not from around here, are you?”
“Wasn’t…but I am now…”
Before Amber could say anything else, the girl continued, “You’re the one that’s moved into Martin Stolk’s old cabin, I bet.”
“About ten miles down the road, around the bend, and in the woods?”
“Yep…that would be the one.”
The blond guy stood and moved her way, extending a hand. “I’m Paul Stevenson and the nosey girl there is my sister, Judy.”
“Amber Dalziel.” She took his hand and liked his strong grip. He had a pleasant squint to his eyes that she found attractive.
His brow went up. “Unusual last name you have there.”
“From my late husband. He was of Scottish-Gaelic descent.” They released hands.
He frowned inquisitively. “Late…husband?”
She caught the flicker of surprise in his eyes. She was very young to be a widow.
“Yes…Derek was killed in an explosion where he worked at a refinery in Texas. Just a few months back. We’d been married…not quite six months. One of the reasons I moved up here…to get away from it all.”
“So sorry to hear that,” he said, apologetically. “Not that you moved up here, though,” he quickly added.
She liked his green eyes. They were almost olive and sparkled with little specks of gold. “It’s okay. Not your fault. Not anyone’s fault. Things just happen.”
He skewed his head slightly. “Yeah…unfortunately they do. Like our folks…killed in a plane crash two years ago. Now it’s just me and Judy here. Folks left us this store to run. Not much…but it’s a living.”
“Yeah…With the insurance, I was able to buy the cabin, a new car, and move up here…much to my mother’s disappointment. I’m a self-proclaimed artist,” she said, blushing slightly. “I’m financially set for awhile…so gonna take it easy…hopefully…enjoy the scenery and see if I can transfer some semblance of the beauty around here to canvas.”
“Sounds like a plan. Judy likes to draw,” he commented, eyeing his sister.
“You do?” Amber asked, attention going to the girl.
“Mostly pencil and charcoal…I’ve thought about painting…but never got around to it.”
“Maybe I can show you a few things…get you started in that direction?”
Judy’s slightly freckled face transformed from a pleasant smile to sunny. “Would you?”
“Hey…That’s really great of you to offer,” Paul noted. “Judy gets really lonesome sometimes when she’s not at school or helping me out here at the store…since our folks have been gone.”
“Yeah…I have a couple of girlfriends…but they don’t live close. So we don’t hang out real often.”
“Only most weekends,” Paul inserted.
Bugging her eyes pointedly. “When I’m not working!”
They definitely acted like brother and sister. “Well…I know I could use a new friend or two. Don’t really know anyone much, yet…My realtor, Shelia…and I just met a Park Ranger by the name of Grady.”
“Know them both,” Paul said. “Grady’s one of my very best friends…Known him since I was little.”
“Grady’s an old grump,” Judy commented.
“Not when you get to know him, sis. He just takes his job seriously. ” Paul turned to Amber. “Sorry for the arguing…We go on like this… a lot.” He made a funny, apologetic face.
“Hey…I get it. I have two sisters and a brother of my own. We still argue. I’m twenty-two and they’re all older than I.”
“That’s encouraging,” Judy said with a note of sarcasm. Then she quickly smiled at Amber. “Sorry…”
“Apology noted.”
The bell over the front door tinkled and a noticeably handsome man of medium height and dark hair entered. He was wearing a brown leather jacket over a dark blue turtleneck and had on jeans. He appeared to be around the same age as Paul. His penetrating chalk-blue eyes were manifest under his dark eyebrows. And it was obvious he was wearing boots as he clicked through the store, walking with a noticeable but attractive, self-assured swagger.
He didn’t speak but gave Paul a respectful nod and briefly glanced at Judy, who quickly looked away, and then his gaze settled on Amber as he clicked by. Tiny sparks suddenly shot from his eyes, immediately rendering her weak-kneed, disquieting her normal composure.
She was instantly uncomfortable, which he seemed to notice, for he quickly looked away and went immediately to the back and took a six-pack of beer out of the cooler and continued straight up to the counter for Judy to check him out.
Amber looked back at Paul, who was staring down at her with questioning concern. He had obviously noticed the man’s effect on her. Amber swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat and did her best to regain her composure.
“Well, I came here for gas, magazines and some snacks…” She glanced across the store and saw the display of chips. She pointed towards them. “Just what I was looking for.”
“Magazines are over there to the right of the door,” Judy said.
“How much gas you need?” Paul asked, eyes trailing the dark-haired man who had paid for his beer and was walking out the door, but keeping his eyes straight ahead, not looking at Amber again.
“Tanks about half full. I was planning on filling it up.”
“I’ll do it for you.”
“That’s very kind of you, Paul.”
He smiled slightly. “Just good business. Not too many places pump your gas for you anymore. I try to do it for my customers when I can.”
“Again…Thanks!”
“More than welcome.” He turned and went out the door, watching the dark-haired man pulling out in his red Porsche.
Amber grabbed a “People” magazine, a couple of bags of chips, some chocolate chip cookies and a pack of gum and went to the counter where Judy was looking at her inquisitively.
“That Mr. Lodovico made
you nervous, didn’t he?”
“Oh…Was it that obvious?”
“Couldn’t miss it. Thought you were going to faint for a second there. Honestly, I think he makes everyone a little nervous. Something odd about him.”
“Oh…” Waving a hand in the air, “I didn’t sleep much at all last night…and I haven’t eaten a lot. Plus I’m tired from driving for three days. He didn’t really bother me that much.”
Judy didn’t look so certain. “Well…He strikes me as being kind of weird. He never says much to anyone. None of us really know him. Besides you, he’s our newest neighbor.”
“You said his name is Lodovico?”
“Yeah…Sounds foreign…his first name’s Dorian. You know…like in Dorian Gray. Claims he’s from upper New York…Truthfully, I suspect he came from someplace else before that. He didn’t really say anything while he was here…so you didn’t hear his accent. It’s not real strong, but I think you’ll notice it if you ever hear him speak.”
“After the way he looked at me, not so sure I’m in any hurry.” She blushed slightly. “Guess he did rock my composure a little.”
The door bell tinkled and Paul came in and went behind the counter. “Just over fifteen dollars.” He picked up a bag of chips. “All this is yours, too…I gather. Since there are no other customers in the store.”
“Yep. All mine.”
Smiling warmly with that becoming little squint, he rang up her purchase. She paid him cash and he closed the register. “Glad to have you as a new neighbor, Amber.”
“I’m glad to meet the both of you.” She smiled pleasantly to Judy who was standing behind Paul on his right.
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