She inhaled deeply, as did I. Standing behind her, I caught another whiff of her sweet shampoo. She smelled entirely too edible. I breathed out, trying to keep my mind on dry land and out of the gutter. “How do you feel?”
Phoebe turned, her face now inches from mine. She was nearly a foot shorter than me, but if I dipped my head ever so slightly, and she tilted her face upward… No. Wasn’t going to do that.
She ran her hand over her hip and waist. “Holy shit.”
“Better?”
“It feels fine. How did you do that?”
“Magic.”
“Well, yeah, but what kind? And why aren’t you on tour healing people from coast to coast?”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I’m good with minor aches and pains, but I’ve never cured any serious illnesses, to the best of my knowledge. It’s just energy healing.”
“You didn’t lay a finger on me, but I could feel this intense heat—like a massage, only way more effective than any I’ve ever had.”
“Some people are very receptive to energy work, others aren’t. I’m glad it made you feel better.”
“That’s an understatement. Thank you so much.”
“My pleasure.” Given how my own body was thrumming, that was an understatement.
She looked up at me, eyes wide and twinkling, and the temptation to kiss her was so strong my knees ached. She bit her lip—an act that surely took years off my life—then smiled. “I’m so relaxed I think I may actually sleep tonight. I rarely sleep my first night in a new bed.”
My senses were on overload—thoughts of her in bed, undressing for bed, doing things to help herself fall asleep in case insomnia struck. Landpervert was seeming like a more appropriate name for me.
“Get some rest. Let me know if you need anything. I’ll be ready to drive you to Speakeasy for your ten o’clock meeting. Feel free to help yourself to coffee and a leftover cinnamon roll if you’re up early. I don’t lock the doors.”
Her eyes grew comically round. “I am definitely not in New York anymore.”
“No, you’re definitely not. Seriously, just let yourself in. And don’t let Puck out. He likes to think he’s a big, adventurous hunter, but he’s really just a sappy house cat.”
“I’ll be careful.”
She turned to head out, then turned back just as I stepped forward, and we collided. A breathless laugh rushed out of her.
“Sorry,” I said.
“No, it’s my fault. I just…” Her eyes searched mine a second, then she popped up on her toes and kissed my cheek. “Thanks, Sam. You’re pretty amazing.”
I walked her to the door. “Oh, here.” I grabbed one of the flashlights on the shelf by the back door. “I’ve been meaning to replace the burned-out motion-sensor light in the back yard, but I haven’t yet. It’s pretty dark back there. Just be careful where you step.”
She flicked the flashlight on. “You’re the best Landneighbor I’ve ever had.”
I could hear her giggling softly as she walked across the yard. I watched until she was safely inside, but I could still feel her presence. Her scent seemed to linger, as did her touch, her lips ghosting across my cheek again, her laughter dancing in the night breeze. I am seriously losing it. I need to snap out of it.
I felt more alive than I had in years.
7
Phoebe
Nervousness had my pulse racing from the moment I stepped out of Sam’s Chevy Tahoe. I’d woken up more rested than I expected and excited about seeing the restaurant space. Sam had greeted me with a full pot of delicious coffee—locally roasted and good enough I’d be tracking the business down to order for Speakeasy’s menu—and a decadent reheated cinnamon bun slathered in cream-cheese frosting.
Puck had joined me, kneading my leg as I ate and licking frosting off my finger. I wasn’t sure why people had such superstitions about black cats. His presence was all warmth and love.
Sam’s presence, on the other hand, could only be described as distracting. He’d opted for a man bun today—a look that was cringe on so many men—yet on him…
Words failed me. With the sleeves of his Henley pushed up and his corded forearms showing, the arm porn alone had my motor running. The undone buttons revealed a crystal hanging from a leather cord and pointing downward. I wanted to ask about its significance, but honestly the crystal might as well have been an arrow, because I kept having to avert my eyes from the crotch of his slim-cut pants. What was wrong with me?
None of that mattered after I climbed out of his SUV. He drove off toward Crystal Persuasion, and I was alone, about to see what I’d agreed to take on for the next few months.
The building looked just as it had on the website. A massive old brick mill building alongside a very pretty river. The windows were tall and large, the brick a faded red, the front door massive. I tugged the handle and walked inside.
The décor was modern and tasteful. Rough, wide-plank wooden floors, a large central bar surrounded with small tables, and plenty of open space. The rear windows overlooked a patio, and you could see the Riverwalk and the river itself, running just fast enough for tiny white caps to be visible. But there was no one in sight.
I wandered the floor, mentally calculating how many tables could fit in the unused spaces. On the far left there were viewing windows of the small brewery and past that was the swinging door to the kitchen. I pushed the doors open and peered inside. “Hello?”
Footsteps echoed in the distance and a handsome man appeared from the hallway. “Phoebe. Good to meet you. I’m Griff. Audrey’s been singing your praises. Alec and I are in the main office. Come on back.”
I quickly took in the kitchen’s layout as I passed through—sliding-glass-door fridges, plenty of stainless workspaces, large stovetop and larger grill top, wood-fired oven, multiple wall ovens. The hallway held a walk-in fridge and freezer and a spacious pantry. We turned into the first office, and I recognized the other owner from our Zoom chat.
Alec rose from behind a mahogany desk and walked around to shake my hand. “How was the trip up?”
“Great. It’s so beautiful up here.”
He nodded. “Lived here all my life and not a day goes by I don’t stop and think about how lucky I am to be surrounded by all this.”
“I can see why.”
“You all settled in at your new place?”
“Almost. It’s really cozy and the owner has been super helpful.”
“Sam Tremblay?”
“Yes.” Please don’t let me blush. God, just his name was enough to get me feeling warm and distracted. Focus, Phoebe. Focus.
“You’ll find he’s a regular.”
“So he said. Which is great because he’ll likely be taste-testing some of my ideas.”
Griff laughed. “Sounds like you’re going to be a dream tenant.”
Alec sat back down and tapped at his keyboard. “Speaking of your ideas, I read your email. Your suggestions are right in line with what we had in mind.”
Relief rushed through me. “Great. My thinking is that I’ll spend the first week or two lining up suppliers, testing some recipes, and interviewing staff. Then, while I’m training everyone, I thought we could do some live testing with customers. How would you feel about Thursday, Friday, and Saturday being sample nights? Your regulars can try out some potential menu items, and we can see what’s popular and what’s not?”
“I can guarantee our customers will be on board with that. They’ve been pestering us for updates on when food will be available for months.”
I grinned. “That’s exactly what I want to hear. I intend to use a lot of local products, so as soon as I can contact some vendors, I’ll start planning the trial items.”
“Looking forward to tasting things myself. Audrey says you’re one hell of a chef.”
“I’m not about to argue with Audrey.”
That got a hearty laugh out of both of them, as well as synchronized nodding. Good to know married life hadn’t mellowed Audrey.<
br />
“Can I take a look around at the storage space a bit more just to see what I’m working with?”
“Absolutely. Let’s just get your paperwork signed and then you can look around as long as you’d like.”
Paperwork. My new favorite word. But if I’d drawn up paperwork for the restaurant-that-shall-not-be-named, I wouldn’t be here…and I had a very strong gut feeling I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
An hour later I said my goodbyes. I’d explored every inch of the kitchen, taken photos and made notes on my phone, and emailed some more ideas to Alec and Griff. In return they’d provided me with a list of local vendors and a suggestion to hit up a seasonal farmers’ market that was held every Thursday afternoon on the town green.
I walked down the street in the direction of Crystal Persuasion, making a mental note to have Sam show me the town green on his promised tour. I could hear the river rushing as I walked, but the street itself was quiet, save for the occasional passing car. It was so peaceful I could hear my every thought, and I wasn’t sure if that was a blessing or a curse.
Sun glinted off something in the distance and I realized it was a gigantic pink stone, three times the size of the one in Sam’s yard. As I drew nearer, I noticed it wasn’t one gigantic stone; there were several, different colors and sizes, some carved into shapes, others rough and natural. Smaller sparkling crystals lined the inlaid stone walkway leading up to a small, old house painted lavender with deep-purple doors and window frames. Wind chimes lined the tiny porch and cut crystals hung in front of every window, sending rainbows of light swirling everywhere the sunlight touched them.
Crystal Persuasion was painted on the door in metallic silver and the sign on the door said Push Me, so I did. More chimes tinkled as I entered and my breath caught in my chest. Everywhere I looked was color and light. Glass shelves graced three walls, holding crystals in every size, shape, and color. Jewelry displays were intermingled with uncut stones.
The floor was lined with decorative bins and buckets—any child’s dream come true for a treasure hunt. The center of the store had displays unlike anything I’d ever seen. Beautiful resin trays and tables with swirls of color. I ran my fingers over them.
“You like?” Sam appeared from behind a curtain at the back corner of the shop. “Just got those in from a local artist. She makes the coolest shit. I’m going to showcase work from a local jeweler on them.”
“They’re gorgeous.” I would have snapped these up for the unmentionable restaurant in the city, but I batted the thought away quicker than Puck swatted his toy mousies around the kitchen after dinner.
“So? How’d it go? Did you charm the socks off your new bosses?”
I didn’t think either of them were wearing socks. “I think it went well.”
Sam gave me a look that told me he knew I was understating.
The wall at the rear of the store caught my eye. I’d been so distracted by all the sparkles up front, I’d somehow missed that the entire back wall was covered by a wood carving of a giant tree. The “branches” rose to the ceiling, adorned with more crystals like the ones hanging in the front window. The “trunk” had shelves, each tier holding a different color of stone—starting at the roots with red, then orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and white at the top among the branches.
“This is beautiful.” I couldn’t resist touching the woodwork.
“Thanks. It was my senior project in high school.”
“Seriously?”
“Took the whole year, but it turned out well.”
“It’s amazing. What’s with the rainbow? LGBT-friendly crystals?”
Sam laughed. “Well, yes, the whole store’s LGBT-friendly, but the stones coordinate with the chakras. The main seven, anyway.”
“Chakras?”
“Your energy systems.” He pointed to a small graphic on the wall alongside the tree. It depicted a woman in the lotus position with different emblems running down the center of her body in the same rainbow pattern as the shelves.
“The root chakra is at the base of your spine, represented by red. It’s what grounds you to the earth and keeps you present in the moment.”
“What’s the orange one?”
“That’s your sacral chakra. Your power center, right below your navel. It’s the source of creativity and sexuality.”
“So that’s the real reason orange is the new black.”
That earned me a super-sexy giggle that had my sacral chakra spinning like a top.
“Yellow is the solar plexus, your inner desires and personal power. It’s why you feel nervousness in your stomach.”
“That makes more sense than I’d like it to.” My stomach had been a mess the past week and my sense of personal power had been decimated.
“Green is your heart chakra. Pretty self-explanatory. Source of love for self and others. Blue is your throat chakra, where your inner voice is for speaking your truth. Purple is your third eye, your psychic ability.”
“I must not have that chakra.”
He gave a slow smile. “Ever have a strange feeling you shouldn’t go somewhere and then later that day something bad happens there? Or ever think of someone, and seconds later they call you, or you see their name somewhere?”
“Well, yeah, of course.”
“That’s all intuition, which is a psychic ability. It’s not all crystal balls and woo-woo. Most people have forgotten how to listen to their gut. Doesn’t mean their gut—or their third eye—isn’t providing insight.”
“What’s the white one?”
He reached for the shelf and picked up a beautiful white crystal. Quartz, I thought. “That’s the crown chakra. Your connection to whatever higher power you believe in—God, goddesses, the universe, whatever. It’s how you draw in knowledge and insight.”
I shook my head. “They’re beautiful, but all of this is a bit out there for me.”
Sam shrugged. “That’s okay. A lot of people feel that way. I was raised around all this, and even I have a hard time with some of it. But at the end of the day, I realize you don’t have to believe in something for it to be true.”
Couldn’t argue with that. “How do you know all this stuff? Did you go to school for this?”
“Nope. I was a psych major. Even got my master’s, but I dropped out of the PsyD program, so not really planning to practice. Did have a stint as an advice columnist though. Still fill in there sometimes when the main therapist is unavailable.”
“Interesting…”
“It was indeed. I just changed my mind about wanting it as my full-time gig. A lot of the energy work I picked up as a kid. My grandmother’s rather eccentric. She and her sister are Wiccan and have both practiced white magic since they were kids. My grandmother’s more of a healer and my aunt is a medium and an herbalist.”
“Wow.”
“I know. It can take some getting used to. I grew up thinking everyone had a hothouse full of herbs and did candle rituals and energy healings. Once I hit high school, I realized we were even a bit weird by Vermont’s very liberal standards.”
“Weird can be good.”
“Absolutely. When I dropped out of the PsyD program, I traveled for a while. I started out building houses for Habitat, but somehow wound up working on a metaphysical center in Greece, and I met people there who needed help with one in Sedona. Turns out as much as I tried to get away from my upbringing and study ‘real’ science and therapy, I’m a natural fit for the woo-woo.”
“Did your grandmother say ‘I told you so’ nonstop?”
“Nah. Not her style. She’s just got this chill, all-knowing air about her. I know she’s pleased, but she doesn’t rub it in.”
“She sounds very cool.”
“You can judge for yourself if you’re free on Wednesday night. She’s holding her annual summer solstice party. Pretty much the whole town swings by for it. Might be a good way for you to meet the locals.”
That almost sort of felt like a date. W
as it a date? Or did the presence of Grandma negate that? Didn’t matter. “I’d love to.”
“Good.” Sam turned away, but I caught the grin and the slight flush in his cheeks before his hair shielded my view. “How about I take you on that tour now?”
8
Sam
I spent the first eighteen years of my life in Colebury, but driving around it with Phoebe, telling stories and pointing out landmarks, it was as if I was seeing it all for the very first time. Growing up, I’d taken its simplicity and beauty for granted, but being away several years made me appreciate it more. Experiencing it through her eyes just enhanced that.
“I’ve seen towns like this in movies, but I think I sort of thought that’s the only place they still existed.”
“Nope. They’re real, and they’re spectacular.”
Making her laugh was my new favorite pastime. My entire body lit up from the sound.
“Alec mentioned something about a farmers’ market on the town green?”
“Yep. Thursdays in Colebury, but there’s a market in almost every town, and they’re at different times and different days of the week.”
“Oh wow. Guess I’ve got to get a hold of a schedule and hit them all up.”
“That reminds me, I need to get that new router so you can get internet access in your house. I can print out the schedules for you but there are vendor lists on the sites, and they change weekly. Some of them have Facebook pages you can check from your phone.”
She looked out the window, and I could feel her body language tense. “Not exactly. I deleted my account.”
I cringed. “Sorry. Is all that social-media bullshit still going?”
“Yep. I can’t look at it. I get too upset.”
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