by Deanna Chase
“Stop! No one wants to hear about your bedroom antics,” Yvette called over her shoulder. Of the four Townsend girls, she was the only one with naturally dark hair. It was a beautiful chestnut color, and Faith often wished she’d been blessed with Yvette’s gorgeous locks. Her own hair was light blond and boring, in her opinion. Maybe she’d go to Noel’s colorist and try something new for a change.
Abby snickered. “I bet Faith wouldn’t mind some details. How long has it been, little sister?”
“Since what?” Faith asked absently, still wondering if she had the guts to dye her hair.
“Since you had a hot guy in your bed,” Noel explained as Abby cackled.
Faith rolled her eyes. “Way too long.”
“Hey,” Noel said, nudging her. “Didn’t you go out with Jacob’s friend Brian last week? How’d that go?”
Abby pulled the cart into a spot in front of Yvette’s bookstore, and Faith’s attention locked on the enchanted front window where Santa and his reindeer were flying over a village that was being covered with a light snowfall. Ice skaters were twirling on the rink in the center while a witch and her familiar stood off to the side, wand in hand. A stack of books titled A Witchin’ Christmas was prominently displayed off to the left.
“The window is gorgeous, Vette. Did you and Jacob do that today?” she asked as she turned back around to find all three of her sisters staring at her. “What?”
Yvette tsked. “No one cares about the window at the moment. We want to hear about your date.”
Faith shrugged. “We just had coffee and took a walk down by the river. Nothing special.”
“That’s it?” Yvette asked. “Did you like him? Are you going out again?”
Brian was Yvette’s fiancé’s best friend, and he’d moved to Keating Hollow earlier in the year. Yvette had set Faith up with him and was a little too invested in the outcome. The date had been fine. He was funny and interesting to talk to, but there hadn’t been any spark. At least not on her end. It was too bad, too, because there was no denying Brian was gorgeous and a good guy. Faith frowned. “He said he’d call and maybe we’d get dinner.”
“Let me guess… he hasn’t called yet,” Yvette said. Without waiting for an answer, she continued. “Well, it was just Thanksgiving, and I think he headed down to southern California to see his family. I’m sure he’ll get in touch when he gets back in town.”
“Sure.” Faith hopped out of the golf cart. “Let’s get inside. It’s cold out here.” Holding the door to Keating Hollow Books open, Faith waved her sisters in. She followed Noel, who paused just inside the door, glancing around at the evening customers still milling around the place. The shop was closing in twenty minutes, and there was quite a line at the checkout counter. Yvette’s Black Friday weekend sale seemed to have been a huge hit.
“Your date didn’t exactly sweep you off your feet, did he?” Noel asked, pulling Faith over into the corner.
Faith let out a frustrated sigh. “No, dammit. And the worst part is, I’m not even sure why not. He’s the whole package, and yet… I don’t know. We just didn’t seem to have any chemistry.”
Noel gave her a sympathetic smile and linked an arm through her sister’s. “Maybe you just need to give it more time. Get to know him a little before you write him off. You never know. Once you get your hands on him, that might change. If not, there’s no harm in making a new friend.”
“Friendship. Right,” Faith said with a laugh. “I’m sure that’s exactly what he’s looking for.”
“Faith?” a familiar male voice called.
Her blood pressure spiked as she glanced up and spotted Hunter, her former contractor and the man who’d stood her up five months ago when he’d left town for some sort of emergency. He’d never returned, and she’d never heard from him again. He was slightly thinner than when she’d last seen him, and his brown hair was a tad darker, but his sexy five-o’clock shadow woke the butterflies in her stomach. Now that was chemistry.
“Hunter?” she sputtered. “What are you…?” Her voice trailed off as her gaze landed on the pretty raven-haired woman standing beside him, a stack of children’s books in her hands.
“Sorry,” he said quickly, a tinge of nervousness in his voice. “This is Vivian. She’s an old friend.”
“Right.” Faith forced herself to hold her hand out to the woman. “I’m Faith Townsend. I own A Touch of Magic, the town’s new spa. You should come by, get a massage or a facial. Hunter knows where it’s at.”
“A massage sounds lovely,” she said, shaking Faith’s hand. “I can’t remember the last time I treated myself.”
“Faith is the best therapist around,” Hunter said.
He should know, Faith thought. She’d given him more free massages than she could count during the time he’d worked for her. The man had done some fabulous work; he’d deserved it. She could still feel his hard, well-defined muscles beneath her fingertips. A shiver of desire ran down her spine as she recalled how beautiful he was beneath his clothes. Too bad he’d cut and run right after he kissed her for the first time and then apparently wasted no time finding himself a replacement.
Noel stepped up and introduced herself to Vivian and then smiled at Hunter. “It’s good to see you again.”
They made their pleasantries, and Noel excused herself. As she made her way over to the café where Abby and Yvette were waiting with Hanna, she glanced over her shoulder and widened her eyes at Faith. Whoa, she mouthed. What is he doing here?
Faith gave her sister a tiny shake of her head. She had no idea, but as far as she was concerned, he could just turn around and go back to wherever he’d come from. The effect his presence had on her was way too intense, despite the fact that he was clearly taken. Out of bounds. Off limits. Throwing herself at him would be very bad form.
“I should—” she started.
“I was going to call you tomorrow,” Hunter said, cutting her off as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
“Tomorrow?” she asked, with a huff of humorless laughter. “Better late than never, I guess.”
He winced. “I deserve that.”
Vivian glanced between the two of them then started to back up. “I think that’s my cue. Hunter, I’ll just go pay for these and wait for you outside.”
“Thanks,” he said without taking his eyes off Faith.
“She’s lovely,” Faith said. “Congratulations.”
He frowned. “What?”
“Vivian. She’s really pretty.” Faith glanced away, wondering what the hell she was doing. Why was she standing there behaving so awkwardly? It wasn’t as if she’d actually dated Hunter. They’d had one hot kiss. That was it. Sure, she’d seen him fully naked, but that had been an accident and what had arguably escalated her desire to get her hands all over him outside of the massage table. But she had no claim on him and absolutely no right to be acting like a jealous ex.
“Vivian is my best friend’s wife,” he said, his tone strange, almost as if it pained him to speak the words.
Her attention snapped back to him. “She’s already married?”
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, exhaustion lining his beautiful features. “She was. Craig was in a bad car accident the day I left Keating Hollow and was in the hospital for almost a month before he lost his battle. That’s why I had to leave so suddenly, Faith. I’ve been in Las Vegas helping Viv with the aftermath of Craig’s death ever since.”
Shock rendered Faith speechless. Of all the things she’d imagined he’d say if he ever came back, the death of his best friend wasn’t one of them. She blinked up at him, suddenly ashamed of all the bad thoughts she’d had concerning him over the past few months. He’d been grieving a profound loss, and she’d been mentally cursing him for leaving without a word. In her defense, they had at the very least been friends, and it had hurt that he’d disappeared from her life with no explanation.
Taking a step closer, she reached out and grabbed his hand. A
s she squeezed, she said, “I’m so sorry, Hunter. I can’t even imagine how hard that would be.” Faith quickly glanced at Hanna, her best friend, and felt her heart lurch. If Faith were to suddenly lose her, she had no idea how she’d handle it. Probably no better than Abby had handled Charlotte’s loss a decade ago.
“Thank you. I still should’ve called. Things were just… I’m sorry.” He visibly swallowed, appearing to choke down emotion. “There was a lot going on.”
“Of course. You don’t need to apologize, and you don’t need to explain further.” She dropped his hand and stepped back. “Are you in town for a while, or are you just passing through?”
Vivian reappeared before he could answer, a canvas bag with the Keating Hollow Books logo clutched in her hand. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but Zoey is hungry. We need to get some real food into her soon, or we’ll be entering meltdown mode.”
It was then that Faith noticed a young girl of about six or seven hiding behind Vivian’s legs. She was holding a stuffed dog and reaching for Hunter’s hand. She wrapped her fingers around one of his, and he smiled down at her.
“Ready for dinner, little Z?” he asked.
She nodded and stared at Faith with wide dark eyes.
“Okay. We’re going.” He shifted his attention back to Faith. “Before we go, I was wondering if you needed any more work done at the spa. If you haven’t gotten around to the outdoor area, I could come by in the morning—”
Faith held her hand up, stopping him as she tried to swallow her sudden irritation. For a minute there, she’d been starting to think he’d missed her. That he really had felt bad for leaving her hanging. And while she certainly understood the heartbreaking circumstances, she didn’t like feeling as if she were only important because she might be able to provide a paycheck. “Sorry, Hunter. We don’t have any construction projects in the works right now.”
“I see.” He stared down at her, his eyes clouding with something she couldn’t read.
Was that disappointment? She couldn’t tell, but it was enough that it had her touching his arm gently. “But if you need work, check with my dad. I know he has some stuff around the farm he’s been looking to get done. Rebuilding the barn and some fencing. Nothing high end, but it pays.”
“Right. Thanks, I’ll drop in on him tomorrow.” He nodded to Vivian. “We better get our little one fed before it gets too late.”
“It was nice to meet you, Faith,” Vivian said.
“You too,” Faith called as the three of them walked out the door. His voice echoed in her mind, repeating our little one. Ours. It was as if he’d stepped right into his best friend’s shoes and ended up with an instant family.
Was there something going on between them? It wouldn’t be the first time two people had turned to each other in grief. If they weren’t together, what was Vivian doing in Keating Hollow?
Our. That word still hung there, haunting her. Of course they were together. And if they weren’t, they would be soon. They’d just spent the last five months together, leaning on each other during the worst possible scenario. If they weren’t finding comfort in each other, she’d be shocked.
“Holy hell,” Abby said, appearing right next to Faith. “That looked brutal.”
She side-eyed her sister. “You have no idea.”
“Come on, baby sis. Hanna spiked the apple cider, and it looks like you could use a cup.”
“Make it a double,” Faith said, letting Abby tug her through the store.
Chapter 3
Hunter sat on the edge of Zoey’s bed, tucking her in. Her dark curly hair was splayed across the pillow, and her favorite stuffed dog was tucked in next to her. He turned the page of her newest book and said, “The end.”
She gave him a tired smile. “Again.”
He chuckled and would’ve indulged her if she hadn’t already nodded off in the middle of the story the first time. “Not tonight, pumpkin.” He leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her forehead. “Time to rest up. Tomorrow’s a big day. Mommy’s going to take you to your new school.”
She frowned but snuggled in closer to him and hugged her dog tighter.
“G’night, little Z,” he said, brushing her curls out of her eyes. “See you in the morning.”
“Night, Uncle Hunter,” she said sleepily, her eyes already closed.
Uncle Hunter. The words stabbed him right in the heart, and he had to choke down his emotion. Because of the distance between Hunter and Craig’s family, it had only been in the past five months that Hunter had been able to spend any significant amount of time with the sweet little girl cuddled up next to him. Unsurprisingly, it hadn’t taken any time at all for her to wrap him around her little pinky finger and give his life a new purpose. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her, even if it meant living with Vivian.
“Is she asleep?” Vivian asked when he walked into the small kitchen. She was sitting at the table, her sock-clad feet propped on one of the chairs.
He nodded, pulled a beer out of the fridge, and popped the top. After taking a long pull, he joined her at the table. Exhaustion swept over him. He’d been up since three in the morning, driving them the last leg of the trip from Las Vegas to Keating Hollow. He’d wanted to get to town before dark so they could set up Zoey and Vivian’s bed in his spare bedroom. They’d be sharing for the time being until they worked out better arrangements.
After unloading the U-Haul and setting up their room, the trio had headed into town for dinner and groceries. They’d only ended up in the bookstore after Zoey’s eyes lit up when she spotted the window display. She loved reading with her mom at night, and Hunter hadn’t been able to resist bringing her a little happiness.
If he’d known he was going to run into Faith, he might have skipped the trip inside. He’d been anxious to see her, but he hadn’t wanted to spring Vivian and Zoey on her right away. During the time he’d worked for her, it had been torture to stay away. Damn, he’d wanted her. Wanted her bad. But he’d been working for her, and it wasn’t his style to mix business with pleasure. That was the only reason he’d kept his distance. Otherwise, he’d have had her in his bed months before. He was sure of it. There’d been no denying the sparks that had erupted every time they came within three feet of each other, and nothing had changed. He’d felt the same pull the moment he’d laid eyes on her at the bookstore. But now things were… complicated.
“What are your plans for tomorrow?” Vivian asked him. “Are you going to come with us to get Zoey registered in school?”
“If you want.” He leaned back in the chair, staring her in the eye. “But after that I need to catch up with a few business contacts and see about finding new work.”
“I could go with you,” she said with a small smile. “Charm your clients. I’m good at that.”
He shook his head and bit back a harsh reply. She’d been hinting about managing his business ever since they’d decided she and Zoey would move to Keating Hollow. But he was still getting used to sharing his home life with her. Sharing his business definitely wasn’t in the cards. “I don’t think that’s the best idea. I’ve got it covered. But you can look around town and see if anyone’s hiring.”
She let out a bark of humorless laughter. “I doubt any of these dinky little businesses are looking for a sales rep. Keating Hollow isn’t exactly a metropolis bustling with commerce.”
Vivian had worked for an organic skin care company and had been on track for a promotion before Craig had been hospitalized. After his accident she’d made the choice to leave to be by his side and to care for Zoey. Hunter narrowed his eyes at her, not liking the judgment in her tone. “Just give it a chance, Vivian. Keating Hollow is full of successful people. They just might surprise you.”
She stared at him, her eyes widening in surprise. No doubt she’d recognized the irritation in his tone. She brushed her dark hair behind one ear, and her cheeks flushed as she glanced down. “Sorry. I didn’t mean for that to come out sounding so judgmenta
l. I’m just unsettled.”
He immediately felt like a jerk. Of course she was. She’d just lost her husband of seven years and uprooted her entire life to a new town where she knew no one but him. He sucked in a breath and tried to be helpful. “Check with Abby Townsend. She has a successful line of magic-infused soaps and lotions. If she’s looking to expand, she might be interested. Or try Miss Maple at A Spoon Full of Sugar. Her chocolates are hands down the best on the west coast.”
“Okay, sure.” She didn’t sound convinced, but Hunter knew once she saw for herself how impressive their businesses were, she’d be salivating to get her hands on their products.
He sucked down the rest of his beer and stood. “It’s late. I’m headed to bed. Do you need anything?”
“Yes,” she said, getting to her feet and walking down the hall toward his bedroom.
He hurried to catch up with her. “Towels are in the bathroom closet along with extra toiletries. There are extra blankets in the hall closet. And if you need to adjust the temperature, the thermostat is at the other end of the hall. If you need more pillows—”
“Hunter,” she said, cutting him off as she turned and pressed a light hand to his chest. “I already know all of that. That’s not…” She shook her head. “Maybe we should finish this conversation in your bedroom.”
He frowned as he stared down at her. “Why?”
Her lips curved into a small, secretive smile, and she ran her hand over his shoulder and down his arm until she clasped his hand in hers and squeezed lightly. “Well, I was thinking it’s probably time to take our relationship to the next level.”
Hunter took a step back, breaking the connection. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Sure it is. Zoey is crashed out. Nothing short of a fire alarm would wake her up now. And don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it. We were good together once, and there’s no reason why we can’t be good together again. We always did have a good time in the bedroom.”