Dark Realms by Kristen Middleton Page B

sashayed
into the store like a runway model while we all stared.
    “Wow,” I smirked, turning towards my
brother. “You can reel your tongue back in now.”
    “What do you mean?”
    I snorted. “Oh, come on, Nathan.”
    He smiled innocently. “There’s nothing wrong
with being friendly to strangers, especially when they look like
that.”
    “I think the feeling was mutual,” replied
mom, looking at me. “That smile she gave him was enough to light up
the entire town.”
    “How can she resist?” he said cockily.
“Heck, I’ll bet that I’m the best thing that’s ever walked into
this town.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Oh, Lord. Here we
go.”
    He flexed left arm muscle. “Oh, come on, you
know I’m right.”
    “I certainly do,” said mom, leaning over to
kiss his cheek.
    “Yeah, and mom’s biased,” I replied. “Don’t
let it go to your head.”
    He ignored me and started packing more
groceries into the back of his trunk. “Let’s get the rest of this
stuff loaded quickly,” he said, glancing up towards the sky, which
was growing darker. “I’m starving and it’s getting late.”
    “Me too,” I replied, handing him another bag
of groceries.
    When we had everything in the trunk, Mom
gave Nathan the directions to the cabin, which was a few miles past
town, and this time, he led the way.
    “Finally,” I said, putting on my seatbelt as
she pulled out of the parking lot. “I just want to get there
already.”
    “Won’t be long now.”
    Darkness came very quickly, and in a small
town without many lights along the roads, it was a little
creepy.
    “It’s a bitch driving when you don’t know
exactly where you’re going in the dark,” said mom, frowning. “I
think the turnoff is coming up in another few miles or so. I hope
Nathan catches it in time and doesn’t overshoot it.”
    “Knowing him, he probably will,” I answered
with a smirk, “especially, if he’s on the phone with Deanna
again.”
    “He seemed to forget about her when that
redhead made an appearance.”
    “Thank God, although, she’s probably worse
than Deanna.”
    “Let’s hope not.”
    I stared at her in shock. “See, you weren’t
crazy about her either!”
    She turned down the radio. “Are you kidding
me?” she groaned, scowling into the rearview mirror.
    I turned to see the flashing lights from a
police car. “What, were you speeding or something?”
    She pulled over to the side of the road.
“No, you know me, I never speed.”
    It was true, my mother was
an annoyingly slow driver and Nathan was always giving her crap
about it. Even grandmothers passed her on the roadway.
    Mom rolled down the window as the police
officer approached her. She immediately handed him her driver’s
license and insurance information. “I’m sorry, officer… was I
speeding?”
    My brother had noticed the cop, too, and
pulled over ahead of us, waiting. He’d sent me a text message,
wondering what was happening. I’d sent him one back, explaining
that I wasn’t really sure, yet.
    “No, but you do have a taillight out,” he
replied with an easy smile.
    My eyes widened as I
stared at his mouth. What’s with this town
and their unnaturally white teeth?
    “Oh, no, really?” she answered, biting her
lower lip. “Oh, man, I’m sorry. It must have just went out.”
    “Yes. Anne Gerard… you must be new in town?”
he asked, studying her license.
    She smiled. “We are, in fact,” she pointed
towards me, “this is my daughter, Nikki, and that’s my son, Nathan,
ahead of us in the Mustang.”
    He glanced down at her left hand, which no
longer had a wedding ring, and his smile broadened.
    “Ladies, I’m Sherriff Caleb Smith. Welcome
to Shore Lake,” he answered, giving her back her license.
    Was it me or did he actually puff out his
chest a little before he leaned back down and handed it back?
    “Thank you,” answered my mom with a silly
grin on her face. She definitely noticed the puff.
    “Since you have such a lovely smile