shifted on the stool, “That’s the way that I remember it.”
“I don’t believe you,” I said. “And what was it that you didn’t want me to say to Officer Reynolds?”
Kieran didn’t answer or look up at me.
“It’s okay,” I said as I finished bandaging his arm. “I’ll find out eventually.”
He stood and pulled his shirt back on over his head, “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”
“No.”
He leaned down so that our foreheads almost touched, forcing me to look up into his green eyes.
“Let’s just say that it is magic,” he whispered.
My heart was pounding against the walls my chest. We were so close that we were breathing each other’s breath and then at the last minute, just before our lips met, he pulled away.
Without a word, he turned and walked out of the store. He didn’t say goodbye and he didn’t look back, not even once.
Chapter 9
There was one thing that a person could count on in a small town and that was the speed in which news traveled. When I got to the feed store the next morning, my insurance agent was already waiting for me.
“What are you doing here?” I asked as I unlocked the door. “I didn’t call you.”
Following me inside, he took a small digital camera out of his jacket pocket and began taking pictures of the boarded up window.
“I heard you had a break-in last night,” he said. “I thought I’d come by and get the claim started.”
I flipped on the lights, pausing to touch the stool where Kieran sat the night before. Somewhere, just across the street at the traveller camp, Kieran was probably just waking up. Was he thinking about me?
The flash of the camera brought me out of my daydream.
“I wasn’t planning on filing a claim,” I said as I emptied the used coffee grounds into the trash. “After all, won’t that raise my rates?”
He shrugged as if that wasn't a concern, “I’ll run the numbers and see how it comes out, you can get your repair estimate, and then you can decide which way you want to go.”
Didn’t anyone understand? It didn’t matter “which way I wanted to go”, either way cost money and I was broke.
I ran my hands through my hair, telling myself over and over just to breathe.
“Whatever,” I sighed and set a fresh pot of coffee to brew.
People began coming in the store even before I flipped the sign in the door to read OPEN. None of them were interested in buying anything, all they wanted was to drink the free coffee and talk about the break-in.
“Had you ever seen the guy before?” One of the other shop owners asked as he added sugar to his cup.
“No,” I said, moving behind the counter so that I could have some personal space. “I don’t think he was from around here.”
“And what? He just came in?”
“Yes, but I think he’d been watching the store for a while because he asked where Alec was.”
At the mention of his name, Alec looked up from his silent place in the crowd, but added nothing to the conversation.
“You should be more careful,” someone offered.
“Maybe you should get a dog.”
Thomas O’Connor, Alec’s grandfather, pushed through the crowd.
“Maybe you should get a gun,” he offered with a teasing old man wink. “I hate to ask, considering what happened, but do you have my order?”
I was grateful to have something to do for a moment other than answer everyone's questions. I mouthed a silent “thank you” and handed him his corn and seed.
He patted my hand as he gave me his money, “You’re a good girl.”
The crowd began asking questions again, determined it seemed to get all of the juicy details.
“Is it true one of the gypsies saved you?”
The smile left Mr. O'Connor's face. He glanced at Alec and gathered up his things and walked off muttering to himself about gossips.
No one seemed to hear or care what one old man said or thought.
“Was it one of the Gypsies?” Someone asked again.
“Yes,” I said, my heart missing a beat at
“I don’t believe you,” I said. “And what was it that you didn’t want me to say to Officer Reynolds?”
Kieran didn’t answer or look up at me.
“It’s okay,” I said as I finished bandaging his arm. “I’ll find out eventually.”
He stood and pulled his shirt back on over his head, “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”
“No.”
He leaned down so that our foreheads almost touched, forcing me to look up into his green eyes.
“Let’s just say that it is magic,” he whispered.
My heart was pounding against the walls my chest. We were so close that we were breathing each other’s breath and then at the last minute, just before our lips met, he pulled away.
Without a word, he turned and walked out of the store. He didn’t say goodbye and he didn’t look back, not even once.
Chapter 9
There was one thing that a person could count on in a small town and that was the speed in which news traveled. When I got to the feed store the next morning, my insurance agent was already waiting for me.
“What are you doing here?” I asked as I unlocked the door. “I didn’t call you.”
Following me inside, he took a small digital camera out of his jacket pocket and began taking pictures of the boarded up window.
“I heard you had a break-in last night,” he said. “I thought I’d come by and get the claim started.”
I flipped on the lights, pausing to touch the stool where Kieran sat the night before. Somewhere, just across the street at the traveller camp, Kieran was probably just waking up. Was he thinking about me?
The flash of the camera brought me out of my daydream.
“I wasn’t planning on filing a claim,” I said as I emptied the used coffee grounds into the trash. “After all, won’t that raise my rates?”
He shrugged as if that wasn't a concern, “I’ll run the numbers and see how it comes out, you can get your repair estimate, and then you can decide which way you want to go.”
Didn’t anyone understand? It didn’t matter “which way I wanted to go”, either way cost money and I was broke.
I ran my hands through my hair, telling myself over and over just to breathe.
“Whatever,” I sighed and set a fresh pot of coffee to brew.
People began coming in the store even before I flipped the sign in the door to read OPEN. None of them were interested in buying anything, all they wanted was to drink the free coffee and talk about the break-in.
“Had you ever seen the guy before?” One of the other shop owners asked as he added sugar to his cup.
“No,” I said, moving behind the counter so that I could have some personal space. “I don’t think he was from around here.”
“And what? He just came in?”
“Yes, but I think he’d been watching the store for a while because he asked where Alec was.”
At the mention of his name, Alec looked up from his silent place in the crowd, but added nothing to the conversation.
“You should be more careful,” someone offered.
“Maybe you should get a dog.”
Thomas O’Connor, Alec’s grandfather, pushed through the crowd.
“Maybe you should get a gun,” he offered with a teasing old man wink. “I hate to ask, considering what happened, but do you have my order?”
I was grateful to have something to do for a moment other than answer everyone's questions. I mouthed a silent “thank you” and handed him his corn and seed.
He patted my hand as he gave me his money, “You’re a good girl.”
The crowd began asking questions again, determined it seemed to get all of the juicy details.
“Is it true one of the gypsies saved you?”
The smile left Mr. O'Connor's face. He glanced at Alec and gathered up his things and walked off muttering to himself about gossips.
No one seemed to hear or care what one old man said or thought.
“Was it one of the Gypsies?” Someone asked again.
“Yes,” I said, my heart missing a beat at
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