reactions of the others behind us, and as I do, I notice a couple of men going out the door. I catch a glimpse of the first man’s profile. He is tall and black-headed. The second man is not nearly as tall, and he’s heavier set, with gray in his dark brown hair. Even with my quick glimpse, he appears older than the other man. I don’t recognize either of them.
Turning around, Nick asks, “What?”
“Did you see those men in the back?” He glances, but of course, they’re already gone. Something about the strangers piques my curiosity.
The town meeting ends about eight-thirty, but most of the farmers present remain, further discussing the cattle crisis. Sawyer decides to stay; he reassures Nick and Taylor he won’t say too much.
I walk to Nick’s truck with Taylor while Nick speaks with Sawyer. Taylor holds the door on the passenger side open for me. As I climb in and slide to the middle, I wonder what he thinks about everything. After all, he’s only here for a visit. “You must think this is pretty strange.”
He sits beside me and closes the truck door. He turns his gaze on me, smiling. “In fact, I find it interesting.”
“You do?”
“I do.” He looks out the windshield. His dark brown eyes scan the parking lot, watching the people still present. “There’s something—unusual—going on in your small community.”
I peer at the people standing around, talking amongst themselves. I shiver from the cold and the knowledge all might not be well in the sleepy little backwater town of Sweetwater.
Taylor lays his arm across my shoulders in a purely friendly way. I appreciate the gesture because he’s warm to the extreme. “Seems to be getting colder tonight,” he notes.
The truck door opens, letting in Nick and a blast of cold air. As Nick settles in the seat, he turns to us. “Are you hitting on my girl?”
“She’s cold,” Taylor answers. He also leaves his arm right where it is. I do a slow blink at Nick, and he grins at me. I’m not too sure if I appreciate being called his girl. We haven’t even had our first date yet.
Nick fires up the truck and heads out. Before pulling on to the highway, he states, “I think someone should stay at your house for a day or two until Jake is back on his feet.” He catches my frown. “Just as a precaution, since we’re not sure what we’re dealing with.”
Well, that goes without saying. “That’s why you had Sam stay.”
“Yes.” We turn on Walker Road. “I’m going to drop Taylor off at my place before I head out to Lucian and Estella’s to speak with them. If you want, you could come along.” He looks at me with a raised brow.
I’m pleased at the offer. “Okay.” I’m excited to meet Nick’s friends. I don’t know any witches, and I’ve been curious since I heard about them. It’s not every day a girl gets to meet a witch.
“Good,” he replies. “We’ll all meet up later at your house. By then we may know more. Sawyer’s finding out what the farmers think, and Taylor will have some additional information for us.”
I peek up at Taylor; his dark brown eyes meet mine, and he smiles. He certainly is warm.
The driveway to Nick’s house crosses the same creek that flows through part of Ben’s farm. Nick had a wooden bridge built, and the tires rumble as we drive across. The creek is small, but during large rainfalls, it swells over the banks, and the water roars as it rushes to get to the Niangua River. The driveway continues through the woods and into a clearing on top of the hill.
At the back of the clearing, illuminated by security and landscaping lights, is a large log house with a wraparound porch. The driveway circles around to a paved parking area in front of the garage where a black GM Hummer is parked. Nick stops the truck, and Taylor removes his arm from my shoulders before hopping out. I already miss his warmth.
“We’ll meet you back at Jake’s,” Nick tells him.
Taylor winks at me. “Stay
Turning around, Nick asks, “What?”
“Did you see those men in the back?” He glances, but of course, they’re already gone. Something about the strangers piques my curiosity.
The town meeting ends about eight-thirty, but most of the farmers present remain, further discussing the cattle crisis. Sawyer decides to stay; he reassures Nick and Taylor he won’t say too much.
I walk to Nick’s truck with Taylor while Nick speaks with Sawyer. Taylor holds the door on the passenger side open for me. As I climb in and slide to the middle, I wonder what he thinks about everything. After all, he’s only here for a visit. “You must think this is pretty strange.”
He sits beside me and closes the truck door. He turns his gaze on me, smiling. “In fact, I find it interesting.”
“You do?”
“I do.” He looks out the windshield. His dark brown eyes scan the parking lot, watching the people still present. “There’s something—unusual—going on in your small community.”
I peer at the people standing around, talking amongst themselves. I shiver from the cold and the knowledge all might not be well in the sleepy little backwater town of Sweetwater.
Taylor lays his arm across my shoulders in a purely friendly way. I appreciate the gesture because he’s warm to the extreme. “Seems to be getting colder tonight,” he notes.
The truck door opens, letting in Nick and a blast of cold air. As Nick settles in the seat, he turns to us. “Are you hitting on my girl?”
“She’s cold,” Taylor answers. He also leaves his arm right where it is. I do a slow blink at Nick, and he grins at me. I’m not too sure if I appreciate being called his girl. We haven’t even had our first date yet.
Nick fires up the truck and heads out. Before pulling on to the highway, he states, “I think someone should stay at your house for a day or two until Jake is back on his feet.” He catches my frown. “Just as a precaution, since we’re not sure what we’re dealing with.”
Well, that goes without saying. “That’s why you had Sam stay.”
“Yes.” We turn on Walker Road. “I’m going to drop Taylor off at my place before I head out to Lucian and Estella’s to speak with them. If you want, you could come along.” He looks at me with a raised brow.
I’m pleased at the offer. “Okay.” I’m excited to meet Nick’s friends. I don’t know any witches, and I’ve been curious since I heard about them. It’s not every day a girl gets to meet a witch.
“Good,” he replies. “We’ll all meet up later at your house. By then we may know more. Sawyer’s finding out what the farmers think, and Taylor will have some additional information for us.”
I peek up at Taylor; his dark brown eyes meet mine, and he smiles. He certainly is warm.
The driveway to Nick’s house crosses the same creek that flows through part of Ben’s farm. Nick had a wooden bridge built, and the tires rumble as we drive across. The creek is small, but during large rainfalls, it swells over the banks, and the water roars as it rushes to get to the Niangua River. The driveway continues through the woods and into a clearing on top of the hill.
At the back of the clearing, illuminated by security and landscaping lights, is a large log house with a wraparound porch. The driveway circles around to a paved parking area in front of the garage where a black GM Hummer is parked. Nick stops the truck, and Taylor removes his arm from my shoulders before hopping out. I already miss his warmth.
“We’ll meet you back at Jake’s,” Nick tells him.
Taylor winks at me. “Stay
Similar Books
