Page 131 of Small Town Firsts
“I know.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I stayed at the door and watched her go to her car, then locked up. I went to the storeroom to check on Kira, but she’d already shut off the lights. I double checked things for my own peace of mind and slipped a bottle of Firefly out of its case.
The label was in the same carved linocut style of the owl logo for the orchard. It was a little cleaner than actual linocut work. I was familiar with it from my mom, since she’d tried every form of art during my childhood. But the same graphic look here was sharp and masculine with a bit of softness in the colors the artist had chosen.
Purples and buttery yellows reminded me of the field of fireflies from that night. It was hard to believe so much had happened in less than two months. Even with the annoyance of the theft, I felt nothing but pride for the cider I’d created with Kira.
And I could only imagine how many other things we’d do together.
I slid the bottle back into the case, then looked around the room one more time before locking that up too.
I found Kira in her office. The papers had multiplied on her desk and she was poring over each one.
“Sunshine, it’s time to wrap it up.”
“I just want to review it one more time.”
“Babe.” I took her hand and pulled her out of her chair, then clicked the light off over her desk. “Enough.”
“How did I not see it?”
I sighed. “Because they probably took a case at a time.” I drew her out of the room and grabbed her bag, which washanging on a hook near the door. “Oh, hey. I’ll grab the trash for you.”
“Who would do that, though?”
“We’ll figure it out, or we won’t.”
She frowned up at me.
I lifted a shoulder. “Maybe the new security will make them think twice.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t like the thought of someone I can’t trust working for me.”
I brushed a kiss over her forehead. I didn’t either. “We’ll just do the best we can. And we’ll give Hayes one helluva birthday party.”
She gave me a small smile for that one. “Yeah, we will.”
The ride home was dark and quiet. Both of us had been going hard all day. Trying to find answers and tighten up any holes for the future. Nothing was a guarantee, but I knew my girl hated that more than anything else.
The first wisps of coolness on the breeze spoke of fall coming. August nights were my favorite part of the summer. We rolled down the windows of my truck and listened to the night sounds of the orchard. The tree frogs and crickets created their unique symphony with the owls out for their evening meals.
As we traveled through Turnbull, then turned down her lane, she looked over at me. “Thanks for keeping me from freaking out.”
I parked in the small lot beside the old Victorian. “You would have figured it out, but I’m really glad you let me in.”
“You’ve been getting in since Lucky’s bar, pal.”
I unclipped her belt and dragged her over to my side of the truck. “Is that right?”
“Yeah. Defending my honor from the first moment I met you.”
“Huh. I guess when you put it that way, you owe me a little something.”
“Is that right?” She placed her hand on my thigh and moved it up. “What did you have in mind?”
“Think that tub of yours can fit us both?”
