Page 10 of The Harborer
Amy nodded, and though her friend’s words caused fresh tears to burn behind her eyes, she didn’t feel that dart to her heart she would have expected. Maybe because she knew Hailey was right.
“So when are you going to tell him?”
Amy looked at her nails. Jeez, she could use a manicure. After several stalling beats, she canted her head and stared at her bestie. “Tonight, assuming I’m not lights out when he gets home.”
“Good.” Hailey stood and held out her hand for Amy’s coffee cup. “I should get back to the bookstore so it’s ready to go for the Big Event.”
“Need any help?” Amy took the cups from her and headed for the kitchen sink, where she rinsed them, along with Shane’s.
“Nope. There’s a rumor that a hunky dark-haired bartender is taking the afternoon off to help me. If I have my way, there will be some serious hanky-panky happening that’s definitely not safe for work. I don’t want to expose you to that.”
“So instead you’re going to exposeyourselfto him?”
Hailey grinned. “Ooh, I like that idea. Wonder what he’ll do if I greet him in nothing but one of those Miners Tavern aprons?”
“You do that, and he will have you bent over one of your bookshelves so fast you won’t know what hit you. And then you won’t getanywork done.”
“You’ve got a point there. I do need his help moving stuffbeforeI go and distract him. Think I’ll wait until we’re done before slipping into the apron.” With a sultry laugh, Hailey picked up her boxes and steered toward the back door.
Amy felt a pang of envy dig into her chest as she followed Hailey to her SUV. If onlyshecould find the kind of intimacy Hailey shared with Noah. Having a relationship was one thing, but Micky and her version felt more like a placeholder for something better, and she wanted that something better—beforeshe got too old to have kids.
Hailey was right. Amy wouldn’t find that special connection with Micky. It was the same conclusion Amy had come to … months ago, but she hadn’t been able to admit it to herself. She’d lived in her bubble of denial, hoping the relationship would spontaneously improve, until she’d spotted that “For Rent” sign in the window above the town’s clothing resale store, and realization had hammered her. And now, hearing her friend say it somehow validated the path Amy was about to careen onto.
Amy helped Hailey get the bins arranged inside her vehicle, then stepped back. “Have fun.” She winked and waved as Hailey drove off.
Amy went back inside her store, locked the door, and leaned against it, her blood effervescing with what she was about to do. And not in a good way.
“Tonight. You’re telling him tonight,” she promised herself aloud.
Oh Lord, this was really happening, wasn’t it? She had taken that critical first step when she’d signed the lease and set her course. She was about to unwind her life from Micky’s and step into a void.
Chapter 4
The Mountain Belle
Excitement shimmered in theair two days later, despite the freezing temperatures and oppressive sky once more threatening to dump snow. Winter had come early this year.
Shane surveyed the buzzing crowd gathered at the restored train depot. He was on duty, though he didn’t expect trouble beyond a puking drunk or Mrs. Danvers threatening anyone who dared to park in front of her house—even though said house was on a public byway. In other words, he anticipated the usual nonsense.
On one corner of the platform, a four-piece Celtic rock band tested out their instruments, sending errant notes into the air. As a local, he’d looked forward to this historic event along with the other townsfolk. Would he have preferred to be on the train, like Sheriff Chesterton? While riding on the train for its inaugural run would have been a thrill, Shane could do that anytime going forward. But watching it pull into town for the first time in a hundred years? Nowthatwas a special treat.
His community’s generosity, unwavering belief, and sheer stubborn will had culminated in this precise moment in time, and he would witness the final result. How cool was that?
All around him, Fall River’s residents pressed together, craning their heads. People’s eager chatter puffed from their mouths in little bursts of steam that rose and disappeared into the low-hanging clouds, but no one seemed to be affected by the bleakness. As the Mountain Belle’s whistle echoed off steep canyon walls below the town, growing louder, so did the burble. Soon it would be pulling in at the station, and they waited for it to round the corner. Their shared dream was about to become reality
Today’s inaugural voyage would include the people who had breathed new life into the historic train—a mix of visionaries who had first recognized the potential, the passionate believers who had persisted and pushed to see it through, and the investors who had financed the project. Accompanying them would be leaf-peeping guests from Silver Summit who had paid for the privilege of being on the Mountain Belle’s first run. They would disembark and swarm the quaint shops and restaurants lining Bowen Street before leaving on the return run hours later. Some had booked a night at the Grand Majestic Hotel and would spend their cash in the town’s restaurants. The wealth of activity would generate dollars for the town’s coffers, and going forward, the train would carry tourists back and forth between the two locales, like a novelty shuttle.
Shane planned to drink in as much of the momentous occasion as possible. It was a time of celebration for everyone in Fall River, and especially for two of his best friends, Noah and Charlie Hunnicutt, who were part of the passionate contingent chugging toward them. Hell, Noah, had nearly singlehandedly pushed the project through himself, shouldering the load like Atlas bench-pressing the celestial globe. And Charlie, the town’spreservationist, had overseen the depot’s restoration, even doing the tedious cleanup on the wooden scrollwork himself.
“Coffee, Deputy?”
Shane’s pulse spiked at the sound of Amy’s melodious voice. When he looked over his shoulder, there she stood, a dazzling smile on her gorgeous face. Her straight teeth flashed bright white against her tawny skin, and her luminous eyes were alive with warmth. He was momentarily so entranced he didn’t realize she balanced a huge-ass tray of coffees-to-go in her hands.
Admonishing himself, he reached for the tray. “Let me help you with that.”
She shook her head, her glossy black ponytail swishing behind her. “Nope. I got it. If you really want to play Dudley Do-right and lighten my load, you’ll take a cup. You know you want to.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief.
Shane barked a laugh. Damn straight he wanted a cup. What shedidn’tknow was that he would have accepted almost anything she handed to him because it came fromher.
