Page 21 of Hook, Line and Mystery

“Yep. There’s just something about Badger’s Drift and Valentine’s Day that seems to work a little magic. Almost every year two people who no one ever saw as a couple come together and fall in love. Usually everybody knows before the couple themselves and there are betting pools.”

Abby groaned. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

“Afraid not. We were all a little worried that fate wasn’t going to give us our Cupid Couple this year, but damn if you didn’t pick the one guy no one ever thought would let himself find love again. You did good, girl. So, you go tell Kit to get his butt out of his research center and join the fun.”

Shaking her head, Abby said, “Sounds lovely. I think I will this afternoon. I have another chapter to write this morning.”

* * *

Kit did call later in the day to tell her they were expected at the town square.

“So I was told,” laughed Abby.

“Will it be all right if I meet you there? I want to check something out.”

“Sure. Not a problem. I’ll either come with DeeDee or make my own way over. It’s not like Badger’s Drift is so big that I can’t find it.”

“True enough,” Kit said, laughing. “I missed you today. I tried to slip out without anyone seeing me, but I’m afraid DeeDee knows I spent the night.”

“Is that a problem for you?” she asked, afraid of what she might hear.

“No. Not at all. I just didn’t want you to be embarrassed or feel weird. I don’t think I want to go back to sleeping without you.”

His words and their implication hung in the air. “In that case, quit worrying about what other people think. I found my bed rather lonely without you in it.”

“Won’t happen again,” he vowed. “Have a good day, and I’ll see you later.”

When Abby arrived at the festivities, the square and the whole of Badger’s Drift were awash with color and sound—a virtual symphony that swirled around her. Twinkling lights, which seemed to be a staple of the town, flickered overhead, weaving their magic into the fabric of the afternoon. Other decorations hanging from lamp posts, gutters, and signposts swayed gently in the breeze, turning the plain and ordinary into the romantic and fantastic.

Abby meandered through the throngs of people, their faces alight with joy, each laugh a note in the melody of community. She was drawn to Kit, his presence an anchor in the midst of the revelry.

“Hey, you made it,” he called out, waving his hand and threading his way toward her, his smile as bright as the festoons that hung above them.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Abby said, her heart beating more rapidly as he drew near, the air between them pulsing with the electricity of unspoken affection.

“How’d you do on the book today, or am I not supposed to ask that?”

“The current book is coming along nicely, but I’ve also been doing some preplanning for a series I’d like to write.”

“Good. Then you deserve some time off. Let’s go enjoy it together.” Kit offered his arm with a casual gallantry that she accepted with a smile.

Together, they stepped into the whirlwind, the celebration enveloping them in a cocoon of music and laughter, where Abby found herself increasingly drawn to the man whose every glance felt both exhilarating and profoundly comforting.

The afternoon breeze in Badger’s Drift carried the soft melody of a romantic ballad. Kit extended his hand towards Abby, a silent invitation that spoke louder than words. Her fingers slipped into his with a comfortable ease, and they stepped into the dance, swaying gently, two figures wrapped in the embrace of the music, their movements a quiet language that spoke of a love in its early stages that neither was willing to deny.

Kit leaned close, his breath warm on her ear as he murmured a further explanation for his early departure. “Had to check on some equipment for the marine survey.” His voice was a low thrum that matched the base of the music.

She responded with a playful nudge against his chest, her smile hidden in the shadow of their proximity. “You’re forgiven... this time.” Her hands found the firmness of his shoulders, claiming the reassurance of his presence.

As they danced, their bodies fell into the rhythm they had found before—a harmony that felt as though it had been there all along, just waiting to surface. His words were sweet whispers that painted promises in the night. “I didn’t expect to find someone like you,” he confessed, “someone I could fall in love with.”

Abby’s heart and breath skipped until her laugh was a silvery chime that mingled with the notes around them. She rested her head against his shoulder, allowing herself to be drawn closer by his embrace. “And I never thought I’d be falling in love with Badger’s Drift’s brilliant and most elusive marine biologist.”

“Don’t forget tragic and ruggedly handsome.”

“And great in the sack,” she teased, making Kit stumble as she laughed harder.

The crescendo of the music mirrored the building tension between them, and as the final chords rang out, Kit’s lips met hers in a passionate kiss. It was a moment of pure connection, her heart pounding a fierce staccato against the tranquility of the evening.

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