Page 3 of Clearly Charmed

‘Ass over teakettle?’ I bit back a smirk. ‘That’s an interesting turn of phrase.’

He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. ‘I like words. How a well-written sentence can turn your entire way of thinking upside down.’

Wow. I was not expecting that kind of response from some dude who stumbled out of the woods looking like he couldn’t figure out his location without some kind of complicated GPS toy.

‘You said “city”. Where are you from?’

‘Los Angeles.’

My gaze darted back to his boots. ‘Are you staying or selling?’

Once people spent time in Harvest Moon and realized it didn’t have a major coffee chain, or one of those big warehouse stores, they raced back to civilization as quick as they could.

‘Don’t know yet.’ He hesitated before saying, ‘I’ve only been around a few days.’ A breeze blew across the trail, rustling the bright green leaves in the trees. ‘It’s nice and quiet here, though, especially in these woods.’ Indy let out a small bark, and he bent down to give his dog’s head another pat.

‘There are some beginner trails. At the bottom of the hill there’s a map. I suggest you look at it before you hike again.’

He crossed his arms over his broad chest. ‘Any chance you’d want to meet out here some time? Show this beginner those trails?’

I huffed out a laugh. The last thing I had time for was a date with some stranger. There was no point to it anyway.

‘If you can read, you can figure it out.’

Flora nudged me again, my muscles still aching and pulsing.

‘You’re sure you’re okay? That I shouldn’t call someone for you? Maybe a boyfriend? Husband?’

‘What you can do for me is take care of your dog from now on,’ I said, ignoring his probing of my relationship status. I patted Flora’s head and she let out a low bark, reminding me of what I had to say, even though it was going to be all kinds of awkward. ‘You should also take Indy to the vet. Get him a full physical.’

‘A physical? Nah. That’s not necessary. I took him in a few months ago. He got all his shots, and the vet said he was in great shape.’

The dog panted happily at Bryce’s side, but that nagging itch in the back of my brain kept repeating his dog was ill. Telling him I was a vet was on the tip of my tongue until his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, the lines around his mouth tightening before he silenced the call.

‘I need to go. Thanks again for grabbing him.’ He tugged on Indy’s leash and sped in the direction of a small black SUV parked further down the service road.

Flora nuzzled into my side just as my own phone buzzed in my pocket, reminding me of the time. I hustled to my truck and pushed all of Flora’s ninety pounds up into the cab. I drove away, not bothering to give Bryce a second glance. A part of me wondered if I should have pushed more. Insisted he get Indy checked out. But years of experience told me he still wouldn’t believe me. Strangers never did.

Chapter Two

I Can Smell the Woods on You

‘You’re late, Dandelion!’

Grandmother Clo didn’t bother to look at me as she stirred the red sauce simmering in the big pot on the stove. The turquoise and silver rings covering her fingers danced in the low kitchen light.

‘Hello to you, too,’ I said, letting Flora off her leash. She sniffed at the familiar surroundings before nosing her way out through the screen door to the deck.

The cabin where I’d grown up had most of the living space on the second story. The front door was on the first floor along with a bedroom that once belonged to my younger sister Lia. A wide set of oak stairs led to the second floor. As soon as you were on the landing, the space opened into a massive chef’s kitchen that spilled into a family room. The entire back wall was nothing but windows, allowing a clear view of Meadow Lake.

Grandmother Clo kept her focus on the pot. Her shoulders scrunched up around her ears.

‘Rabbits stealing from your garden again? You only call me by my given name when you’re irritated.’

‘They took a bunch of tomatoes and a cucumber this time!’ Her stirring grew more agitated. ‘How can those little buggers possibly carry a cucumber?’

It was hard, but I bit back a smile because Clo was serious about her summer garden. ‘You could always put up a fence.’

She pushed out her lower lip. ‘No. It’s not natural.’