Devil You Know(Lost Boys Book 1)(85)

“Me?”

It was in poor taste for me to put him on this list since he was acting as he was because of that alley and how I had almost bought it. I got that, understood what motivated the change in him, but his silence hurt and I was childish enough that I wanted to hurt him back.

He walked out of the kitchen before I could answer, not that I intended to.





The town of Deadwood was a very friendly one. The dance had only just started and already we had met nearly half of the town’s population. I imagine some found it stifling, but the idea of knowing your neighbors, really knowing them and their families, was one I liked a lot. The Sharptons were neighbors of ours who lived a few miles from the cottage. Bobby, the father, owned the hardware store in town. Missy, his wife, worked at the grain depot and their children, Hank who was ten and Wynona, who was six were in fifth and first grades respectively.

“You should come for dinner tomorrow night. It’s hard work moving and I’m sure you don’t have your kitchen organized yet.”

The house was fully furnished and the kitchen was stocked after our trip to the grocery store, but it was the thought of conversation that had me immediately agreeing. “That would be lovely, thank you.”

“We’ll arrange something. I’ll get your number before you leave.”

“How long have you lived in Deadwood?”

“All my life, same as Bobby. We couldn’t imagine raising our kids anywhere else. Everyone knows everyone and unlike some small towns, that isn’t a bad thing. The only downside, jobs can be hard to find. I would give anything do something other than work at the depot. There’s very little human interaction, but we need the second paycheck.”

I wasn’t sure what a grain depot was, but I could believe it wasn’t a thrilling job. “It is a beautiful looking town.”

“Especially just outside of it, the views are spectacular. You should take a picnic lunch for you and your husband. It’s very romantic.”

Yeah, the last place Damian wanted to be was somewhere romantic with me. I had been gifted with the cold shoulder during the ride here, but now he was being downright frosty after the faux pas with the death list. He’d probably tie me to a tree and leave me there.

But to Missy I said, “I can’t wait to see it.”

“Oh, there’s Bobby. I owe him a dance. I’ll find you later to get your number.” And then she was off, moving through the crowd with surprising finesse. Damian had left earlier to dance with Madge. It was mean of me, but I had been anticipating him fumbling the steps, but he was a quick study. I think as payback for roping him into that dance, and for putting him on my harbingers of death list, he was avoiding me. I hadn’t seen him since we arrived an hour ago.

I scanned the crowd and located him near the makeshift bar. He was leaning up against it, a beer in one hand, but it was the smile on his face that nearly took my breath away. I loved when he smiled. And then I realized he was smiling at two women, twenty something’s that he appeared to be engaging in conversation. I knew he was playing the part and yet I still wanted to stab him in the eye. He could chat up the entire town for all I cared. And since I was feeling like a petulant child, I acted like one and walked right out of the square dance. I didn’t even care about being cautious. It would serve him right that I be killed while he pretended to flirt with coeds. I started to mutter. Something I did often when irritated. “I should frame him for my death. I could scroll his name on the sidewalk in my blood just to give the local authorities a direction to focus their investigation.”

Spending my days where the only noise heard was the settling of the house held no appeal. I had work to keep me busy during the day, but the evenings were going to be tough. The silence was bad enough, but the longing and sexual tension…the need to be as close to him as possible when he was trying to keep me as far as possible. Yeah I needed to find something to do with myself during the evenings, a social outlet. I took note of what shops lined the street so I could inquire about available positions with evening hours.

I passed a hotel. Good to know. If things got really unbearable I could get a room, one with room service and movies still playing in the theaters, and charge it all to Damian—my loving husband. The thought had a giggle burning up my throat. Married to Damian, the one I was stuck with now, I think it would be more fun to be buried alive. And speaking of Damian, had he not noticed his charge was gone? And on that thought someone came up behind me. My whole body tensed. “Scroll my name in blood?”

I jumped out of my skin, then turned and pushed him, but he didn’t move, I did. The man was solid muscle. It was only after my heart rate went back to normal that I realized he had been following me from the moment I left the dance. And even being annoyed with him at the moment, my heart warmed.