Angel of Smoky Hollow

The sooner she got this over, the sooner she’d be on her own.

It was after lunch when Kirk walked with Angelica back to the cottage. She’d met a half dozen people, including Dottie Ferguson and Paul Cantwell who played with Webb Francis. Each person she met had been friendly and happy to talk with her about the songs she wanted to learn and write down. She had collected phone numbers and jotted down names and addresses and a sketchy map so she could find her way around Smoky Hollow. It was not a large town by any means.

Kirk was hard to figure out, she mused as he stopped in the road in front of her house. He’d done his duty, actually gone beyond in her opinion, giving her lunch at the local diner. Now he was free of any obligation. She should be relieved. She felt almost cut adrift.

He reached out and took the small spiral bound notebook she still carried in her hand and wrote his phone number down. “You’re right next door, but it is easier to call sometimes. Let me know if you need anything.”

“I can manage.”

His intense gaze was something she wished she could get used to. She was not accustomed to people focusing so intensely on her and it caused a chain reaction inside that threatened her equilibrium. His gaze dropped to her mouth. She wasn’t talking.

Was he thinking what she suddenly thought about? Kisses, long and drugging and fantastic.

She groaned softly and looked away before she did something beyond foolish.

“Thank you.” Hurrying toward the cottage she resisted the urge to look behind her, to watch as he walked away. Once inside, she leaned against the front door, refusing to look though every cell in her body clamored to do just that.

Pushing away, she went into the kitchen. She’d have something cold to drink then decide what to do next.

Resisting temptation proved too much. She looked out the side window of the kitchen. She saw nothing but the house next door. He either had already gone inside, or had gone somewhere else.

Soon thereafter Angelica retraced her steps to the library. Mary Margaret sat with a large pile of books in front of her, jotting notes on the tablet she had. She looked up and smiled when Angelica entered.

“Come to hear those CDs?” she asked.

“If now is a good time.”