Snow Angel (The Hope Falls Chronicles) Read online

  It was disappointing.

  Rounding the curve where their houses sat, she saw that Eric’s SUV was parked in his driveway. Her hands tingled with excitement. She gripped the steering wheel as she pulled up and parked.

  Just knowing that he was next door made her feel happy and also safe. Feeling either one of those things independently was a big deal for Lily. Having them both happen at the same time was unprecedented.

  She slipped her Hand Warmers in her gloves before getting out into the cold again. Then she hurried to the back to get her groceries. She was just reaching in to get her bags when she heard a loud bark and turned to see a gorgeous golden retriever sitting beside her.

  “Hello. Where did you come from?” Lily asked as she kneeled down to check if the dog had a collar.

  The second her hand touched the dog’s head, it began licking her gloves and pressing its head against her.

  “Thank you for the kisses,” she said. She rubbed the dog behind its ears as it happily wagged its tail and continued to bathe her with his tongue.

  “Shadow! Shadow!”

  She heard Eric’s strained voice yell sounding like he was a fairly good distance away.

  Reaching down and checking the tags, she yelled back, “Over here!”

  She heard his heavy footsteps as he came closer. She took the several moments she had to prepare herself for being face to face with the man that had been starring in her dreams both day and night since she’d accepted that dance with him.

  “There you are.” Relief filled his deep, sexy voice as he ruffled the dog’s head. “You had me worried, boy.”

  Although Shadow did seem genuinely happy to see his owner, most of his attention continued to be lavished on Lily. She looked up to see if Eric had noticed that she seemed to have won his dog's affections and, when she did, she felt the air leave her lungs in a whoosh. Her preparation had not even come close to fortifying her against what she saw.

  Today, Eric wasn’t in a tux, sweats, or uniform and he wasn’t shirtless in gym shorts. Nope. Today he had on a navy blue thermal that molded perfectly to his chiseled chest and biceps, blue jeans that weren’t too baggy or too tight and fit him snugly in all the right places, and a pair of work boots.

  Short stubble lined his jawline, causing his clean-cut face to have an edge that was a little—no scratch that—a lot bad-boy. His hair was probably just windblown, but to her active imagination it looked like he had just gotten out of bed and he hadn’t just been sleeping there.

  Oh boy.

  ---~---

  Eric looked down at Shadow plastered against Lily and he couldn’t help but be a little jealous. Not of the fact that the dog who never left his side, thus the name Shadow, now clearly had found someone whose company he preferred over Eric’s. No, that didn’t bother him at all.

  He was jealous of the fact that his dog was getting attention that he himself would love to be getting from his new sexy neighbor. Shadow, probably sensing Eric’s feelings and wanting to prove who the alpha between the two of them was, proceeded to hop up and plant a big sloppy kiss on Lily’s face.

  “Down, Shadow,” Eric commanded, and Shadow immediately obeyed.

  Lily was laughing as she wiped her face. “He’s fine. I love dogs.”

  Of course she did. If Eric had written down everything he wanted in someone, Lily would have it. She was beyond hot. Which, as shallow as it may seem, did matter to Eric. If attraction wasn’t there, then what was the point? She was also independent, talented, kind and friendly, and she loved dogs.

  What more could a man want?

  Shadow whimpered for Lily’s attention. His tail was wagging so fast that he was having a hard time staying in a sit.

  “You were just giving me kisses, huh, Shadow?” Lily said, leaning down to kiss Shadow on the top of his head.

  Lucky dog.

  Eric looked up and noticed that Lily’s Jeep was filled with groceries. “Do you need a hand with those?”

  Lily straightened back up and her eyes widened at his offer. “Sure, that would be great.”

  He grabbed several bags, and she did the same. As they made their way to the front door, Eric noticed that Shadow walked between him and Lily. He really hoped that the dog would not try and pee on her to mark his territory.

  “Man, I’ve heard of Southern hospitality, but I didn’t know it reached all the way to California.” She took out her keys, and Eric noted that she unlocked both the door handle lock and the deadbolt.

  He could add that as one more thing he liked about this girl. She even locked her deadbolt. Most girls he knew didn’t have the key for their deadbolt and some of them never even locked their front door at all. It drove Eric crazy.

  “It’s a small town. We like to help each other out,” Eric explained as he set the groceries down on her counter.

  “It’s nice,” she said with a smile that looked…sad.

  He wanted to ask her what was wrong but he heard Shadow barking at the front door. They walked back outside just as Jake was getting out of his black Range Rover.

  Great. Just what I need.

  Jake walked with a confident stride that Eric felt was borderline cocky but his little brother said worked for him.

  “Hello, beautiful. I’m Jake.” His brother reached out and held Lily’s hand. “I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself at the wedding since you vanished after Twinkle Toes over here scared you off the dance floor.”

  “Oh no…he didn’t…I mean,” Lily stammered. “I just wasn’t feeling well.”

  “You don’t have to lie to me, gorgeous.” Jake threw an arm around Lily’s shoulder as if they were old friends and leaned down, whispering loudly as he winked, “I know he’s a terrible dancer. Did he step on your feet? You can tell me.”

  Lily laughed, and Eric realized that was the second time today he’d heard her do that. He liked her laugh. It was sexy and had a melodic tone to it. Just like her, it was real.

  “No, he didn’t. Eric’s a good dancer,” Lily defended, and even though they were all just kidding around, her statement made him want to puff out his chest and beat on it like Tarzan.

  Jake shook his head and pulled her even closer. “Now I know you’re lying.”

  “Stop it. Be nice,” Lily chuckled as she playfully swatted Jake’s arm and pulled away from him.

  Shadow must have taken her movement as a defensive one because he jumped between Lily and Jake, barking at his brother as he sat in front of Lily protectively.

  “Whoa, Shadow. We were just playing,” Jake assured the dog and began to move closer to Lily again.

  Shadow barked once more, this time sounding like he meant business. Lily’s eyes widened with amusement and her mouth opened in surprise as she once again began to laugh.

  Jake threw up his hands in surrender. “Damn, Shadow. I see how it is.”

  “Oh, is that my good boy protecting me?” Lily asked in a voice he’d heard women talk to babies in as she scratched behind Shadow’s ear.

  Shadow barked in answer to her question as he flopped down in front of her and rolled over on his back so she could scratch his belly.

  “Aww, you want your belly rubbed?” Lily bent over and gave Shadow a good rub on his belly.

  “Lucky dog,” Jake said under his breath.

  No kidding.

  Eric grabbed the rest of her bags from the Jeep, and Lily got up quickly to help him.

  “I’ve got it,” he assured her, closing the hatch. He started towards the door but was momentarily stopped in his tracks by the golden flecks he saw shimmering in her eyes.

  “Thanks.” A small smile spread across her face, and Eric noticed a faint pink blush rise up on her cheeks.

  “So, Lily,” Jake interrupted, always needing to be the center of attention, “how do like Hope Falls?”

  “I love it.” Lily’s face lit up as they all three walked into her house. “It’s cold, but I love it.”

  “Where are you from?” Jake continue
d his inquisition as Eric set the last of the grocery bags down.

  “I moved from Sacramento.” Lily turned as she began putting away her groceries.

  “Is that where you grew up?” Jake asked as he pulled up and sat on one of the barstools beside the breakfast bar.

  “Uhh, no,” Lily answered as she reached up, going on her tiptoes to the put away cereal in the top cabinet. The movement not only showcased her perfectly shaped ass, it had the added bonus of pulling her shirt up so that the tiniest bit of skin peeked out. Eric felt himself growing hard just from that innocent gesture.

  “So where are you from? Originally, I mean.” Jake clarified his question as he propped his feet up on the stool beside him, making himself at home.

  “Here and there. I moved around a lot,” she answered vaguely as she made her way around the kitchen.

  Watching her put away groceries reminded Eric of the one and only ballet he had ever been to. When Nikki was about eight, she had gone through a short window of time in which she had wanted to be a ballerina. She had actually been cast in the Nutcracker, which ran in San Francisco. The whole family had gone to see her on opening night.

  Eric hadn’t been that excited about it. Spending a Friday night at the ballet was not a good time for a fifteen-year-old boy. But to this day he did remember how the dancer’s movements were so graceful and their bodies looked like pieces of art to him.

  That was exactly what watching Lily put her food away looked like to him. Like he was watching a living, breathing, moving piece of art.

  “Right, Eric?” Jake’s voice was raised.

  Eric turned to his brother, trying not to let the irritation he felt welling inside of him bleed through into his tone. “What?”

  “I said,” Jake sighed, shaking his head dramatically, making Lily laugh a little, “we would have loved to move around a lot as kids. Instead we spent our entire childhood in Hope Falls being bored out of our minds.”

  Eric didn’t have any idea what his brother was talking about. “I loved growing up here.”

  “Of course you did.” Jake took an apple Lily handed him after she’d finished washing it. “’Cause, you, big brother, are boring,” he announced before taking a big bite out of the large red apple.

  He was about to tell Jake where he could shove both his opinion and that apple when Lily started speaking.

  “I think that’s sweet.” She reached out and touched Eric’s forearm. “I don’t know anyone who actually enjoyed their childhood.”

  Just the simple touch of her hand through the cotton of Eric’s thermal sent his body into overdrive. It was like she was electrically charged and the second she touched him his body came alive with pulsing desire.

  She moved her hand away like she had touched a hot stove. Quickly turning back, she busied herself by putting things away around her small kitchen. Eric took a step back to try to lessen some of the rioting effect that just her nearness was having on his body.

  He looked up to find Jake taking the whole scene in with the same smile he used to get on his face when he was about to pull a prank in Sunday school.

  Time to go.

  “We'd better get going.” Eric moved to the front room and shot his brother a look that said he'd better get his ass off that stool and follow him. Begrudgingly, Jake rose from his perch. Eric patted his leg. “Come on, Shadow.”

  The dog, who had been sitting in the corner of the small kitchen, watching Lily’s every move, plopped down to a lying position dramatically and let out a big sigh.

  “Aww.” Lily held her hands over her chest as she puffed out her bottom lip in a pout. “He wants to stay.”

  “Shadow, come,” Eric said with more authority in his tone.

  Shadow slowly stood and padded over beside Jake. Eric couldn’t believe what a pain in the ass both his brother and his dog were being when he was just trying to leave!

  Lily, however, was smiling from ear to ear. “Thanks again, Eric. Hope to see you soon.”

  “You too,” Eric said, really liking the way he felt hearing her say that.

  “Well it won’t be too hard. You live like a hundred yards from each other,” Jake teasingly pointed out.

  Eric reached up to smack his brother upside the head but he ducked.

  “What?” Jake laughed, along with Lily, as he and Eric headed out the front door. “I’m serious. You could probably just look out your side windows and wave.”

  He was gonna kill Jake.

  Chapter Nine

  Lily pulled the soft throw blanket tighter around her shoulders as her jaw chattered from the cold. She moved and tucked her ice-cold feet up beneath her, hoping that her body heat would start to warm them. This time her low body temperature was one hundred percent her fault.

  She had bought a pint of Coconut Bliss vegan ice cream at the store, and even though it was freezing outside, she’d had a bowl while she was watching one of her favorite movies, Dirty Dancing. Lily was twenty-six years old and it was time to face facts—if there was ice cream in the house, Lily had to eat it. It wasn’t optional.

  Even now as she shivered beneath the covers, she didn’t regret indulging in her frozen desires. If ice cream and caffeine were her two vices, she didn’t think she was doing too bad.

  Her eyes were glued to the television as her favorite montage of the two lead characters practicing their dance routine filled the screen. Lily had probably seen this movie over one hundred times but it never got old, even though she knew every line, every frame by heart.

  She felt a buzzing beneath her and realized that in all of her bundling up she must have inadvertently sat on her phone. After several attempts to untangle herself from her mummy-like blanket wrap, she was finally able to locate it. She didn’t recognize the number, but it had a Hope Falls area code so she tentatively pressed the answer icon.

  “Hello.”

  “Hello, Henry Walker here, Miss Lily. How are you this evening?”

  She smiled at the mayor’s warm greeting. “Fine, how are you?”

  “Well now, I’m busier than mustard trying to ketchup, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he chuckled but continued speaking very fast. “The reason I’m calling is the parks and rec department has been searching high and low for a seniors salsa teacher. Gladys fell and twisted her ankle so she will be out for the next few months. It’s just one hour once a week. What do you say, young lady? You interested?”

  “Umm, well, I’d love to help but—”

  “Great. First class is noon tomorrow at the Community Center. See ya there.”

  “I didn’t say—” Lily heard the line go dead, and she looked at her phone to see that the call had indeed been disconnected. Mayor Walker was quite a character. Lily had to admire his technique. He got the portion of the answer he wanted and wrapped up the call.

  Lily shook her head in amusement. You gotta respect that.

  She thought about her schedule and knew that even if she had rehearsal with Karina on the same day she taught the seniors it would be fine because she was already at the Community Center, and she was sure that Karina wouldn’t mind her helping out.

  Turning her attention back to the screen, she felt her muscles relax into the comfy, worn couch as she snuggled into her blanket. Her eyes felt heavy but she wanted to at least make it to the lead actor’s big performance scene.

  She was able to fight the exhaustion, but just as the MC was stepping onto the stage to announce their number, the screen went black. Not just the screen but all the lights in the house. It was pitch black and completely silent.

  Logically she knew that she was not in any more danger than she had been when the lights and TV had been on. Logically she knew that she was perfectly safe. Logically she knew that no one was going to hurt her. Too bad she wasn’t functioning on logic right at this moment.

  She felt herself taking shallow breaths as fear choked her throat. Tears were forming in her eyes as memories began to assault her.

  Sitting in a
dark closet. The only sound was her short pants of air. Trying to control her breathing so they wouldn’t hear her. Wouldn’t find her. The loud pops of gunfire ringing through the air. Holding her hands over her ears to try and mute the deafening noise. Praying for this to be over. Her body trembling uncontrollably in fear.

  She heard footsteps. They were coming closer. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe.

  Now, as she sat in her house, safely away from that closet, the same paralyzing fear raced through her blood and made it run cold. She pulled her knees up on the couch and wrapped her arms around them as tears flowed from her face. She could hear the loud crack of gunfire. She pulled the throw blanket over her head to wait for the memories to stop.

  Pounding. Pounding. Loud pounding.

  “Lily, it’s Eric! Are you okay?” Eric’s voice broke through the ocean of fear she had been drowning in.

  She lifted her heavy head from the blanket and opened her eyes. She saw Eric’s large shadow through her front window as he banged on her door. Her face, hands, and feet tingled from fear but she forced herself to get up.

  Her limbs felt heavy as she walked. Her hands were shaking as she turned the deadbolt, twisted the knob, and pulled the front door open. The second she did, she felt a brush of soft fur against her hand. She looked down and saw Shadow sitting beside her, his body pressed against her legs and his head resting under her hand.

  “Lily, are you okay?” she heard Eric ask again but his voice sounded like she was floating underwater.

  Her legs felt like noodles so she sat down and wrapped her arms around the comforting safety of Shadow’s sturdy frame. As she buried her face in his furry neck, Shadow put his paw on her shoulder. She knew it might be ridiculous but it really felt like he was hugging her. That thought for some reason made her tears start coming harder and faster.

  “Lily?” She felt Eric’s large hand rest on her back, and she could sense more than feel his presence surrounding her. “How about we sit on the couch?”