"Thank Naomi for Kyle. And enjoy that cookie." Gil winked and left.

"See ya." Mel watched him go, feeling wistful. It was nice to see people around her so happy, but sometimes jealousy niggled at the back of her mind. Especially when Naomi struck up a relationship with an author Booklovers brought in for a signing. Courtney Cross had apparently fallen as hard for Naomi as her boss had for the cute, blonde woman.

Courtney had pulled up stakes and moved to Cattle Valley, and was supposedly working on a novel based on their little town.

Mel was extremely happy for them, even when she trudged to the grocery story to buy replacement batteries for her vibrator. It had been her only companion for far too long, and sometimes she couldn't help feeling irritated about it.

The front door jingled again, and several people walked in. Mel glanced at her cookie with a sigh before wrapping it up and setting it aside. There'll be time for that later. There always was.

Late in the afternoon, Mel was changing out the front window display when she heard a noisy rumble from the street. She glanced out and saw an ugly car with flaking, dark green paint cruising slowly down Main Street. The noise, the grating sound of metal sc.r.a.ping asphalt, seemed to be coming from something dragging in the back.

The car slowed in front of the store then made an awkward turn and pulled in to park.

16.

Mel peered through the dirty windshield, but it was impossible to see the driver.

n.o.body from around here. She was sure of that.

When the woman climbed out, stretching after what had apparently been quite a drive, she was hard to miss. Her shapely, tanned legs led up to a pair of short, jean cut-offs, with a T-shirt over them. Mel tried not to notice the pleasant way the shirt was filled out, instead skipping up to the woman's face. Zoing. Her heartstrings lurched.

The stranger was definitely attractive. Her cheeks were as gaunt as a model's, but her lips were full and a pretty shade of pink. Dark eyes were heavily lined with a makeup pencil, and long lashes were coated thick with mascara. Short black hair with tips of red framed her face. Wowza. Mel hadn't seen anyone that cute in town for ages.

They didn't get a lot of strangers through Cattle Valley. Most visitors were friends or relatives of town residents. In the summer, they had tourists, especially during Rodeo Days, but that was several months off.

Mel watched the woman adjust her clothes then lean down to check her face in the mirror on her car door. When she straightened and looked towards the bookstore, Mel hurried away from the window.

She tried to act nonchalant, leafing through a stack of paperwork, when the door jingled. She looked up as casually as she could and offered a smile. "Hi there. Help you?"

The woman strode towards her. If Mel hadn't seen the car, she might have believed the casually dressed bombsh.e.l.l to be an actress or a model. But n.o.body, not even a famous person going incognito, would choose that big, green boat to drive.

She gave Mel the once-over before replying. "I'm looking for a guy named Mel. Tia Brooks told me he'd have the keys to the bed and breakfast I purchased."

"You purchased?" Mel blinked, attempting to hide her surprise.

"Yes. I'm Adeline Murphy. I'm the new owner of the Apple Valley Inn." She stared at Mel for a moment then asked, "So, is he around? Mel?"

Mel's heartbeat drummed so loudly, she thought the other woman would surely hear it.

She cleared her throat and tried to remain cool. "I'm him. I mean, I'm Mel! Melissa. Melissa Danes." Now I'm babbling. She closed her mouth.

17.

The woman's pouty expression changed to a smile for the first time. "You're Mel?

Oops, sorry about that. I guess Tia never specified. She just said Mel would have the keys, and I a.s.sumed...well, anyway, sorry."

"No problem. I do have the keys. I wasn't expecting you. Tia said you'd call."

"She never told me that. Or if she did, I forgot. She was in kind of a hurry the last time we talked."

Mel nodded. "Her mother was sick. I guess she told you that. Tia was anxious to get back home. She's from Jamaica, you know."

Adeline chuckled. "I could tell by her accent when we talked on the phone. Not much doubt about it. So..." She glanced around the store then let her eyes settle back on Mel.

The dark pupils seemed to gaze right though her. Mel shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. She normally wasn't shy around people. I work retail, for crissakes! I'm around people all day long. S omething about this woman made her squirm, though.

"Nice bookstore." Adeline looked around again.

"Thanks. My friend owns it, I just work here." Mel touched a display of the latest best seller sitting on the counter. "Do you like to read?"

"When I-" The front door opened, the sound of the bell interrupting her words.

"I thought you were getting the keys. You decide to stop and shop or something?" A blonde-haired woman in even skimpier clothes than Adeline wore walked towards them.

She looked around as she pa.s.sed shelves of books, an expression of distaste on her face.

"Doesn't seem to be much to shop for in here."

Mel studied the newcomer. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were barely concealed by the sheer blouse she wore, but even with the blatant s.e.xuality, Mel didn't find her attractive. Where Adeline was made up nicely, her acquaintance had used the eyeliner to the point of overkill. Thick black lines circled her blue eyes, giving her a rac.o.o.nish appearance.

"I haven't been in here that long," Adeline murmured. "Just making conversation."

"Oh, yeah?" The woman stared at Mel with distrust in her eyes. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

Mel watched in disbelief as she lit one up, blowing a puff of grey wisps towards the ceiling. Frowning, Mel jiggled the small 'no smoking' sign on the counter. "You can't smoke that in here."

18.

"Why does that not surprise me?" The newcomer rolled her eyes, batting the lashes for effect. "I'll take it outside, then. I a.s.sume it's okay to smoke outside in Cow Village?"

"Cattle Valley," Adeline corrected in a hushed voice. "Go out, I'll be right there."

"I'll be waiting for you." She gave Mel another scathing once-over before turning slowly and leaving the store, a trail of smoke above her.

Adeline waved at the grey cloud in front of her face. "Sorry. It's been a long, tiring trip."

"That's okay." Mel reached under the counter for her purse and dug out a big key ring.

"Here you go. You've been to the inn, right?"

"No. Actually, I've never seen it. Just pictures."

"Oh." Mel raised her eyebrows. Generally not much surprised her, but this woman continued to do just that. "You bought something that expensive sight unseen?"

Adeline shrugged. "The timing didn't work out to come see it. I really should go. If you could just direct me to the place..."

"Sure. It's on the corner of Walnut and Bower, near Beauregard Park." She pointed. "Go up to the stoplight and take a right. It's just a couple of blocks. You can't miss it."

"Thanks." Adeline s.n.a.t.c.hed the key ring and hurried to the front door. When she got there she muttered, "Uh oh."

"What's wrong?" Mel followed her, looking out the window. Ryan Blackfeather was crouched behind the big, green car, examining it.

"Is he a cop?" Adeline asked with a tired sigh.

He wore a uniform shirt, but with his faded jeans and long, black ponytail, Mel agreed it was kind of hard to tell. "Ryan? Well, yeah, he's the sheriff. But he's cool. Come on."

She pushed open the front door and glanced around. There was no other foot traffic on the street. She could leave the store for just a moment. "Hey, Ryan," she called.

He straightened and glanced at her. "Hey, Mel. How's the book business today?"

"Pretty good. How's the sheriffing business?" she tossed back their standard greeting.

"Just got a sight more interesting." He smiled at Adeline then turned his gaze on the other woman who stood watching him, puffing her cigarette with irritation.

Adeline smiled nervously. "Anything wrong?"

19.

He scratched his head and looked down at the car. "This wasn't making a horrible noise when you drove in?"

"Well, sort of." She blushed.

The cutest shade of pink. Mel tamped down the tingling in her stomach and tried to speak coherently. "It was a touch noisy. Ryan, this is Adeline Murphy, the new owner of the Apple Valley Inn. Adeline, Sheriff Ryan Blackfeather."

"Hey, Sheriff." She stepped forward and shook hands with the tall Native American.

He was all of six-two, and even with her long legs, he dwarfed her.

Mel smiled. Ryan was strictly gay with not one, but two, partners at home. Yet he charmed women better than any man she knew.

"Pleased to meet you, Adeline." He nodded at her as they shook.

"It's Addie. And this is Chloe." Addie motioned to her companion.

"Chloe," he acknowledged.

The blonde smoked and glared.

He looked away, tossing Mel an amused glance before turning back to Addie. "Your m.u.f.fler is shot. Next b.u.mp you hit, it'll be lying in the middle of the road. I'd recommend taking it to Gill's Garage just down the block. He does a good job at a reasonable price."

"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind, Sheriff. Right now, I just want to get to the inn.

We've had a long trip, and we're both exhausted." Addie went to Chloe's side and shook her arm. "Come on, let's go."

"Yep." Chloe dropped her cigarette, snuffing out the b.u.t.t with the toe of her sandal. She walked around to her side of the car and got in.

Addie started the engine and her car roared to life. She nodded to Mel and Ryan then backed out, m.u.f.fler sc.r.a.ping as she drove off.

The sheriff pa.s.sed by the cigarette b.u.t.t slowly and glanced at it before stopping next to Mel. "That m.u.f.fler will be off before she hits Ash Street."

"Not sure I've ever seen a car quite that old."

He grinned. "I used to have a fifty-seven Nash Rambler. But it was cherry, not like that piece of shi-"He coughed politely. "Car."

Mel grinned. "Gill's a magician. Keeps my little Mazda running perfectly. He can fix her up, I'm sure."

20.

Ryan watched the old car turn off a few blocks down Main Street. He shook his head.

"The sooner the better."