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There was a man in her shower. A fine, naked man who claimed to be here for her. She wanted to say he was delusional and kick him to the curb, but she couldn’t. There was truth in his words, and she knew it. She felt it to her bones.

She’d like to ignore it, but the truth was her life had just taken a dramatic turn. Again. As the coffeepot sputtered, she wondered again if the fire Carlton had seen in her eyes had been real all along.

CHAPTER 5

Armi intentionally dressed down for their trip to town for breakfast. Jeans, tennis shoes, and an oversized gray t-shirt. Not that she ever dressed up these days. She was determined not to go out of her way to please a man ever again. Not even this one. There were no snug dresses, Spanx, or pantyhose in her future. She didn’t feel the need for makeup, and a ponytail suited her just fine as far as hairstyles went.

Naturally the waitress at the hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Eufaula knew Duncan. Maybe he’d remodeled her kitchen, too, like he had the sheriff’s. Then again maybe not, judging by the way she looked at him. He was at least two decades older than the pretty waitress, but judging by the gleam in her eyes that didn’t matter.

He was a hunk, no matter what his age.

That could not be jealousy she felt. She barely knew Duncan. A night of one-sided erotic dreams was all she had, and that meant nothing. Less than nothing. She didn’t take his claim of being her servant seriously. She couldn’t! That sounded more ridiculous today than it had last night when she’d been reeling from Carlton’s massacre. In that state of mind anything seemed possible. The darts? Maybe she had better reflexes than she realized. It might be a hidden talent, catching flying darts in her bare hands without getting a scratch. Maybe that was the Springer magic she’d missed all these years.

What the hell was she supposed to do with that ability? It was unlikely evil would arrive on her doorstep with a handful of darts to fling in her direction.

She didn’t even know if Duncan was his first name or his last. If he was married or ever had been. And what life had he left behind to come here? There was so much she didn’t know, but should she ask? Did she want him to think she was interested?

The waitress, Brittany according to her name tag, placed their food before them, refilled their coffee, and walked away. They were both starving, so there wasn’t a lot of conversation as they demolished scrambled eggs, bacon, grits, and biscuits. Yeah, she was going to move to a place with a real stove soon, so she could leave the concrete protein bars behind. This was a simple breakfast, but it was really good and hot.

Minutes later Brittany took their plates away, refilled their coffee again, and left. Another table needed her attention.

Armi took a sip of coffee—at this rate she wouldn’t sleep at all tonight, but maybe sleep was off the table for a while—and set her cup on the table. She kept her hands on the warm, white coffee cup, cradling it, grounding herself with it. There was nothing more normal, more comforting, than her beloved coffee. It was one of her simple pleasures. She could breathe, she could calm herself…

Screw this. Hesitant as she was, she needed to know more.

“Is Duncan your first name or your last?”

“Last,” he said. That was it.

“Is your first name embarrassing? Are you a Gomer or a Hiram?”

His smile was charming and crooked, the grin of a bad boy. She’d never been foolish enough to fall for the bad boy. Yet.

“Not quite that bad. My first name is Mitch.”

“That’s not horrible at all.” The name suited him somehow. He was definitely not a Gomer.

“Most people call me Duncan,” he said. He cradled his coffee cup much as she did. “You can call me whatever suits you.”

They couldn’t discuss everything here since the place was crowded and words could carry. Still, she could get to know this man who was turning her life upside down a bit better. “Married?”

“Once.”

Yet another one-word answer. She asked for more with a simple lift of her eyebrows.

“Laura died, more than twenty years ago.” He tried to sound unaffected but didn’t quite manage. “A semi crossed the median and hit her head-on.” He took and released a long breath, as he obviously attempted to ground himself. His facial expression changed slightly, hardened, as he continued. “No kids. Not much family at all, to be honest. My dad, who I don’t see very often. Mom passed years ago. An uncle and a couple of cousins I don’t know at all. I have a distant cousin I’ve met twice who lives in Mystic Springs. Molly. She owns the bed and breakfast, and from everything I heard over the years she’s kind of a nitwit. I have all my own teeth, my blood type is O negative, and while I have a degree in history, I never did anything with it. I’ve been working construction all my life. Owned my own successful company in Colorado until a few months back.” He didn’t seem happy about that. “I’ve been in Angel Lake less than a year.”

“Why did you move?”

His expression was touched with anger, in a way she hadn’t expected. “Because I could no longer deny that I need to be here. With you.”

She hadn’t been here when he’d arrived, so how could he have moved here for her? “That doesn’t…”

“Make any sense?” he interrupted. “You’re right, it doesn’t.” He looked around, made sure no one was close, and leaned closer. “What were you doing when it happened, when the protections over Mystic Springs fell?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“Sure you do. Maybe you haven’t made the connection, but in mid-October last year, probably while you were sleeping, something inside you changed.”