Chapter 5

5

NIKKI

I 've always loved doing research. But by the second week of taking notes about people's conversations, it's getting a bit boring, even for me.

Although the people of Old Hemlock Valley are now so used to seeing us around that they don't clam up around us as much anymore. The fact that Harper is dating Griffin probably makes us "one of them" a bit, too, so people feel they can let their guard down more.

Corina's Coffee has become my favorite place to write down conversation fragments. My notebooks are spread around a bit, so it looks like I'm studying.

Two older ladies come into the shop, nodding to everyone, and I'm pleased to see they include me. I give them a bright smile, then drop my head as if I'm not paying attention to anything but my work.

Sure enough, once they have their coffees and are seated in the booth next to mine, they start chatting openly, clearly within hearing range of the customers at the counter. At first, it's the usual topics — weather, how their families are doing, how their husbands are faring at work.

"Did your ever get your car fixed?" the lady with tight brown curls asks.

"Oh, yes." Her friend, with long blonde hair swept up casually in a messy bun, flashes a saucy smile. "You know I love my husband. But getting an eyeful of those Dirty boys when I go to pick up the car is always a treat."

Brown Curls laughs. "Yeah, I took mine to Walker for a tuneup last month. I mean…those biceps!"

"And the youngest one. Griffin. The shoulders on him." The blonde fans herself dramatically.

"Have you ever heard anything odd about the middle one?"

I try not to lean in as much as the blonde does. "You mean those rumors about how Carson is…" Her eyes flick to the counter, but the people there aren't paying any attention. " Always at the post office ?"

Brown Curls nods, sipping her coffee. "Marla works there. He's always getting little packages and sending away bigger ones. What could that be about?"

"Well, you know the stories about his grandpa, Shane. He was always mailing things."

"Really?"

The blonde smooths back her hair as she nods. "Sure! People thought that he was running moonshine or something out there in the woods. But you can't put moonshine in eight by ten envelopes, and that's what Shane was always sending out, apparently."

The other woman giggles. "How about blotter acid? That was big in the seventies, wasn't it? You could mail that."

They both laugh and Messy Bun shakes her head. "I don't think so. Not their style. But something is definitely strange. Oh well. There's always one weirdo in every family, right?"

I want to mention that people's personal business is personal. Instead, I carefully write down every single detail, even though this is not going in my report.

We are here to study how news and general chatter travels in a small town. According to our findings at the beginning of the study, "news and general chatter" are usually good things. Or they're pertinent to a person's day-to-day life. Like if the grocery store was closed unexpectedly, you would change your plans.

Gossip is something else. Gossip is naughty. It's interesting to others because someone is breaking a rule of society. The general code of conduct is not being adhered to.

And unfounded rumors… Those are the most dangerous of all, because everyone wants to know other people's secrets. We gauge our own development and success by comparing ourselves to those around us. The more we know about them, the more we can tell about ourselves.

I don't know what to think about these rumors about Carson. Do those women think he's a bad guy?

Receiving a whole bunch of small packages and mailing out larger ones… I'm not sure why, but that does sound a bit sketchy. Maybe because in a town this small, if it was something socially acceptable then everyone would already know about it already.

What is he hiding? Is this a red flag?

Honestly, I shouldn't be searching for red flags because I shouldn't be dating for another four years . Whatever. I just need to get through this night, then I can decide what the hell I'm doing with my life tomorrow.

Carson had sent a text earlier that he'd pick me up at five-twenty. At five-fifteen I pay my bill, duck into the restroom to brush my hair, add a little more eyeshadow, and change my shirt to something a bit nicer that I brought with me, glad to see it hasn't wrinkled in my bag.

When I step back into the café, there's no missing the scarlet Ferrari parking outside. The two women are still there. Crap. I quickly walk outside, hoping that they don't realize they were gossiping about Carson right in front of me.

I barely make it two steps out the door when he enfolds me in his arms, kissing me so hard and deep that I almost black out. I don't care that the entire café is full of people who are probably staring at us. All I can think about is the heat of his mouth on mine and the way his huge hand feels as he cradles the back of my head while simultaneously dipping me back.

"I've missed you, kitten."

His animalistic dark growl sends a low, rolling tidal wave of heat through my lower belly and down my thighs. Why does it drive me so wild when he calls me that? I want him. Need him. Need to know what this incredible man would do to me.

"So beautiful," he murmurs against my mouth, then slowly pulls away. "There are three amazing restaurants in West Stoneburg. You can choose on the way."

He hands me the keys and helps me adjust the seat and the mirrors. As I drive away very carefully, the two ladies are staring open-mouthed out the window. Maybe it has nothing to do with me. Maybe it's just that they haven't seen Carson with a…I'm not going to use the word girlfriend . "Potential romantic partner". Yeah, let's go with that.

I just hope that we aren't going to become another dirty rumor in town, especially since I still have no idea what's going to become of us.

If, of course, anything at all.