The chain rattled and clanked against the aluminum bike rack. Pushing her hair from her face, Maddie released a breath. Customers passed her and entered the convenience store. The overhead bell rang in announcement each time.
Salt covered the icy roads and the sidewalk at the bike rack, but not the walkway to the door. Maddie cringed. How many times had she busted her behind? Since she’d moved to the southern town of Coal Creek, more than she cared to count. It would make her look like a dork… again. No matter how hard she tried to blend in, she always wound up making a dork of herself. No wonder she wasn’t making any friends — who’d want to be friends with her?
The autumn weather was so strange, one day sunny, the next rainy, the next snowy. She’d never lived in the South before; was every year like this one, or was the world determined to mess with her?
Drawing in a deep breath for courage, she took a step and slipped. Legs spread wide, she reached out to steady herself against the paned glass window, but missed the mark.
“Whoa!” someone said. A masculine voice, nice and strong.
Heat flushed her face. The object she gripped wasn’t the cool frame of the store window but a shirt covering the hard muscles of a well-developed chest.
Lifting her chin a fraction, she stared into the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. A smile tilted the corner of her rescuer’s lips.
“Are you okay, miss?”
Miss! He called her miss! Not oaf or clumsy or… A thrill rattled up her spine, setting her brain askew.
Fighting a rising fog, she shook her head. “Yes.” And cringed. She’d just dorked herself again.
His smile widened and he helped her straighten. “I was just going in the store. May I help you inside?”
She managed a nod without contradicting herself this time.
He gathered her small hand in his larger one and squeezed. He opened the door and waited. “You go first.”
Don’t act like an idiot, Maddie. He released her hand and a hollow place opened inside her, as if she’d lost her best friend. His lips tilted in a smirk as if this was a common occurrence between him and those of the female persuasion. She didn’t doubt it.
Determined he not realize the full extent of how he’d affected her, she squared her shoulders and strutted inside. The warmth slapped her face and dispelled the fog. Removing her scarf, she turned to thank the stranger, but he’d disappeared. The store seemed filled with boys, but they were all the wrong boys.
She twisted her lips in disappointment and strode to the back wall housing the coolers. Milk and eggs gathered, she strolled past the candy bar aisle. Chocolate bars with nougat, chocolate bars with peanuts, chocolate bars with chocolate filled an entire row and her mouth watered in anticipation. Maddie closed her eyes, paused for a deep, settling breath, and reached forward. The plastic covering of a candy bar didn’t fill her hand, but rather something warm. She opened her eyes, hoping her rescuer had reappeared.
“May I help you?” An elderly gentleman stared at her hand, closed around his coated forearm, and frowned.
She released him, heat searing her face. “I— I don’t think I need a candy bar today.” Dorks don’t deserve them.
She ran to the cash register, checked out, raced to her bike without suffering a repeat of her earlier disaster, and stowed the groceries in the front basket. The lock fumbled in her hands and she dropped the key twice.
She almost sighed when she managed to open the lock. Unfortunately, the chain slid from her grasp and fell onto the ground. Angrily, she ripped it up, threw it in the basket on top of the milk, and took off down the road.
Just another day in her new and dorkish life.
****
Chase raced to the restroom. Hopefully the damsel he’d left could find her way around the store. The poor girl seemed lost.
When he returned, his family milled about. The damsel wasn’t in sight. She hadn’t been very tall; she might be hidden by the chip racks in the back. He peered around them. Not there.
“Look here, Mom! They have chewy caramel sticks. May I have one?” yelled Chris, who loved everything sweet and enjoyed at least two cavities per year.
Was that a flash of auburn hair, over by the back cooler? Chase frowned. No, just the lights reflecting off a display of sodas. The girl couldn’t have left that quickly, could she?
His mother rolled her eyes and grabbed a handful of the caramel sticks from the shelf. “Now, don’t ask for anything else. If we keep eating like this I’m going to be as big as a horse.”
His father leaned over and planted a kiss on Mom’s cheek. “Doesn’t matter to me, Carissa, I’ll still love you.”
Mom smiled and slapped Dad playfully. Embarrassed, Chase moved away and squatted to study the store shelf. Jerky and healthy snacks as well as candy. Not bad for a small town, so maybe this wouldn’t be the worst place on earth for his family to settle down.
The girl he’d rescued seemed to have disappeared, and he let the stab of disappointment trickle down deep. She’d been pretty in an unusual way. Waist-length auburn hair and jade green eyes had drawn him as soon as she had tilted her face toward him. But again, small town; he should be able to find her at school.
He groaned at the thought of settling in at yet another place. Sometimes being part of a military family had major drawbacks. Like traveling and moving multiple times a year. Hopefully this would be the last time for a while. His father had retired from the military and taken a job as a consultant at a weapons plant. Now they were moving to the sleepy town of Coal Creek, close to his father’s employment.
“Chase!” Craig, his younger brother by two years, waved at him.
Chase’s legs cramped and he shook them as he stalked toward Craig.
“Hey, bro, what do you think of this? There’s a comb in the honey!”
Chase rolled his eyes and patted his brother’s back. “You need serious help.”
“Boys, it’s time to head out.”
Colton and Cole, the twins, grabbed snack bags of chips, snagged candy bars, and plopped them on the counter. The pile grew as each of them laid down their snacks for the remainder of the trip. Dad paid, and they ran outside and filed into the SUV.
“Shouldn’t be long now, guys. Your mom and I are really excited about this house. We know you’re going to love it.” They squeezed each other’s hands and looked longingly into each other’s eyes.
Cole groaned. “Mom! Dad! Do you have to do that in front of us? We’re only ten! You might scar us for life.”
Music poured through Chase’s headphones, blocking the ensuing explanation. The twins received more lectures than a college student.
The vehicle sped along the highway. A cool breeze drifted through a cracked-open window and he shivered. November in the town of Coal Creek wouldn’t be warm like sunny southern California. Surfing and sunning most of the year would be a thing of the past. He’d made some great friends in California. And what of the girls! Tanned, with that honey-colored hair that only comes from lying in the sun. He almost sighed aloud. Why did it seem like every time they moved somewhere good, they didn’t get to stay long?
Chase bobbed his head to the music and stared out the window at a fast-flowing river. He blinked. A creature with glowing red eyes slithered into the water. Only a second’s glimpse, that was all he got, then the car had passed it and trees blocked the view.
He rubbed his eyes and faceplanted against the pane. His heart raced. What was it he’d learned in school? Alligators lived in freshwater and their eyes reflected light, which made them look red. Could it be? Could that giant lizard-like creature have been a real alligator?
He fell back against the seat. It couldn’t have been anything weird and bizarre, like something out of a strange novel — what was he thinking? Gators weren’t weird and bizarre? Chase laughed at himself and settled deeper into the music.
Finally the SUV turned in at a driveway and shuddered to a halt. Everyone climbed out, but Chase hung back, watching. The two-story white house with a picket fence reminded him of an old sitcom set. Kids rode skateboards along the dead-end street. Older boys played ball in their driveways.
Coal Creek might not be such a bad place after all. Especially once he found that strange damsel again.
****
Next morning, Maddie fumbled into school, yawning and rubbing her tired eyes. The nightmares had begun again. The therapist said time healed all wounds. But what did he know?
She hitched her full backpack a little higher. She was still fairly new to Coal Creek High School. Because it was the middle of the year and there were no empty lockers, she had to carry her books everywhere she went, shouldering the heavy load. There’d been talk about finding her some space in the teachers’ lounge. Wouldn’t that be fun.
This school really needed a construction project, focusing on shiny new lockers. And the girls’ restrooms, of course. Powder blue with wall-to-wall mirrors and soft lighting would be good. Yeah. Right.
Everything was different, so different from…
Stroking a stray hair behind her ear, she shook off the memories and wondered about the boy at the gas station. Was he just passing through? Did he live nearby? He’d had blond hair and kind blue eyes. He’d been nice to her, which was a rarity. These days she either received pitying or awkward stares. Nothing attuned to the friendships she’d enjoyed before she came to live in Coal Creek.
She entered English class and headed to the back corner. On her first day a couple months earlier, it had been the only available seat. Fortunately, it provided room for her to shove her books out of the way. It also gave her a place to hide from inquisitive eyes. Being the new girl was a pain.
But someone occupied her chair. The guy was dressed in black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black boots. Thick and wavy black hair lay across his forehead and caressed the top of his shoulders. He was handsome in a dark kind of way. And he was newer than she was. Excellent, she was off that particular hook.
What were the odds that she’d meet two handsome strangers in two days, in such a small town? Of course, neither would want anything to do with her, not with all the cheerleaders sashaying around. Not a dork like her.
But this handsome stranger lifted his eyes to her face and grinned. “Am I in your seat?”
His words dripped with both honey and venom in a strange sort of way. She gulped. Had he just spoken to her? The dork, the oaf, the friendless?
“Yeah, but umm…” How do you tell someone like him to give your seat back?
He folded his muscled arms over his broad chest. “Mr. Henley told me to sit in the back. How lucky am I?”
“Excuse me?”
“Looks like I was lucky enough to take the seat of a beautiful woman.”
Maddie heard a gasp and glanced behind her. Stephanie — better known as Miss Popularity — gawked. She blinked rapidly and said to those around her, “What, what did he say? He can’t be talking to her.”
Maddie faced the new guy, her confidence renewed. If talking to the dark handsome stranger got Stephanie’s goat, then she was all for it. “Yes, that’s my seat.”
Stephanie’s voice rose an octave. “Did she just speak to him? Someone fan me!” Stephanie poured on the drama, and her sidekick Marley grabbed a book and waved it like a fan.
The boy in black stood and offered Maddie her seat. “Sorry about the mix-up.” He held his hand out. “I’m Dougal Lachlan. It’s nice to meet you.”
Maddie glanced again over her shoulder. Stephanie was on the verge of stroking out, her face as red as a pomegranate as she gasped for breath. With a satisfied grin, Maddie accepted Dougal’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, too. I’m Madelyn Clevenger. But you can call me Maddie for short.”
They shook hands and a thud echoed behind them. Stephanie had slipped from her chair and toppled to the floor in a theatrical, deliberate move.
Maybe her lack of friends hadn’t been entirely her own dorky fault.
****
Maddie fought a grin as she walked to her next class. Other students stared at her and she lowered her head, allowing her hair to drape across her face. Her Cheshire cat grin was for herself alone.
News of Dougal and their conversation had caught the school rumor mills and she’d become an instant sensation. She didn’t like being stared at, but man, it beat the pity and indifference by a long country mile.
She entered her next class and strode to the back to take her seat. Again Dougal sat there, his legs crossed at the ankles and propped on the seat before him.
“Maddie, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Looks like I’ve done it again.”
“Looks like it.” Heat flushed her cheeks and she stroked a strand of hair behind her ear. Wait, did she do that when she got nervous?
Dougal moved and swept out his arm. Maddie took her seat and shoved her books underneath. When she lifted her head, everyone stared at her. She cleared her throat and flipped her book open. Felt good.
Stephanie vigorously fanned herself with a folded piece of paper. “I don’t get it. I just don’t get it.”
“Don’t worry, girlfriend,” Marley said. “I’m sure it’s just an anomaly in the space-time continuum.”
“What?” Stephanie glared and shook her head. “Marley, what are you babbling about?”
“I was trying to explain the new guy’s odd behavior.”
“How, by being odd yourself?”
Marley narrowed her eyes and fell back against her chair.
It was almost comical. If Maddie hadn’t considered the entire situation weird, then she’d have been jumping in delight.
The teacher entered and Maddie shifted her gaze. A tingle raced along her spine. Dougal was kicked back and staring at her. He lifted his hand in a salute. Gnawing her lip, she lowered her gaze and studied her book.
It wouldn’t do to gloat too much. Just enough.
****
“Chase, the principal will see you now,” said the plump school secretary.
Chase nodded. He hated the first day at a new school, especially when the year was already started. Being the only one wandering around and getting lost, wondering between classes if he had enough time for his locker and the bathroom both, finding himself at the wrong end of a long hall with ten seconds before the bell…
At Coal Creek High, the principal met with all new students. Chase’s parents thought of it as a great opportunity. He thought of it as a way to ruin a guy’s reputation before it even started. And how many new students could a small, one-horse town possibly get?
He entered the office. The rotund, balding man behind the desk held a large pastrami on rye. He took a bite, laid it down, leaned forward, and offered his hand. “Chase Donovan? Welcome to Coal Creek. Hope you don’t mind if I eat lunch.”
Chase averted his gaze. A piece of lettuce was wedged between the principal’s front teeth. “No, sir. I don’t mind.”
“Good.” He waved Chase to a chair, then took another bite, chewed, and swallowed. “Young man, I believe you’ll like it here. We’re a small school with big opportunities. Do you play sports?”
“Only for recreation.”
“What a pity. You’ve got the build.” The principal chomped another bite. He picked up some papers on his desk and riffled through them. “I see here that your father was in the Air Force. I was a military man myself.”
Chase critiqued the man’s physique and refrained from comment about how long ago that must have been. “Yes, he’s retired now.”
“Ah, so he came here to retire. I don’t blame him. This is a wonderful community. And now that the weapons plant is expanding… well, they’re the big employer in the area. If they’re expanding, it’s really great for the town.”
“That’s good to know.”
“Do you have any questions?”
“No, sir.”
“Very well, then. See Mrs. Grady at the front desk and she’ll help with your schedule. I’m sure you’re going to love it here.”
Chase left, rolling his eyes. Great meeting, really great. So worth the time and damage to his reputation.
Mrs. Grady arranged his schedule and he thanked her then joined the crowded hallway. The bell rang and he glanced at the papers she’d handed him. Third period. French. He swore under his breath as he studied his paper map. How was he supposed to use it to find his classes? The words were blurred, the floors unmarked. He lifted his chin. A sign, like you might see in the mall, dangled from the ceiling. Hitching his backpack higher on his shoulder, he set out in a jog following the arrows. Third period was in full swing before he slipped in and found a seat off to the side.
Stares, new guy, whatever. At least he knew he wouldn’t be the only one, if the area’s big employer was expanding. There would be at least several more newbies wandering around and the unwanted attention would be shared out. Hey, he had gotten something useful from the principal’s little meeting — intel.
“Everyone turn to page fifty. You’ll find your assignment on the board.”
Groans mingled with the sound of shuffling papers. Chase bent and drew paper and a pencil from his backpack.
A pretty cheerleader type sitting in the middle of the room whispered, “I just don’t get what he sees in her.” She twisted a strand of honey-colored hair around her finger. She looked as if she might have come from a California beach. “Marley, you want to make a bet?”
“Sure, Stephanie. What’s the bet?”
“I bet I can make tall, dark, handsome, and new forget all about Maddie before the week is up.”
Yep, more newbies around. Excellent.
Marley scratched a pen lid against her forehead. “I don’t know. He seems pretty into her.”
A shadow fell across his desk. “Ladies, you should not be talking.”
“Sorry,” said Stephanie.
Chase started to say hello, but the teacher dropped a thick book on his desk. The flimsy metal legs vibrated beneath him.
The teacher walked away, saying, “If you need help, feel free to ask.”
He nodded, but didn’t get the impression the teacher really meant what he said. At least one teacher just going through the motions. Not good. At least it was only French and not something important, like chemistry or pre-calc. He sank low in his chair and tried to blend.
“Accueil. D’où êtes-vous?” The teacher stared at him.
Keeping his face blank, Chase nodded. “California.”
“Ah, California.” The French teacher spoke rapidly and Chase lost the thread. Thankfully, he moved to another student. Chase breathed a sigh of relief. He could follow some of the chattering but couldn’t bring himself to care.
The bell rang and he moseyed to the cafeteria. The line wound around the octagonal room and he found himself at the end. Tray finally filled, he looked for a place to sit. All the tables were full. A door to the outside stood open. Shoulders stooped, he found a seat underneath a small tree with drooping leaves on a brick planter. Thankfully the weather had warmed overnight. The seat was damp but not icy.
The pizza tasted like cardboard and the milk was warm. Could this school get any worse? He carried the full tray to the garbage can and let the contents slide off into it. Backpack hoisted on his shoulder, he dragged out his map.
Running his finger along the route as he walked, he mumbled, “If I take this hallway, and then—”
“Whoa!” came a feminine voice, but the warning was too late. Delicate hands fell against his chest.
Just like at the store yesterday. An electrical tingle raced over him and his pulse revved. “Sorry,” he said, heat flushing his cheeks.
“No, it’s okay. It was my fault.” Before he could speak again, the girl moved past, not even looking up. The fresh ozone scent of a thunderstorm hung in the air.
He turned to apologize, but the words stuck in his throat. Auburn waist-length hair, clasped in a ponytail, swished behind her as the girl made a hasty retreat. She didn’t glance back. It had been her, but his next class wouldn’t wait. He’d have to find her again.
Shrugging, he left the atrium, entered the hallway, and studied the map again. As usual when starting a new school, it was going to be a long day.
****
A few minutes earlier
Dougal hid in the corner of the atrium, his leg propped behind him against the wall. A toothpick hung from his lips as he struck his casual pose. Teenagers — ugh! Always worried about appearances and what others thought. In five years none of it would even matter and after a hundred years of life, he should know.
He planted both feet on the ground and looked at his wide-soled black boots. He sighed. Why did teens have to dress in such hideous outfits? Fortunately the attire he’d chosen for himself after researching several teen magazines wasn’t overly grotesque. At least he could stand the black. It also seemed to garner much attention. The adults eyed him warily and the kids expressed intrigue, wonderment. Perhaps he should have dressed more obscurely. Of course with his natural good looks, no clothes would have made him blend.
He rubbed a spot between his brows. Finding Maddie so quickly had been unexpected. Of course, that was just part of his assignment. Serena’s continued haranguing that he ‘get close to the key’ was annoying. Why did she not do the work if she was dissatisfied with his performance?
A magical blue light glowed around the outer courtyard doors, getting closer fast. Dougal perked up. Maddie exited the building. Hair fell across her face and she bumped into a strange boy walking with his head bent. Dougal’s stomach clenched as Maddie made contact. How dare the stranger touch her? Dougal made a move to intercept and tell him to keep his hands to himself, but the boy seemed slow-witted and allowed Maddie to walk away without offering an apology.
The new boy scooted past Dougal. The air between them sizzled with electric energy. It danced along Dougal’s arms and lifted the hairs on the nape of his neck. Ozone tickled his nostrils. He frowned, feeling the heat in his eyes that meant they were glowing. He hadn’t felt a surge like that since childhood. Who was this stranger? Had he come for the key as well? And if so, why?