“Could this day get any stranger?” Abby blew out an exasperated breath and decided to reverse direction and leave town the way she’d entered. Maybe there was a side road to take her around the crazy detour. She drove for twenty minutes and found no intersecting roads. Instead, she was looped back to Charm. The detour had morphed into what? She needed answers that made sense and directions out of this village. Edward flashed in her mind. Yes, she’d try calling him.
“Edward Worth,” he answered, with a tone of impatience.
“It’s Abby. Sorry to intrude on your day, but I’m desperate for some guidance.”
“Now isn’t good,” he whispered. “I’m with clients.”
“Wait, don’t hang up. You have to help me. I got rerouted by a road detour and ended up in a town called Charm.”
“That’s nice—”
Abby’s voice rose an octave. “No, it isn’t nice, Edward. I can’t seem to get out of here. The road keeps circling me back. It’s making me crazy. Can you please look at a map and see—?”
“Listen. As I recall, one of your college majors was geography. At twenty-nine years of age, if you can’t find your way to Crestview, then I’m with the wrong woman. Speaking of which, lately, I’ve been wondering if we could use a break from each other. Let’s talk about us tomorrow.” Edward clicked off.
Did her boyfriend just end things over the phone while she sat dazed and confused in some village called Charm? “Edward, you’re a big jerk. Whenever I get home, I’m telling that to your smug face and probably a whole lot more.” Now what? She needed directions and a current map she could interpret. Abby shifted the vehicle into drive.
Snagging a parking place next to a visitor’s kiosk, her face brightened. Help awaited.
Two grey-haired dapper gentlemen greeted Abby with friendly expressions. “Afternoon there, missy. Do you need some assistance?” asked the one wearing a navy ballcap.
“Hello, fellows. Do you happen to have a current map? Mine is a few years old, and for some unknown reason, Charm isn’t on it.”
“Bill, grab this young lady a map. Don’t you fret. Our maps show Charm.”
“Thanks, Bob,” replied Abby, seeing his name monogrammed on the polo shirt. She studied both men’s faces. “You’re twins, Bill and Bob. That’s neat, and you both live here too?”
“Yes. Things kind of worked out that way. Wouldn’t you say, Bill? He’s the quiet one,” said Bob, elbowing his brother.
“Don’t pay any attention to him. I only seem quiet because he never shuts his trap,” teased Bill.
Abby laughed. “Thanks for that dose of humor. After my last half hour, you two are a welcome diversion.” She unfolded the map on the counter and felt her frown return.
“Problem?” Bob peeked at the diagram.
“Uh, Bob and Bill, I don’t see any roads intersecting with Charm. That’s what I just experienced trying to drive home. I’m from Crestview over an hour away, and I—” She gulped. “Where has my highway gone?” Abby looked at the two sympathetic faces as panic swept through her body. Wooziness claimed her.
“Uh oh, she’s lost the color in those cheeks. Bob, get her a soda.” Bill came from behind the kiosk and led Abby to a bench. He fanned her with his red ballcap. “There now, lass. Everything is fine.” He took the can from his brother and popped the tab. “Take a swig.”
Abby nodded and drank. The carbonation seemed to revive her enough to speak. “Thank you. I’m so confused that I don’t even know what to ask first. Maybe—”
“That’s okay. Happens to most everyone arriving here. Just you relax a few minutes and drink the cola,” encouraged Bill.
Bob knelt at Abby’s feet. “The quiet one is right. You relax and take some deep breaths of our special mountain air.”
Abby gave a nod and inhaled. She filled her lungs and felt an unexpected peace envelop her within seconds. What did Bill mean that her type of reaction happened to nearly everyone arriving in Charm? She scrutinized both men’s faces. They appeared sincere and caring. Abby sought other explanations for the unfolding folly. Running quick scenarios, she chose the most logical. A dream…yes, this was all some type of vivid—or was it a lucid—dream? She closed her eyes, counted backward from ten, and pinched her arm. Now she’d wake up to another humdrum workday in the cosmeceutical lab. Abby opened her eyes to Bill and Bob’s concerned faces.
“Methinks she went with the most popular option of ‘it’s just a dream.’” Bob winked. “Didn’t you, gal?”
“How did you guess? Can someone please tell me what’s going on before I turn completely crackers?” Abby begged.
From the corner of her eye, she watched as a rakishly handsome man in his early thirties approached. Intelligent eyes, the color of Ireland’s Emerald Isle, studied her. He paused to assess the three with an expression of amusement but also something else—understanding. “Hey there, fellows. How about introducing me to our newest arrival?”
Abby repeated the words. “Newest arrival? What does he mean?” Her focus darted to Bill and then Bob.
Bill ignored Abby and her questions. “We can’t introduce you. We don’t know this young woman’s name.”
She’d pretend it was a typical day and apply her best manners. “Sorry. I’m Abby Drake, who desperately wants to go home. And I might add, is failing horribly in the pursuit.” She’d tried to present her sociable side, but the threatening tears and tremble in her voice squelched the attempt. Tranquility tried to reclaim her, but she dismissed the emotion. Staring at three strangers, her throat tightened. “I simply must return to Crestview. Surely you’ve heard of it?”
“Ah, a city dweller. Abby Drake, I’m pleased to meet you. I’m Nash Walker, and I’d like to help. Would that be okay?” He handed her a white handkerchief.
Abby bobbed her head. She liked how Nash’s voice sounded. It was a kind voice with a tone of empathy. Still, he wasn’t exactly forthcoming with a route out of town. Abby grabbed another cleansing breath. Maybe this Nash wanted to make certain her mental state had calmed. To leave, she must act collected. Her eyes crinkled at the corners. She’d show the men her best cool cucumber face and make another stab at escaping.
Nash’s eyes studied Abby. “Are you feeling better? Should we let these two Charm greeters get back to their kiosk?”
“Much better.” She turned to Bill and Bob. “I’m so sorry to have pulled you away, but thanks for the drink and—”
“No problem, Miss Abby. Nash excels at answering all manner of Charm questions. He’s our mayor. Anyway, you’re in the best hands when it comes to explaining how things behave around here. Isn’t that right?” Bob elbowed his twin. “This is the place where you say, ‘Right you are, Bob.’”
“Right you are, Bob,” parroted an amused Bill. “Come on, brother, it’s almost quitting time. We’ve got to close up the booth. Abby, maybe we’ll see you again soon.”
“Thanks again for everything. Please don’t feel offended if I say I hope we don’t see each other later.” Abby conjured a weak smile, along with her hope of being right. Keep acting calm, she admonished herself. The mayor had her ticket home, and all she had to do was cajole it from him.
Nash sat next to her on the bench. “I assume the detour brought you to Charm?”
“Yes, and ate up three hours which I can’t account for. At first, I thought my watch had stopped because I’d been driving for almost five hours. You see, I left Timon around noon, and that’s certainly not two hours from the northeastern part of Georgia. That’s where we are. Isn’t it?” Abby flailed her arms at the whole disorientation. “None of this makes a lick of sense.”
Nash’s expression grew more attentive. “You’re right about that. So, you arrived here and managed to lose three hours. Go on.”
“You do believe me?” Abby hesitated.
“Without a single doubt, I believe you. Please finish your story.”
“Whew, that’s a relief. I’d hate to waste even more time trying to convince you I’m not some nutter.” Abby managed to find her grin. She studied Nash’s face. His hair was darker than coal and neatly trimmed, but it was his green eyes that drew her in. For some inexplicable reason, she trusted the guy. “Care to hear more of my saga?”
Nash chuckled. “I would.”
Abby grabbed a breath. “Next, the strangest thing happened when I took the road north out of town—”
“You ended up back here with us.” Nash watched a towheaded girl attempt to push her younger brother in a swing.
“Yes, right back here. I even tried reversing the route, thinking I could simply go south to where I picked up the detour, but no. The road had become a closed circle. Even the detour signs had disappeared. Vamoosed into the ether.” Abby snapped her fingers. “In fact, there weren’t many signs. All I saw was beautiful mountain topography. Homes and farms were bathed in this odd iridescent sunlight. I know this sounds implausible, but that’s my tale of woe and woo-woo.”
Nash hid his amusement with his hand and remained silent.
Abby sighed. “Right this minute, I only care about the answer to one question. How can I leave Charm?”
Nash twisted to face Abby. His expression grew somber. “You can’t.”