In a desperate attempt to clutch on to the last threads of sleep, Kelsey turned her head away from the morning rays streaming through the window.
Something was wrong. The bedsprings didn't squeak. She opened her eyes a fraction at a time.
There was no dresser, no wardrobe, no trace of the permanent scent of fabric softener. It took a bleary moment for her to realize it wasn't her bed she was on, but the sofa.
As she sat up, pins and needles shot through her right arm to her fingertips. The rest of her body didn't feel much better—as if she'd spent the night on a bench at a railway station. Her head felt as if it were stuffed with wads of cotton wool, and a headache was creeping up on her. To make matters worse, her hair and clothes—she was still wearing last night's clothes—reeked of alcohol and stale cigarette smoke.
Kelsey massaged her sensitive arm and inspected her surroundings. Half her handbag had crawled under the sofa and one of her black leather pumps was on the coffee table next to the house keys; the other rested on its side at the door.
She began to laugh. It started with a snicker and bubbled into a great big belly laugh, like a river flowing into the sea.
Last night was proof that she was ready to change, to live, to move on. Drinking beer—even if she hadn't enjoyed the taste—and getting drunk on it were not things the old Kelsey would have done. But she was stepping out of her comfort zone, flying free despite her inhibitions—and that was precisely what she wanted to do.
Maeve had been the right person to push Kelsey into the deep end. But she was also by far the craziest woman Kelsey had ever met. A likable kind of crazy. Maeve did what made her happy and didn't care what anybody thought. She didn't care that her skirt ended where her thighs began, or that men talked to her chest instead of her face.
She was everything Kelsey wasn't. Last night, Maeve had rubbed some of her freedom off on Kelsey, and it tasted so much better than Kelsey had expected. Now that she'd had a sample, she definitely had to have more.
After the laughter dissipated, Kelsey enjoyed a long, warm bath. Three rounds of strawberry-scented shampoo made sure the stench of beer and cigarette smoke melted from her wet curls. With fresh hair and clothes—and no makeup—she went downstairs to the kitchen. Though the throbbing in her temples had matured into a full-blown headache, she didn't want to take a painkiller. Tea and a slice of peace and quiet might be enough to shake it off.
A few minutes later, she sat at the kitchen table with the heat from the ceramic mug seeping into the palms of her hand. Just as she soaked herself into the quiet, the rusty rattle of a lawnmower burst through the walls and turned the pain in her head up a notch. Teeth clenched, she dragged herself to the window and shoved it open.
The mysterious neighbor was mowing his lawn. At eight in the morning. What was he thinking? Had he no respect for his neighbors?
There was no point shouting for him to stop. Her voice could never compete with the machine. She shut the window again and left the kitchen.
A painkiller started to seem like a good idea after all, as did leaving the house earlier than planned.
***
The public library was at the corner of Smithson Road and Dale Street, a fifteen-minute walk from Kelsey's cottage.
Kelsey ascended the steps two at a time. At the counter under the information sign sat a woman with pigtails and a neon green suit jacket so bright it hurt Kelsey's eyes. The smell of cigarettes wafted from the librarian, bringing back memories of the pub from last night and reminding Kelsey of the ache still lingering in her head.
"Good morning. I'm looking for books on the history of Dreara, please."
"Please follow me." The librarian spoke as if her mouth was filled with marbles and Kelsey had to strain her ears to make out what she was saying. "Follow" sounded like "hollow."
They came to a section stocked with books, newspapers, pamphlets, handouts, and DVDs all about Dreara. "Here you are," the librarian mumbled, and promptly walked back to the front desk.
There were three other people in this section, and from the curious and concentrated expressions on their faces, Kelsey guessed they were tourists like she was.
She meandered between the cabinets, stroking the spines of books and pulling out ones she was interested in. When her arms ached from the weight of the books she'd collected, she slipped into a seat at an unoccupied table and flipped open a hardcover: A Guide to Dreara and Her People.
She skimmed through the first chapter then went back to read it in more detail.
Dreara is a small, self-sufficient seaside town with just enough amenities to meet the needs of its residents, who are no more than one thousand in number. Around town, one will find three supermarkets, two bakeries, a school, a hospital, a police station, a library, clothing stores, a small cinema, a few pubs, restaurants, and a three-star hotel. For further shopping needs, Limmery, a larger town, is a thirty-minute drive to the north.
Kelsey also read about the chocolate factory, the central attraction of Dreara, which had served as the largest employer in town since its opening.
She had just turned the page to Drearan cuisine when someone approached her table. She gazed up to meet the mysterious neighbor's eyes.
How did he get to the library so fast?
A flutter ruffled her stomach and for a moment she just stared at him, unable to say a word. He was even more handsome up close. She instantly forgot that she had been annoyed with him just thirty minutes earlier.
"We haven't been introduced," he whispered. "I'm Shaun, your neighbor."
Kelsey stretched out her hand and shook his. "Nice to meet you, Shaun. I'm Kelsey. I heard you're an author."
"Word really spreads fast in this town."
Kelsey laughed, regretting having said anything. Now he'd think she asked about him. "Well, people talk."
"They sure do. Yes, I'm an author. I spend a lot of time in here doing research."
Kelsey folded her arms on the table and tried not to think about how gorgeous he was. "What types of books do you write?"
"Thrillers. At the moment I'm working on a novel set in Dreara."
"Sounds interesting."
"Sometimes. Well, I should get going and leave you to your reading. It was nice to meet you, Kelsey. Enjoy Dreara." He paused. "I've been here for a while, so if you need someone to show you around, let me know. You know where to find me."
"Thank you. I might take you up on your offer."
He nodded. "See you around." He turned to leave, but she spoke again before he was out of earshot.
"Why were you watching me like that... the other night?" She hadn't meant to say the words out loud, but her mouth was doing its own thing. Too late now; he was turning around to face her. She bit her lip. "I mean... never mind."
His lips tipped into a smile and his gray eyes bore into hers again, making her cheeks flush. "If my memory serves me well, you were watching me too."
"Only because I felt you watching me."
"You felt me?" His voice was deep and slightly husky.
Kelsey's cheeks burned. "I ..."
"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. You are a beautiful woman. I was admiring you. Something wrong with that?"
A tingle raced down Kelsey's spine and she lowered her gaze. The intensity of his eyes made it seem as if he was seeing into her deepest thoughts. "No," she said clearly. She braced herself and raised her eyes again.
"I didn't think so." He winked and strode away.
Kelsey shut her eyes and took slow breaths, fanning her face with her hand.
***
Kelsey next bumped into Shaun two days later as she was about to get into her car. Not wanting to make a fool of herself again in his presence, she thought of pretending she hadn't seen him, but she was pretty sure he saw her.
"Kelsey, hi," he said, walking out of his gate and halting in front of his truck. His hair was a sexy mess, and he wore a beige pullover that couldn't completely hide his sculpted chest. "Still enjoying Dreara?" He leaned against the truck and folded his arms.
"Yes, I am. It's lovely here."
"Have you had a chance to take a tour yet?"
"I'm having one today, actually. On my way to the library right now. A sightseeing tour bus is scheduled to do a pickup in thirty minutes."
Shaun pulled his door open. "Don't bother. I went on one of those. Not worth it. I didn't see as much as I wanted to. And I think the guide was on something."
"Something?" Kelsey opened her own car door.
"Alcohol, drugs, something."
"That must have been quite an entertaining tour." Kelsey laughed.
"Worst one of my life." He hopped into his truck and stuck his head out the window. "Want a real tour, join me. I know all the great sites. I was planning on taking another look around anyway."
"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to rob you of your time." A few hours spent with Shaun was both tempting and scary. What if she ended up acting like a lovesick teenager and turned him off? There was already a tingle in the pit of her stomach.
"It's no bother at all. Come on." He waved her over.
Kelsey hesitated for a moment, then shut her car door and walked in timid steps toward his truck.
Inside, she grabbed the sides of her seat and pressed her knees together. Shaun seemed like he'd be a fast driver. Wrong—he was an even slower and more overly cautious driver than she was. It seemed strange that a man like him didn't feel the need for speed. She supposed it was a lesson not to judge a book by its cover.
***
Their first stop was the century-old chocolate factory. Luckily for Shaun and Kelsey, only a few tourists meandered around the museum displays and gift shop, so Shaun and Kelsey strolled unencumbered. They made small talk, mostly about Dreara. No one brought up any personal topics. Even though Kelsey was curious to know more about him, she was relieved not to be venturing into personal territory just yet. It was easier to relax and enjoy getting to know the town.
They started with an audio tour of the chocolate production line. With headsets on, they stopped in front of each station, where a voice in their ears explained the different stages. They followed the chocolate's journey from bean to bar.
Kelsey hadn't known the melting point of cocoa butter was just below human body temperature, which was what caused it to melt in the mouth.
"Do you know chocolate was originally served as a drink and only given to men?" Shaun said as they returned to the entrance. "It was believed to be an aphrodisiac."
"No, I had no idea. That's fascinating.” She paused. “I enjoyed the tour a lot. And right now I'm really craving chocolate."
Shaun pointed to a spot near the entrance where a woman was handing out chocolate bars to visitors.
Once Kelsey had received a bar and started eating it with relish, Shaun asked, "What piece of Dreara do you want to fall in love with next?"
"Let's be spontaneous."
Popping another square of chocolate into her mouth, Kelsey spotted a sign next to the information point. She approached it, followed closely by Shaun. "Look." She turned to him, grinning. "This could be interesting. Should we go on one?"
"What?" Shaun squinted to read the sign. "Oh, a tour of Reamon Castle. It's not far from here. We don't need to sign up for a guided tour. We can give ourselves one."
"You know what I'd really enjoy? I'd love to go on a real guided tour so I can feel like a tourist. It's more fun that way. Don't you think?"
"You are a tourist."
"That is true." Kelsey nibbled on another cube of chocolate. "What do you say?"
Shaun shrugged. "If the lady wants a tour, the lady gets a tour."
Despite the cold and damp weather, Kelsey thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the castle. With multiple moats, tiny windows, and thick walls, the place was truly a fortress. Their footsteps echoed off the stone walls as they passed wooden benches and large tables. Colorful tapestries brightened up the halls, and rusted chandeliers glowed dimly. Kelsey was so engrossed in the tour, she almost thought she could hear thundering horse hooves and smell burning torches.
After the tour, they were allowed to explore the grounds on their own, but it was pouring outside.
"I guess that's it for our excursion," Shaun said.
Kelsey squinted into the rain. "That's a shame." The castle had whetted her appetite, and she wanted to see more of Dreara.
"We can continue another day. Ready?" he asked, turning to walk back to the truck.
She nodded, feeling a pang in her chest. She was a little disappointed that their time together was coming to an end so soon. Shaun may have been mysterious, but he had a great sense of humor and was easy to talk to. She ran after him.
He opened the passenger door and waited for her to get in, then ran to the other side to climb in beside her.
"Hang on." He pulled a faded blue towel from the backseat and handed it to her. "You'd better dry your hair or you'll catch a cold."
"Thanks." Kelsey shivered as water dripped from her hair and face onto the battered seats of his truck, the moisture turning the leather from cappuccino brown to espresso. Shaun watched her with a half smile on his lips.
After she was finished, Kelsey handed the towel over to Shaun. He fluffed his hair with it, and then started the engine.
When they arrived at Edgeway Street, Shaun got out and opened Kelsey's door. She took his arm and climbed out, her feet landing into a small puddle of muddy water.
She pushed the gate open, and he escorted her down the path that led to her front door, shading her from the rain with the towel they’d used earlier. A brief shiver rippled through her as he moved closer, but it had nothing to do with the temperature.