The Quietest Shop on Main (Shops on Main #3)

Prologue

PROLOGUE

From the back of “The Friendliest Shop on Main”

D alton stood in the corner of the room, his hands stuffed in his pockets, in a decidedly un-celebratory mood as the other members of the neighborhood watch congratulated Shiloh, Granger, and Zane.

He was happy for them. He really was.

But right now, Dalton was ready to throttle Officer Montoya if he didn’t stop?—

“You look ready to kill someone,” Analiese said dryly as she leaned her shoulder against the wall.

“Ha,” Dalton muttered. “I was actually thinking about doing just that.”

“I’d be careful if I were you,” she continued. “There’s a cop present.”

Dalton glared at his sister.

Analiese narrowed her eyes, then they suddenly flared. “Oh my gosh, you want to kill the cop!”

“Shhh…” Dalton said, pushing a hand downward. “Do you want to tell my plans to the whole room?”

Analiese shook her head. “What in the world has you so upset? I thought you liked…Officer Montoya.”

Dalton didn’t miss how his sister’s voice caught when she said the officer’s name. Most people wouldn’t think a thing of it, but Dalton knew his sister well. A little too well, sometimes.

Analiese might not be interested in dating anyone, not since getting left at the altar two years ago, but she was definitely attracted to the tall, stocky policeman.

Maybe Dalton wouldn’t be able to strangle the guy after all, not if it would upset Liese. It had taken Dalton forever to get her to even make appearances in public. Killing her crush might send her backward again.

“Ooooh,” Analiese said softly.

Dalton’s head jerked up from his daydream. “Oh, what?”

She gave him a tight-lipped smile. “That’s who you like, isn’t it? The book girl he’s flirting with?”

Dalton didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. Dalton had met Skyla at a meeting at the library held by the Tourism Trade Commission. Her job at the bookstore was part time, and Skyla got a few extra hours at the library in town. She’d been working at the time of his meeting and was helping direct members of the commission to the correct conference room, as well as making sure they had everything they needed during the meeting.

Dalton had immediately been smitten.

Who wouldn’t have been? Long, light brown hair, lightly tanned skin, and grayish-green eyes with the lightest sprinkling of freckles across her nose. Her lips were light pink, and she seemed to favor fruity smelling glosses, which made Dalton hungry for something he had no right to ask for.

She had this cute little habit of tucking her hair behind her ear when she spoke and ducking her head with a soft smile. Dalton had found many excuses to go back to the library and bookstore ever since that first meeting, but he had yet to accomplish his primary goal.

Ask Skyla on a date.

She was so shy and soft-spoken that he’d been afraid of pushing too hard too fast. He’d wanted to give her time to get to know him first. To feel comfortable and safe with him. But now, as he watched Montoya tease quiet laughter from the woman, Dalton was starting to curse his slowness.

“Why don’t you just go over there?” Analiese asked, her voice utterly nonchalant, though Dalton noticed she wasn’t looking at the couple.

He huffed and rubbed the back of his neck. “He’s an officer,” Dalton grunted.

“And you’re a ship captain.”

Dalton snorted and shook his head. “I can’t compete with that, Liese. And Skyla, she’s…she’s…” He clamped his jaw shut, not even having the right words to describe what he was feeling.

Dalton had never been one to believe in love at first sight, but his mind had started to change after meeting Skyla. Watching her talk to Grady, though, was causing Dalton to rethink.

Was the attraction only one sided? Had Skyla not felt anything during their few conversations? Just what was it that had Dalton falling so hard and so fast for a woman that treated everyone just as sweetly and kindly as she treated him?

“First of all, you’re an idiot if you believe that. Second…heads up,” Analiese muttered, right before slipping away.

“What?” Dalton frowned and followed his sister, then froze.

“Dalton,” Skyla said in her soft voice as she walked hesitantly his way. Her shoulders were just slightly hunched as she smiled and gave a tiny wave. “I didn’t realize you’d be here.”

There was lava in his chest. That was the only explanation for the sudden heat that seemed to want to burn right through his sternum. “Uh, yeah,” he choked out.

Well, that was brilliant. No wonder she’d been spending time with Montoya. The guy could charm a snake out of its hole.

“Liese…I mean, Analiese and I have been part of the group since the beginning.”

Skyla’s eyebrows pulled together. “You haven’t been one of the ones vandalized, have you?”

Dalton quickly shook his head. “No,” he assured her. His hand rose to take hers and offer comfort, but he forced it back down. “No, we’ve been fine. We just want to help keep things as safe as we can.”

Skyla nodded and did that hair tuck. Her fingers were long and elegant.

“Do you play piano?”

Wait…what? Where the heck did that come from? Just because she had lovely fingers didn’t mean she played piano.

Dalton closed his eyes. What was it about beautiful women that made men so stupid?

“I do, actually.”

His eyes popped open, and his jaw went slack before he snapped it shut.

“How did you know?” Skyla’s smile was a little wider than normal, and she looked genuinely thrilled he’d asked.

“I, uh…” Dalton made a face. “You have these really elegant hands…” He trailed off lamely. That sounded even stupider out loud than it had in his head.

Skyla looked at her hands. “Really? Well, that’s a nice thing to say.” She smiled at him again, and Dalton would say a million stupid things if she just kept smiling at him like that.

“You’ll have to play for me sometime,” he added.

Skyla shook her head. “I’m not one to play in public much.”

Ouch. Rejection stung.

Skyla, luckily, wasn’t looking at him, or she might have noticed Dalton rubbing the spot on his chest that felt the sting of that arrow.

“I didn’t realize I’d know so many people here,” she continued, her eyes on the crowd. “It makes it much easier to come again when not everyone is a stranger.”

“You were chatting with Montoya earlier,” Dalton bit out. “Did you already know him?” Could a person hear jealousy in a voice? Dalton’s was so thick with it he would probably choke on it if he wasn’t careful.

“I did,” Skyla said. “He’s stopped by the library for some elementary school things a few times.” She turned to Dalton. “He’s really nice, but a little intimidating.”

“Oh?” Well, that was interesting.

Skyla nodded and leaned her head a little closer, dropping her already soft voice.

Naturally, Dalton had to lean in as well. It was the polite thing to do. He tried not to react when he could smell her perfume. Was there anything about the woman that wasn’t perfect?

“He’s really tall and really muscular, which probably makes him a really good police officer. But the size difference between us makes me uncomfortable.” She scrunched that delicate nose. “But don’t tell him I said that. Grady is really nice.”

Dalton pretended to twist a key at his mouth and threw it over his shoulder, earning himself another sweet laugh. He might not be ready to sing “Kumbaya” with Montoya, but Dalton was feeling slightly more charitable now.

“Have you had any ice cream yet?” he asked, shifting his weight as he prepared for another rejection.

“Nope.”

Dalton swallowed hard. “Would you like me to get you some? Or we could go get some together?” He tried to put on a charming smile. “I’m very good at protecting bookshop ladies from scary police officers and strangers.”

Skyla beamed at him. “Just bookshop ladies? That’s quite the niche skill.”

Dalton took her tease and jumped on it. Holding out his arm, he waited until she’d wrapped her hand around it. “You’re the first one I’ve used it with, so I hope you feel special.”

“Definitely,” she joked back.

Okay…Montoya could live another day. As long as he continued to be intimidating to librarians, that is.