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

Chapter 12

12

T he weather was getting colder, but Skyla barely felt it. Somehow…she’d managed to catch the gaze of the best man she’d ever known, and it was turning her world upside down in the best way possible.

She buttoned her coat. “Bye, Grandpa!” Feet shuffled across the floor, and she waited for him to come around the corner.

“Where are you going again?” he asked, scratching the back of his head.

“The neighborhood watch meeting,” Skyla said. “They want to talk about taking extra care with the upcoming holidays.”

Grandpa huffed. “Each year just keeps passing.” He shook his head and turned around. “They’re all the same anymore.”

Skyla smiled and put on her gloves. “I’ll be back in a bit.” The opening of cabinets, a sign that Grandpa was going to use her absence to eat something he wasn’t supposed to, was her only answer.

Shaking her head, Skyla went out front and got into her car. She blew out a cold breath and quickly started her vehicle. There were days she was really frustrated that they didn’t have a garage on their little house, but it had been built back when most people had carports, leaving Skyla in the cold every winter.

At least the roof of the carport kept snow off, when it came. Frost, however, was another story.

“I’ll probably be to Shiloh’s before the heater ever kicks in,” she muttered, navigating her way down the street.

The upcoming holidays were starting to show up in more than just the temperature outside. With Thanksgiving only a week away, pumpkins adorned everything. The leaves blowing across the road were red, orange, and yellow, creating a lovely backdrop for those willing to drive just outside the city limits and find an untamed forest.

Flowers and shrubbery were dead, but greenery still abounded in the Pacific Northwest and kept the season looking festive and alive where so many areas became a wasteland.

As predicted, Skyla pulled over on the side of the road just as her engine warmed up enough to turn on the heater, and she cracked a smile. “Small town problems,” she murmured as she got out of her car, locking it before heading for the house.

“Oh, good. You made it.”

Skyla gasped and turned, nearly running into Dalton’s bright yellow coat. “Dalton,” she breathed, her breath heaving. “I didn’t expect you out here.”

He shrugged, smiling widely. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

She widened her eyes and looked around. “Out here? It’s freezing.”

Tsking his tongue, Dalton unwound his scarf and threw it over Skyla’s head. She stood, spellbound as he once again wrapped up her lower face and neck, tucking the scarf into the top of her coat. “It wouldn't be so cold if you would wear the proper gear,” he teased in a low voice.

His face was down near hers, and Skyla held her breath. Her relationship with Dalton was defined. They were definitely dating, but things were still so new. They’d held hands. They’d cuddled. They’d been teased by family.

But they had yet to kiss, and with him standing so close, she couldn’t help but wish he would make the move right now.

Instead of fulfilling that particular dream, however, Dalton smirked, tapped the tip of her nose, and straightened. “Your nose is a beautiful shade of pink. Let’s get you inside before you turn into a popsicle.”

Skyla rolled her eyes to hide her disappointment as Dalton took her hand and led her inside.

“Skyla! Dalton! Good to see you,” Shiloh greeted, opening the door as they approached. “Hurry and get in. We’re hoping to keep the heat inside.”

Skyla obeyed and quickly wiped her feet before coming in.

“What is it dads like to say?” Shiloh asked as she closed the door.

Skyla frowned. “Um…”

Shiloh snapped her fingers. “Oh, yeah.” The petite woman rose up on tiptoe until she located her husband, Granger. “Hey, Grange!” she called.

After exchanging a frown with Dalton, Skyla followed Shiloh’s line of sight.

Granger walked their way, offering a nod of greeting. “What’s up?” he asked his wife.

Shiloh batted her eyelashes. “I just want to make sure I get it right.” Clearing her throat, Shiloh continued loudly, “Close the door! We’re not heating the whole neighborhood!” She tilted her head at him, smiling innocently. “Was that it? Am I a certified dad now?”

Skyla pinched her lips between her teeth, closing her eyes and trying not to laugh. Dalton put a hand on her lower back and gave her a gentle push as Granger began to grumble and argue with Shiloh.

“You sure you don’t want someone like Shiloh?” Skyla whispered over her shoulder as they shed their coats and dropped them in the growing pile near the door.

“I think Granger might take offense to that question,” Dalton said with a grin.

“I’m serious,” Skyla insisted. “She’s not only beautiful, but sassy and funny.” She looked back at the newlyweds, who had apparently made up from their little teasing session, if the kiss they were engaged in was any indication. “I’m quiet and nervous. My ambitions include writing a book and building up the bookstore.” She looked at Dalton. “Nothing like what Shiloh accomplishes.”

Dalton shook his head and leaned down to her ear. “If I wanted someone like Shiloh, then I’d have asked out someone like Shiloh.”

Skyla shivered as his breath fanned over her cheek and neck. Sheesh, she was falling hard and fast for him. Probably faster than was smart, but she couldn’t seem to help herself.

“I like that you’re quiet,” Dalton continued. “I don’t feel the need to talk all the time, and I like that you feel the same. I think writing a book is a pretty amazing accomplishment, though I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned it before, so you’ll have to tell me more about it.”

Skyla’s eyes widened when she realized she’d just spilled one of her deepest secrets without even thinking about it.

Shoot.

Where was one of her grandfather’s Shakespeare exclamations when she needed it?

“And why is expanding your bookstore less ambitious than selling or flipping houses?” Dalton continued to press. “Both make you business owners. One is just flashier and full of construction, but neither is better than the other.”

With his hand on her back again, he began walking them toward the kitchen area where all the noise was coming from.

“I like you just the way you are, Skyla, and I’ve counted myself the luckiest guy alive since you agreed to date me.” He kissed the side of her head, and Skyla discovered a smile she hadn’t even realized was there.

“Thank you,” she whispered, feeling slightly ashamed for her sudden feelings of doubt. “I think you’re pretty amazing yourself.”

Dalton grinned down at her. “Amazing enough that you’ll finally go fishing with me?”

Skyla gulped. She’d been putting off the fishing trip. The idea of cold, dark waters and frigid temperatures, mixed with dead fish just didn’t sound appealing. But this was Dalton’s domain. If she wanted to support him, to truly get to know him, then she needed to take a step out of her comfort zone.

Putting her chin in the air, she smiled up at him. “Name the time and place.”

“Holiday shopping will pick up, right after Thanksgiving,” Officer Montoya said, a wide smile on his face. “My team knows to keep an extra eye on Main Street, since we’ve already been having issues there, but driving down the street doesn’t help us see what’s going on inside your shops. If you haven’t put in a security system, I highly recommend it. Cameras can go a long way in deterring those who want to sneak out with your merchandise.”

Dalton leaned against the wall, one arm around Skyla’s waist, who had insisted on standing next to him, rather than finding a seat on the couch. He was enjoying having her close, even if several sets of eyes in the room kept coming back in their direction.

“Any other questions?” Officer Montoya asked, looking around the group. He grinned and nodded. “Thanks, everyone. I’ll be here a little longer if you think of something.”

“Thank you, Officer Monotoya.” Serenity walked up to the front of the room, urging everyone to clap for the policeman.

With a little wave of his hand, Officer Montoya stepped out of the limelight and found a place on the wall only a few feet down from Dalton. He offered a small chin thrust, and Dalton responded in kind.

Raising his eyebrows, Officer Montoya leaned forward and grinned, pointedly looking at Skyla tucked into Dalton’s side.

At one point in time, Dalton had been jealous of the officer, when he’d caught Montoya flirting with Skyla, but now Dalton knew better and instead of telling the guy to leave off, Dalton wanted to puff out his chest.

He settled for a smirk and a shrug.

Grady’s smile grew, and he relaxed back against the wall.

Analiese would be sorry she missed this. Maybe. Okay, she’d never admit she was sorry to have missed it, but Dalton was almost positive that she had a crush on the officer.

How Grady felt about Analiese, however, was anyone’s guess. The guy was charm personified and seemed to make every woman laugh and smile, as already seen when he’d been entertaining Skyla a while back.

“I think that’s it,” Serenity said, clasping her hands together.

Shoot. Dalton hadn’t meant to tune out. He’d have to ask Skyla what he missed.

“For those who would like to mingle, we have hot chocolate, courtesy of Blaire, our ice cream magician, and I think…” Serenity looked around. “Ah! Lilyana! Did you…?”

A thin, dark-haired woman on the edge of the couch nodded. “The cookies are in the kitchen,” she said with a smile.

“Perfect! Cocoa and cookies!” Serenity waved everyone onward. “Ready…break!”

Dalton chuckled along with the rest of the room, but didn’t move from his spot on the wall. Instead, he pulled Skyla in a little closer, putting his mouth by her ear. “Cocoa and cookies…somehow I feel like we’re back in kindergarten.”

Skyla laughed. “It sort of does. But does that combo ever really go out of style?”

“If it isn’t the bookworm, herself,” Officer Montoya drawled, stepping around Dalton.

Dalton shook his head, chuckling.

“Hello, Grady,” Skyla said, pushing off Dalton’s chest so she could stand up straight.

The officer was back on Dalton’s bad list.

“How goes the library? Is it busy this time of year?”

Skyla shrugged and tucked her hair behind her ear. “No more than usual. We’re pretty steady during the school seasons, though the cold sometimes keeps people from coming. It hasn’t quite reached that extreme yet.”

“And how about your bookshop?” Grady frowned. “You’re only there a few days a week, right? Any troubles?”

Skyla again shook her head. “Nope. No troubles.” She laughed softly and glanced at Dalton before going back to Grady. “Somehow, I think books are the last thing on a teenage boy’s mind if he’s going to steal something.”

Grady pursed his lips and rocked on his heels. “You’d think, but sometimes they do it for the thrill, not the treasure. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

Dalton narrowed his eyes, and Grady’s grin widened.

“I will, thank you,” Skyla assured the officer.

Officer Montoya looked around a little. “No Analiese tonight?”

This time, it was Dalton’s turn to shake his head. “She had some paperwork she wanted to get done. We’ve added another excursion to our list of offerings, and she’s getting everything caught up so she can start booking for them by Monday.”

“Yeah?” Grady tilted his head and folded his arms over his chest. “What’s this one?”

“It’s a kayak tour,” Dalton explained.

“Huh…I wouldn’t think they’d do much of that on the coast,” Grady said.

“This company isn’t based in Lighthouse Bay,” Dalton continued. “They’re expanding to a couple of nearby rivers, and there are some inlets and coves just south of us that they utilize for ocean kayaking.”

“Gotcha.” Grady’s smile grew wide again. “Sounds like fun. Tell her she was missed.” Tilting an imaginary hat toward Skyla, the officer turned and headed to the kitchen.

“I didn’t know Analiese and Grady were friends,” Skyla murmured. “She told me she didn’t have friends.”

Dalton sighed and rubbed his free hand over his face. “She doesn’t think she does, but there are plenty who are willing if she would stop pushing them away.”

Skyla didn’t say anything, and Dalton felt bad for speaking that way about his sister.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “I guess sometimes our sibling relationship isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.”

“Well…we can at least make it as sweet as cocoa and cookies,” Skyla said with a soft smile. “Maybe Lilyana will let us take a couple cookies home to Analiese.”

“I’m sure she’d love that,” Dalton said softly. This girl. Shiloh and her feistiness were great and all, but nothing, absolutely nothing beat kindness. At least not in Dalton’s book.

And Skyla had more kindness than average.

It was the most attractive quality about her, and Dalton was highly attracted to more than just her personality.

Taking her hand, they began walking, but were stopped once again.

“Skyla!” A well dressed woman hurried across the space, her strawberry blond hair waving behind her. “I have a question for you.”

“Harmony,” Skyla said warmly, letting go of Dalton to hug the woman. “It seems like I haven’t seen you in forever. How’s the gallery?”

Oh, yeah. Dalton was grateful for Skyla’s memory because he had completely forgotten the woman’s name and why she was part of the group. Harmony had been a couple years older than Dalton during the elementary school years he had spent in Lighthouse Bay.

Now she was running the fanciest art gallery on Main Street. The place was always lit up like the Rockefeller Center and boasted some pretty impressive pieces, especially for a town as small as theirs.

Leaning back against the wall, Dalton settled in to listen to the women chatter. Apparently, the desserts would have to wait, but it was fine. He was more than happy to wait as long as necessary for Skyla’s company.

She was a woman worth waiting for.