Going Au Naturale at Hallow’s Cove (Hallow’s Cove)

7. Brooks

Chapter seven

Brooks

After dropping the women off at the inn, I stopped by Rick’s to pick up a few odds and ends. It felt like every time I went into town, I needed something from there.

The bell above the door tinged as I entered. This place had always been the classic repair store—no frills, just shelves for everything to have a place and a counter to check people out.

Rick was behind it, fiddling with something I couldn’t see.

“Hey, Rick,” I said as I approached. “What are you workin’ on?”

He looked up from behind the counter. He was tall, even for a monster, with brown fur and tall horns sprouting from the top of his head.

“Fixing Mr. Karmin’s radio. I told him to get a new one, but he insists on using this one, even though it’s mostly static.”

I laughed. “That sounds like him. He can barely hear anyhow.”

“That’s true. I—”

Suddenly, the sound of a drill going into the wall next door sounded loudly, cutting him off. Rick sighed loudly.

“They finally putting something next door?” I asked.

He grunted in confirmation. “And whatever it is is already causing grief. All this racket.”

“It should be over soon. And then we’ll have a new business in town.”

He harrumphed once more. “I think the town is fine the way it is. Anyway, what are you here for?”

“Here you go.” I handed him the list I had drawn up earlier.

Rick’s eyes ran over it before he nodded and started grabbing everything I needed. I used to do it myself, but when I had asked where something was one too many times, he insisted on doing it for me.

He was efficient, grabbing everything and ringing me up quickly.

“Thanks. Will I see you at the Blossom Fest?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. Might stop by if your sister is selling any of that wood finish.”

“She probably will. She has quite the stock up of beeswax.”

Just then the bell rang, and Turner entered. He was the town plumber and someone I ran into often here. He was a snake shifter, with a long green tail that sat beneath him and scales running up his arms and chest that eventually tapered out into skin. His hair had started graying with age, but he was still as spry as ever.

“Hoffman,” he greeted, tipping his head.

“Hey, Turner. New job?”

He grunted in affirmation. “Big leak over at the inn. One of the rooms is fully flooded.”

My stomach rose to my throat. I knew there were plenty of rooms in there, but I still felt the need to check.

I thanked Rick and quickly left, hopping into my truck and heading back to the inn. Judy was in the lobby, furiously scribbling something on the pad of paper in front of her.

“Hey, Brooks, what can I do for you?” she asked, her voice strained.

“Nothin’, I was just checking in. I saw Turner at the shop.”

“Oh yeah, a pipe burst in one of the rooms and flooded it. We’ll be able to repair it, but the guest staying there won’t be able to stay, and we don’t have any extra rooms, so I think she’ll have to go to the ski lodge.”

“Is it one of the women I brought?”

She nodded. “Yes, Sydney, the poor girl. I sent her to the café, but I’m going to have to tell her she can’t stay.”

“I can do it,” I said quickly.

“Thanks, Brooks, I would appreciate it. Here,” she passed me a light, slightly soggy suitcase and a backpack I knew were Sydney’s.

As I went to throw them in the back of my truck, I realized the backpack must have been left open in her rush. There was stuff that seemed to have been thrown in there, including something blue that was just sticking out. I knew I shouldn’t be snooping, so I set it on my seat and gave it a quick shake so I could close it.

As I did, the blue thing came into view. A blue vibrator . It had a long shaft and an extra protrusion I was sure was for clit stimulation.

Smiling, I quickly zipped the backpack up and tossed it on the floor of the passenger side. Then, I had to sit there for a moment, willing my cock to stop hardening and my mind to stop wandering toward all the things I could do to her with that.

All the things she could do to me .

Once I felt more in control, I drove over to the café, and as I was making my way inside, a glance through the window stopped me in my tracks.

Sydney was sitting with Preston fucking Fairfield. He was the biggest douche canoe in town, and unfortunately, my best friend’s stepbrother. I’d tolerated him for a while, until he started trying to buy my family’s farm, fuck knows why. I’d never asked because I’d never sell. But that did add more pressure to make sure numbers grew each year, and for the past few, they’d been stagnant.

It’s why the certification meant so much. We could charge more for everything with that single little stamp on our labels. And I knew that if we didn’t get it, it could tank us. Customers would know we’d failed, and that was worse than not having it.

But I wouldn’t think about that. We had never used pesticides, and since starting this journey, I’d followed the guidelines to the letter. Poured over them on long nights and long mornings with Gabe keeping me company. It was something I’d worked hard at, and something we would succeed at.

I was sure.

But seeing her with him had me shaking with tension. I could feel the coil in my chest pulling tightly, winding me up in a way I didn’t normally like. I tried to keep positive. Every problem had a solution and staying upbeat until you figured it out normally helped me keep a level head, but there could not be a happy thought while Preston was around.

And especially not when he was around Sydney.

I threw open the door and walked up to the table.

“I trust you’ll do more than think about it,” Preston told her.

“What are we thinking about?” I asked as I approached, my voice tight.

Sydney looked shocked, and so did Preston for a moment before he schooled his features and left, but not before trying to make me an offer I would always refuse.

I felt much more relaxed as he left, but Sydney didn’t. I wanted to push, ask if there was anything wrong, but I didn’t want to upset her further. I grabbed the cup Preston left, too lazy to throw it away, and tossed it before sitting across from her.

“I have news from the inn.”

Her eyes widened. “How did you know?”

I didn’t want to admit I’d gone just to check on her. “I had to drop something off with Judy for my brother’s wife that I forgot earlier.” It was a small white lie, but one that kept me from seeming as obsessed with her as I seemed to be.

That fucking blue vibrator.

She nodded. “What did they say?”

“Your room is totally flooded and needs to be fixed before anyone can stay in there again.”

“So they’re going to move me?”

I shook my head. “With the Blossom Festival happening soon, they’re completely booked.”

Her gaze moved to her now-empty cup. “So now what?”

I laced my fingers in front of me, pressing my thumbs together harder than necessary. “Well, I assume staying with Matilda is not an option, so you could stay up at Hallow Hill. It’s the ski lodge, and while it’s nice, it’s pretty out of the way.”

A long sigh was drawn from her. “I guess. I don’t know how I’ll get down to the farm, though.”

“Or you could stay with me.”

My eyes flickered up to hers, and she was looking right back. The air between us seemed to be crackling, but I couldn’t tell if it was just me.

“Really?”

I swallowed but nodded. “I have a spare room. And that would make work easier.”

She contemplated for a moment before nodding, and when I smiled, she gave me a small one back, one of many I hoped to be gifted with.

Baby steps.

“Cool. Let’s go.”