A Ghoulish Midlife (Witching After Forty #1) - Lia Davis Page 0,12

sound of his voice reached out to me again. I tried like hell to push the sensations away.

“No, I’m Andrew Walker. Drew. I work closely with your friend, Sam.”

I closed my eyes briefly and sucked in a deep breath. Stop being an idiot, Ava. Why had this man thrown me off so much? Shipton Harbor had five thousand people. It wasn’t like the police department was enormous. Sam was the deputy, so it made sense that this man, Drew, who was in uniform would know him. Gods, I was slow sometimes.

“Yes,” I said. “I’m Ava, and I guess almost falling made me a dunce. Of course, you know Sam.” I stuck my hand out and when he took it into his warm ones, his arms circled my hand then twined up my arm. I pulled back quickly but not too fast, so that I didn’t seem rude. His energy seemed to cling to my skin in a sensual, non-threatening way. It was still unnerving.

As hot as this man was, my husband had been drop-dead gorgeous and had given me twenty years of wedded bliss. That was enough to last me the rest of my life. I didn’t need to start something new and complicate my life. Especially since I wasn’t staying.

“So sorry to have run you over.” I moved toward my buggy, desperate to make my escape. It was hard to think with him there.

“No problem. It was the highlight of my day if we’re being honest.” He sort of half-winked at me, making my cheeks burn again.

No. Nope. I was in town for a few months and then back to Philly. Hot sheriff was not in my plans. No man was in my plans. Not now. Not ever. “I’ll see you around Sheriff Walker.”

“Drew!” he called as I made a hasty escape.

Drew. Hell, no. He was not Drew and he was not hot. He was Sheriff Walker. Period.

Although, that might’ve been worse. I imagined myself in the situation I’d just endured, except much suaver and sexier, like I would’ve written it. Instead of yelling bye over my shoulder, I could’ve fluttered my eyelashes and told him goodbye in a sultry voice, emphasizing his title. Officer Walker.

Oh, no. No, no no. None of that.

Gods, I really needed that cold shower now.

Chapter Four

Bang. Bang. Bang.

The sound of something hitting a solid object nonstop woke me from a dead sleep. I didn’t get many nights of heavy sleep and I sure as Hades didn’t like to be woken up from one.

I cracked one eye open and quickly squeezed it shut. It was bright. I really needed to buy curtains for the windows. Especially my room. The cheap mini blinds were not cutting it.

The banging started again, followed by a whining sound.

“What is that?” I yelled. And what time was it? Better yet, what day was it? Of course no one was around to answer my questions. Not that anyone could hear me over that awful noise!

When the banging didn’t stop, my brain fog cleared, and I realized what it was. I jerked straight up in my bed, blinking several times so my eyes adjusted to the sunlight streaming in through the open window.

Letting out a mixture of a groan and growl, I swung my feet over the side of the bed and grabbed my phone. It was Wednesday. I didn’t bother paying attention to the time because I didn’t care. It was morning and I didn’t do mornings. Ever.

I’d met with the contractor, Jude Carter, two days ago about the repairs on the house, starting with the plumbing. I needed the upstairs shower working again. The downstairs bathroom was functioning, but it didn’t have a shower because it was Winnie’s oasis, as she liked to call it. I didn’t like baths. There was no particular reason why I didn’t like them, I just preferred showers.

Jude and I had planned for the construction crew to start today. I should’ve gotten up to greet them, but I’d totally forgotten they were coming today.

Grumbling under my breath, I tugged on some leggings, not paying attention to which pair I grabbed. I didn’t care. There was no one down there I wanted to impress. Once dressed, I pulled my long brown hair up in a ponytail before heading downstairs. The noise on the ground floor was louder with all the windows still open and I was glad I didn’t drink while writing last night. I’d be grumpier than normal from being woken up before I was