Semi-Psychic Life (Glimmer Lake #2) - Elizabeth Hunter Page 0,3
that.”
Val perched on a chair. “I like the idea, but I just went through that whole expansion drama last year that didn’t work out, so I’m feeling a little wary, and also—no offense—but I want to make sure I don’t cannibalize my business here, you know?”
“Makes total sense.” Robin slid a folder across the table. “I put a couple of ideas and numbers together for you to look at.”
Val took the folder. “Of course you did.”
“It’s just some thoughts about how you could make it work if you wanted to.” She drummed her fingers on the table. “I had time.”
Monica and Val exchanged a look.
“How’s life without Emma?” Monica asked.
Robin’s youngest had shipped off to university in Washington State the previous fall, leaving Robin and her husband Mark official empty nesters.
“It’s good.” Robin nodded. “It was nice to see her and Austin over the holidays, but… it’s also nice to have the house back to ourselves again, you know?”
Monica whispered loudly, “They’re having freaky sex in whatever room they want now.”
Val whispered back, “That’s what I figured too.”
Robin rolled her eyes. “Listen, weirdos, this is me and Mark, not…” Robin’s eyes lifted when the bell over the door rang. “So, speaking of freaky sex…”
Val whipped her head around, only to see Sullivan Wescott, sheriff of Glimmer Lake and a partial source of Val’s headache, walking into the coffee shop.
She immediately spun around. “Shut up, Robin.”
“I didn’t say anything!”
“You were thinking it.”
Monica raised her hand. “No, that was me, actually. I was the one suspecting you and Sully of having freaky sex.”
Val hissed, “In what universe do I have the time to have freaky sex with anyone?”
“That wasn’t a denial.” Robin held her fist out to Monica, who bumped her knuckles. “We were right.”
“You’re both ridiculous.” Val glanced at her watch. “And your time is up.”
Monica leaned over to Robin. “She’s leaving us so she can get his order.”
“Of course she is,” Robin said quietly. “I mean, who else is going to make flirty eyes at Sully? She can’t have Eve doing it. She’s young enough to be his daughter.”
Val turned, flipped both her best friends off, then walked back to the register.
Chapter 2
Val made it to the register just as Sully stepped to the front of the line. Val was tall, but Sully towered over her at well over six feet. He was wearing his uniform, along with his old-fashioned felt Stetson, which was dusted with snow. His sandy-brown hair was getting long in back and fell over his jacket collar.
“Hey, Sully.” Val kept her voice even. “What can I get you?”
“Large coffee.” His blue eyes were on her. “How’s your day going?”
“It’s going.” Val got a paper cup out. “To go?”
“Yeah.”
People liked Sully. He was considered trustworthy and the kind of man who didn’t need to shout to get attention, both qualities that fostered confidence in old-fashioned Glimmer Lake. Also, he was a massive guy. He looked and talked like someone who worked in timber, which made the old logging guys in the county vote for him.
Instead of just handing the paper cup over like she did with most customers, Val filled it, then added the amount of cream he liked before she put the lid on. “Here you go.”
Down-home, trustworthy sheriffs who walked grandmothers across the street and marshaled Christmas parades were not Val’s type.
“Thanks.” Sully reached for the cup and their fingers brushed, sending a thrill up her arm and reminding her too much of a stolen night and unwise decisions from a year and a half ago.
He might not be her type, but Sully was incredibly attractive. Not that Val would call him handsome. His jaw was square, and his mouth was a flat line across a usually serious face. His nose had been broken when he was playing football in college, and he looked like he was perpetually scowling.
To be honest, the scowl might have been the most attractive thing about him. Val constantly wanted to needle him just to see if she could make him laugh.
His eyes were the only soft thing about him, a brilliant sky blue that made Val think of a summer day on the lake. His beard looked pretty soft too, but he only wore that in the winter, so she didn’t have firsthand knowledge.
“How’re your boys doing?”
“Good.” She finally looked up. “Your parents?”
“Dad’s complaining about the weather, and Mom’s talking about planting bulbs.”
“So normal then.”
A slight smile touched the corner of his mouth. “Pretty much.”