1
The interior of the store was dark and smelled of dust.
The only sounds were my footsteps and the low hum of the heater running.
This was the place where my great aunt, Bethany, spent her days. How she earned her living.
It was strange. Bethany had always been more like a grandmother than an aunt, involved in my life from childhood. My own grandmother had died before I was born, so her sister had decided to step in.
I was forever grateful she had. As a child, we’d been close. I would go to her house every day after school. As time had gone by, I didn’t spend quite as much time with her, but we talked a lot. Despite the fact that she was nearly old enough to actually be my grandmother, she was tech savvy. She liked to text and email, even video chat, so even if I didn’t see her, we stayed in touch.
I’d been sad when Bethany moved away just after I graduated high school, but, since I’d gone away to college soon after, I’d adjusted quickly.
Now, she was gone.
The memorial service was yesterday and her partner, Bernard, had taken her ashes to Wyoming, to spread them in one of their favorite places.
I’d offered to go with him, but he insisted he wanted to spend one last week alone with her.
Bernard had left this morning after giving me the keys to the general store and cottage Bethany owned. It had taken me all day to work up my courage to come here. Oh, and a half a bottle of wine.
I couldn’t believe that Bethany was gone.
I also couldn’t believe that she left all her things to me. Not after being with Bernard for ten years.
My steps to the light switch were slow and careful. I still wasn’t sure where everything was, and I didn’t want to trip over something in the dark.
I made it to the wall, flipped the switch, and turned to look at the store. Devil Springs was a small town and Bethany’s mercantile was the only grocery and goods store in the area. The closest chain store was an hour away and Bernard told me that most people preferred to shop at Devil Springs Grocery rather than drive that far.
Even though she was the only one in town, it was clear that Aunt Bethany cared about her store. Everything was clean and tidy, and the holiday decorations were still up, giving the place a festive air. Even though the air was stale, the scent of Bethany’s favorite perfume, L’air du Temps, seemed to hang in the air.
A wave of grief washed over me.
I’d wanted to come visit Bethany in Devil Springs so many times in the last thirteen years, but she’d always insisted on coming to see me. She said there was nothing to do in town and that it would be boring.
If she came to see me in Knoxville, there were lots of fun things we could do. Or she would plan vacations and send me a ticket.
I should have done it. I should have just shown up and surprised her. Then, I would be able to remember her here. I could feel close to her.
I walked to the center of the store and turned in a slow circle. Despite the fact that I’d never been to the store before, I could almost see Bethany here.
As I turned, a shadow shifted in the doorway I’d used to enter the store.
I screamed, staggering back. My heart surged in my chest before settling into a galloping tempo.
The shadow lifted its hands as the person stepped into the light.
“I’m so sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I saw the light and wanted to stop by and give Bernard my condolences. I thought he was here.”
My heart was still racing, but for a different reason.
The man standing in the doorway was gorgeous. So gorgeous that he was almost surreal. He took a few more steps into the room, stopping only a few feet away.
His black hair gleamed in the light and fell nearly to his shoulders in waves. His skin was pale against the inky darkness. But his eyes. God, his eyes were arresting. They were green and seemed to shimmer beneath the glare of the lightbulb. But it wasn’t the color that stole my breath.
It was the intensity behind his gaze. As though he could see straight into my soul.
It was a ridiculous and melodramatic thought, but as foolish as it was, that’s what I felt in that moment.
