“Happy to be out of the car.”
Tessa leaned into him, and he claimed a lingering kiss. “Have I told you today how much I love you?”
His wife—he took a second to savor that thought—tilted her head, and her smile stole his heart all over again. “You may have mentioned it, but I never get tired of hearing it.” She brushed her fingers across his lips. “But if we get caught making out in the police station parking lot, it’s going to be all kinds of awkward. Let’s go talk to the chief so we can get the lay of the land.”
Five minutes later they were ushered down a small hallway and into a spacious office that Zane knew had been decorated by someone other than the man sitting behind the desk. He popped to his feet and met them halfway. “Grayson Ward. I’m the police chief here in Gossamer Falls.”
Tessa shook his hand. “Tessa Reed Thacker.”
Zane shook his hand next. “Zane Thacker.”
Ward’s eyebrows rose. “You’re both Thackers?” Ward directed them to a small, handcrafted table on the side of the room. “Is that just for this weekend?”
Tessa laughed, and Zane held her chair for her to sit. “Definitely not. I’m keeping him.” Her hand fluttered over her stomach,something she did multiple times a day, but Zane didn’t know if she even realized she did it. Her protective instincts were already in overdrive when it came to their son. A son who would know his mother loved him every second of his life. A son who would know his father loved his mother. Their kid was already the luckiest boy in the world.
Ward’s eyes went from Tessa’s hand to Zane’s face. “I didn’t know there were any married Secret Service agents. I mean, married to each other.”
“There aren’t many. But it certainly works to our advantage for an assignment like this one.”
“I should say so.”
They settled into their seats and made small talk for a few minutes before Chief Ward, who insisted they call him Gray, leaned back and said, “So, what can I do to help you this weekend?”
Tessa took the lead. “We’re staying at The Haven for two nights. It would be great if you could fill us in on what to expect there. As well as give us any insights into your town and how a presidential visit could impact the area.”
“I’m happy to talk about Gossamer Falls, but I can’t give you much on The Haven. Normal people don’t drop that kind of cash for a weekend getaway, much less a weeklong respite or a three-week retreat.”
Zane recognized the verbiage as coming directly from The Haven brochure.
Gray leaned toward them. “Here’s what you need to know. The people who live here are some of the best folks around. They’re devoted to family, have a phenomenal work ethic, and walk the talk when it comes to their faith. They like what they have here, and if it’d been possible, they would’ve gladly remained hidden from the world. No one in Gossamer Falls wanted anyone else toever find this place, and some folks were pretty adamant about it. But over the years there was a push to do what a lot of small towns in the mountains around here have done and play to the tourists.”
Gray pointed to a map of western North Carolina on his wall. The Gossamer Falls jurisdiction was outlined in black. “There are two prominent families in Gossamer Falls. The Quinns and the Pierces. Both are descended from the original European settlers to this area. Both families own huge swaths of land, and both are protective of Gossamer Falls. The Quinns are doctors, dentists, and teachers and have built half the houses in a fifty-mile radius. The Pierces developed The Haven.”
“How do the families get along?” Zane poured a glass of water from the pitcher on the table.
Gray shrugged. “Apparently they got along great until the Pierces developed The Haven. Now? Not so much. But it’s nothing to worry about for your purposes. It’s all very civilized. We don’t have the Hatfields and McCoys here. There’s no overt feuding. If the Quinns and Pierces meet in public, they nod and move on. I know the Pierces still take their sick kids to Dr. Shaw, and she was a Quinn before she married.”
“But is she the only doctor in town?” Tessa asked.
“Well. Yes.” Gray grinned, then his expression shifted. “It was before my time, but my understanding is that the Quinns were sure the Pierces were ruining the town with The Haven. And the arguments were intense and long-lasting. But so far, The Haven hasn’t brought harm to the community. It’s so exclusive that almost no one knows it exists. A lot of the people who come to The Haven never venture past the resort property lines. The few who do come into town find Gossamer Falls to be charming and quaint, but a bit too rustic for their delicate sensibilities.”
“So the town retains its identity and the townspeople have a good place to work?”
Zane’s conjecture was met with a wink and a nod from Gray. “Exactly.”
“How did you wind up here, Gray?” Tessa pointed to the office. “And who decorated your office?”
Gray had tensed at Tessa’s first question but relaxed at the second. “You’re assuming I didn’t. And you’re correct. I don’t have the time, energy, inclination, or budget for it. But the Quinns are a force of nature. Meredith, she’s the dentist here in town, saw my office not long after I settled in and declared it a travesty. Next thing I knew, there was a committee and the whole space had been revamped.” He tapped the table they sat at. “This was a gift from her cousin, Callum Shaw.”
“Any relation to the doctor?” Tessa ran her hand over the table’s smooth surface with veins of bright blue running through the wood.
“He’s her son. Cal and I served in the Marines together. He makes everything from vases to bookmarks. You’ll see some of his smaller pieces in a few shops in town.”
Gray pointed to his window. “Gossamer Falls is small and doesn’t want to be big. But we have some nice shops. A florist. A bookstore. A coffee shop. A delicious diner and a great pizza spot located inside the grocery store.”
At Zane’s snort, Gray held out his hands. “I don’t know why it’s in the grocery store. But the pizza is fabulous.”
Gray ran a hand over his face. “We have a couple of bars that don’t give me too much trouble. Small but good schools. And while it feels like we’re in the middle of nowhere, we really aren’t that far from Asheville.”
