car, slung the bag over my shoulder, and circled around to open the rear door.
Thor decided I hadn’t properly toweled him off at the beach so the second his paws hit the pavement, he shook his entire body forcefully, head to tail, launching a loogie at my chest.
I tried to wipe it away with my damp towel, but only managed to maximize the snot stain.
Thor sat down, waiting patiently.
“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
He blinked, innocently.
I bent over, my face near his. “Let’s not forget that you were the one who kicked Chance out of bed last night. Consider us even.”
He snorted and trotted up the steps while I fished for a key. It was close to 11:30 when I twisted the door handle. I could still smell the freshly picked strawberries and mint from the garden. Lolly must have made her signature berry crisp.
Fiona had asked me to come by at noon, but rather than change clothes at my place first, I thought perhaps they needed help cleaning up the breakfast dishes. Plus, on Sundays, Thor was treated to a special feast, which was why I’d kept his breakfast light.
What I didn’t expect was a Metallica song rushing at me, accompanied by a thin, heavily tattooed man who spent too much time in the sun and not enough time at the dentist.
“Oh, hey there, mama.” He raised his chin. “Sup?” He punched a button on his phone and turned off the music.
“Nothing much. Sup with you?” I hung my bag on the hall hook.
The man, who looked to be past forty, was drinking what appeared to be a Bloody Mary and his hair was still wet from a shower. He was wearing biker boots and a muscle shirt that read More Cowbell . He tucked a chunk of hair behind his ear and said, “Just chillin’. Long night, you know. My ears are still ringing.”
He smiled and lowered himself into a tufted pink chair adorned with ivory tassel trim and lace doilies. I couldn’t help but think he would look less out of place if he were about to sit down to tea with Queen Elizabeth.
Then he crossed his legs and reached for a coaster, carefully arranging it on the end table before he placed the glass on top of it. He double-checked to make sure it was doing the job.
I glanced at Thor, who didn’t know what to make of the guy. He paused, then gave the all clear by curling up on the cool tile in the hallway and closing his eyes. Only his nose moved, searching for a clue as to what was on today’s menu.
“Awesome dog. Saw him last night. He yours?” The guy took a sip from his Bloody Mary, carefully lifting it and placing it back on the coaster.
“Yep, all mine. That’s Thor.”
The man smacked his head. “Geez, sorry, chica.” He stood. “Where the hell are my manners? I’m Brian, but my friends and the band call me Buzz.”
“Oh, you’re in the band. You guys were great last night, really great,” I said.
He smiled and thanked me. Asked if I was staying at the inn as well.
“No. Actually, I’m the granddaughter. I just came by to help out.”
“Well, your grandmother sure knows how to put on a spread.” He slapped his stomach. “I’m stuffed.” He lifted his glass and said, “And I don’t usually drink, especially not this early, but Lolly makes the best Bloody Marys.” He took another sip.
“Well, it was great to meet you. I’m sure I’ll see you around. By the way, I’m Stacy.”
He stood and extended his hand.
A jolt surged through my body the instant I grasped it. Then the vision came. The man from the lake in the plaid shirt, yelling about something. A look of surprise on his face. Then a shocking blast of wet cold and…darkness.The scream I had heard when I was playing in the outfield echoed in my head as the image faded.
“Hey, hey, Stacy. You all right?”
I realized I was gasping for air. I had to get out of there. Away from him. I backed up, slowly. “I’m fine. Just a little hot is all. I just need some water.”
He took a step forward, looking confused, concerned. “Why don’t
Thor decided I hadn’t properly toweled him off at the beach so the second his paws hit the pavement, he shook his entire body forcefully, head to tail, launching a loogie at my chest.
I tried to wipe it away with my damp towel, but only managed to maximize the snot stain.
Thor sat down, waiting patiently.
“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
He blinked, innocently.
I bent over, my face near his. “Let’s not forget that you were the one who kicked Chance out of bed last night. Consider us even.”
He snorted and trotted up the steps while I fished for a key. It was close to 11:30 when I twisted the door handle. I could still smell the freshly picked strawberries and mint from the garden. Lolly must have made her signature berry crisp.
Fiona had asked me to come by at noon, but rather than change clothes at my place first, I thought perhaps they needed help cleaning up the breakfast dishes. Plus, on Sundays, Thor was treated to a special feast, which was why I’d kept his breakfast light.
What I didn’t expect was a Metallica song rushing at me, accompanied by a thin, heavily tattooed man who spent too much time in the sun and not enough time at the dentist.
“Oh, hey there, mama.” He raised his chin. “Sup?” He punched a button on his phone and turned off the music.
“Nothing much. Sup with you?” I hung my bag on the hall hook.
The man, who looked to be past forty, was drinking what appeared to be a Bloody Mary and his hair was still wet from a shower. He was wearing biker boots and a muscle shirt that read More Cowbell . He tucked a chunk of hair behind his ear and said, “Just chillin’. Long night, you know. My ears are still ringing.”
He smiled and lowered himself into a tufted pink chair adorned with ivory tassel trim and lace doilies. I couldn’t help but think he would look less out of place if he were about to sit down to tea with Queen Elizabeth.
Then he crossed his legs and reached for a coaster, carefully arranging it on the end table before he placed the glass on top of it. He double-checked to make sure it was doing the job.
I glanced at Thor, who didn’t know what to make of the guy. He paused, then gave the all clear by curling up on the cool tile in the hallway and closing his eyes. Only his nose moved, searching for a clue as to what was on today’s menu.
“Awesome dog. Saw him last night. He yours?” The guy took a sip from his Bloody Mary, carefully lifting it and placing it back on the coaster.
“Yep, all mine. That’s Thor.”
The man smacked his head. “Geez, sorry, chica.” He stood. “Where the hell are my manners? I’m Brian, but my friends and the band call me Buzz.”
“Oh, you’re in the band. You guys were great last night, really great,” I said.
He smiled and thanked me. Asked if I was staying at the inn as well.
“No. Actually, I’m the granddaughter. I just came by to help out.”
“Well, your grandmother sure knows how to put on a spread.” He slapped his stomach. “I’m stuffed.” He lifted his glass and said, “And I don’t usually drink, especially not this early, but Lolly makes the best Bloody Marys.” He took another sip.
“Well, it was great to meet you. I’m sure I’ll see you around. By the way, I’m Stacy.”
He stood and extended his hand.
A jolt surged through my body the instant I grasped it. Then the vision came. The man from the lake in the plaid shirt, yelling about something. A look of surprise on his face. Then a shocking blast of wet cold and…darkness.The scream I had heard when I was playing in the outfield echoed in my head as the image faded.
“Hey, hey, Stacy. You all right?”
I realized I was gasping for air. I had to get out of there. Away from him. I backed up, slowly. “I’m fine. Just a little hot is all. I just need some water.”
He took a step forward, looking confused, concerned. “Why don’t
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