Diablo Lake: Moonstruck Read Free

stilled, her hands gripping the dish towel tight. How on Earth could she still be so totally gobsmacked every time she caught sight of the man? And how on Earth did he still look so good? And forbidden, which, well come on, what girl with a lick of sense wouldn’t want that?
    She did manage to lift her hand and wave. He must not have recognized her, either that or he hated her, because his wave in return was joined by a puzzled look and he kept on running.
    Shrinking back from the window with a wistful sigh, she hung the towel up and headed to get dressed.
    “I just saw Jace Dooley jogging,” she called out to Aimee as she finished with her makeup and came back out into the living room.
    “Shirtless, right? Tell me it was one of those days.” Aimee waggled her eyebrows.
    “Wait, this is a thing?” Katie Faith asked.
    “Yes. He goes for a run every morning. You can see him twice if you’re up early enough. Unless it’s snowing he usually has his shirt off and tucked into his shorts. He’s one of the Lord’s finest creations.” Aimee hummed.
    “I can’t believe you didn’t even tell me. What kind of friend knows Jace runs shirtless past a body’s kitchen window every single day and never bothers to say? It’s like I don’t even know you.” Katie Faith shook her head.
    “You’re right. I sincerely apologize for my oversight. So.” Aimee looked her up and down. “Is this a thing then? I just need to know how to be supportive. Like should I be cheerleading you taking up jogging so you can get yourself and your jiggly boobs in his path? Or is this just an idle trip down memory lane when you had the hot and tinglies for him?”
    She thought about it for a while. “I don’t know if it’s a thing yet. It could be a thing. If he’s single and I still like him. I’ve changed since then. I imagine he has too. But it’s not something I came back to town to do. In the meantime, I’ll be sure to set my alarm tomorrow so I won’t miss out. Just because I don’t have time to do anything doesn’t mean I can’t look.”
    Aimee said, “It would be a crime against nature not to look at him.”
    “Thanks for enabling me. I love you.” Katie Faith gave her a hug.
    “Love you too. Now let’s get out the door and kick today’s butt.”

Chapter Two
    Katie Faith locked the front doors of the Counter. Three weeks had passed since she’d arrived back in Diablo Lake to take over. The weight of it was frightening, even as it comforted and anchored her. She’d expected to feel trapped. Instead she carried a tote bag full of ledgers to study in the evenings after she closed up and spent a good part of her days thinking on things she could do to improve business.
    All that planning and work had kept her busy enough to not obsess over her father every moment of the day though it was impossible to get the memory of him normally so hearty, pale and fragile, tubes running all over his body out of her head.
    She’d grown up thinking her father was invincible. Now she knew otherwise and it terrified her.
    Still, it was impossible not to smile as she turned and caught sight of Miz Rose patting her hair and straightening her sweater. “Good day today, Miz Rose. Thank you so much for all your help. I don’t know what we’d have done without you these last weeks.”
    Miz Rose sent Katie Faith a raised brow. “Where else would I be? You think I got lots of social engagements I’m running out on?”
    The woman was about four foot nothing and Katie Faith knew the hair tightly confined in her braided bun fell in deep auburn waves to her knees. She’d been a notoriously beautiful young woman in her day. Males from Diablo Lake, no matter their background, courted her and in the end, she’d chosen the quietly dignified Jefferson Collins. They’d made a passel of gifted kids who also had kids of their own. Miz Rose was an incredibly powerful woman and though Katie Faith loved her very much, she never forgot that.
    “Miz