Haunted (Wolf Lake) Read Free Page B

was all but deserted.  It appeared everyone had taken cover.
    “Have a good night,” she replied as the cashier handed her some coins and her bag of groceries. 
    Amelia hurried out to her car and deposited her groceries in the trunk.  Then just as she was about to climb into the driver’s seat the hardware store across the way caught her eye. 
    “Paint,” she remembered with an upward glance at the sky.  The heavens had yet to open up although it appeared a downpour was imminent.  But Amelia really didn’t want to bother having to come back to town again in the morning just to buy paint.  She’ d just have to hurry and try to beat the storm.
    She ran across the street.
    Just like the rest of town, the hardware store was pretty much empty. 
    A dark haired, flannel-clad guy stood at the till.  He had a small mountain of paper spread out on the counter in front of him.  He held a calculator in one hand and a pencil in the other. 
    “I’m just about to close up,” he called out without so much as looking up when the door jingled. 
    “I’ll be quick,” Amelia promised.  “I’m just looking for paint?”
    “Over there,” he replied, pointing.  He still hadn’t looked up.  He seemed engrossed in his paperwork, apparently determined to make the books balance.  Either that or he was just really, really bad at customer service. 
    “Um, thanks.”
    She was somewhat amused to find there were exactly two options:  eggshell white indoor paint or eggshell white outdoor paint.  Had she wanted something crazy like blue or red paint, she’d have been out of luck.  She picked up two cans of the indoor paint and, grimacing a little, carried them over to the till.
    The guy finally looked up.  He made a face as his gaze fell on the paint and then looked at Amelia.  His piercing blue eyes were intense.  “You don’t want that,” he informed her.
    “What?” she asked in confusion.  “Why’s that?”
    “It streaks.  Buy the outdoor paint.”
    “But I’m painting inside.”
    “I don’t care.  Buy the outdoor paint.”
    There was something a little abrasive about the blue eyed, dark haired guy’s personality.  He seemed impatient and, well, bossy .  With a sigh, Amelia turned back around and headed toward the paint aisle. 
    The guy came out from behind the counter and took the heavy paint from Amelia.  He set it down on the shelf, grabbed two cans of the outdoor paint and returned to the till. 
    “That will be eighty bucks,” he told her.
    The price was high, but everything was expensive in the tiny resort town.  Since there were no big box stores and no competition, the local shopkeepers could charge whatever they liked and people would pay it.  Amelia pulled out her credit card and tried to hand it to the guy.
    “Cash only,” he informed her, refusing to take the plastic card from her outstretched hand.
    “Seriously?” she grumbled, digging through her purse.  “I don’t keep much cash on me.   What kind of store doesn’t take plastic?”
    “ Welcome to Wolf Lake,” he said somewhat sarcastically.  Then he added, “There’s an ATM down at the end of Main Street.  It’s right next to the beauty parlor – can’t miss it.”
    Once again, Amelia found herself outside in the eye of the storm.
    When she returned a short while later windblown with cash in hand, she was met with a smirk.
    “What?” she demanded, feeling somewhat annoyed.
    “Your dress,” he said with amusement as he took the money from her. 
    Amelia looked down.  The wind had blown her yellow sundress up around her waist and she hadn’t even noticed.  She yanked it down quickly, wondering how much of an eyeful she’d given the arrogant jerk.  At least she was wearing cute panties.
    “Twenty bucks is your change,” he said, carelessly tossing a twenty down on the counter. 
    She picked it up feeling a little irritated.  Seriously – he couldn’t even hand the money to her?  Talk about poor