help but get caught up in Mike’s enthusiasm. He was an odd duck. He’d come to her inn as a tourist and left as the standby cameraman for a hit paranormal TV series. He’d fallen in love with the gorgeous redheaded co-star—and somehow made her fall in love with him. He’d shuffled and blushed his way through a series of shocking and terrifying events, and in the process he’d completely endeared himself to Toni. He was a modern-day Renaissance man—experienced in audio-visual communications, emergency medicine, and real estate transactions. Toni wondered what other tricks the enigmatic Jack-of-all-trades had up his sleeve.
The man had a seemingly boundless supply of energy. He kept glancing between Toni and the brick building, looking as if he’d burst from anticipation. She realised what her quirky real estate agent reminded her of—he was like one of those bouncy, hyper dogs in the flying disc competitions—all coiled energy just waiting for someone to throw the freakin’ Frisbee already!
His excitement was contagious. Toni huffed out a breath of resignation. “Oh, all right already. Let’s go see what you’ve gotten me in to.”
* * * *
Spring had come early to Wisconsin and it was remarkably warm for May, especially surprising on the banks of the Mississippi where the wide river typically cooled the air a couple of degrees. The April showers had overstayed their welcome, dousing the streets more mornings than not. Now that the sun had come out, the tiny river town was turned into a virtual sauna. Toni stood on the bottom step of the old building and discreetly swiped the beads of sweat from her upper lip. She dug an elastic hair band from the front pocket of her capris and corralled her long black curls into a ponytail.
Mike stood on the top step, fiddling with the deadbolt lock. Toni prickled in the heat and tapped her foot.
Mike spun around and loped down the steps. “I think we’re going to have to go in through the upstairs apartment. The keys for that door are in my truck. I’ll meet you around back,” he said.
Toni followed the State Street sidewalk and turned right at the back corner of the building into a narrow alleyway. Cutting a diagonal slash up the back of her building was a rickety wooden staircase leading to a second-storey door. Wooden pallets and empty boxes were stacked in the space beneath. The staircase looked weather-beaten and brittle. The paint had almost completely flaked away, save for a few stubborn flecks of green. Toni thought she might let Mike make the treacherous climb and she’d wait on the corner for him to unlock the front door from the inside. She reached out for the rough handrail, intending to test its sturdiness, but drew back when she heard rustling from behind a stack of boxes.
“Hello?” she called out.
There was no answer. In spite of the heat, a chill ran over Toni’s skin. She looked up and down the alley.
I should wait for Mike.
She leaned to peer around the stack of boxes. The sun cast a thin sliver of light between the buildings and the area under the stairs was mostly in shadow. She inched sideways to get a better view.
Someone stood on the other side of the boxes with his back to her. Toni could just make out his heels and calves. His feet were spread apart and his legs angled forward as if he were pressing his knees against the wall. His heels lifted off the ground in a rhythmic pulse. Toni watched for a moment, trying to understand what she was seeing.
I really should wait for Mike.
Toni’s curiosity won out and she felt compelled to see the rest of the picture. She took another step sideways and found herself with an unobstructed view of the man…and the woman. The sight was at once jarring and captivating. The man had broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He wore a sleeveless undershirt and loose pants held up by suspenders. He had a woman pinned against the brick wall. The couple were lost in a passionate kiss. She had her
The man had a seemingly boundless supply of energy. He kept glancing between Toni and the brick building, looking as if he’d burst from anticipation. She realised what her quirky real estate agent reminded her of—he was like one of those bouncy, hyper dogs in the flying disc competitions—all coiled energy just waiting for someone to throw the freakin’ Frisbee already!
His excitement was contagious. Toni huffed out a breath of resignation. “Oh, all right already. Let’s go see what you’ve gotten me in to.”
* * * *
Spring had come early to Wisconsin and it was remarkably warm for May, especially surprising on the banks of the Mississippi where the wide river typically cooled the air a couple of degrees. The April showers had overstayed their welcome, dousing the streets more mornings than not. Now that the sun had come out, the tiny river town was turned into a virtual sauna. Toni stood on the bottom step of the old building and discreetly swiped the beads of sweat from her upper lip. She dug an elastic hair band from the front pocket of her capris and corralled her long black curls into a ponytail.
Mike stood on the top step, fiddling with the deadbolt lock. Toni prickled in the heat and tapped her foot.
Mike spun around and loped down the steps. “I think we’re going to have to go in through the upstairs apartment. The keys for that door are in my truck. I’ll meet you around back,” he said.
Toni followed the State Street sidewalk and turned right at the back corner of the building into a narrow alleyway. Cutting a diagonal slash up the back of her building was a rickety wooden staircase leading to a second-storey door. Wooden pallets and empty boxes were stacked in the space beneath. The staircase looked weather-beaten and brittle. The paint had almost completely flaked away, save for a few stubborn flecks of green. Toni thought she might let Mike make the treacherous climb and she’d wait on the corner for him to unlock the front door from the inside. She reached out for the rough handrail, intending to test its sturdiness, but drew back when she heard rustling from behind a stack of boxes.
“Hello?” she called out.
There was no answer. In spite of the heat, a chill ran over Toni’s skin. She looked up and down the alley.
I should wait for Mike.
She leaned to peer around the stack of boxes. The sun cast a thin sliver of light between the buildings and the area under the stairs was mostly in shadow. She inched sideways to get a better view.
Someone stood on the other side of the boxes with his back to her. Toni could just make out his heels and calves. His feet were spread apart and his legs angled forward as if he were pressing his knees against the wall. His heels lifted off the ground in a rhythmic pulse. Toni watched for a moment, trying to understand what she was seeing.
I really should wait for Mike.
Toni’s curiosity won out and she felt compelled to see the rest of the picture. She took another step sideways and found herself with an unobstructed view of the man…and the woman. The sight was at once jarring and captivating. The man had broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He wore a sleeveless undershirt and loose pants held up by suspenders. He had a woman pinned against the brick wall. The couple were lost in a passionate kiss. She had her
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