"I'm curious. Now I want to see you. Where do you go to practice?"
"There's a meadow just outside of town I go to. I set up a target and spend the day practicing. We can go one Sunday, or even after work one night if you really want to watch."
"Will you teach me how it's done?" Barret asked.
"Once you're healed. "It's not too hard. Just takes a bit of practice. You know, you could enter darts this year if you can throw left-handed."
"Not a chance. I'm not great at darts right-handed. I'd probably take someone's eye out if I tried with my left. I had no idea Jacey was into darts."
"He's on the team at Shadow's. He's damn good. Once you're off your pain meds, we'll go down and watch him play one night and have a few beers." Adam focused on the road as he turned out of Barret's neighborhood. "You should call Becky when we get to my place and let her know you'll be there. She was talking about bringing you apple fritters later today to try and cheer you up."
"She better still bring them to me. Especially now that she'll only have to cross the street to get them to me." Barret rested his head back. "It's good to get out of the house. Here I was complaining for weeks that I never got time off, but now that I have time off, I can't stand sitting around doing nothing."
"It's different when you're forced into things. I've got an appointment at three this afternoon, but other than that, it will be walk-ins if any show up. You're welcome to sit in on the readings if you want. Jacey picks and chooses depending on the item I'm asked to read. He's pretty good at guessing what will be interesting and what won't."
"What's the rumor mill saying about the shooting?" Barret asked.
"Everyone is praising the police for taking out Trina's killers. Rumor is, and you might know more than I do on this if you've talked to any of the other cops, but they say the two were hiredto drive up here twice a month to deliver stuff to that new art store that opened on the edge of town. You know the one with the gallery and art store that moved into the old post office?"
"Really? So just art supplies?"
"That's the claim, but I haven't confirmed anything. I figured you'd hear the truth soon enough and tell me what's fact and what's fiction. Anyway, they're hailing Lisa, the girl that works at Chubby's and called in the sighting, a hero. Said she was brave to stay on the line with dispatch and report everything back to them."
"She is a hero. I'm glad she was brave enough to do it. She did a great job. I have no doubt she saved another girl's life by helping us get them off the streets." Barret vowed to go see her as soon as he was able to. "What else?"
"Again, rumors that you need to verify, but they found several locks of hair hanging in the sleeper cab of the semi. They think they cut some of the girls' hair as a trophy. Reports are saying there were four different locks of hair hanging back there. They've been sent off to have D.N.A. ran."
"With all these rumors, it sounds as if I need to give Vance a call and find out what's true. He hasn't been by the house since I got out of the hospital. I can only imagine the chaos that followed the shooting. Maybe I should be glad for the time off." Barret had already given his report, but he knew the investigation would be ongoing for weeks. "Any word how the Wilson's are doing?"
"I haven't heard anything. Jacey might know more through his mother's church circles, but I'd be so conflicted. I'd be glad those two are dead, yet nothing is going to bring Trina back. I can say that those two men didn't suffer even close to as badly as Trina did, and for that I'm sorry. I would have loved to see them hurt the way she had."
"I agree. Let's hope that's the last tragic death we see here in Hidden Falls for a while." Barret smiled as they pulled up in Adam's driveway and parked behind the building. "God, it feels good to be out." He pushed the door open, managed to undo the seatbelt on his own, then slowly stood.
"If it gets too much, I can take you home or you can always go upstairs and nap on my couch in front of the TV." Adam walked slowly beside him as they made their way to the front of the shop.
"Careful, if I'm found lounging at your place, people might start rumors about us being boyfriends," Barret teased.
"Let them talk. Having them say you're my boyfriend isn't going to harm my reputation any."
Barret paused his step. "What if I want it to be true?"
Adam stopped walking, and turned to look at Barret. "Is that what you want?"
Barret shrugged. "I wouldn't mind making it official. If that's too much too soon for you, then we can wait, but I won't be seeing anyone else while we're seeing each other." It was impossible to read Adam's expression and Barret hoped he hadn't made a mistake bringing this up.
"I think I'd like it official too. You know I'm not going to be seeing anyone else. If you can handle people talking about you dating the magician…" Adam's grin was teasing.
"Shit, I told you I was sorry for that." Barret stepped closer to Adam. "Though I think you do work magic. It's the only way I can explain what I feel when we're together."
"Hmm, that could explain that spark between us, couldn't it?" Adam leaned in. "Let's make it official. Seal it with a kiss."
Barret closed the distance and kissed Adam gently. It was the most intense and lingering kiss they'd shared so far. When he pulled back, he grinned at Adam, then laughed. "We havean audience." Barret stared across the street to where his sister stood in the open doorway of her bakery.
Becky grinned and gave them both a thumbs up before turning away and going back inside.
"Will she be the one to start the rumors?" Adam asked.
"I'm betting on Jacey." Barret nodded to the doorway of Adam's shop, where Jacey was leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed at the chest. His grin said everything.
