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“ T he middle of the country,” Sabina answered Ethan’s question about where she’d grown up. She also flashed him a smile that let him—a native West Coaster—know she anticipated some reaction. In her experience, those from the left or right coast couldn’t help but make some sort of comment about the fly-over states.

“Oh yeah? Where? I went to college in Ohio. I love it out there. Big sky country, wide-open spaces, and all that,” he answered.

Well shit, that wasn’t the response she usually got. “Just a small town in Tennessee,” she answered. Not the truth, but as close as she was going to get. “What was it like growing up here?” she asked, hoping he’d jump on the topic as she made a mental note never to turn her phone to silent again. If she hadn’t, she would have seen Ethan’s message and she would have known that the Warwick boys were in house at the Dirty Boom. And if she’d known, she would have called and placed a to-go order, instead. An order that she could have picked up from the serving window at the back of the kitchen. Or maybe chosen a different place for dinner altogether.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like them, because she did—more than she should. The Warwick boys were all easygoing, enjoyed one another’s company, and were close in a way that she’d read about in books but never experienced. They were also easy on the eyes. Very easy. She hadn’t met the youngest of the cousins yet, but she’d bet Joey and Charley were every bit as good-looking as their two brothers and six cousins.

But she couldn’t let herself get close to them. The last time she’d allowed herself that luxury, bad things had happened. She wasn’t willing to risk that again. Not that the Warwick cousins were in the same league as her ex-college boyfriend. Nate had been gentle and just about the sweetest person she’d ever known. The Warwicks were a bit more rough-and-tumble. Several even had extensive combat experience. But it wasn’t that experience that made them different from Nate. They’d all grown up hiking, climbing, riding, hunting, skiing, camping, and generally running herd over this part of California. They might be kind and they could be gentle, but no one would mistake them for an easy target.

Yet no one was invincible. Not even the Warwicks. And while Sabina acknowledged that everyone was mortal, she didn’t want to be the one that brought death to their door.

As she had with Nate.

Once was enough, thank you very much.

“It was good,” Ethan answered her question. “There are eight of us boys only eight years apart, so we had a pretty good time growing up.” Of William and Genevieve Warwick’s three sons, the two eldest also had three sons each. The third and youngest had two sons, and fourteen years after Ethan’s birth, the twin girls. Sabina couldn’t imagine growing up in a family the size of the Warwicks. Even harder was imagining having a family of that size and liking all of them in the way the Warwicks liked one another.

“What’s the story with the name of the town?” she asked. She’d done more research than she’d admit to into her new home, but she’d yet to discover why the town was named Mystery Lake.

Ethan shrugged in much the same way his cousin had when she’d asked Chad. “I don’t know why the founding fathers and mothers chose to name it that.”

“So there’s no actual mystery lake?” Sabina pressed.

Again, Ethan shrugged. “I don’t even know what a mystery lake is. Does it hold a mystery? Did it do something mysterious back in the day? Is it, itself, a mystery? Although it’s hard to see how a lake itself could be a mystery.”

“Maybe there’s a secret lake and they just liked the sound of ‘mystery’ better than ‘secret’?”

“Seems to me that if you have a lake that’s secret, you either keep it a secret—in which case, you don’t name a town after it. Or you don’t keep it a secret—in which case, it makes no sense to call it a secret. Or ‘mystery’ as the case may be.”

Sabina frowned and took a sip of her beer. His logic was sound, but she’d grasped on to the mystery of the town’s name when she made the decision to move. And no, it did not escape her notice that her interest was bordering on unhealthy. But it gave her something to obsess about when she was alone in her apartment every night. The three seconds it took to water Roger each day didn’t exactly occupy her time.

“Any Halloween plans?” Ethan asked. A cheer went up from the corner of the room where Josh and Chad were in a heated game of pool. Sabina looked over to see a woman, about Chad’s age, give him a high five.

She frowned. Was Chad seeing someone? The way her stomach churned at the thought didn’t come as a surprise. Although if he was dating, that shouldn’t come as a surprise either. Chad was a catch.

Her gaze lingered on him as he smiled and said something to the woman that made her laugh. Whoever she was, she was tall and lean, and her dark hair was the kind of wavy that looked amazing all the time. She wore black motorcycle boots, fitted jeans, a white shirt, and a red cardigan that fell to her knees. Sabina wanted to dislike her, but she wasn’t really the kind of person to dislike someone on sight. And to be fair, the woman looked like someone Sabina would want to know.

Chad glanced up and caught her eye. Their gazes held for a moment that felt an eternity, then Josh said something, and Chad broke away.

“That’s Jen Fisher,” Ethan said. Sabina returned her attention to the man sitting across the table from her. “She and Chad dated in high school. She moved to LA after school, became some big-time lawyer.”

“She back for a visit then?” Mystery Lake wasn’t close enough to LA for a day trip, but it was close enough for a long weekend.

Ethan shook his head. “Her dad’s health went downhill about a year ago. Right when her divorce finalized. She picked up the kids—she has two boys—and moved back. Now she and her brother run a small firm together here in town.”

Great, a divorced ex. Maybe Sabina hadn’t thought through this moving-to-California thing enough. When Stella and Hunter had first asked her, she’d declined. Her life in DC was stable and good and she needed that. She’d known she was giving up seeing Chad regularly, but she’d figured they’d still be working together. She’d still see him on occasion.

But then the postcard had come and, uncharacteristically, she’d panicked.

At the time, the thought of moving to California and being closer to Chad had steadied and grounded her. Clearly, she hadn’t thought through all the implications of what it would be like to step into his life in his hometown.

“So, Halloween?” Ethan asked.

Sabina had lost count of the number of times in the past few weeks she’d forced a smile. It was draining, and no doubt, Chad saw through it. But hopefully Ethan wouldn’t. “No plans,” she answered, flashing her teeth. “Why? Should I have plans?”

Ethan grinned. “Grandad puts on a party to end all parties. Does it every year. There’s a haunted house for the kids and food and decorations like you wouldn’t believe. When Josh’s son, Matt, and Joey and Charley hit their teenage years, he added a tent for them and their friends. Loaded it with all sorts of old-school video games, music, the works.” Ethan paused. Sabina didn’t know what memory was trickling through his mind, but for a moment, he was lost in the past. “Anyway, it’s a blast. It was my grandmother’s favorite holiday, and he’s kept the tradition up.”

“Isn’t he in his nineties?” Sabina asked. The images Ethan’s descriptions evoked were elaborate and extravagant. Not something a man in his nineties should be taking on.

“He turned ninety a few months ago. A Fourth of July baby. We had a big party then, too. He’s kind of a party guy, although he prefers to host rather than attend. Are your grandparents alive?”

“How can he host such big parties?” she asked, rolling over Ethan’s question. “He must have help.”

Ethan chuckled. “He hires out the decorating and food. And also the teen tent. He’ll expect us to manage the haunted house. Unless you want to get conscripted into service, I’d avoid the cousins at all costs for the next month.”

“Kind of hard since I work with one of those cousins on a daily basis and another is currently building my server room.”

“Then it’s safe to say, your Halloween is spoken for.” Ethan raised his glass and without thought, she did the same. Everyone knew it was bad luck to raise a toast then not drink, so she took a sip then set her glass down, glancing around as she did. Chad was still playing pool with Josh while Ethan’s brother, Asher, was chatting with Oscar, the owner of the Dirty Boom. Jen Fisher and the other man who’d been at the pool table earlier had moved to the bar. They looked similar enough that Sabina wondered if he was the brother Ethan had mentioned.

Mystery Lake wasn’t so small that everyone knew everyone, but it was small enough that it was easy to see that these people were a community . She’d had a community—of sorts—in DC. She’d had her work friends, and, with the exception of Chad, they were a sociable bunch. They went out on weekends, had cookouts, and even formed a softball team. Not that she played. There were a lot of things she was good at; softball wasn’t one of them. But here, she had none of that. Granted, it had only been a few weeks since she’d moved, but she had to start somewhere.

“Ethan?”

“Sabina.”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Can I ask for your help with something?”

He sat up immediately, and Sabina felt a rather disconcerting sensation of Ethan’s attention waking up and zeroing in on her. Like a predator who’s spotted its prey.

“Of course,” he said.

Her gaze skittered around the room again, before landing back on Ethan’s. “I want to get involved in the community. This is my home now, and I want to be a part of it. But I’m not sure where to start. Can you help me?”

“Help you with what?” Chad asked, startling her. She hadn’t seen him move across the floor and yet somehow, he was standing right beside her. “Everything okay?” he pressed, taking a seat at their four-top table.

She frowned and nodded. Ethan and Chad shared a look, Ethan looking more amused than anything else.

“Everything’s fine, C,” Ethan responded. “Sabina was just asking for some advice on how to get involved in the community.”

Chad’s dark eyes remained steady on her then he blinked and looked away. Though not before he snagged Ethan’s beer and took a sip. “That’s a great idea,” he said. “I know you’re not doing it for anyone other than yourself, but Stella and Hunter hope that HICC becomes a solid member of the business community here. Having its employees engaged in the community is something I know they will support.”

“Human, animal, environment…what are you interested in?” Ethan asked.

She donated money to a number of animal shelters and rehabilitation centers. But that was the extent of her involvement in that cause. She knew herself well enough to not ever set foot in a shelter unless she wanted to walk out with a litter of kittens, two dogs, and a guinea pig or two. While the thought was appealing, she didn’t have the kind of life that could support so many living beings being dependent on her.

And while fighting climate change and protecting the environment was important, what really drew her in was people. She liked people—oh, not all people, of course. She wasn’t the kind of person who considered everyone a friend. But she generally believed that when she met someone new, it was always possible that they might become a friend.

“People,” she answered.

“Older people, teenagers, young kids?” Chad asked. Sabina thought of the old man she saw who came to the bakery below her apartment every day. The cashier always chatted with him as much as the morning rush would allow. Sabina had even struck up a conversation or two with him. His name was Walt and he lived in the senior housing a few blocks off Main Street. She enjoyed talking with him, but it was the thought of the kids, the teenagers, that grabbed her interest. She’d long ago given up the idea of having children of her own. Her life and work weren’t conducive to it. But maybe she could be a part of a young person’s life in a different way?

“Teenagers,” she responded.

Chad frowned in thought, and Ethan began tapping a quiet tattoo on the tabletop. After about a minute, Ethan smacked his hand on the table. “I’ve got it!”

Sabina sat forward in her chair. He was so obviously excited to share his idea that his emotions were catching. “Yes?” she prompted.

“Olivia Rodriguez,” he said.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” Chad replied, making Sabina smile at his disgruntled tone.

“Who is Olivia Rodriguez?” she asked.

“She’s the computer science teacher at the high school. The main one,” Chad answered. Mystery Lake had three high schools, but only one was the “main one.” One of the others was private, and the third was a highly regarded, though small, charter school that focused on trade skills.

“She started the Hedy Experience this year, a group that supports girls interested in learning about technology. I bet she’d love having you. Not only can you help teach, but you can also mentor and be a live example of how cool it can be to work with computers,” Ethan said.

Sabina smiled. “Named after Hedy Lamarr?” The men nodded.

The thought of working with teenage girls was simultaneously terrifying and exciting. Sabina loved her work. If it hadn’t been for her aunt pushing her, though, she never would have stepped into the world that now occupied her life. Maybe none of the girls in the program would ever go on to have careers in the tech industry. But if she could help open their minds to the possibility, that could be a win.

She smiled her first real smile in weeks. “That would be perfect. Can you introduce me to her?”

Chad nodded. “I’ll send you email intros tomorrow.” The fact that Chad knew what was going on in his hometown—even after living elsewhere for decades—was not lost on her. A flicker of disappointment threatened to overshadow her excitement. She wished she had that closeness—with family, with a place, with a community.

But she didn’t. And that wasn’t going to change. There were things she could change, though, and maybe, just maybe, connecting with Olivia Rodriguez would be the start of something good.

“That would be great, thanks,” she said. As soon as she spoke those words, a deafening sound shot through the bar. On instinct, Sabina scrambled off her chair and ducked down. Adrenaline pulsed through her body as her eyes scanned the bar, looking for the origin.

“Sabina?”

It took her longer than it should have to recognize Chad’s voice. Chad’s voice that was coming from Chad’s body that was still sitting in the chair he’d been in. She searched his face as he looked down at her. He held Ethan’s beer, and his brow was furrowed in concern.

“It was just Angelica coming through the door,” he said. “Are you okay?”

Again, it took a few seconds for the words to sink in. Angelica was Oscar’s daughter, who helped her father out on occasion. It was just a door. Not a gun or someone busting into the bar.

“Sorry,” she mumbled as she rose from her crouch and retook her seat. Ethan and Chad watched her. “I guess I’ve been hanging out in cities for too long,” she said. “It sounded like a gunshot to me.”

Ethan and Chad shared a look before Ethan spoke. “Angelica is getting ready to decorate for Halloween. She does it every year. She was bringing some of the boxes up from the basement.”

Sabina glanced around. Sure enough, Angelica was standing at one end of the bar, a box open in front of her and a fake skeleton in one hand.

“The town has this unwritten rule that decorations can’t go up before the first of October. Angelica has a title to defend, though, so no doubt she’s working on her plans,” Chad added.

Sabina heard what both men were saying, but it wasn’t computing. The adrenaline still pumping through her system was interfering with her logic. “What?” she asked, knowing she sounded as lost as she felt.

Chad smiled. “Halloween is huge in this town. Not sure why, but it is. My grandfather throws a big party, but the town itself goes crazy, too. In a couple of weeks, Main Street will look like a set from a movie. The chamber of commerce holds an annual decoration competition. Angelica, and the Dirty Boom, has won it the last two years. No one has ever won it three years in a row, and she wants the trifecta. I’ve heard that Ernie is going to give her a run for her money this year, though, and that he has something special planned.”

“Ernie?” she asked.

“Ernie West,” Ethan answered. “He owns the car repair shop on Main and Fourth. His daughter and granddaughter are coming to visit this year, so he wants to go all out.”

“And Angelica is feeling the heat,” Chad threw in.

Sabina nodded, still not processing the information completely. She was taking it in, but processing it was something else altogether. “Okay,” she said, drawing out the word. “Sounds fun. Can we participate?” she asked, because it seemed like something a normal person would ask.

Chad shook his head. “Not in the business category. That’s limited to businesses within the city limits. But you can participate in the residential category since you said you live in town.”

Sabina considered this. It was a much more interesting idea to think about than the reason for her overreaction moments ago. “That actually sounds like fun. Maybe I will.”

Chad smiled, and her heart tripped a little bit. It had been a long time since she’d seen that smile. The one that was kind of understated and a little intimate. As if she’d done or said something meaningful to him.

Oh, how she liked that smile. It felt a little like a shared secret between the two of them.

Clearing her throat, she rose from the table. Knowing that neither Ethan nor Chad would let her walk home alone if she said she was leaving, she fudged the truth a little. “I need to head to the restroom,” she said. Then grabbing her purse, she made her way to the hallway at the back of the bar.

Keeping to her word, she stopped at the restroom first. But when she walked out, rather than returning to the bar, she headed out the exit and into the parking lot. It would take Chad a few minutes to realize she’d been absent from the table for an abnormal amount of time. By then, she’d be close enough to home that coming after her wouldn’t make sense.

Sneaking off was more cowardly than she was comfortable with. But as she kept reminding herself, life wasn’t always about being comfortable.