Page 67 of Secrets in the Deep

He tensed. His features changed, his focus shifting to relief, and his gun instantly dropped to his side. “Nora! What the hell?”

Norawas here?

“Hey, big brother.” His sister suddenly came into view and threw her arms around Ryan’s shoulders.

He hugged her back, but he also looked frustrated. “You broke in?” he growled.

“No, I used the code for the lockbox on the side of the house. The codeyougave me.”

“For emergencies.”

“Surprising my big brother felt like an emergency to me. A good one.” She inched back. “Were you still in bed? That’s not like you.”

A floorboard creaked beneath Emily’s foot.

Crap.

Both Ryan and Nora looked up.

Nora’s smile widened. “Not asleep. Got it.”

“So this isthe famous Wandering Bloom I’ve heard so much about.” Nora looked around the café, from the flowers to the books to the cabinets filled with croissants and tarts. “It’s pretty. Maybe a bit more rustic than I pictured.”

“Rustic?”

“Yeah, the mismatched chairs, the wooden beams on the ceiling.”

Joe Ferris dipped his chin as he passed. “Ryan.”

“Who was that?” Nora whispered, once the door closed behind him.

“Joe Ferris, the town mayor.”

“I feel like you live in a Jane Austen novel.”

“You don’t read.”

“I do too, just not Jane Austen. I assume there’d be town mayors in her books though.”

“After the last few months this town has had, it’s more out of an Ann Radcliffe.”

She laughed. “Look at you, being a closet reader.”

He stopped at the counter.

Polly smiled at them. “Hey, Ryan. You have a new friend?”

“Polly, this is my sister, Nora. Nora, this is Polly Mack. She’s dating Joel.”

Nora grinned. “Hey. Ryan’s told me so much about you.”

“Really?” Polly looked at Ryan. “He’s told menothingabout you. Why didn’t you tell me or Joel that she was coming to town?”

“I’d have to have known to tell people.”

Nora lifted a shoulder. “It was a nice surprise for my brother.”

“Lucky the guyslovesurprises,” Polly said sarcastically. “How long are you here for?”