Page 3 of Luke

It’s only when I come to the one and only red light in town, do I realize my heart is pounding out of my chest. It’s not the first time she’s taken my breath away, but it’s definitely the most intense.

I pull into the station shortly after sundown. There’s a beat-up truck in one of the three guest parking spots. Gary must’ve seen Marie’s car. Sure enough, he’s inside going off on my co-ranger, Rhodes.

“I’m tellin’ you!” Gary shakes a gnarled finger. “One of those hoodlums from the valley just drove into town. No one else comes from that direction. They’re trying to bring their jazz cabbage and disco powder into my town and I won’t have it!”

“We’re aware of the situation in the valley and monitoring it closely, Gary. You know that,” Rhodes sighs. “No one is bringing jazz cabbage into town.”

“You didn’t see what I saw!”

“You can relax, Gary,” I cut in. “That driver on the road today was none other than Marie Richardson.”

Rhodes’ brows shoot up. “Your old high school pal?”

Pal isn’t the word I’d use. Marie was my only real friend in school. I felt like I could be myself around her without the pressure of expectations. She was the only person who truly knew me at my core. I never understood why she left town so suddenly after graduation.

Gary’s nonexistent brows shoot up. “Alice’s girl?”

“That’s the one.”

“She could have disco powder,” Gary mutters. “She’s a city girl now.”

“No, she’s not,” I laugh. “She’s a Rose Haven girl, through and through. She just doesn’t remember that yet.

She didn’t look like the other girls in town. She wasn’t obsessed with turning herself into whatever others thought was cool or trendy. She was unapologetically herself all the time. Not a lot of people at school liked that. They were always ready to remind her of how different she was as if it was a bad thing.

Her dark chocolate hair is a lot longer than it used to be. She used to keep it cut to her shoulders. It looks amazing this long. She’s always been beautiful. Her curves enhanced her femininity even when she dressed rather tomboy-ish.

I’ve been attracted to her since my sophomore year of high school, but she never seemed interested in me that way. It was a shame, but I was still more than happy to have her as a friend. Any piece of her I could have was enough for me.

I try to remind myself of that as my mind takes things to a far dirtier place. I tamp my thoughts down before I’m unable to hide them.

“Are you going to hang out with her while she’s in town?” Rhodes asks. “You know, reconnect a bit?”

“I’d like to,” I shrug. “I don’t know how Marie feels. She didn’t seem like she wanted to chat when I pulled her over.”

“Most people don’t want to talk when they’re pulled over,” Rhodes points out. “She’s probably worried about her mother, too.”

“You’re right,” I nod. “I’ll give it a few days before I knock on her door. She’ll need to settle in.”

“Why’d she leave town in the first place?” Rhodes asks.

“That’s the thing,” I say, putting my hands on my hips. “I don’t know. I never saw her again after the graduation ceremony. She didn’t even come to the party.”

“Weird,” Rhodes says before turning his attention back to Gary. “See, Gary? No jazz cabbage.”

“Alice’s girl might be a mule!” Gary cries.

I try not to laugh. On a small level, Gary has the right to be alarmed. A few months ago, some known drug dealers from up north settled in a rural part of the county. They rarely come into town. We haven’t found proof that they’re doing anything illegal, but all of us rangers have a bad feeling about it. We’ve been keeping tabs as best as we can.

“Marie isn’t a mule, Gary. She’s just here to take care of her mother,” I say. “Come on, I’ll walk you to your car. Ruthie’s probably got dinner in the oven, right?”

“It’s casserole night,” Gary grumbles as he lets me guide him out of the station. “Worst day of the week.”

“Ruthie’s taco casseroles are to die for,” I protest. “We tear them apart whenever she brings them into the station.”

“I’ll bring some down tomorrow.” Gary climbs into his truck, which coughs to life. Sooner or later, he’s going to have to get another truck. I should start asking around. It’ll make his life a little easier. That’s what being a ranger is all about.

I head back into the station, ready to file the evening paperwork, and call it a night. As I move through my routine, I can’t seem to shake Marie from my mind.

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