Angel of Smoky Hollow by Barbara McMahon Read Free Book Online Page A

you.”
    â€œNetworking.” She nodded.
    He laughed. “Big city girl.” He turned and walked away. After a moment, Angelica hurried to catch up.
    The sooner she got this over, the sooner she’d be on her own.
    It was after lunch when Kirk walked with Angelica back to the cottage. She’d met a half dozen people, including Dottie Ferguson and Paul Cantwell who played with Webb Francis. Each person she met had been friendly and happy to talk with her about the songs she wanted to learn and write down. She had collected phone numbers and jotted down names and addresses and a sketchy map so she could find her way around Smoky Hollow. It was not a large town by any means.
    Kirk was hard to figure out, she mused as he stopped in the road in front of her house. He’d done his duty, actually gone beyond in her opinion, giving her lunch at the local diner. Now he was free of any obligation. She should be relieved. She felt almost cut adrift.
    He reached out and took the small spiral bound notebook she still carried in her hand and wrote his phone numberdown. “You’re right next door, but it is easier to call sometimes. Let me know if you need anything.”
    â€œI can manage.”
    His intense gaze was something she wished she could get used to. She was not accustomed to people focusing so intensely on her and it caused a chain reaction inside that threatened her equilibrium. His gaze dropped to her mouth. She wasn’t talking.
    Was he thinking what she suddenly thought about? Kisses, long and drugging and fantastic.
    She groaned softly and looked away before she did something beyond foolish.
    â€œThank you.” Hurrying toward the cottage she resisted the urge to look behind her, to watch as he walked away. Once inside, she leaned against the front door, refusing to look though every cell in her body clamored to do just that.
    Pushing away, she went into the kitchen. She’d have something cold to drink then decide what to do next.
    Resisting temptation proved too much. She looked out the side window of the kitchen. She saw nothing but the house next door. He either had already gone inside, or had gone somewhere else.
    Â 
    Soon thereafter Angelica retraced her steps to the library. Mary Margaret sat with a large pile of books in front of her, jotting notes on the tablet she had. She looked up and smiled when Angelica entered.
    â€œCome to hear those CDs?” she asked.
    â€œIf now is a good time.”
    â€œOf course. Come back to the media center. They’re readily available. I’ll show you the lot and then you choose and play whichever ones you want. Take some home if you like. The DVDs are clearly labeled, too.”
    Angelica dutifully followed. The room in the back was bright and airy with an expanse of windows across the backwall. Several new computers lined a side wall, none in use at the moment. There was a large-screen TV with audio-video equipment beside it, a DVD player, a VCR, and several other items she didn’t know. Two CD players with headphones were on a table by themselves. Across the middle of the room was a chest-high double row of shelves housing CDs. How did such a small town get such a state-of-the-art media room in their library?
    As if she’d asked the question aloud, Mary Margaret smiled at her and said, “Kirk gave us all this, isn’t it grand? I have one of the best media rooms in the state, thanks to his donations. Makes some of my colleagues in other towns envious, I can tell you. Come here and I’ll explain the system.” She led Angelica to the shelves and explained how the music CDs were sorted.
    Once she was sure Angelica understood how to operate the equipment, she left her on her own. Angelica picked out a CD that had Webb Francis’s name on it. The earphones were excellent. How had Kirk managed to sponsor all this? Construction must pay more than she thought.
    In no time she was enjoying the music. From one