Free Knock on Wood by Linda O. Johnston

back to the B&B. Gemma shot me an evil smile, and when Stuart strode inside the lobby, she followed him. I, in turn, aimed an amused smile at Justin as we both held our dogs’ leashes. “I think my friend is encouraging us to share a good night kiss.”
    â€œI wouldn’t want to disappoint her.” Justin’s voice was low and sexy, and he leaned down to comply with what we figured Gemma wanted. And I wanted. And clearly Justin wanted, too. And Killer and Pluckie? Justin’s Doberman and my spaniel mix just sat tolerantly on the ground beside us, looking up.
    The kiss certainly didn’t disappoint me, but once again I was glad we were in public with other people around. I’d already acknowledged to myself that my attitude was softening, but I wasn’t ready to jump into a new relationship … yet.
    Justin and Killer left then, and Pluckie and I went inside. Stuart must already have gone to his room since I didn’t see him.
    I braced for Gemma’s teasing. Instead she just said, “It’s nice that you’ve got a new relationship blossoming, Rory.”
    â€œMaybe, but you have a couple.”
    Before she could respond, our hostess and owner of the B&B, Serina Frye, joined us from the TV room off the side of the lobby. “Hi, ladies. Do you have everything you need for the night?”
    Everything but Justin , I thought, then scolded myself internally for even harboring the idea. Although …
    I did talk to Gemma in her room before we went to bed. She was ready at last to discuss her breakup with Frank. She spoke quite a lot, in fact, about how her quiet, sometimes insecure Frank had apparently decided they were more than an item and became verbally abusive about it at times. The end came because, just this past week, he had become physically threatening when Gemma talked to other men at the library where they’d both worked. “Even if I’d considered him my ultimate guy before, I definitely wouldn’t after he started that,” she said.
    â€œGood girl,” I applauded, and we soon said good night.

    The next morning, I walked Pluckie first thing as always. I then joined Gemma to have breakfast in the B&B’s dining area. “Stuart had a teleconference this morning,” she told me. “He said he’d be on his phone for a while and to go ahead without him.”
    He didn’t appear before we finished and left, walking toward our respective stores together with Pluckie accompanying us.
    Gemma had already told me that Nancy was going to meet her at the Broken Mirror first thing to let her in and get her started for the day. “I won’t be surprised if the Brownlings come, too, to make sure I also get their ideas and don’t start playing favorites.”
    I laughed. Soon, we reached Destiny Boulevard. The Wish-on-a-Star children’s shop was on the right. I ushered Gemma in that direction, pulling Pluckie’s leash gently to get her to follow.
    â€œI made a wish once on those falling stars,” I said, pointing to the display in the store’s window in which lights acted as moving stars burning day and night. Now, it was almost time for the shop to open, but I didn’t want to take the time to introduce Gemma to the owner, Lorraine Nereida. Not yet. But I’d liked Lorraine when we’d talked before. “It came true,” I finished.
    It had been fairly unassuming. I’d merely asked to make the right decision about whether to stay in Destiny to run the Lucky Dog Boutique. My decision had sort of fallen around me like a soft sheet that had grown tauter, pulling me in and holding me here.
    So far, I hadn’t regretted it. Did it have anything to do with my wish?
    Around here, I wouldn’t be surprised.
    â€œThat’s cool.” Gemma’s grin looked wistful. “Do you think I could try it?”
    â€œSure.” I waited while, watching the display, she made her