Read Rise of the Moon (Moonlit Series Book 1) for Free Online

down the tables, I noticed dried drops of ice cream on the pale blue vinyl seating of one of the booths. I sprayed it with the watered-down cleaner, wiping the seat spotless. I noticed something on the far side of the booth, and I crouched to get it. It was a small toy, a yellow T-rex probably left here by one of the groups of kids that had been here earlier. I’d put it behind the counter. If they didn’t come back to get it, I was sure Harry, the owner, would add it to the collection in the back room. Once a year he would get them professionally cleaned and donate them to the local hospital.
    The door chimed and I crawled out from under the booth, “I’ll be right with you.”
    “No worries, I’m in no hurry.”
    My heart skipped a beat, recognizing the voice. I straightened up, hitting my head on the underside of the table.
    “Shit,” I winced, both in pain and embarrassment.
    “Are you okay?” he asked, approaching me. I looked at him, confirming that this was indeed the guy from the driveway. The accent had given it away.
    “I’m fine, fine,” I muttered, waving him off as he drew near. “I wish I could say I’m not always this clumsy, but unfortunately I’m used to it…” I got to my feet, meeting his gaze, “You’re… To think I never caught your name.”
    I was trying to keep my cool. Internally, I was having a cow; my heart was pounding, loud and hard. Though I wondered if that was just from bumping my head. I had taken to walking home from Maddie’s whenever I had the chance, because I felt I was more likely to run into him there than here, at work. Especially since another week had passed without seeing him in the hallways at school. And now that I was looking at him, he could be a few years older than me, and perhaps that was the reason why he wasn’t attending our high school. Or maybe he was going to one of our rivalling schools.
    “And to think I never caught yours,” he countered.
    “Well, I asked you first,” I shrugged, smiling a little.
    “That’s true,” he smiled. Holding out his hand he introduced himself; “Shayne Van Owen.”
    “And I’m Evelyn,” I shook his hand, “Evelyn Rae Laverne.”
    We lapsed into silence, and I took a moment to gather myself. “So you’re here to get some ice cream, I take it? What can I get for you?”
    He looked at the menu behind the counter as I went around to the other side, tossing the toy underneath the counter and washing my hands quickly before turning back to him.
    “Two scoops, vanilla and chocolate,” he finally decided.
    “Ah, a traditional man,” I felt my face go warm as I spoke. I was embarrassing myself further, wasn’t I? “And, uh, how are you adjusting to the area?”
    “I’m so used to living in the city, but a little town like this is a nice change of pace,” he gave an easy smile, and I relaxed a little.
    “It’s a pretty easygoing town,” I agreed. “Cone or cup?”
    “Cone. Lived here your whole life?” he asked, taking out a ten dollar bill and placing it on the counter.
    “It’s all I’ve ever known,” I scooped out the ice cream. Sydney once told me we moved here when I was three, and that we moved around a lot prior to that after I came into the family. Sophie was the only one that was born here in our family. Handing him the cone, I asked “What brings you here?”
    “I have a friend that lives here. But, I know if my mom had it her way, I would have stayed in New York with her.”
    “So you’re here with your father than?”
    “No, an old fellow named Mr. Smith. My father’s in New York with my mother,” Shayne didn’t meet my eyes for a moment. I handed him back his change. “They travel a lot, though, so James, my brother, lives with me and Mr. Smith.”
    “So, who is Mr. Smith?” I asked.
    “My butler.”
    “Butler,” I could almost feel my mouth fall open –I hadn’t seen that one coming. “People still have butlers these days?”
    “More than a butler, he’s like a