I reached into my coat pretending I had some sort of weapon hidden away for situations like these. All I found were a pair of gloves and stick of cinnamon-flavored gum. At least my breath would smell like Christmas if something were to happen to me.I exhaled a sigh of relief the moment I recognized the man looking back at me. His jeans were worn and his boots glistened from trudging through the snow. His breath was visible as he exhaled and eagerly waited for me to unlock my door. I looked over my shoulder one last time before I gave him my full attention."Wade," I said quietly. "You better hope Mrs. Tankle didn't see you." My landlady was fully aware of the ups and downs of Wade and Joy's relationship. Hearing a heated couple screaming at each other through the walls because one of them forgot to fill the tank with gas was bad for business. More than once a customer of The Painted Deer has complained."That nosey old bat is still running this place?" He glanced down the stairs and towards the bookshop underneath my apartment.
