The next day, Amerie drove the twenty minutes into town to pick up some groceries and explore the shops in the town square. The small town of Luna Park was even more magical in person than it had seemed in the pictures online. It looked like a post card with its white and brick buildings with dark brown roofs against the tall mountains and blue sky. Yellow flower bushes were scattered on street corners and the yellow and orange fall leaves of the Aspen trees lined the roads. The Main Street had lights strung overhead along with a pumpkin themed banner proclaiming the approaching Fall Fest in three weeks.
The smell of fresh bread and pastries wafted in through Amerie’s half down windows. The town looked alive with people milling from store to store. Children flocked to the farmer’s stand with pumpkins to taste the kettle corn and caramel apples.
People noticed the unfamiliar car and looked at her curiously, but they all smiled and waved a welcome. She smiled back and flipped her long braid behind her as she pulled her 4Runner into a parking spot. She climbed out and slung her black tote bag over her shoulder. A chilly breeze whipped past her, making her thankful for her thick green flannel and gray boots. She couldn’t resist following her nose to the bakery, where a round old woman grinned at her from behind the counter.
“Welcome, dearie. Are you the one that bought the old Thompson house out by the lake?” the woman asked in a warm tone.
Amerie smiled. “Yes ma’am, that would be me.”
The woman’s smile grew. “Well you’ve certainly come a little ways from home based on that accent. Welcome to town. I’m Beverly. My husband, Tom, and I would be happy to help you with anything you may need. He owns the book shop next door. Go ahead and pick out whatever you’d like. It’s on me as a welcome gift.” She gave Amerie a wink.
“Oh, that’s very kind of you, ma’am, but I assure you, I’d love to pay. You’ve spent time on these goods and they all small divine.”
Beverly chuckled. “No ma’am for me, dearie. Beverly will do. Besides, I insist. At least one item.”
Amerie smiled and peered in the cases of breads and pastries. She settled on what looked to be a chocolate filled croissant shaped like a paw.
“Good choice. A local favorite. Let me wrap that up for you. Can I get you anything else?”
“I’ll take that loaf rosemary bread as well, please.”
“You got it, dearie.” Beverly got to work wrapping the baked goods. Even her slight limp came off as cheery.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. My name is Amerie.”
“It’s very nice to meet you, young lady. I hope you enjoy it out here. Are you accustomed to snow or will this be your first real winter?”
Amerie rocked on her heels. “This will be my first big snow, ma’am. We didn’t really get much where I’m from, but sometimes we went to the mountains for skiing in the winters.”
“If you don’t already have them, I recommend getting a car scraper, shovel, some gloves, and bag of salt or kitty litter while you’re out today. Stay prepared. Three doors down is Amy’s convenience store. She will have everything you need.” She wrote something on a napkin and handed Amerie a bag with her goodies. “Put my number on there for you just in case. If for any reason I can’t help you, I can send my husband or son to. Let us know if you need anything, and welcome to town, Amerie.”
Amerie smiled and accepted the bag. “Thank you ma’am.”
Beverly chuckled and shook her finger. “I told you, none of that ma’am business with me, dearie.”
Amerie laughed. “Sorry. Old habits and all. Thank you, Beverly. I’m happy to be here, and can’t wait to try these,” she said as she held up the bag.
Beverly smiled and nodded at her as Amerie turned toward the door. She stopped as she noticed the stained glass in the upper panel of the old wooden door. The glass had rolling hills and a meadow with a wolf running through it.
Beverly noticed her curiosity and came out from behind the counter to stand beside Amerie. “Some say this used to be known as the Town of the Wolf. Don’t see them much anymore, but can still hear them howl sometimes. Even the forest rangers say they don’t see them much, some never even have. Still, you’ll find artwork and other tributes to the wolves all around town.”
Amerie turned and noticed Beverly toying with a golden necklace. Beverly showed her the golden charm at the end: a wolf. The woman smiled. “Wolves are protectors. At least I believe so. Some others around here wouldn’t agree with me, but it’s a small town. People need to find something to blame for bad things.” She shrugged.
“The necklace is beautiful. So is the window. I don’t know how I didn’t notice it when I first walked in.” She turned to Beverly with a smirk. “Guess my nose did the looking earlier.”
Beverly laughed. “I suppose I am the one to blame for that. Shame on me from distracting you from this art.” She winked. “Now go enjoy yourself, dearie. I’ll see you around.”
“Thanks again, Beverly,” Amerie called as she exited the shop, holding the door open for a man with his two children in tow. She heard Beverly chirp a familiar welcome to the trio as the door shut.
She turned to her right and watched the kids playing in the fountain in the middle of the square. Smiling to herself, she turned away and walked into the book store. A bell above the door chimed as a musty but welcoming scent filled Amerie’s nostrils.
A woman in her mid-thirties was sitting at a table near the front window immersed in a book. A man with blond hair and glasses looked up at Amerie from a large open book. He uncrossed his feet from atop the front counter and stood to greet Amerie. He smiled at her with a warmth that mirrored Beverly’s.
“Welcome, young lady. Name’s Tom. Please feel free to have a look around and let me know if I can suggest anything or help you in any way.” His eyes darted to the paper bag Amerie held in her hand and he smiled. “And don’t worry, you can eat in here. I know I wouldn’t be able to wait to taste my wife’s chocolate paws.”
Amerie held in a giggle as she smiled back at him. “Thank you, sir. I’m Amerie. Your shop is lovely. Do you have any books or old maps of the surrounding area? I’d love to learn more about my new home.”
“Ah, of course. Down the third aisle toward the end you’ll find one book by Caneen alongside some old maps.” He pointed at the aisle.
Amerie thanked him and went to the book and maps. She took a bite of the chocolate pastry as she glanced at the shelves. As she walked down the aisle, she noticed small wolves carved into the columns of the bookshelves. The book Tom had mentioned seemed old yet not very worn. The front cover was black with a golden paw print, and the author’s name was in green at the top. The spine of the book read “The Town of the Wolf.” Amerie opened it and read a few passages. The author described the town in its early days and spoke vividly about the wolves that would regularly walk through the town. She saw one mention of a large, white wolf and read a few sentences that mentioned a legend of a Wolf Man before she tucked the book under her arm.
Amerie continued to nibble at the pastry as the thumbed through the maps. One showed the area before the town was built and was divided up into different territories, but didn’t say what for. Amerie put that one back and selected another that included the front range of the mountains and the lake where her house was. She also selected one that showed the part of forest where she’d be working as a ranger. She noted that this map showed some caves that the map she’d received from her work did not, and also saw a river that must have dried up because it had also not been on the other maps. Amerie browsed the rest of the store and picked out a couple fictional books to add to her collection. She carried everything up to Tom at the front counter to check out.
“Find everything you were looking for?”
“Yes, sir,” Amerie said as she placed the items on the counter and took the final bite of her pastry.
Tom started punching numbers into the old cash register. “So, new to town, huh? Are you up at the place by the lake?”
Amerie nodded and tossed the empty paper wrapper in the trash. “Yes sir, I am.”
“Well, I’m assuming my wife already told you, but we’d be happy to help with anything you need. Glad to have you.”
Amerie smiled. Tom told her the total and she handed him her card. He put the bags in a plastic bag for her and waved as she walked out of the shop.
She walked past the bakery and decided to go into an eclectic shop. A black sign trimmed in silver hung above the door and read “Celestian” in silver letters. The shop had beautiful plants, crystals, woven blankets, handmade bags, woven ponchos, and colorful pillows. Soft rock music played quietly. A short young woman noticed Amerie and finished folding a shirt on one of the tables near the back of the shop. She clasped her hands and turned to Emerie. Her shoulder-length black hair bobbed as she gave Amerie a black-lipped smile. Her eyes behind her round, thin frame glasses squinted from the smile due to her round, rosy cheeks. She wore gray jeans with rips at the knees, a long sleeved band T-shirt, and a red flannel tied around her waist. She also had on a gold necklace with a rose quartz crystal.
“Welcome!” She chirped cheerily. “I’m Blaze. Let me know if you need anything at all. Love your flannel by the way.”
Amerie nodded at her and turned to look at the display of plants. A dried purple flower in a case caught her eye.
“Excuse me, ma’am, what flower is this?”
The young woman glanced over. “Oh, that’s wolfsbane. Pretty, isn’t it? I have a live one at home. Probably shouldn’t considering it’s poisonous, but that’s half the fun.” She smiled and shrugged, then turned back to her folding.
Amerie cocked an eyebrow and glanced back at the flower. It certainly was pretty. She debated and decided she’d come back to it after perusing the rest of the shop.
‘This place is dangerous,’ Amerie thought to herself as she walked around. So far, she’d picked up three crystal towers, one crystal wolf, two pillows, a blanket, a small woven basket to place on her coffee table, and a warm snow jacket for Milo that she knew he’d hate but she loved too much to refuse. She still hadn’t even looked at the plants or welcome mats.
The young woman let out a low whistle. “Want to leave some stuff on the counter?”
Amerie nodded and walked over to dump the armful of things. She also set down her bags of the books and bread.
“I’m glad you like so much. I don’t get a lot of business outside tourist season. Hunters are in town now, but they don’t tend to come in unless their wives or girlfriends came with them.”
Amerie smiled at her. “Your shop is dangerous. I have a feeling I’ll be a regular here. I just moved here.” She extended her hand. “I’m Amerie.”
Blaze smiled and shook Amerie’s hand. “Nice to meet you. Where are you from?”
“Nashville.”
Blaze’s eyes widened. “Big change,” she giggled and crossed her arms. “What brought you out here, Miss Tennessee?”
Amerie sighed. “Needed a change. I took a chance and went for it when I got a job offer out here. I’ve always wanted to be away from the big city and closer to nature. It’s beautiful here. Peaceful. Everyone seems very nice.”
Blaze dropped her arms and smiled. “They are. Mountain town charm. Well I hope you like your new job and I see you around town. Did you move out here with family?”
Amerie shook her head. “Just me and my dog.”
Blaze nodded. “Well that’s cool. What kind of dog?”
“He’s a pit mix. Big baby, really.”
“I love it,” Blaze said. “I can start ringing up your items and getting them in bags for you if you’d like to keep browsing.”
Amerie thanked her and walked over to the welcome mats. None of them seemed particularly special, but she’d need something to wipe her feet when the snow came. She selected one for outside that said “Welcome” with paw prints and a couple plain black ones to put inside by her front and back doors. She then selected a couple plants in hanging pots and a succulent garden in a black clay pot and walked back to the counter. She paused next to the dried wolfsbane before grabbing it as well.
Amerie paid and thanked Blaze, then was about to walk out with an armful of bags when Blaze giggled and stopped her.
“Let me help you carry things to your car. I might cry if you drop the bag with the crystals.”
Amerie laughed and let Blaze take a couple of the bags. The two continued chatting about Amerie’s move out here as they walked to her car. Blaze also told Amerie that she lived in an apartment near the edge of town with her older sister. She joked about how opposite her sister was from her, yet the two were best friends. As they put the bags in the trunk of Amerie’s car, Blaze told her about the two bars in town that her and her sister would frequent. They preferred the one with a fire place because of the food, which she slightly moaned after describing, eliciting a giggle from Amerie.
“Hey, you should come with us on Saturday. You’d love it. They have darts and pool tables, plus the drinks are good but cheap. It would be fun.”
Amerie agreed and gave Blaze her number. They walked back to the front of the shop and waved to each other as Blaze went in and Amerie continued to the convenience store.
The convenience store’s harsh overhead lighting was a stark contrast to the natural and warm light in Blaze’s shop. It was seemed to the the busiest store in town, which Amerie supposed made sense. Amerie greeted the woman at the front counter and grabbed a shopping cart, filling it with produce and other food items. She grabbed a bag of dog food and a box of Milo’s favorite treats before heading to the back section. She chose a pair of dark green gloves and grabbed a bag of salt. She walked back to the front and selected a large shovel, a red scraper for her car, along with a few other necessities. She checked out with the quiet but kind woman and carried everything to her car.
As she approached the bakery, she saw Beverly out front speaking to a tall, dark-haired man that appeared to be in his early thirties. The man was wearing a police uniform and was smiling warmly at Beverly. His smile was a mirror image of Beverly’s, aside from the dark stubble framing it.
Beverly saw Amerie and smiled. She grabbed the man’s arm and turned him around to face the approaching girl.
“Amerie, I’d like you to meet my son. This is Everett. He’s the town sheriff.”
Everett smiled and nodded at Amerie. “Nice to meet you. I hear you’re new in town. Welcome.”
Amerie smiled. “Thank you. It’s a very lovely town. I’m happy to be here.”
“Say, you’re our new Forest Ranger, right?” Everett asked. Amerie nodded. He smiled, “Guess I’ll be seeing you around quite often then. Knowing my mom, she probably already beat me to this, but let me know if you need anything at all. Happy to help. I’d love to stay and chat more but I’m afraid I have to get back to the station. Stays busy during hunting season. You get it,” he inclined his head at Amerie.
She smiled again. “Oh, I can imagine. Thank you, though. I’m sure I’ll see you soon. Very nice meeting you.”
“Let me help you get those in your car before I go,” Everett insisted. He took the shovel and most of the bags Amerie was carrying and followed her to her car. Beverly limped part of the way after them.
After loading the items, Everett bid Amerie a good day and gave his mother a hug before walking away. He turned back around and caught Amerie looking after him. He smiled and gave her a wink. She tried to hide her blush as she turned back around to face Beverly, but the woman just smiled at her.
“Looks like you got your necessities,” Beverly said as she nodded at the shovel and bags. “I see you found Blaze’s shop as well,” she chuckled.
Amerie nodded. “I have a feeling I’m going to be a regular for you, Tom, and Blaze.” She smiled.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way. You be safe getting home. It was lovely meeting you.”
Amerie thanked the woman again and climbed in her car. There were still plenty more shops for her to explore the next time she came into town, but she figured her wallet had suffered enough damage for one day.
As she turned off the paved road and onto her dirt road, she nearly had to slam her breaks as two black bear cubs ran out of the bushes into the road in front of her. A mother bear slowly walked out behind them and glanced in the direction of Amerie’s car. The bear snorted and continued walking as her two cubs tumbled over each other. She called for her cubs to follow. They stopped playing to trot after their mom, and the three disappeared into the trees. Amerie watched them with awe. She had seen black bears in the mountains in Tennessee, but never so closely, and they usually ran when they saw humans. Amerie slowly coaxed her car forward, and noticed she felt eyes on her again. She tried to peer through the trees, but couldn’t see anything past the thick trunks and underbrush. She shook her head and continued on her way home.
