The Disappearance of Emily: Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic Series Book 2 by Elizabeth Pantley (best books under 200 pages .txt) 📗

a feathered toy and then jump onto one of the big cats, then back out again, chasing the toy. Latifa and Chanel both looked exhausted.

“Welcome to motherhood, ladies,” I said.

15

I had a few hours before meeting my father at the Destiny Falls Observer office, so I decided to hike through Twin Falls Park and take some photos with my new camera.

The park was amazing. It was more like a forest than a park, really. Luckily, there was a maze of trails made of wood chips or gravel, so it was quite a pleasant, easy trek. The abundance of vegetation and wildlife made it a virtual photographer’s paradise. I was so intent on taking a photo of a butterfly that had landed on a flowering bush that I never heard someone approach behind me.

“That’s a pretty butterfly,” the voice whispered.

“Oh!” My jerk and yelp scared the butterfly away.

I looked up to see Han standing behind me. All decked out for a day on the trails.

“You startled me!”

“Oops,” said Han. “I should have said boooo!” He raised his hands and wiggled his fingers in a menacing way. We both laughed.

“I should know better,” he said. “I’m an amateur wildlife photographer, myself. Sorry for interfering with your shot.”

“That’s okay. I’m just getting comfortable with my new camera.”

“Taking up a new hobby, are you?” Han asked.

“Not a hobby. A new job! My grandmother has asked me to start up the Destiny Falls Observer as an online paper.”

“Eleanor asked you?” he laughed. Clearly, anyone who knew my grandmother knew she was much more direct than that.

“Okay, fine. She assigned me a new job. Editor and photographer. I’ll be meeting my father at the newspaper office in a bit, so I thought I’d get comfortable with the equipment.”

“How’s it going? Need any help?” he offered. “I’m not a pro, but I can make my way around the basics.”

“Actually, yes. I’m having a bit of trouble with the close-up focus. That’s why I was working on the butterfly.”

“Yeah, focus can be a frustrating element until you master it. Want to show me your shots?”

Han and I spent the next two hours together. He had enough knowledge about cameras to help me figure out some details. True to my father’s comment, if Han tried to take a photo to demonstrate something, the result was an empty black square. Being a Destiny Falls native, an enchanted camera didn’t faze him. He just shrugged it off and changed his approach to showing me what to do and then letting me take the photos. This required close contact, as we both hovered over the camera. When he touched my hand to guide me on a setting, or when I felt his breath on me as we explained a detail, it was as if there was an invisible connection between us. It wasn’t that crazy zap you hear about in romance novels; it was more a deep-rooted bond being awakened.

When I first met Han a month ago, I was bowled over by his smoldering good looks and smooth James Bond-ish personality. Over time, I learned that he was one of those rare, gorgeous guys who was even more incredible on the inside than the outside. He was kind, polite, and easy to be around. He made me laugh and he paid attention when I talked. Even more, he seemed interested in the same kinds of things that I liked and he laughed with gusto over my jokes. When he had shared his feelings about his affection for his sisters, that cemented his position as utterly endearing.

“Look!” He got my attention and pointed up.

There was an owl up in the tree not far from us. I’d never seen an owl here, though I had heard them quite a few times. We quietly inched closer, and I took several splendid pictures.

“Wow! So glad you saw him,” I said. “Must be your keen investigator’s eye.”

“Yeah. Coz you have to keep an eye out for those crafty, nocturnal birds of prey.” He gifted me with his wide smile, his eyes twinkling.

I was melting into his gaze when I was suddenly jolted into reality. “Oh shoot! I have to go meet my father at the newspaper office. And I’m keeping you from your hike!”

“Hayden, spending time with you has been more rewarding than any hike I could have taken.”

I felt the heat creep up my face and I stammered some reply. I couldn’t even understand what I said. Being as sweet as he is, he just let that go and helped me pack up my camera.

“Today’s just my warm-up hike,” Han said, “Day after tomorrow, I’m planning a trek up to the lake at the top.”

“That sounds wonderful! I’m looking forward to making that hike again. In the meantime, I have a new job to learn!”

Han wished me good luck for the day with a soft kiss on my cheek, then hiked off in the direction he originally was heading. I had a warm feeling as I watched him walk away. He seemed like the real deal, this one.

16

Eleanor had explained that the newspaper editor retired six months ago, but the newspaper office had remained intact. They were hoping to get it up and running again, and it contained all the old physical copies in storage, so they felt it valuable to keep things as they were. The office was in one of the Caldwell buildings, and I was delighted to discover that it was just down the block from Poppy’s Extravaganza and only a short walk from Vessie’s Café.

The building ran the length of the block and contained three businesses. A clothing boutique on one end, an antique shop on the other, and the Observer office in the middle. It was a single-story building made of brick, but was designed with about six different shades of red, gold, and brown bricks in a friendly pattern, making it look fresh and modern. There were hanging baskets dripping with flowers, and a striped awning