“Seems like a nice lady,” Duke remarked. “She single?”

  Luna almost spit. Now that would be a very interesting matchup. “Sorry, Duke, she’s taken.”

  “A lawyer,” Cullen added. “You don’t want to mess with those types,” he joked.

  “You got that right, sonny boy.” Duke reinserted Chi-Chi’s arm through his. “And what about you, pretty lady?”

  “She’s mine.” Cullen made the official announcement. Very much to his own surprise. Then his hands began to sweat as he worried what Chi-Chi might think of this little outburst.

  “Well, lookie here.” Duke stopped and turned. “If anyone deserves someone as magnificent as this lady, I suppose it’s you, Cullen Bodman.”

  “Glad you approve.” Cullen’s face was flushed. He looked over at Chi-Chi, who had the biggest smile on her face.

  “It is true, Mr. Duke. We are together.” Chi-Chi gave Cullen a sideways glance and smile of approval.

  “I guess that leaves you and me, Luna.” Duke was kidding, but his comment prompted Luna to add her own status.

  “Sorry. I’m going steady.” She dangled the ring that hung around her neck. “To a U.S. Marshal.”

  “Huh. A U.S. Marshal, eh?”

  “Yep. Who woulda thunk it?” Luna cackled.

  “Well, surely not me. You were always a bit of a rascal.”

  “That’s putting it mildly,” Cullen added. Luna elbowed him in the ribs. “See? She’s still a rascal.”

  “Well maybe one of y’all can have those grandbabies for me.” Duke laughed. Chi-Chi, Luna, and Cullen froze.

  Once they regained their composure, the quartet roamed past the patio and the grounds behind the center as Luna pointed out the highlights.

  “A dog park? Whaddya know.” Duke was still in awe of everything he was experiencing. “This is kinda like Disney for grownups. And dogs.”

  They meandered back to the interior of the center. “This is fan-tas-tic.” Duke enunciated each syllable. “I understand why you’d wanna work here.”

  “That’s the best part. It doesn’t feel like work.” Cullen grinned. “Especially when you’re surrounded by special people.”

  “Thank you, bro,” Luna chimed in.

  “Yeah, you too, I guess,” he teased, and got another elbow in the ribs. “Keep it up and you will be on my no-fly list.”

  “Ha.” She gave him a smack on the arm with the back of her hand.

  “And this is what I have to put up with every single day.” Cullen pretended to be serious.

  Luna jerked her thumb in Cullen’s direction. “Me, too.”

  The group made their way to the workshop and the back entrance. Cullen put his hands over Luna’s eyes.

  “What are you doing?” she protested.

  “Just be quiet for a second. Can you do that?” Cullen clasped her forehead. He helped maneuver her to the door and then released his grip.

  Luna looked down at the flatbed part of the truck. “Oh, my goodness!” she squealed. “My old dresser!” She jumped down from the loading dock and climbed into the back of the truck.

  “Hold on there, little lady!” Duke said with concern. “Don’t you go hurtin’ yourself now.”

  “Oh, wow! Cullen! Thank you! Wow!” Luna proceeded to open the drawers. The first thing she pulled out was a copy of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, then a Backstreet Boys CD.

  A copy of One Last Time by psychic medium John Edward was also in the drawer. She held it up. “See? I’ve been validated!” Luna had read the book when she was twelve and became an avid fan of Edward’s show, Crossing Over, when it aired in 2001. She begged her parents to watch it with her to prove she wasn’t a loony tune. At the time, Cullen countered, “It’s on the Sci-Fi Channel.” She’d stuck her tongue out at him back then—and did so again now.

  “Okay, Miss Smarty Pants. How about we get this into the shop, and then you can have your trip down memory lane,” Cullen urged. “I am sure Duke has other things to do.”

  “Oh, that’s alright. I got nowheres to be,” Duke responded.

  “Let’s not encourage her, okay?” Cullen snickered. “Come on, Duke, let’s unload it.” Cullen pulled the lever that lowered the loading dock platform to meet the back of the truck. Then he hopped down the portable steps.

  Luna wrapped her arms around the old dresser. “I am so happy to see you again.” She rested her ear on the top of it. “What’s that? You’re happy to see me, too? That’s terrific.”

  Cullen disengaged her arms and looked up at Chi-Chi. “Did you know she also communicates with inanimate objects?”

  Chi-Chi folded her arms and grinned. “They say that is a sign of a highly intelligent person.”

  “Oh, geez. Now I’ll never hear the end of it.” He grimaced.

  Luna gave him a peck on the cheek. “You are the best, Cul!” Then she scooted out of their way. “I can’t wait to see what else is in this treasure trove.”

  “Maybe it will keep you out of trouble,” Cullen joked.

  “As if.” Luna smirked.

  Once the dresser was secure in the workshop, Duke said his goodbyes. “Give your folks my best. I sure miss workin’ fer ’em.”

  “I’m sure I can find a few things for you to do over here.” Cullen handed the man 500 dollars.

  “Much appreciated,” Duke said, then realized Cullen had overpaid him by 400 dollars. “Cullen, this is too much!”

  “I can’t hear you,” Cullen said, as he hoisted the platform up. Everyone waved, and Cullen shut the door as Duke drove off.

  The diversion of Duke’s arrival had lightened the air. Chi-Chi was no longer feeling guilty, and Luna was feeling brighter, knowing Chris would be coming. Plus, she now had mementos to explore. And Cullen was walking on air. He’d taken the first step by proclaiming his relationship with Chi-Chi to an outsider. Now all he had to do was tell her in private.

  Chapter Five

  Stillwell Center

  Tuesday

  Luna could barely pull herself away from the keepsakes in her former bedroom dresser, but Ellie needed her help. A local college group had planned to have an awards ceremony and formal dance at a nearby hotel, but the ballroom was flooded due to a water pipe fiasco, and the only place that could accommodate one hundred people on such short notice was the atrium at the center. It was all-hands-on-deck. They had two days to work a miracle.

  Luna ran up the stairs to Ellie’s office, with Wylie galloping behind. Ziggy and Marley were lounging on their plush dog beds when Wylie bounded in and joined them. Luna and Ellie sat across from each other and began going over the details.

  In addition to their food kiosk at the center, The Blonde Shallot specialized in catering and was able to create a simple menu—the guests were teenagers whose palates were less than demanding. The Cheese Cave could provide charcuterie to be placed on the high-top tables, and The Flakey Tart was now responsible for one hundred tortes. Since monitoring everyone’s drinking age would be impossible, Victor Deci from The Wine Cellar contacted his distributor and ordered several cases of nonalcoholic beverages, including Mockaritas in place of Margaritas, Mockapolitans in place of Cosmopolitans, a pseudo sparkling rosé, and fake beer. Nathan would keep a close eye on the partygoers to be sure there weren’t any flasks or other surreptitious means of smuggling in booze. No one was leaving the center inebriated.

  Suki Kyoto, owner of Between the Folds, offered to hang her origami work among the trees in the atrium to give it a festive vibe. Devon Scott from Blowin’ in the Wind agreed to arrange several of his wind chimes in the garden area. Alex volunteered to wrap twinkling lights in the trees inside and out. Everyone was determined to turn the teenagers’ catastrophe into a night to remember.

  Luna was busy making arrangements for the band. They were already booked for the gig; now she just had to figure out where to put them. She and Ellie went over the plans. Food and beverages would be served in the atrium, and the band would be on a riser in the garden area, where the patio could serve as the dance floor.

  Ellie went down the checklist. “Looks like we have everything covered.”

  “What about valet parking?”

  “Good idea.” Ellie phoned Sunset Valet and booked them for the evening. “I have them under contract, and we haven’t used our maximum dates this month,” she explained once she was off the phone.

  “Were the students able to get their deposit back from the original location?” Luna asked.

  “Not without a fight.” Ellie sighed. “The venue has insurance. They can recoup what they’ll lose. There’s no reason they should withhold any of the money.”

  “True.” Luna nodded.

  “If it comes down to a legal battle, I am sure George will get their refund after one phone call,” Ellie scoffed.

  Luna laughed lightly. “He is such a mild-mannered, eloquent gentleman. It’s hard to imagine him being intimidating.”

  “You should see him in court.” Ellie gave her a devilish smile. “He can cut you into shreds, and you’d never know you were bleeding to death.”

  “Now that’s kinda gruesome, Ellie.” Luna wrinkled her nose.

  “Sorry, but lawyers must be surgeons in the courtroom. Cut away the B.S. and get to the truth.”

  “That’s a much better description!” Luna laughed.

  “So have you found anything interesting in your dresser?”

  “A bunch of stuff that I can barely remember collecting. Isn’t it funny how everything is of the utmost importance until you look back on it and wonder why you even worried about it? Or even remember it?”

  “Especially when you are a teenager.”

  “You’re right about that. A pimple could mean the end of the world!” Luna laughed out loud. “Well, I’m glad we’re able to help these kids with their soiree.” She chuckled again. “Kids. It wasn’t that long ago that I was nineteen.” She halted. “Whoa. Wait. That was almost half my lifetime ago. Yikes! I guess I can officially call them kids.”

  Ellie was smiling. “Honey, you are a kid compared to me.”

  “Oh geez, Ellie. I didn’t mean anything by that.” Luna thought she had shoved her size-seven foot in her mouth.

  “I know you didn’t.”

  “I don’t think of you as being older than me. Just more mature.”

  “It’s okay, Luna. I understand where you’re coming from. I think even though we’re from different generations, we were raised with the same values. The same ethics. I think anyone under twenty-five struggles to find their own compass.”

  “Too much social media!” they said in unison.

  As they began to gather the paperwork that was strewn all over Ellie’s desk, Ellie brought up a new subject. “Luna, I’ve been thinking about adding an indigenous display to the center for Christmas. There are a few Lumbee artists who make beautiful ornaments from pinecones.”

  Luna stopped in her tracks. “That is an excellent idea. I know there’s been a lot of controversy as to whether or not they are a real tribe.”

  “I’ve been reading up on it. It’s because they are descendants of Sioux, Iroquois, and Algonquins. Many sought refuge from the fighting and colonization and retreated to the swamps along the Lumbee River for protection. As a result, there were intertribal marriages among the different groups. In 1885, the state of North Carolina recognized them, but it took another seventy-plus years for the federal government to acknowledge them with the Lumbee Act. Unfortunately, they do not receive the full benefits of federal recognition as other tribes do.”

  “Well, that stinks,” Luna said. “Can’t they open a casino?”

  “That’s part of the problem. The Cherokee have lobbied against them for fear it would threaten their gaming business.”

  Luna scrunched up her nose. “Wow. There’s politics inside of politics.”

  “You are correct, my dear,” Ellie replied. “That’s why I want to showcase some of their art. Give them a little visibility. They’ll get some press, and maybe it will help them with their cause to get full recognition. Nothing like embarrassing politicians in the press.”

  Luna laughed. “Is that even possible? Politicians, embarrassed? They have no shame.”

  Ellie chuckled. “Let’s not get too cynical, dear. It doesn’t align with your aura.” She gave Luna a wink.

  “Ha. You’re right. I have to stop watching the news.” Luna looked over at the three dogs, casually lying across each other’s legs, Wylie’s head on Ziggy’s stomach. “Why can’t we get along like them?” She smiled at the happy dogpile.

  “And that is why I prefer to associate with few people but many dogs.”

  At the word dogs, all three raised their heads.

  “Somebody want to go out and play?” Ellie leaned over and spoke to them. All at once, the three bounced to their paws and wagged their tails in a drumbeat rhythm.

  “I’ll take them down,” Luna offered. “Come on, you guys.” The dogs were already at the top of the stairs before Luna had left the office. The three canines were waiting at the large sliding patio doors long before Luna could catch up with them. On Monday and Tuesday, when the center was closed, the automatic door opener was not engaged. A human had to hit the button. The dogs were pacing, and Wylie gave a soft woof, urging Luna to move faster.

  “I am going to have to teach you guys how to do this,” Luna said, as she quickly pushed the big red button twice. The doors moved slightly, then closed. “See? This is how it’s done!” She repeated the movement. The dogs were giving her the stink eye. “Oh, come on, you guys! You’re smart. One of you should be able to do this.” She did it one more time. “No? Well, fine.” She hit the button, but this time, she let the door stay open. She swore she heard one of the dogs fart at her on their way out.

  Luna went into Cullen’s showroom and walked to the workshop in the back. Her dresser remained by the far wall, untouched since the day it had arrived.

  “You plan on going through all of this any time soon?” Cullen asked as he rewired a midcentury ceiling fixture.

  “I should probably pack everything up and take it home, but being around the dresser while I’m going through my stuff gives it that extra energy.” Luna wasn’t talking about cereal, or caffeine-laden beverages. She was referring to the vibration of the piece itself. “Everything is made of energy, you know,” she reminded Cullen for the zillionth time.

  “Did you hear me give you an argument?” Cullen said as he carefully replaced the globe.

  “No. Just a friendly reminder.” She chuckled. “Getting excited about your date?”

  The question threw him. All day, he had been thinking about arranging a special date with Chi-Chi. It was time they had that “grown-up” conversation. He wanted it to be romantic and private. He was toying with the idea of preparing dinner for her. He thought about contacting her brother Abeo and getting a Nigerian recipe from him. Then he worried he would do a terrible job, and it would turn out inedible. But if they went to a restaurant, it wouldn’t be private. Then there was the insecurity and fear that she might not feel the same way he did. Who would be more embarrassed?

  He stopped abruptly. “What date?” He knew Luna was psychic, but could she be that good?

  “Oh, do I sense something?” Luna raised her eyebrows.

  Yes. She was that good.

  Cullen immediately became defensive. “What are you talking about?”

  Luna placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head. She didn’t have to say a word. She knew she had him. She took a step back, pursed her lips, and began to tap her foot.

  Cullen tightened the screws on the globe while Luna tightened the screws on him. “Okay. Okay.” He wrapped the fixture in protective Tyvek and placed it in an equally protective box lined with sheets of foam. He turned, leaned against the workbench, crossed his ankles, and mirrored her folded arms.

  Luna pointed a finger at him. “Crossed ankles. Folded arms. Up against the bench. Hmm. Interesting. You are hiding something, and your back is against the wall.”

  “Let’s not overstate the obvious. My back is against something.” Cullen’s voice was serious.

  Luna could feel his anxiety. “What’s going on? Everything okay?”

  He took a deep breath. “I’m in love with Chi-Chi.” Luna resisted the temptation to say no kidding, but she knew this was huge for Cullen. Mr. Buttoned-up was letting his emotional guard down.

  “Cullen, I think it’s wonderful.” She walked over to him and gave him a big hug. “So what’s wrong?”

  “I haven’t told her yet.”

  Luna pulled away, stared him in the face, and slowly repeated what she had just heard. “You haven’t told her yet.” It wasn’t a question. She’d thought he would have told Chi-Chi by now. Maybe not tell his sister, but not tell Chi-Chi? Luna was stunned. Her brother wasn’t all touchy-feely, but given his love for Chi-Chi, that they had been dating for over two years, Luna had assumed they would have verbalized their feelings for each other.

  “Huh. Is there any particular reason?” Luna was sincerely perplexed.

  Cullen looked down at the floor. “I guess I’m afraid of rejection.”

  Luna knew now was not the time to tease her brother. “Oh, Cullen, Chi-Chi adores you.”

  “But does she love me?” He looked up.

  “It would appear she does, but as far as expressing emotions, neither of you are very good at it. I mean, you guys laugh, get angry, and all that. But verbalizing something deep? Ha. Chi-Chi maintains her dignity, and you . . . well, you are even more close-mouthed. Unless you’re annoyed at me.” She put her hand on his arm. “Tell her, Cul. Time—it keeps ticking. Make the most of it by letting everything flow. And I don’t mean by being indifferent. I mean let your feelings flow with your words. If she feels the same, then you can dismiss all the fear you’re carrying right now. If she doesn’t, then you know the answer, and you can carry on. Plus, you owe it to her. Your honesty.”

  Once, when they were kids, a branch snapped and caught Cullen in the face. It was the only other time she’d ever seen a tear in his eye. Except for now. She gave him a big hug. “Now go do it, or I’ll start calling you ‘Sissy Pants.’”