Emily Griffin sat at the front counter of her cozy general store on Moon Lake, tapping her fingers absently against the cash register. The soft hum of cicadas filled the air as the sun dipped low behind the trees, casting a golden glow over the small town. Business had been slow today—typical for a weekday—and while Emily usually didn't mind the peace and quiet, her thoughts had been running wild all afternoon.
It was all because of him.
Ever since that stranger, Ryan Kingsley, had shown up a week ago, things hadn't quite felt the same. He'd come into town to look at some property on the lake, saying something about getting away from the city and wanting peace and tranquility. Tall, broad-shouldered, with a jawline sharp enough to cut glass, Ryan had swept in with his perfect, easy-going smile and polite demeanor, and Emily had been thrown completely off-balance.
"Gorgeous," she muttered to herself, quoting the song that had been stuck in her head for days. "Why does he have to be so damn gorgeous?"
It wasn't like she hadn't seen attractive men before. But Ryan? He was on another level. And the worst part was how effortlessly charming he was. The way he'd walk into her store, strike up casual conversation, flash that smile that made her heart skip a beat—it was driving her crazy.
Her phone buzzed on the counter, snapping her out of her daydream. It was a text from Nancy Drew, who had been spending the past few weeks in Moon Lake solving the mystery of the ghost dogs that had been terrorizing the area.
Nancy: "How's it going at the store? Anything new? "
Emily smirked, typing a quick reply.
Emily: "Nothing too spooky today. Just the usual. But I swear, Nancy, if I have to watch Ryan stroll in here one more time looking like a magazine cover, I'm going to lose it."
Nancy: "LOL. Sounds like someone's got it bad."
Emily: "No, it's not that bad… okay, maybe it's a little bad. But still, he's—ugh, I don't know what to do with myself."
Nancy: "Take a deep breath and just talk to him! You're a badass. If you can deal with ghost dogs, you can handle a guy."
Emily grinned, shaking her head at her friend's encouragement. Nancy was right. She was capable of so much. But every time Ryan showed up, her mind turned into complete mush.
The bell above the store door jingled, and Emily's heart skipped a beat as she looked up. Of course. Speak of the devil.
There he was—Ryan Kingsley, in all his glory, strolling into her shop with that stupidly perfect smile on his face. He was wearing a simple gray T-shirt and jeans, but on him, it looked like high fashion. His eyes—blue like the lake at sunset—locked onto hers as he approached the counter.
"Hey, Emily," he said, his voice smooth and warm. "I thought I'd stop by and grab a few things for dinner tonight. You got any recommendations?"
Emily blinked, her mind scrambling to form a coherent sentence. "Uh, yeah. Dinner. I mean, I have stuff. You know, food. In the back. For dinner. Yeah."
Ryan's smile widened, and she could have sworn she saw a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "That's good to know. I'd hate to go hungry."
She felt her face flush. God, why is he so perfect? she thought, mentally cursing herself for her inability to keep it together. This wasn't like her—Emily Griffin did not get flustered. But here she was, a bundle of nerves, all because of one man.
Ryan leaned on the counter, his expression more serious now. "So, I was wondering… Have you ever been to that little diner by the lake? The one with the outdoor seating?"
Emily nodded, her voice finally finding its way back to her. "Yeah, I know it. The Moonlight Diner. Best burgers in town."
"I was thinking of checking it out tonight," Ryan said casually, "but I figured it'd be more fun if I had some company. Any chance you'd want to join me?"
Emily froze. Was he asking her out? This couldn't be real. This kind of thing didn't happen to her—her life was a mix of solving ghostly mysteries, running the general store, and talking to people about fishing gear. She wasn't the kind of girl who got asked out by charming strangers with perfect smiles. But here he was, looking at her with those ridiculously gorgeous eyes, waiting for an answer.
"I—um—well," Emily stammered, her heart racing. "Are you sure you want to have dinner with me? I mean, I'm not exactly…"
Ryan chuckled, cutting her off. "I'm pretty sure, Emily. You're the most interesting person I've met since I got here."
Her stomach did a flip. Interesting? No one had ever called her interesting before. Sure, she knew she was smart, capable, and good at her job, but interesting?
After a brief pause, Emily smiled—small but genuine. "Okay. Dinner sounds good."
Ryan grinned, standing up straight again. "Great. I'll pick you up at seven?"
Emily nodded, trying to keep her cool. "Seven works."
As Ryan walked out of the store, the bell jingling behind him, Emily leaned against the counter, letting out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. She pulled out her phone and texted Nancy immediately.
Emily: "I think I'm going on a date tonight."
Nancy: "WHAT?! Omg, tell me everything! "
Emily: "Ryan just asked me to dinner. Like, actually asked me. I can't believe this is happening."
Nancy: "You go, girl! I knew he was into you. You're going to be amazing. Just be yourself."
Emily smiled, her heart still racing. Maybe Nancy was right. Maybe she could handle this.
That evening, Emily stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her outfit for the hundredth time. She had opted for a casual, yet cute, look—a flowy top and jeans paired with her favorite boots. She didn't want to seem like she was trying too hard, but she also wanted to look good. After all, it wasn't every day that a guy like Ryan asked her out.
Her phone buzzed again—Nancy, of course.
Nancy: "You ready? Remember: Confidence. Charm. And if all else fails, just show him how you dealt with the ghost dogs. "
Emily: "LOL, I'm going to pretend that last part isn't an option. But thanks, I needed the pep talk."
A knock at the door pulled her from her phone, and her heart skipped a beat. He was here.
Emily took a deep breath and opened the door. Ryan stood there, looking just as perfect as always, but somehow more relaxed in a simple button-down and jeans. He smiled, his eyes sparkling in the evening light.
"Hey," he said softly. "Ready?"
Emily nodded, grabbing her purse. "Yeah. Let's go."
Dinner at the Moonlight Diner was surprisingly fun. Ryan was easy to talk to, and the conversation flowed effortlessly between them. They laughed about small-town life, shared stories about growing up, and even talked about the mystery of the ghost dogs—though Ryan was clearly more interested in hearing about Emily's take on things than the supernatural elements.
"You're really something, you know that?" Ryan said, leaning back in his chair after they finished their burgers.
Emily raised an eyebrow, feeling her cheeks flush again. "What do you mean?"
Ryan smiled, shaking his head. "You're smart, funny, and you've got this whole 'I can handle anything' vibe going on. It's impressive."
Emily felt her heart race, but this time, it wasn't nerves—it was excitement. "Thanks," she said, her smile widening. "I guess I've had to be pretty self-sufficient out here."
Ryan nodded. "I can tell. But there's something else too. You're… I don't know. Different. In a good way."
Emily's face heated up again, but this time, she didn't mind. She wasn't sure where this was going, but for once, she felt like she didn't need to overthink it. She was having fun, and Ryan was easy to be around. Maybe Nancy was right—sometimes it was okay to just let things happen.
As they walked back to her place after dinner, the cool night air swirling around them, Emily found herself feeling more relaxed than she had in a long time. She wasn't sure what would come of this—whether it was just a fun night out or something more—but for now, she was happy.
Ryan stopped in front of her door, turning to face her. "I had a great time tonight."
Emily smiled up at him. "Me too."
There was a moment of silence, the kind that felt like something important was about to happen. And then, without thinking, Ryan leaned in and kissed her, soft and sweet, right there under the stars.
Emily's heart did a little flip, and as she pulled back, she couldn't help but laugh softly. "You're trouble, you know that?"
Ryan grinned, his eyes twinkling. "I've been told."
As Emily stepped inside her house, she felt a warmth spread through her. Maybe Ryan was gorgeous, maybe he was trouble, but for once, that didn't feel like a bad thing. And as the door closed behind her, she realized something important:
This was just the beginning.
