Waitress at the shadow r.., p.12
Waitress at the Shadow Ridge Inn, page 12
I exhaled. “No. I might have to hide in the basement. No one else likes going down there.”
“Because of Horace.”
I gaped at him. “You know about Horace?”
“Everyone knows about Horace,” he told me, then switched lanes. “I was thinking about what you said last night. About hypnotherapy. There might be a simpler alternative.”
“Oh? What?”
He chewed slowly, then swallowed. “Have you considered talking to Jessie about it?”
“Why would I?”
“Jessie … knows things. Or sees things, I guess is a better way of putting it.”
“You don’t believe in that stuff, do you?” I asked.
“Don’t you?”
“To be honest, I’m not sure what I believe. I’m willing to accept that some people are more intuitive than others,” I said carefully, thinking of my guardian angel’s nudges. “Maybe she sensed something, but not even I know what happened that night. How could I expect her to?”
“I don’t pretend to understand it, but I do believe Jessie’s the real deal. Sometimes, when she touches another person or certain objects, she catches glimpses into their past or their future.”
“She told me once she’d had a vision that I was going to meet someone who would have a great impact on my life.” I paused. “It was the night that jerk grabbed my arm and you helped me.”
“Was she wrong?” he said, his lips quirking.
“No,” I admitted, smiling back at him. “But it was such a vague statement and open to interpretation. She didn’t mention you specifically or what the impact would be. Do you know how many people were in the inn that night? Maybe she just got lucky. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.”
“You’re skeptical. I get it. I was too at first, but she’s been right too many times to dismiss it entirely.”
“How so?”
“My dad didn’t believe in going to the doctor unless he had to. Said there was no reason to if he was feeling fine. Then, Jessie bumped into my mother at the post office, went still, and told my mom in no uncertain terms to get my dad in to see Doc Harber for a complete physical as soon as possible. It freaked my mom out enough that she pestered my dad until he went. Turned out, he was in the beginning stages of prostate cancer. Because they caught it early enough, they were able to take care of it.”
“Might have been a coincidence,” I said.
“That’s what I said too. But then another time, CJ handed Jessie a glass, and their fingers touched or something. She told CJ not to let his fiancée drive home alone that night, that something awful would happen.”
“Wait. CJ is engaged?”
“Was,” Steve corrected somberly. “Both CJ and his fiancée laughed it off, and Jessie left the bar in tears.”
“I’m afraid to ask.”
“The roads were fine, but the bridge was icy. Addy’s car slid off the road. They pulled her and her car out of the river the next day.”
“Oh my God. That’s terrible!”
“There are at least a half-dozen other instances of things like that, but you get the idea. Jessie touches someone or something and sees things. It’s one of the reasons she wears gloves all the time.”
“Not all the time,” I said, remembering what had happened in the kitchen when Jessie tried to help me.
I told him about the weird encounter.
His expression grew even more serious. “She didn’t warn you off doing something or going somewhere, did she?”
“No. She started crying and saying she was sorry.”
“When did this happen?”
“A couple of weeks ago.”
“Before the staff party at the farm?”
“Yes.”
“And she hasn’t said anything since?”
I shook my head. “Maybe she’s afraid to. I told her I didn’t believe in that stuff, and then, I’m ashamed to say, I tried to steer clear of her. I don’t think I talked with her again until the hayride.”
“If Jessie thought you were in danger, she would say something,” Steve said firmly. “Maybe she didn’t see something from your future, but from your past.”
“Maybe,” I agreed doubtfully.
“Casey,” Steve said slowly, “maybe if Jessie saw what happened to you, she saw everything, even the parts you don’t remember yet.”
18
After Steve dropped me off at the cottage, I thought a lot about what he’d said. Though I wasn’t entirely convinced Jessie could help, I agreed it was worth a try. Regardless, I still needed to go back to Chicago and tie up loose ends.
I also debated on whether or not to give Angie a heads-up. In the end, I figured it was better to let her know. She’d never forgive me if she found out I’d gone home and not told her.
“Angela Molinaro,” she greeted in a businesslike tone.
“Hey, Ang. It’s Casey.”
“Why are you calling me at work?” she asked in a low tone.
“Because I’m working later tonight and I wanted to give you a heads-up.”
“About what?”
“I’m coming home.”
“You’re what? Hang on.”
Her end of the connection became muffled as if she’d covered the microphone, but I was able to make out muted office noises in the background.
“Okay,” she said a minute later. “I’m outside. What’s going on?”
“I can’t do this anymore,” I said simply.
“But the recent deliveries …”
“He’s never going to stop, Ang.”
I could hear her heels clacking over stone and pictured her walking into the courtyard behind the office building where I’d once worked. It was a nice space with benches and tables and ornamental trees and shrubs. We used to eat lunch together out there sometimes when the weather was nice.
“What brought this on all of a sudden?”
“I met someone.”
“Who? When?”
“His name is Steve, and we met a few weeks ago. Ang, I think he might be the one.”
A telling pause. “How could you possibly know that after a few weeks?”
“I can’t explain it, other than to say I’ve never felt like this before.”
She snorted. “Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Didn’t you used to lecture me when I said the same thing?”
Maybe I had. Okay, I definitely had. But that was because Angie tended to find the right one every couple of months.
“Maybe you just need to get laid,” she added for good measure.
“I did, and it only made things worse. Or better, I should say.”
“Holy shit! You slept with someone without dating them for six months? It must be the real thing.”
Her sarcasm was anything but subtle, and it wasn’t the first time she’d wielded it against me. She and I had different opinions when it came to dating and other … activities. Suffice it to say, Angie was more outgoing than I was. I wasn’t a prude. I was selective.
What I said was, “You know me so well.”
“I don’t understand. If he’s there and making you happy, why do you want to come here?”
“Closure,” I said simply. “It’s time I moved on. I’m going to sell my parents’ house, claim my trust, and—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Is he asking you to do this?”
“No,” I assured her. “I know what you’re thinking, but you’re wrong. Steve has no idea who my parents were. He knows only that they died in a car accident and that I went to college and got a job. Believe me, he doesn’t need my money.”
“Let me guess,” she said, her voice once again bordering on mocking. “He’s rich and gorgeous.”
Yes, he was.
“And kind and compassionate and sexy and—”
“Okay, okay, stop rubbing it in. I get it. He’s perfect.”
From what I’d seen, he was perfect—for me. Only time would tell. But I wasn’t going to rub it in, especially since she put so much effort into finding her Mr. Right, and fate or whatever had placed Steve right smack in my path. If the situations were reversed, I might be a little bitter about it too.
“You’re going to find your person, Ang.”
“Maybe I already have,” she said with a sniff.
“Seriously? Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because I didn’t want to jinx it.”
“Anyone I know?”
“Maybe,” she hedged.
An awkward silence descended while I waited for her to say more. She didn’t. I guessed she was still worried about jinxing things, but that in itself seemed like a red flag.
I bit my tongue to keep from saying so and instead said, “I’m thinking of trying that hypnotherapy that my psychiatrist recommended too.”
“Oh, Case, why? Aren’t you afraid that dredging up the past will throw you back into a bad place? I remember what it was like for you. The nightmares. The paranoia. Maybe you’re not supposed to remember.”
“Maybe,” I agreed, wishing she were a bit more supportive. “But I’m still having nightmares, only now, I’m seeing a little more with each one.”
“A face? A name?”
“Not yet, but I’m close, Ang—I can feel it. It’s like the answers are right there, just out of reach. I think I might finally be ready to deal with what happened that night, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll be able to identify my attacker and get him put away for good. Anyway, I haven’t made up my mind about the hypnotherapy yet. I might try something here first.”
“Like what?”
“Remember I told you about that psychic I work with?”
She scoffed. “You can’t be serious.”
“I know; it sounds crazy. But apparently, she’s the real deal. And something weird happened. Something that makes me think she might be able to see what happened that night even if I can’t.”
For the second time that day, I relayed the story of the incident in the kitchen.
“I honestly don’t know how to respond to that.”
“You don’t have to. I just wanted to give you a heads-up.”
She sighed heavily. “Fair enough. So, when are you coming?”
“Not for another two weeks. I’ve got to make some calls to the lawyers handling my family’s estate so they can get everything ready, and I need to talk to the owners here when I go in for my shift tonight. They’ve been good to me, so I don’t want to leave them in a lurch.”
Another sigh. “All right. Sounds like you’ve made up your mind. What do you need from me?”
“Nothing. I just wanted you to know. Maybe we can get together when I get there. Have some dinner, catch up.”
“Is your man coming with you? Do I get to meet Mr. Perfect?”
“I don’t know. He’s offered, but I’m not sure I want to drag him into my hot mess until I’ve got a better handle on things.”
“Only you could call claiming your inheritance a hot mess.”
I couldn’t see her, but I imagined her rolling her eyes.
“It’s more than that, and you know it. What if my stalker realizes I’m there?”
“How would he know that?”
“I don’t know,” I said irritably. “How did he know anything about me?”
“Good point,” Angie agreed. “Your man can protect you.”
“He is the protective type,” I admitted. “I think he’s going to do what he can to convince me to bring him along.”
“With sexual favors?” she asked.
“Probably.” I laughed. “To be fair, he’s really, really good at it.”
“You bitch. I’m totally jealous now.”
“I’ll keep you posted, okay?”
“You’d better.”
19
As expected, I was the hot topic of conversation at the inn. From the moment I walked through the door, I was bombarded with questions. Word had gotten around about my car, and everyone wanted to know what had happened.
Apparently, Rose had been calling the number I’d given her—the number of the burner I rarely turned on. When attempts to reach me were unsuccessful, several people tried to contact Steve. He had responded simply with, “She’s fine,” which raised even more questions.
Rampant speculation ensued. People wanted details.
Well, they weren’t going to get them from me. They already had most of the pertinent information about the accident from Chuck anyway.
I answered the most obvious questions simply and honestly without providing additional information. Those queries I deemed too personal or intrusive—like those about Steve and me—I either deflected or ignored outright.
“Where’s Jessie tonight?” I asked during one of my escapes to the kitchen.
Max wasn’t a gossip, and while Lou liked to tease me, the man knew how to mind his business.
“Off,” Max told me. “Rose finally broke down and bought a new commercial dishwasher. They installed it yesterday, so Rose told her to take the night off.”
So much for talking to Jessie tonight.
I cornered Rose instead. “I need to talk to you. In private, please.”
Judging by the sparkle in her eye, she thought I was going to divulge some of those details. Boy, was she going to be disappointed.
Rose led the way to the small office she kept in the back. She rarely used it; she preferred to do business at the bar or in the lounge. I thought, at one time, the tiny room used to function as a larder.
“Okay, what’s going on?” Rose asked, closing the door behind us.
“I’m putting in my two weeks’ notice.”
Her lips parted, and her eyes opened wide before narrowing. There was that disappointment.
She shook her head. “No.”
“What do you mean, no?”
“I mean, no. I’m not accepting your resignation. If this is about people getting up in your business, I’ll tell them to back off, okay?”
“It’s not that,” I told her.
“Then, what?”
I wasn’t about to go into all that. I liked Rose—I really did—but there were aspects of my personal life I wasn’t willing to share with her or anyone else in Shadow Ridge. Steve was a glaring exception, and even he didn’t know the half of it.
“I told you up front that this was a temporary thing,” was what I said.
She waved her hand dismissively and made a pfft sound. “Please. No one believed that.”
“Excuse me?” I said, sitting up straighter.
“Jessie said you were going to be with us for a long time.”
“Well, Jessie was wrong.”
“Jessie is never wrong. And you can’t leave. I don’t have anyone to cover your shifts.”
I gave her a small, tight smile to cover my annoyance. Maybe she would have coverage, if she’d actually tried to hire someone.
“I’m happy to train my replacement as long as you hire him or her within the next two weeks. That’ll get you through Halloween.”
A muscle ticced along Rose’s jaw. “Why are you doing this? What do you want? Less hours? A raise? I’ll talk to John. I’m sure we could find a little wiggle room in the budget.”
“It’s not that. I have some things I need to take care of, and I need to leave town for a while.”
“What things? How long will you be gone? I can hire some temporary help to cover until you return.”
“It’s personal. And I don’t know how long it will take.”
Her scowl deepened. “But you are coming back?”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. I intended to, yes, but my future was anything but clear at this point.
“Does Steve know about this?”
I ignored the question. My annoyance was reaching critical levels, and I knew I had to step away before I said something I would later regret. I liked Rose, and I liked Shadow Ridge. I didn’t want to burn any bridges that might make it awkward to return. Small towns had long memories.
Max chose that moment to knock on the door. “Sorry to interrupt, but we’ve got orders stacking up and getting cold.”
“I’d better get back out there,” I said.
Rose couldn’t say no to that; I was the only one serving.
“We’re not done talking about this,” Rose called out behind me.
But we were.
Over the course of the next week, Rose tried on several occasions to get me to reconsider, but I remained resolute. I understood that my leaving would make things difficult for her, but this wasn’t about her. I had to do this for me so that I could move forward.
Rose, unfortunately, didn’t see it that way. She acted as if it were a personal affront. Eventually, she changed tactics and started giving me the cold shoulder.
No one was happy about me leaving, which I supposed was a good thing, but at least they were being mature about it.
Lou summed it up nicely when he told me, “We don’t want to lose you, darlin’, but you gotta do what you gotta do.”
Thankfully, the closer we got to the end of the week, the busier business became, and the less time there was for talking and moping. The weekend was shaping up to be a perfect storm. Halloween fell on a Saturday night, which meant both Friday and Saturday, we were going to be slammed. Steve and his family were just as busy. Great weather was predicted with the next front forecasted to move through late Sunday night.
I lingered in Steve’s bed on Friday morning, knowing we probably wouldn’t be spending much time together over the next forty-eight hours. Despite my intention to keep things slow, we’d ended up at either his place or mine every night this week.
I wasn’t complaining. We’d settled into a nice, comfortable routine. I began each day with Steve’s special brand of morning wake-up, and then I made breakfast while he showered and got ready for work. I had the rest of the morning to myself, then went to the inn and worked until the dining room closed. Afterward, I found Steve, or he found me, and he made me forget everything, except how wonderful it felt to be in his arms.
“Have you had a chance to talk to Jessie?” Steve asked, stroking his big hand along the curve of my back while I waited for my heart rate to return to normal.
“Not yet. She went home with a migraine on Wednesday and called out yesterday. Lou said, sometimes, the bad ones last for days.”
