3. Chapter Three
Chapter Three
I t’s like Maya disappeared.
One minute I’m suckered into carrying crates of liquor for Tristen, one of Cliffhangers’s bartenders and a high school friend, then the next I’m barreling into Mountain Auto Repair to see she’s already gone.
Reese isn’t helping either. She’s under Barret Stone’s pickup truck, humming some pop song as she ratchets a bolt.
“Hey,” I say, squatting down to peer under the vehicle.
“You know, I never bother you while you’re at work,” she mumbles around a bolt she’s holding with her lips. “By the way, we’re closed. I should have locked that door.”
“Where did Maya go?”
“Who?”
“The girl I brought in a few minutes ago.”
“I didn’t see you with any girl.”
I take a few calming breaths for self-control.
“You know who I’m talking about, Reese.”
This time she does stop to shoot me a bored look. “Why do you care so much? Weren’t you just on a date?”
“I don’t want to talk about that.”
She groans. “Fine. You never want to talk about the juicy stuff. I’d tell you what was happening on my dates... if I had any.”
“Please don’t. I’m fine with not knowing.”
“You sure? I could fill you in on past boyfriends if you wish. You know Burns wasn’t my only boyfriend.”
When my lips twist in disgust, she grins. She knows exactly how to push my buttons as only a younger sister can.
“You’re an absolute pain. You know that, right?” I grumble.
“Yeah, but you love me anyway.” She bats her eyelashes dramatically.
I sigh because it’s true. Growing up the way we did on the church’s charity, community donations, and Granny’s jam business didn’t make us the most fashionable or popular kids in town. But as Granny used to say, family is the greatest treasure most people don’t know they have. At her funeral, Reese and I stood beside her grave with the truth of those words weighing on our hearts.
So, yes, my sister can be a pain, even a massive one at times, but she’s my only family I have left—and I’d do anything for her.
I stand and catch sight of my jacket on the desk, reminding me of Maya. Worry nips at the base of my neck. To be safe, I call the inn. Aunt Birdie picks up on the first ring.
“Storybook Inn, how can I help you?”
The warmth of her sweet voice clenches my heart. The cadence reminds me so much of Granny that it always takes my breath away. Though she technically isn’t my aunt, she insists Reese and I, and probably half the town, call her so. Her heart is as big as the state of Colorado, and she can’t help but reach out when she sees someone in need.
“Hey, Aunt Birdie.”
“Oh, why hello, Desi. Are you bringing my next crate by tonight?”
Here in Rocosa, Granny’s Jams was a household brand—and one my granny was famous for. The whole town loved the delicious jams she brought to potlucks and wrapped as gifts. She handed them out more often than greeting cards. For extra money, she later sold them to Storybook Inn to serve their customers. But there was something magical about Granny’s Jams, and customers started asking to buy them outright, so her hobby turned into a career. Our trailer always smelled of strawberries and blueberries.
When she passed, I couldn’t let my granny’s legacy disappear when she did. So I started making them myself using her famous recipe. At first I said they were excess stock, embarrassed what others would think if they found out it was me making them. Four years later, Aunt Birdie has still never questioned me about it.
But knowing her, she knows and is just too kind to say anything.
“No, not tonight. Maybe after the first week of school is over. I’m swamped with last-minute preparations.”
“Mm-hmm. There’s no rush, sweetie. I have one more case, but they are so delicious they usually sell out fast.”
I’m already adding ingredients to my mental shopping list. I’ll have to whip up some new batches on Friday or Saturday.
“I’ll stop by with it after church.” I set a reminder in my calendar.
“That would be perfect... but that’s not why you called, is it?” she asks, her tone knowing.
“Um, no. I was wondering if a woman stopped by in the last ten minutes.”
“Let me check the computer. Hmm... no, Desi. We didn’t have any new check-ins today. Should I be expecting someone?”
“She isn’t staying at the inn,” Reese casually interjects.
I frown at my sister’s smug expression.
“Never mind, Aunt Birdie. Reese seems to know where she is.”
“Now you’ve piqued my curiosity. Who is this mystery girl?” the old woman croons.
“Uh, nobody.” I can taste the lie on my lips.
Apparently Aunt Birdie also isn’t buying it. She hums in pacifying agreement. “Well, you give me a call if you need anything else, sweetie. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for your mystery girl. Perhaps I can ask my bingo ladies to be on the lookout in town.”
I silently groan. “Oh, no, you don’t have to?—?”
“I’m happy to help. Oh, my word above. Holt’s dogs just raced through here tracking mud from who knows where on my freshly mopped floors. I have to go.”
“Wait, I don’t need...” But it’s too late. She’s already hung up.
“Now you’ve done it.” Reese laughs from under the car. “All the little old ladies will be on full alert.”
“Why didn’t you just tell me?”
She scoots out from under the car and stands, two inches shorter than me, her hands on her hips. My breath catches as it always does—she’s the mirror image of our mother. Her delicate features are only an illusion to the rough and tumble personality she has.
“Because I wanted to see how important she was to you. You never tell me anything anymore unless I drag it out of you with a crowbar. You’ve been distant lately. I don’t like it. Talk to me.”
“Fine. My date sucked. I drove home and was flagged down by a woman shaking a flare at me. I brought her back here and lost her. You’re all caught up.”
“Was that so hard?”
“Yes, yes it was.”
She playfully shoves my shoulder. “I just want to be in your life.”
“You are.” My throat closes up when I try to say more, so I leave it at that.
“I’m closing up the shop. Unless you are a paying customer—scram. Oh, and take your jacket. Maya says thanks.”
“That’s it? Nothing else?”
I pick up my black leather jacket, feeling more confused than ever. Perfume drifts up from the collar, and I restrain myself from taking a whiff. Especially with Reese watching me like a hawk.
“She also mentioned something about needing volunteers at the library.”
“Oh?” I can’t stop the smile as I slide my jacket back on. I’m already rearranging my schedule for tomorrow to make time to stop by the library after work. “I’ll think about it.”
“Liar.”
“You’ll never know,” I say, laughing at her dramatic growl as I leave.
It’s a short ride to my house and colder than ever without Maya’s warmth behind me. I finally see some of the benefits of having a backpack, or passenger, riding with me.
I grab my laptop and a plate of cold leftover pizza and head out on my deck. Before I can even sit, my phone buzzes, and Cai’s goofy grin flashes on the screen. Frowning, I silence the call and let it go to voicemail. My daily social interaction is at its quota, and I know Cai is going to want to grill me about my date with his fiancé’s co-worker.
I flop onto my outdoor sofa and pop open my soda, the carbonation spewing from the can. After a long day, this spot is my haven. The world is so full of noise that sometimes I just want to hit the mute button. Chugging a few gulps, I stare at the twinkling night sky, enjoying the blissful silence of the modern world and soaking in nature’s symphony instead.
It only lasts a moment before my phone buzzes on the empty cushion next to me. It’s Cai again. He’s persistent tonight. I ignore it until there’s only the melody of crickets in the woods around my house. Their calming nighttime music has me sinking deeper into the cushions.
Not that I can relax for too long. School starts tomorrow and I still have a few—okay, a lot—of last-minute tasks to check off my list. I start with the easy stuff, editing my syllabus and my usual printouts for the first day. An email notification pops up about an updated class list, and I click the attachment before the message can finish loading. Eagerly, I scroll through each name, excited to start filling in my seating charts.
I’ve missed these kids—all of them.
This summer has been my loneliest one yet. To the point I’ve been counting down the days until school starts. Normally my biker group keeps me busy, riding as soon as the snow melts and enjoying the beautiful sunsets through the mountain roads or cruising through the neon lights of the Denver nightlife.
But a disease is spreading through our biker group. So far Chris, Cai, Chantelle, and even Thor have fallen victim to it. One by one, my friends are falling in love. And not just casual hand-holding when walking down the street. They’re snuggling on their bikes, whispering at restaurants, shooting each other seductive glances across the room, and disappearing for weeks at a time. Heck, I barely even saw Thor last month. Everyone has been off living their new lives, and as I return to an empty home, I’ve realized how much I depend on their friendship.
At least I still have Holt. It’s up to us to remain firm in our bachelorhood.
A pair of honey-brown eyes flash in my mind, but I quickly blink them away. I’ve always been a sucker for someone in need. But that doesn’t mean I want to play the dating game with her. It’s one game I always lose at.
Cai’s face flashes on my screen again, jolting me out of my thoughts. A sick gnawing of dread rips through me as worst-case scenarios at his firefighter job take root in my mind. It wasn’t long ago that we received an emergency call that he was injured on duty. Luckily, he is fine, but statistically speaking, there’s a greater chance something could have happened this time.
“Hello?” I say into the receiver, my voice higher than usual.
“Hey, Des. Took you long enough to answer. You were supposed to call me when the date was over.”
Oh, for the love of mankind. It’s about the stupid date.
“Well, it’s over. Thank you for forcing me into the most awkward hour of my life. Goodnight,” I say.
“Wait, wait. Don’t hang up.” He grumbles, then whispers to someone else, probably his fiancée Talullah, that most people call Tulip for short. “It doesn’t sound good.”
That’s the understatement of the year right there. Not only did I knock my glass of water on her lap two seconds after we were seated, but we had absolutely nothing in common. Nothing. Eventually, I just let her ramble on about some medical jargon I didn’t understand to fill the silence. I went with Thor’s whole “nod and smile” tactic. But the final straw was when she went into a ten-minute speech about how much she hates motorcycles, followed up with the emergency room statistics. Now, I love some good statistics, but not when they come at the expense of my bike. And to think I brought Reese’s helmet so I could take her for a ride if the date went well, but I ended up racing out of there as soon as I signed the bill.
“I don’t date,” I remind him.
Sound shifts, his clothes rustling like he’s moving.
“I’m sorry, man. I know. I tried to talk Tulip out of it.” His voice has the distinct echo of a bathroom. “Her friend was asking about you and begged her to set you two up.”
“Are we talking about the same girl? Farrah? The girl I met tonight?”
“Are you dense? She is attracted to you. I swear, it’s like you don’t have a flirting radar.”
“A what?” I chuckle at the phrase.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t be open to having a double date? We could tag along and help get the conversation flowing.”
This is the worst part of their disease. For some reason, they think I want the same thing they do. Like I’ve been harboring a secret desire to settle down. I shake my head. There’s zero time for any other commitments in my life.
“Is this a joke?” I sputter. “One date is enough for me to know.”
Cai sighs, a long one that lets me know I’ve won the battle. “You’re right. We had hoped it would work out. It would be fun to do things together?—?”
“She hates motorcycles,” I say, dropping the truth bomb.
“What?! Oh, no. No. Cross her off the list. I had no idea, Des, or I wouldn’t have suggested it. I’m thinking Tulip didn’t know either. Her and Farrah aren’t as close as they used to be since they no longer work in the ER together. I don’t even think Farrah knows that she rides with me.”
My chest unclenches a little at his admission.
“Are we good? Me and you?”
“Yes, as long as you don’t try to set me up with anyone else.”
“Deal.” He chuckles.
“All right, I have to finish getting this seating charts together. Are we all riding tomorrow?”
“Didn’t you see my text? Or were you still ignoring me? We’re going cake tasting tomorrow. Apparently, I get to eat all the cake I want, and you better believe I will. It’s going to be the best day ever, I mean, after my wedding day of course.”
He’s still laughing and joking as we hang up, but the sudden emptiness returns with the silence. I check our biker group chat and see that not only is Cai not riding tomorrow, but neither is Chris or Thor. Chantelle is a maybe, depending on when her fiancé’s figure skating practice ends.
I guess it’s just me and Holt again.
My phone buzzes, and I brace myself for Holt’s cancellation message, but it’s a text from my sister.
Reese
Your mystery girl will be here for a few days. I had to order the part she needed from a supplier in Texas.
Maya is not “my” anything. Also, why are you telling me this? I don’t have her contact info.
You want her phone number? She put it on her paperwork. You can hook me up with a free grocery run on Friday as a thank you.
Oh, now you want to be helpful. I think giving up customers’ private info is against the law.
But for a moment I’m tempted.
Reese
I think the judge will understand when he hears how lame your dating life is.
I send an emoji that I specifically save for when I’m talking to her.
Reese
C’mon! That was funny.
Des?
I’m reminding myself that I can’t block you since you’re my only family left. Let me repeat this slowly since apparently I inherited all the brains in our family: I don’t want to date anyone.
Pfft. If you got the brains, then I got the beauty... and the personality too.
Goodnight, Reese.
Well, fine, you old stick-in-the-mud. Maya and I are having dinner tomorrow and I was going to invite you like a good little sister, but now you get nothing. Goodnight to you too.
Wait. Dinner? Where are you taking her?
I could swing by after school. She could probably use some friends while she’s in town.
Or maybe I’m just lonely.
Reese?
Hello?
Reese
Cliffys at 6:30 p.m. I might be running a little late, so just be your charming self until I get there.
I pause for a moment when I see the meeting spot, my protective brother mode demanding to be activated. Isn’t it too soon for Reese to be back in a bar? My thumb twitches over my keypad, wanting to demand a different location. Yet she’s always begging me to trust her about her recovery process. Agh. I’m torn. After only a moment of hesitation, I settle on a joke instead of starting another argument.
I’m always charming.
Reese
I’m too tired to dive into all the jokes you set me up with. I’ll compile them via email to roast you with tomorrow. Night, Des.
I shake my head, laughing.
Night.
I open up my laptop and stiffen. Did I just get tricked into another date? If so, then why am I smiling?