Chapter 29 #2
“That’s what I want to find out.” Emory whipped out a notepad and flipped it open. “It could be there is another door. If that’s the case, then I’ll need to take some equipment with us. I just hope there’s a door to be found.”
“Well, if anyone can find it, we can,” Anon announced as he returned. “Together we make a splendid team. Between Jackson’s nose, Rhaz’s eyesight, and Caelen and Quill’s magical snares, we’re bound to catch something.”
Rhaz nodded. It was going to take an entire team to track this thing down, and they all knew it.
“Very well then,” Anon announced. “Best get started. Where’d the little tyrant go? He can pack us a picnic basket.”
Anon headed off for the kitchen as Emory followed. “I’ll need to gather some of my equipment.”
This left Jackson, Caelen, Quill, and Rhaz.
“Caelen, are you going to go this time?” Jackson asked.
“I think perhaps I should and help Quill weave some traps.”
“Good idea,” Quill said. “I’d feel more comfortable if you came along.”
“Me as well,” Rhaz said. “There is another possibility we haven’t thought of, and I hate to consider it.”
“What is it?” Jackson said.
Rhaz sat and stretched out his legs in front of him. “Could it be that there is more than one of these things?”
The others blanched just as Anon came back into the room. “Oh dear. What’d I miss? You all look, well, oh dear, worried.”
“Yes,” Jackson said, “and we have every reason to be.”
Phin stared at the tabletop a few moments in shock. Whether it was because Rhaz left so abruptly or because he kissed her forehead, she wasn’t quite sure. Maybe it was a combination of both.
She finally caught her breath. Good grief, had she been holding it? Phin pulled her cell phone from her back pocket and dialed Jessica.
“Phin, what’s up?” Jessica answered.
Phin couldn’t form words.
“Uh, Phin?” Jessica prompted.
“Jess…”
“Yes?”
Phin looked around the restaurant. “Want to come down to Kathy’s Kitchen?”
“Kathy’s? Why?”
“Um, because there’s a taco salad waiting for you.”
“Ooh, taco salad,” Jessica said. “I’ll be right there.” She hung up.
Phin ended the call, stuffed her phone back into her pocket, and stared at the tabletop some more.
Kathy approached, her eyes going to where Rhaz had been sitting. “Where’s your boyfriend?”
Phin let out a sigh. “He’s not my boyfriend, Kathy.”
“Why not?”
She looked at the older woman. “He’s just... he’s...” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Oh, whatever. I give up.”
Kathy, to Phin’s surprise, sat across the table from her. “What’s the matter, Phin? I’ve never seen you look so despondent.”
Phin’s jaw began to tremble, and she bit the inside of her cheek to make it stop. “It’s complicated, Kathy.”
“I hope not too complicated,” Kathy said. “That was one handsome man sitting across from you, and he seemed very interested in you. Not to mention concerned.”
Phin laughed. “Concerned? I don’t think so.”
Kathy scooted out of the booth. “Oh honey, you’ve got a lot to learn about men.” She made a tsk-tsk sound. “Do you want me to box up his taco salad?”
“No, my sister’s coming. She’ll eat it.”
Kathy laughed. “That sounds like Jessica.” She nodded to herself as she returned to the kitchen, leaving Phin to her tumultuous thoughts.
What did Quill mean when he said those things? What was going on at Anon’s house?
Maybe she should go over there. “Nope. I’m not going to do it.” Phin sat back and put her hands on the table. It wasn’t any of her business. She was going to enjoy lunch with her sister and go home. Maybe fill out a résumé and… try to forget about Rhaz Stormfyr.
She blew out a long breath. Okay, that was easier said than done, but she could give it the old college try.
It wasn’t long before Jessica showed up. Her apartment building wasn’t far from the main street of town. “Okay, what happened? Something happened. You don’t just order me a taco salad.”
“No, I didn’t order it. Rhaz ordered it.”
Jessica’s eyes popped wide. “Well then...” She looked around. “Where is he?”
“Quill came and got him, and they took off.”
“What?” Her face screwed up in confusion. “I don’t understand. What are the two of you doing here in the first place?”
Phin rolled her eyes. “We ran into each other down at the beach. He asked me to lunch, so here we are. And then Quill showed up.”
“Oh, I see,” Jessica said. “So what’s so important that Rhaz had to take off with Quill? What is that guy’s last name anyway?”
“I have no idea,” Phin said. “All I know is that he left, and when he did, he...” She pointed to her forehead. “Kissed me.”
Jessica gasped. “Kissed you? Really? Ooh, how romantic.”
“He kissed me on the forehead, Jess,” she said drily. “It wasn’t exactly a smack on the lips.”
“Yes, but it was a public display of affection. You can’t ask for more than that.” Jessica looked around again. “How long ago did you order?”
“Jessica,” Phin said with exasperation, “I don’t get this guy at all. And all you can think about is that taco salad he ordered.”
“I can’t help it. It’s my favorite thing here.” Jessica glanced toward the kitchen, probably in hopes that Kathy would be coming to their table with their food.
“Okay, he kissed you on the forehead,” Jessica started, “and then he left. Was he apologetic?”
“Well, yeah. He said he was sorry and all that, and then he kissed me, and then poof, he’s gone.” Phin sat back, crossing her arms in front of her. “But he didn’t say he’d take a rain check or anything.”
Jessica looked at the glass of water that was Rhaz’s and shoved it to the end of the table.
Phin reached over and pulled it to her side. “I’ll drink it.”
“Fine by me. I want a Diet Coke. So he left. Big deal. He kissed you as he went. He apologized. What more do you want, Phin?”
Phin rested her chin in her hands. “That’s just it. I never know what I want now. I know what I need—a job. I think I’ll look in Coos Bay.”
“Dad will freak if you do that,” Jessica pointed out.
“Good grief, Jess. It’s not that far.”
“It’s far enough as far as Dad’s concerned. You better look for something here in Moon Creek Falls.”
Phin wanted to pick up a fork and stab the table with it. “Our parents are so backwards. They think we’re going to break.”
“They can’t help it if they’re protective. We’re all they’ve got. Besides, I think I make them nervous.”
Phin cocked her head. “How so?”
Jessica smiled and got a dreamy look on her face. “Because of Richard. I really think he’s the one, Phin. I mean, he’s just so wonderful and attentive, and?—”
“You know you’ve only known him a month,” Phin cut in.
“Yeah, but I’ve dated other guys and none of them did this for me. It’s like he was made for me, you know?”
Frankly, she didn’t, but Phin wasn’t going to tell Jessica that. “I’m happy for you. I hope things work out and he doesn’t break your heart. And then I have to go hurt him or hire someone to?—”
“Phin,” Jessica said, scandalized. “Bite your tongue.”
Kathy showed up with their orders. “Oh, glad to see the taco salad’s not going to waste.” She set it in front of Jessica and put Phin’s grilled ham and cheese down. “Would you ladies like anything else? Like a tall, redheaded, warrior-looking fantasy man?”
Phin buried her face in her hands. “Not you too, Kathy,” she muttered through her fingers.
Jessica and Kathy both laughed. “A Diet Coke, please,” Jessica said.
“You got it, kid.” Kathy turned and headed back for the kitchen.
Some men entered the restaurant. They looked like they had just gotten through fishing. They found a table and sat. What other patrons were in the restaurant had eaten, paid, and left.
People trickled in throughout the day, and Phin wondered how business was for Kathy. She did a decent lunch and dinner crowd—breakfast too, come to think of it—but for some reason today it wasn’t crowded.
Before she could finish the thought, Jessica dug into her salad. “This is so yummy. I don’t know how I can make mine the way Kathy does.”
“Why don’t you just ask her for the recipe?”
“She’ll never give it to me,” Jessica said and took another bite. “Mmmmm.”
Phin watched her eat a moment, then dug into her sandwich. She was going to have to get things figured out. She couldn’t go on like this. It was ridiculous, pining away after a guy who probably wouldn’t see her ever again once he left the country.
With that thought in mind, she dug into her sandwich, thoughts of Rhaz close behind.