Chapter 8

Elle

Elle’s mind was on the man as she finished up her shift. Kelly and Grace both watched her as if she’d suddenly grown two heads.

“What is it?” she demanded when she couldn’t ignore it any longer.

Kelly looked away. Grace grinned. “You’re smitten, girl, that’s what.”

“Smitten?”

“You haven’t been able to get that man out of your mind since he came in and caused that scene.”

“Oh, come on.”

Gracie looked at Kelly and shrugged.

“I’m just thinking about him,” Elle said. “It was strange. He touched me, and then I spilled coffee all over his lap, and then he was gone.”

“It was weird,” Kelly said.

“Not all that weird, in the grand scheme of things,” Grace said.

“I think it was pretty weird,” Kelly repeated. “And I’d be careful about seeking out a guy like that, Elle. He looked like he could mean trouble.”

Elle had to agree with that. He certainly wasn’t your run of the mill character. His arms were thick with detailed tattoos. He walked with the kind of confidence and swagger that often got men into trouble. But he was also amazingly handsome. His eyes had pierced right into her soul. Try as she would, Elle just couldn’t get him out of her mind. He’d burned himself into her the moment he’d looked into her eyes.

“He was hot though,” Gracie said.

Kelly and Elle burst out laughing.

“Oh, don’t be shy, Gracie,” Kelly teased. “Just call them like you see them.”

“I might look old to you two,” Gracie replied, laughing herself, “but don’t think for a minute that I wouldn’t know what to do with that man if I ever had the good luck to find him in my bedroom.”

At that, the other two laughed even harder. The diner was finally empty and they cleaned up before closing for the night. It had been a long, hectic shift, and they needed something to laugh about.

“What would you do with him?” Kelly said.

“I’d put him where he belongs,” Grace laughed, “right between my legs.”

“Oh, Gracie,” Elle said.

“Don’t Oh Gracie me, young lady. I’ve been looking down at hunky guys’ heads between my legs since before either of you two were born. Hell, the way you two acted when he came in, I swear I’d probably have a better chance with him myself than either of you do.”

“Oh, come on,” Kelly said.

“You two fawned over him from the second he walked in the door.”

“We did not fawn over him,” Kelly said.

“I did,” Elle admitted.

“He was the one who touched your hand, Elle,” Kelly reminded her. “If anyone forgot to play it cool, it was him.”

That thought made Elle smile, briefly, before banishing it from her mind and getting back to work. She went around the diner putting the chairs up, and then she mopped the floor. She was almost finished when Gracie and Kelly offered to help her. They’d just finished their own work.

“No, no,” Elle insisted. “I can finish this. You can leave if you want to get home, Gracie. It’s been a long day.”

“It went a lot quicker now that we have you,” she said.

“Yes, really,” Kelly added. “Thank God you came to us.”

Elle smiled. “Thank you for trusting me,” she said. “I’m really grateful. I’d have been destitute without you.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind closing up?” Gracie said.

Elle could see how tired she was. “Certainly, Gracie.”

“All right. Just turn out the lights and pull the door shut behind you when you’re done. The door will lock automatically.”

Elle watched them leave and then finished mopping the floor. She couldn’t believe the two of them had been keeping the place running by themselves. They’d opened for breakfast before seven, and it was now almost ten at night. The diner wasn’t busy all day, it was mostly just the rushes at each meal time, but it was still an incredible amount of work. It made her feel good knowing that she was needed around the place. It made her feel secure. It was hard work, but it was good work, and she enjoyed it.

After she finished the floor, she sat at the counter with a cup of coffee and counted her tips. There was over a hundred and fifty bucks in her jar. Not bad. Added to her paycheck, it would be more than enough to maintain a modest life.

She was feeling optimistic. She’d landed on her feet, it seemed. She had a little place to call her own, it was simple, but cozy and comfortable, she had two good friends, a job, her car wasn’t dead yet. All in all, she decided, she had everything she needed to make a nice little life. If she could steer clear of troublesome men, like Gris, things might just turn out okay for her.

She looked around the diner approvingly before turning out the lights. Everything was in its right place. She shut the door behind her and felt the latch lock.

As she turned to make her way back down the street to her little apartment, she noticed a pickup truck parked on the far side of the lot. She could see a man sitting in the front seat.

At first she got a fright, because she thought the man was watching her, but then she saw that he was asleep.

He must be freezing.

She knocked on the window and the man began to rouse himself. It was only then that she realized it was the man from earlier, the one she’d spilled the coffee on.

He opened his eyes and rubbed them. He seemed confused about where he was.

“Are you all right?” she said.

“Oh, God, where am I?” he said.

He looked into Elle’s eyes and again she felt transfixed by his gaze, as she had the first time he’d looked at her.

“You’re asleep in your truck.”

“Oh, man, I’m sorry,” he said. “This is really terrible. I drove through the night last night, and all day. I must have nodded off.”

“It’ll drop well below freezing tonight,” she said.

“I know it, miss. I’m grateful to you for waking me up. This really isn’t like me.”

“Are you all right?”

He took a moment to answer. “You know what? I could say I’m fine, but I already feel foolish. First, I made you spill coffee on me. Now I’m asleep in your parking lot. I know this doesn’t seem normal.”

“It’s a bit weird,” Elle said, “but I don’t mind. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’ve got a lot on my mind. I’ll have to find somewhere to stay.”

“There’s a motel on the way into town.”

“I remember that,” he said. “I’m sure they’ll have vacancies.”

“I hope so,” Elle said. “I’m not sure there’s any place else you could stay.”

“There’s the hotel,” he said, looking down toward the gated entrance to the luxury ski resort at the end of the street. The flames of its lamps glowed in the darkness. They gave the whole town a sort of old world, European feel.

“I hear that place is pretty expensive,” Elle said.

The man nodded. “Can I ask you one more thing?” he said.

Elle looked at him. For a second she allowed herself to imagine he was going to ask if he could come back to her place and stay with her. It was just a fantasy, a brief one, but she pictured herself sitting in front of her fire, this man’s strong arms wrapped around her protectively.

“Do you know where the funeral home is?”

She blinked. “The funeral home?”

He nodded.

Suddenly, it all started to make sense to her. He wasn’t a freak. He was grieving. He’d just found out someone had died. That’s why he’d returned to his hometown.

“I’m sorry,” she stuttered. “I’m new here.”

“It’s okay,” he said, and turned the ignition on the truck. “Thanks for your time, and sorry for weirding you out today. I’m not usually like this.”

He pulled out of the lot and drove off slowly up the street. She was surprised to see that he was headed for the luxury hotel. She watched his taillights as they receded into the darkness. His truck would look strangely out of place in the courtyard in front of the hotel with all the luxury vehicles. She supposed a guy like him was used to looking out of place.