“I need to brush my teeth and get the smell of this room off of me before we get to…whatever we get up to.” I try to give asseductive a look as I can after I’ve just talked about the smell of this room being on me.
God. I need to get cool, stat. I need to channel some Erin or Goldie.
“I have an idea,” I say. “Just in case the roads are worse than we think, and so we’re back in town for work tomorrow…what if we go to the apartment above the cafe? It’s vacant right now. I actually get it cleaned once a week, just in case anyone needs it, so it’s ready. I could make some food, and we could hang out there.”
“I love this idea.” He nods, grinning. “I’m incredibly stealthy. I can come up the back stairs and in your back door.”
He freezes, and my shoulders shake with how hard I laugh.
“I mean…that’s not what I meant…unless…you want me to,” he says, barely getting the words out through his laughter.
“Let’s see how it goes.” I’m still cracking up. It feels really good to be like this with him.
“Right,” he says in mock seriousness.
“And I’m not so sure you know how to be stealthy either. You’re six four and walk into rooms like you’re making an announcement without even trying.”
He pulls back, affronted. “I will…internally announce myself.”
I snort. “Okay. Sounds like a plan.”
I keep Papa Hector updated on everything. Well, noteverything. He doesn’t know I’m with Camden, but he knows I went out of town last night and got a room because of the weather. I let him know that I’m going to take a little rest at the apartment today. He texts back for me to get all the rest I can and to say the word if I need anything. I feel awful for not being completely honest with him.
We get on the road, only stopping for gas station coffee and two doughnuts the size of plates, and we drive south. The lakeflashes through the trees, a glassy pewter sheen. The plows have been busy, and the sky is so vivid and blue, you’d never know a storm came through last night.
I text Goldie and Erin.
I need your help.
And then I try not to be too obvious about what I’m doing while I ask them for a huge favor. When we get into town, Windy Harbor looks beautiful, with snow lining every roof and tree branch.
“You can drop me at the corner,” I say.
“Should I give you an hour or two?”
“That would be perfect. I’ll let you figure out your story. Alley, back stairs. If you get stopped, you’re…checking our dumpster.”
He nods, all business. “I have deep concerns about trash.”
“Very convincing,” I say
Even when we’re being ridiculous, my heart trips in my chest with how right it feels.
I slip into the cafe to check on everything. The bell above the door tinkles, and it’s one of the rare occasions that I’m glad for no customers. I picked a good time to come. Suzanne looks up from the counter.
“You look…like you need a nap,” she says diplomatically.
“Loud heater, long night,” I say. “How was the morning rush?”
“We’re golden,” she says. “Everything went smoothly. I got your text. Please, go upstairs and stay invisible.” She grins and winks. “Goldie dropped off the groceries, and I took them upstairs already. You deserve a break! Take tomorrow off too, if you need it! I can cover.”
“Oh, I’ll be back tomorrow, but thank you so much, Suzanne.”
She lifts her shoulder. “Let me know if you change your mind.”
I blow her a kiss, and then I duck through the swinging door to the back hall and climb the narrow staircase to the apartment.
I pull the linen shade halfway over the big front window. Privacy without hiding. Once I’ve lit three candles in mismatched jam jars, I tuck a sprig of rosemary into one because I’m extra like that. Deep breaths.
