Then I turn on the oven to low and place the Interstellar foil pans inside to warm.Next, I light a fire and then sit on the couch to Google how exactly I’m supposed to set a romantic table.
Well, I fuckered this all up, didn’t I?I should have checked while I was still down in the compound, because what I’m reading tells me I need salad forks and glassware and cloth napkins, all stuff I’m well aware I won’t find up here.
“How am I supposed to do romantic with two spoons and a spatula?”I ask the empty cabin.
But I don’t have time to do anything about it.She’ll be marching in here any moment, and I still have to sprinkle rose petals on the bed.
I chuckle to myself thinking about her reaction.I’m sure she’ll say something about how she’s never had plants in her bedsheets before.
The kitchen table is a mess, but in the box I have a pretty yellow tablecloth.So I start to clear off the table.
That’s when I see it.
It’s a regular business-sized envelope with my name written in large, block letters.
Something about it makes my breath hitch in my throat, and I stumble back until I hit my calves on the coffee table, and nearly do a header into the fireplace.But I right myself and quickly lunge for the envelope.I pull out the papers inside, the envelope fluttering to the floor.
I read the note on top. Then, I read it again to make sure I’ve read correctly.With shaking hands, I grab the second sheet.It’s a fucking annulment agreement she’s already signed.
And that's all.A short goodbye note and an annulment agreement.
I can’t breathe.
My knees buckle, and I find myself on the floor, my back against the side of the couch and my legs spread out in front of me.I fumble for my phone that’s shoved in my front pocket.
“Cal.”
“What’s up?We’re just sitting down to dinner and—”
“Get everyone in the conference room.All hands on deck.”
“What’s happened?”
“Summer’s gone.We absolutely have to find her.Evander may need to grease some palms.No time to waste.We gotta do itnow.I don’t know how much of a head start she has.”
“On it,” Cal says.“Meet you in the conference room.”
CHAPTER 60
Summer
I can’t tell if this old lady is nosy or just kind.
“Yes, I have somewhere to stay.I’m just getting my bearings.I haven’t been here for many years.”
She smiles at me like she knows I’m full of it.“The Lompoc Discount Motel is just a block in that direction.They have all-you-can-eat chocolate chip cookies and there’s a diner attached.You look like you could use a cookie.”
I thank her and take her advice on the motel.But when I get there, they’re out of cookies, and I don’t have the heart to go to the diner.Luckily, the motel takes cash, and I pay upfront for two nights.
“I’ll give you room twenty-seven,” the clerk tells me.“It was just renovated.Very clean.”
“Thank you.Clean’s good.”
“It’s meatloaf special night at the diner.I know the idea of diner meatloaf can be hit or miss, but it’salwaysa hit here.”
“Maybe I’ll give it a try,” I tell him.
I take the key and walk down the row of rooms to number twenty-seven.I take a deep breath to prepare myself, but when I open it, I’m pleasantly surprised.It’s painted a crisp white and there’s new artwork on the walls.There’s a large television, and the bed looks comfortable.The bathroom is brand-new and sparkling clean.
