This had been her routine for the past month. Eight hours on the night shift at the Quick-E Mart, come back here, chow down on a package of Cheez-Its, gulp a Mountain Dew, shower, and sleep. At least she didn’t feel like a homeless drifter, though she wasn’t far from it. The old man who owned the complex had agreed to let her pay on a weekly basis, and as long as she paid in cash, he didn’t hassle her. Nor did he offer to fix the stopped-up sink, but luckily Orianna was good with tools. She’d managed that one on her own, even rigged the shower head to do more than trickle and adjusted the refrigerator so it actually cooled.
She tossed her phone on the couch that doubled as a bed, then made a beeline for the bathroom. It took the water a solid fifteen minutes to reach lukewarm, so she made herself useful while she waited. After stripping down to panties and bra, she tossed her clothes in the basket she would cart to the laundromat in town at some point. She snagged the Cheez-Its and a Mountain Dew, kept with the legwork while she had breakfast and planned her next move. She would find that damn gambling ring if it was the last thing she did. And maybe, if there was a God, she’d find her alley savior while she was at it.
Perhaps it made her selfish, but the weight of hope hung heavily on the latter right now. Probably had a lot to do with the fact she’d neglected her future entirely during her hunt for Amber. From time to time, Orianna fantasized that one day she’d live her life for herself instead of everyone else. Most folks her age were getting fitted with a cap and gown, gearing up to celebrate life after college. Though she’d had big dreams of rooting for OU from the sidelines, proudly sporting her Sooners gear, and locking down the necessary credits for an accounting degree, she had barely made it across the stage for high school graduation. And the only numbers she’d been kicking it with were those on the odometer of the POS she’d borrowed from her mother to get her from one side of the country to the other. And back.
By the time the water had warmed, Orianna had finished her breakfast of champions, shrouded herself in the fog of despair, stripped off her underwear, and stepped into the bathtub. She yanked the clear curtain closed behind her, shut her eyes, and prayed the warmth would eliminate the cold ache that had settled into her bones for the past couple of months. She knew it had nothing to do with the weather, because Telluride was proving to be quite comfortable this time of year. She wasn’t sure she was looking forward to spending a winter in Colorado, but for now she had no complaints.
Nope, these cold chills weren’t related to the weather.
Initially, she’d thought she had the flu, but Orianna figured a lack of fever ruled that one out. Not to mention, not many illnesses came with a side order of loneliness and a heaping helping of isolation. Yet something was plaguing her. What, she had no idea, but she was hoping it would make itself scarce soon. Battling it was proving to be a distraction she couldn’t afford.
Orianna ran through her triple-S routine—shampoo, soap, and shave—then hopped out, dried off with a threadbare towel, tugged the oversized sleep shirt over her head, and headed back into the living room/bedroom. Everything in this place doubled as something else: couch equaled bed, end table was a nightstand, kitchen table also played the part of a desk. The rest was just decor, including the thirty-two-inch television that didn’t work.
She grabbed her phone, flopped down on the lumpy cushions, and made her daily call to her mother. Although it was four in the morning here, it was five in Oklahoma, so she knew Elizabeth would answer. She always answered.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Orianna?”
Her heart ached at the pain she heard in her mother’s voice, along with the drugged slur of her words.
“Yep, it’s me. How’re you feeling?”
“Good, honey. Just watching reruns ofFriends. You know how much I love that show.”
Oh, she knew all right. Orianna had an intimate awareness of Ross and Rachel, although she’d never seen a single episode.
“Have you found Amber?”
“Not yet, Mom, but I’m still looking. I promise, I’ll bring her home as soon as I do.”
“And your father?”
“Still in the wind.” Then again, she wasn’t doing much to unearth Erik. Truth was, she didn’t give a shit about the old man.
“Are you being careful?”
Orianna smiled. “Of course I am.”
Ever since that night in the alley when that asshole had held her at gunpoint, Orianna had been watching her back. She’d gotten lucky when the white knight had appeared out of nowhere and leveled the asshole. Ever since then, Orianna had been attempting to find the guy so she could thank him, but luck did not seem to be on her side these days. However, she had been dreaming about him, sometimes so vividly she was almost certain he was right there with her. So there was that.
“Orianna?”
“Sorry, Mom. I’m here.” Just daydreaming. Again.
“How’s the new job?”
“It’s great,” she lied.
“And your new apartment?”
Newwas a relative word, of course. “Fantastic. Feels just like home.”
“Well, honey, I wish you were home.”
“I know.” Except Orianna knew her mother didn’t want her to come back until she had Amber in tow. It was one of the many reasons she’d spent so many years searching. “You sure you’re all right? Don’t need anything?”
“I’m good,” Elizabeth said. “The nurse came by earlier, helped me with my shower. I’m feeling much better now.”
