Ryan hit the road. And he hadn't been back to Santa Barbara or to visit anyone on dad’s side of the family since that night. I was the only member of our family, aside from our nan on mom’s side, that he had spoken to in five years. I barely trusted he would even show up for the funeral.
“You care, you and Ray basically grew up together,” I said as it occurred to me that she was only four years younger than Ryan.
“And after I left that night she tried to reach out to me how many times?”
“Sallyanne called you for months after that night.”
“Our father’s next door neighbor, Deb. Proving the very point about why I got out of that shit show. He couldn’t even confront his own son, he has to have his whore do it for him.”
“She’s married Ryan, they are just friends.”
“They're screwing, Deb. When are you going to open your eyes to everything wrong with that scene? With our whole family?”
“You’re so wrong. Dad is lonely but he would never do that. He doesn’t condone cheating. If you showed up every once in a while, maybe you’d know him better.”
“Sure, okay.”
“Look, I need to know what to tell everyone when I call dad in a little while.” I said and my stomach grumbled.
“Why are you asking me?”
“Are you going over or not?” I almost yelled and my belly twisted again.
He took a long second to reply. Like in that old cliché, I felt as if the silence deafened me. But, no matter how much I wanted to scream again, I waited for his reply and didn’t push.
Years of mounting sadness came out in an exhale and he said, “No. But like I said, I promise to show up for the funeral. Nothing before, not staying after, you need to live with that, sis. It's more than I thought I'd do. But I'll be there. For you.”
“Fine, the funeral is Wednesday so just call me before you leave to come up okay?”
“Will do. Hey aren't you roaming?”
“Shit you're right. Okay, I gotta go.”
“I'm glad you're okay. Let me know when you get there okay?”
“I will.”
“And sis?”
“Yeah?”
“Good luck in Podunkville,” he said and chuckled.
“Actually, it isn’t all that bad.”
CHAPTER TEN
After hanging up with Ryan I called my dad’s house again. And I left another message. As I apologized for being so late, and that I couldn’t get in touch with Rachel, I had a nagging feeling. The fact I hadn’t heard back from anyone, despite my numerous messages, crept into a few valleys in my brain.
Instead of letting sadness take over, I convinced myself that everyone was so busy with plans they just didn’t have time to call me back. That they didn’t have to because they knew what was going on and that I was safe. The gnawing in my gut sounded like my brother’s voice but then my stomach rumbled so I brushed it off as hunger.
I slid my phone into my purse and slung the strap across my body diagonally. Key in hand, I left the room for the only food option I knew of in town. Cooper’s Diner. I wondered if I would finally run into the infamous Mr. Cooper. It was way past time to thank the guy for his generosity.
The sun was bright and I was under caffeinated. I felt like a mole as my five-dollar CVS sunglasses shielded my sensitive eyes. Outside the hotel, I stopped on the sidewalk and looked around. Small town, USA didn't appear any more of a jumping metropolis than it had the day before. In fact, there were even less people out and about than yesterday. The scene struck me as very odd.
Storefronts appeared mostly filled, lights on rather than empty, but it didn't appear there was a single customer in town. I was alone in the street. It made me feel on display, uncomfortable. Like I was in a Stephen King movie or something. Being watched.
I wasn't used to a town where gossip moved faster than business. I hustled across the street and pulled the door handle for Cooper's Diner. At least something was open. A bell above the door rang out a chime I hadn’t noticed the night before when the place was packed.
“Sit anywhere!”
A male voice came from the kitchen. Was that Adam? I wondered as I moved toward the booth in the back corner. Couldn’t be.
I looked around, and it appeared kitchen voice and I had the place to ourselves. My family would call me a creature of habit as I tucked into the back corner booth. Our booth. I slid into the side without the spring, my back to the kitchen.
“What can I get—” he cut himself off as we made eye contact.
“Adam? You work here too?”
We exchanged equally surprised eyebrow raises. His eyes flitted back and forth from looking into my left, then right, eye. As he searched my face for something I couldn’t define, he grabbed the dish rag stuffed into the top of his half apron and began to wring it between his hands. After our fun but light conversation the night before I was all smiles at the sight of his face. He didn’t seem as excited to see me, though, and I was confused. Didn’t he have fun, too?
“Uh, yeah. Only on Sunday mornings. Things start jumping after church lets out. I open so Mrs. Yandell doesn't have to stress about missing service.”
“Wow. That's really, uh, nice of you.”
I picked up the menu and pretended to study it but I had to focus on my breathing so my heart didn’t leap out of my chest. The useless muscle wanted me to jump up and wrap my arms around the beautiful, apparently selfless, man standing beside me.
“Eh, just doing my job. Breakfast?”
“I guess I'll test your short order skills this morning. Can I get the biscuits and gravy, double side of bacon, a fruit cup, and a coffee, please?”
“Sure thing. I'll grab your coffee,” he said as he continued to strangle the dishrag to death.
He lingered for a moment looking at me with wide eyes. Before his stare bordered on uncomfortable, he turned and made his way back to the kitchen. I analyzed the look he gave me before he left. Was it surprise? Admiration? Those eyes, I thought. He was so hot but I got the distinct feeling of cold shoulder. Ugh.
There was something so strange about meeting a nice guy who was also gorgeous. There had to be a catch. I figured the catch was his lack of interest in me in return.
Adam came back and poured me a coffee without looking me in the eye or uttering a single word. My stomach flipped. How could I have been so wrong about what I thought he felt for me just because he asked me to dinner one time? I attempted to swallow the hard knot that had shown up in my throat and thanked him for the java as he walked away and back toward the kitchen.
Adam wasn't kidding about the place filling up. A steady stream of people flooded the place the moment he put breakfast down in front of me. People started moving through the door as if the diner were a clown car. Mrs. Yandell was one of those people and she waved at me as she entered the place.
I wanted to ask Adam about my car but between the endless river of hungry patrons and filling my empty stomach, I never had a chance to nail him down. It was too busy to talk anyway. I knew he'd eventually let me know what was going on so I finished and paid Mrs. Yandell for my meal.
As my feet hit the pavement outside the restaurant, my eyes caught sight of the black Maxima. I had no idea how he did that. There one minute, gone the next. Always seeming to jet somewhere. Show up in random places. His car was heading out of town, back toward the garage.
I crossed the street for the hotel and considered how dedicated Adam was to his work and the town. At work by eight in the morning then to a second job by ten in the morning? Not to mention whatever errands one does with wood and blankets in the back seat. I didn't know how he did it. I barely functioned as a human and I only had one job.
And the thought of going to another job after leaving that job made my legs feel weak in a way I couldn't define. I shook off the feeling and took it is as a sign to take a walk through town instead of going up to sit in my hotel room, alone and bored. It seemed like a nice idea, it was a beaut
iful partly sunny day, and I could explore.
I immediately saw what Adam meant about the streets flooding with people after church. It wasn’t just in the diner. Storefronts up and down the sidewalk, as well as the sidewalk itself, were packed with people. I wondered if this kind of thing happened every Sunday. Nobody running off to the mall because everything they needed was right there in town.
Cedar Falls was simple. No fluff. No stress. I smiled thinking back to my first conversation with Adam about his hometown. He was wrong. This place wasn't a horror movie. It was like the Waltons times 500.
When I thought of family, my own came to mind and it forced my lips to pull into a frown. All I wanted was to be there to help. It sucked I wouldn't get there until right before the funeral. While looking at a display of polka dot ribbons in the front window of the local craft shop, I had a sudden, curious thought and pulled out my cell phone.
Still no missed calls. No outstanding voicemail messages. My cousin hadn't tried to call me. In fact, nobody in the family awaiting my arrival had called me directly. At least, none of them left a message if they had tried while my phone was off. I could hear Ryan insisting Rachel didn't need me there for her as much as I wanted to believe. That none of them needed either of us anymore once mom died. I pushed the thought to the back of my mind and moved on from window shopping for ribbon.
It was midday and the sun was high above me. I spent most of my time indoors between work and my lack of fun money so sunshine wasn't a big part of my usual life anymore. The warmth felt nice on my face and the lazy day was a welcomed change of pace from my days working in an office. I relished the laid-back atmosphere of Cedar Falls.
Within a couple of hours of walking, window-shopping, and thinking, I found myself standing in front of the Cooper Hotel. I’d run out of places to peruse. On both sides of the street.
“Deb!”
I heard a voice from behind me and turned to see Chloe waving frantically. She was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt with the top collar cut off so it hung down over one of her shoulders. We walked toward each other, meeting in the middle.
“Good morning,” I said, “day off?”
“Yes, finally! Today is my first of three days off in a row and I can finally relax.”
“Sounds nice.”
“Any news on the car or how long you’ll be in town?”
“Nothing yet, I figure Adam will call a little later today.”
“So you're free then?”
“I guess so,” I said somewhat hesitant but Chloe seemed harmless enough and it couldn't hurt to have a friend for the day.
“Excellent I want to take you to lunch.”
“Did someone in this town hear someone say the fastest way to the heart is through the stomach and took it to be law?” I asked.
“Not sure I follow you.” Chloe said and pulled her eyes closer together, scrunching her forehead in clear confusion.
“It just seems that every conversation I've had with someone since arriving in this town has revolved around food. Or rather, someone buying me food.”
“Well, we do like our food here in Cedar Falls,” she said and chuckled then went on, “if you’re up for it we can get there in about an hour. It’s such a pretty drive up the mountain. And after we eat I'll swing you buy the garage so you can check on your car.”
“That’s really decent of you, Chloe, thanks. And I’d love to try something other than Cooper’s Diner.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
We ascended through twisty mountain roads, heading inland. As we rode along, I tried to crane my neck around and see if there was a clear view but a late winter fog had rolled in, blanketing everything coastal. All I saw was a bright fuzzy looking white glow. Instead of pining for the salt air back toward the coast, I chatted with Chloe about life in a small town.
She told me that she was studying to be a Veterinarian. That her dream was to move further east, somewhere in the middle of the country, and raise and stable horses. She wanted to be a small town Vet and ranch owner. I marveled at how sure she was of her dream. She told me it was all she ever wanted to do.
“So, I know we sort of talked about it before but, what do you do, Deb?”
“Nothing as exciting as what you’re working towards.”
“Come on. I bet you have a great job.”
“I file crap, make appointments and travel plans for a couple big wigs at a marketing company. The company is sales through words. It’s okay, I like what those guys do, writing and creating stuff and shit. But I don’t really have any big career dreams like yours.”
“That’s okay. Everyone has at least one dream for their lives. What about you?”
I contemplated her question for a minute then said, “I guess if I had one dream it would be to settle down to raise a family. Somewhere along the coast.”
“You know it’s the nineties, right? That girls are allowed to do stuff now?”
I laughed, “Yeah, and don’t get me wrong because I like making money but ever since I was young I just wanted a bunch of kids. A husband. A house.”
“How truly provincial of you,” she said and chuckled.
“I can’t help it. I don’t really care about having a big-shot career or tons of stuff. I want PTA meetings and baseball games. The whole thing.”
“Wow. So who’s your lucky guy?”
At the word ‘guy’ I felt physically ill. As if I’d been punched in the gut. Hard. Chloe didn’t know any better. She didn’t know my ex-boyfriend was off living the lyrics to a Carly Simon song. That I was so recently abandoned, likely for a less complicated girl. And there was no way I’d tell my new friend about my growing feelings for Adam. Not when he seemed to run so hot and cold toward me.
I turned and looked out the window. “It didn’t really work out with my last boyfriend,” I offered, hoping she wouldn’t press for more.
She did, “that sucks, what was he like?”
“An asshole,” I said and turned back to face forward.
“Oh, yowza, sorry I brought it up.”
“No biggie. I just find it tough to talk about him. He cheated. A basic jerk. The oldest story in the book, you know?”
“I don’t mean to pry, I don’t have a lot of friends in town. Most of my close friends got the heck out of here after high school.”
“Well if it makes you feel any better, I never had real friends in high school and I never went to college.”
“Yeah, me either. I mean, in Cedar Falls I didn’t need to have a degree to get a job. Just a pulse. School seemed pointless until I decided to become a veterinarian. I go to night school now.”
“That’s so cool. Honestly I love your town. Being somewhere where everyone knows each other sounds,” I paused and glanced out the side window, “comforting.”
“Where are you from?”
“Santa Barbara.”
“No family there anymore or something?”
“Oh, no. All my family is there still. Except my brother. I’m actually thinking of moving back. Lately I’ve been missing the comfort of being surrounded by my people.”
She chuckled and nodded. Before she had a chance to respond, the car pulled off the road and came to stop in front of a somewhat broken down looking brown-stained, shingled structure. It looked like a house, an old ranch, and I noticed a sign above the stairs that said ‘The Ranch’ in somewhat faded baby blue paint. The building didn’t surprise me after all my time in Cedar Falls. Nothing was the way it looked on the outside.
The building had a deep wrap around porch that seemed to circle the entire house. It looked like one good gust of wind would take the place down in minutes. A few other cars were in the lot but I didn’t see another soul outside.
We got out of the car and I couldn’t help myself, “Are we going to meet The Fratellis?”
“Um, no. This is the restaurant. Who are the Fratellis?” She asked, without a hint of recognition on her face.
“Sorry, it was a movie reference. Th
e Goonies. The bad guy’s hideout. I was just being sarcastic,” I finished.
“Oh, I saw that movie once I think. Yeah,” she said and turned toward the front door of the run down looking place, “I guess I see what you mean.”
We had a delicious lunch, sandwiches and salad, and chatted each other’s ear off the entire time. I liked Chloe more every moment I spent getting to know her. She was sweet and outgoing, just a genuinely nice person. Another thing sorely lacking in my life lately.
Even at work there were very few people who wanted to get to know me. Most of the people I worked with were guys, older, mostly married. We had nothing in common. I’d never even had lunch with anyone at work but just a short time in Cedar Falls and I felt like I had a real friend in Chloe. It made me smile.
Alternate Plans (California Dreamin' Series Book 2) Page 6