“Steven is about to lose his mind,” she said in a loud whisper.
“Okay. I’ll be right there.” Turning away from Rebecca, Arianna said, “I guess I’d better go, Eli. They want me back in the meeting.”
“Okay. Thank you for calling. Text me the information on your flight, and I’ll be there to pick you up.”
After they said goodbye, Arianna left the room and headed back to the one where Steven and the others waited. The murmured conversation stopped as soon as she stepped inside.
“Sorry about that, I needed to talk to someone.”
Steven glanced at his assistant. “Why don’t you go place an order for lunch. You know the usual.” With a nod, the woman got up and left the room, then Steven focused his attention back on Arianna. “Let’s talk this through.”
Arianna didn’t want to talk it through. She didn’t want Steven to have any part of the decision because she knew he wouldn’t be suggesting anything that would truly have her best interests at heart. Ultimately, he would be more interested in the bottom line than anything else.
And the very thought of a discussion with that motivation exhausted her.
***
Eli put his truck in reverse and backed out of the parking spot. He debated going straight home, but he didn’t really want to. Instead, he made his way to Norma’s, hoping that a stop at the restaurant would make him feel more settled.
Hearing Arianna’s voice had both calmed him and made him antsy. His stomach had sunk when he’d read Arianna’s text. He hadn’t realized until that moment how much he’d been anticipating seeing her later that day.
It worried him to think she had to stay an extra day. Would it just be one more day? Or would it be one more? And then one more? And then one more? Until she just didn’t bother letting him know she wasn’t on her way back, ever.
Suddenly he wasn’t so hungry, but he still pulled into a spot not far from the restaurant and went inside.
“Hi, Eli,” his aunt greeted him from behind the hostess stand. “You’re here a bit late for lunch.”
“Yeah. I was meeting with Kieran, and it ran long.”
A look of understanding crossed his aunt’s face, and she scowled. “Well, sit down at the counter, and I’ll have Missy bring you some lunch. We have some broccoli and cheddar soup and fresh-made bread for sandwiches.”
“Sounds good,” Eli said, though he wasn’t really sure he could eat much of anything. The memory of the questions the detective had pelted at him mixed with his feelings about Arianna had stolen his appetite.
Missy had just set a bowl of the soup down in front of him when he heard a voice he’d been trying to steer clear of for the past couple of weeks.
“Eli! I’ve finally found you.” Coral grasped his arm tightly as she sat down on the stool next to him. “You’re not taking my calls.”
“I already told you that I wouldn’t be attending the anniversary event this year,” Eli said as he picked up his spoon.
“Why not?” Coral demanded. “Why wouldn’t you want to be there?”
Eli sighed. “I understand you need to keep Sheila’s memory alive—”
“No!” Coral’s fingernails dug into his arm. “I’m not keeping her memory alive. She is still alive. I am trying to make sure that people remember to keep looking for her. That they remember that she is still out there somewhere.”
“Is that why they’ve re-opened the case?” Eli asked, glancing over at the woman. He was a bit surprised by her disheveled appearance. “Do they have new leads?”
“Sheila is still out there, and I just need them to do what they can to find her.” Coral gave him a venomous look. “I don’t understand why you’re not doing your best to help find her and bring her back.”
“I’ve cooperated with the detectives,” Eli told her wearily. “There’s nothing more I can do.”
“She just needs to know that you’re still waiting for her. Give her an incentive to return.” Again, her hand tightened on his arm. “She loves you.”
Eli’s stomach twisted at her words. He certainly wasn’t waiting for Sheila. Even if Coral was right, and Sheila was still out there, just waiting for some reason to return home, she wouldn’t be returning to him. He wasn’t her future. He hadn’t been her future even before she’d disappeared. Too bad she hadn’t told her mother that.
“Coral,” his aunt said, her voice sharp and loud. “I think you need to go.”
“I was only checking to see if he was going to be at the anniversary event,” Coral replied angrily, her hand finally leaving his arm.
“And I’m sure he’s given you his answer, so it’s time to leave.”
“I’m sure I can’t count on your support as we gather to remember that a mother has been missing her daughter for ten years.”
Eli shifted to see the two women square off, each with anger distorting their features. He glanced around and saw that, thankfully, there weren’t too many people in the restaurant to witness what was happening. Unfortunately, there were enough that word would spread quickly about the encounter regardless.
He was about ready to abandon his food and leave if it would mean the end to the confrontation. Before he could get up though, Coral spun on her heel and stomped away. Eli kept his gaze on her until she’d disappeared out the front door.
“Sorry, hun,” Norma said as she slipped an arm around his shoulders and squeezed. “I didn’t notice her come in.”
Eli moved his spoon through the soup and lifted a spoonful to his mouth. Its delicious warmth helped chase away the chill within him.
“It’s okay,” Eli said, giving her what he hoped was at least a passing semblance of a smile.
He was completely drained by everything that had happened that day. When Kieran had called him the night before to ask him to come in for an interview, he had wished he could’ve just said no. But the downside to that would have been the suspicions that would have hung over him until they found the real person responsible for Sheila’s disappearance.
“No, it’s not,” Norma said with a fierce look on her face. “She needs to let you live your life without guilting you about it. I can guarantee if this were reversed and you were the one who had gone missing, she would have been encouraging Sheila to get on with her life.”
Eli knew she was right, so he nodded as he took another spoonful of the soup.
“Plus, for the first time in a long time, I think you are actually moving forward. Don’t let her rob you of any part of that. You deserve to be happy.”
The thing was, he didn’t think he’d been unhappy. He was happy with his family. He was happy with his friendships with people like Pastor Evans, who encouraged him not just on a personal level but a spiritual one as well. He was happy with the lodge and with his work carving wood. Sure, when it came to a relationship, he wasn’t exactly happy being single, but he also didn’t feel he’d been unhappy about it.
Of course, now that he was being teased with the idea of a relationship with Anna, not having one felt like a huge hole in his life. It kind of scared him to think about how he’d feel if things didn’t work out with her. Would the desire for a relationship continue after that? Would the lack of one make him feel that his life was incomplete?
He hoped not because he didn’t want to have that type of discontent in his life.
“You finish your meal,” his aunt said as she patted his shoulder. “I’ll make sure people leave you alone.”
Eli wasn’t sure he necessarily wanted to be left alone, but there were just a few people he preferred not to have to deal with, especially after the day he’d had so far. During the interview with Kieran and the other detective, he’d clung to the knowledge that he’d be seeing Anna later. That she would be the bright spot in a spectacularly bad day. So now that he wouldn’t be seeing her, it seemed that nothing about the day would be good.
Except maybe the soup. It was really tasty, so he’d eat it and be satisfied that food was going to be the high point of his day. Missy cam
e to refill his water, giving him a sympathetic smile that made him think she’d been witness to what had transpired with Coral. Once he was done, she came and cleared away his plate then set a takeaway bag in front of him.
“For later,” she said with a wink.
Eli was so thankful for his family. Every single member had supported him when things had been at their darkest, and he knew they’d be there again this time. Missy had been just ten at the time, but she had always showered him with love whenever she’d seen him, always insisting on a hug.
“Thanks, sweetheart,” he said as he got to his feet.
“When’s Anna coming back? Is she gonna be here for the festival?”
“She’s hoping to be. She’s supposed to come back tomorrow.”
“That’s good.”
“Are you leaving?”
Eli turned to see his aunt approaching. “Yep. I need to get back to the lodge. We have people arriving tomorrow, so I want to help Mom get things ready.”
“Sounds good.” Norma gave him a hug. “See you tomorrow.”
Eli left the restaurant and headed directly to his truck but stopped when he heard someone call his name. He turned and waited as Kieran jogged toward him.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Kieran came to a stop in front of Eli, his brow furrowed. “You doing okay?”
Eli shrugged. “As good as I can be when I’m having to relive stuff from ten years ago. Stuff that I’ve tried not to think about in all that time.”
The look Kieran gave him was sympathetic, but it didn’t give Eli much comfort. “I was reminded once again that I couldn’t participate in the interview, and if I tried, they were going to boot me out. I wanted to make sure that I could stay, so that’s why I didn’t say anything.”
“Do you think I’ll need to be interviewed again?”
“No clue. This detective is playing it close to his chest on certain things.”
“I guess I’d better just anticipate it.”
“I would say that’s probably for the best, and maybe consider a lawyer if that happens.”
Eli hated the weight that settled on him at the thought of having to endure more facetime with that guy, and hated even more, the idea of laying out money for a lawyer when he was innocent and had nothing to hide. “Was there anything more on the vandalism?”
A frustrated look crossed Kieran’s face. “Nope. There’s been no more incidents?”
“Nothing since Anna moved into the lodge.”
“I suppose that’s a good thing,” Kieran said. “But until something more happens, we have nothing to go on.”
“I don’t really want anything more to happen, but I also don’t like the idea that someone isn’t being held responsible for what they’ve done.”
Kieran’s phone rang, and he pulled it out and looked at the screen. “I gotta go. I’ll talk to you later.”
Eli nodded, then watched as Kieran put the phone to his ear as he walked away. He frowned when Kieran came to an abrupt stop then glanced both ways before jogging across the street. Keeping an eye on where the cop went, Eli climbed behind the wheel of his truck. The man ducked into the antique shop, but when he didn’t reappear, Eli backed out of the parking spot and headed out of town.
Though he’d moved back to his own place when Anna had left, Eli brought his truck to a stop in front of the lodge. He’d told his mom he’d be back by three to help her get the lodge and cabins ready for the people who would be arriving in the next couple days. Hopefully she would be too busy to question him about what he’d been doing in town.
He hadn’t told his mom about Kieran’s call to have him come in for an interview. It was the last thing she needed to hear when she was already so busy with other things. She would be worried enough as it was when she heard about what had gone down at the restaurant, and hear about it, she would. There was no doubt that despite his aunt’s best efforts, word would spread.
In fact, it was possible that she’d already heard about it. Someone might have felt it was their business to make sure his mom knew. His role was to just blow it off in hopes that she wouldn’t focus on it too much. Of course, she wouldn’t accept his dismissal of what had happened, but he would try for that anyway.
By the time Eli headed into Everett to pick up Anna the next evening, he was exhausted. He’d helped out around the lodge and cabins the previous night and then, unable to sleep, he’d worked in his workshop until the wee hours of the morning. Then, he’d gotten up early to be available for whatever help his mom needed, since the first of their guests had arrived that afternoon.
Anna’s flight was due in just after ten, so it was dark already when he walked into the airport. Her arrival was definitely the highlight of the past several days, so even though he was tired and would have liked to have been in bed, nothing would have kept him from being at the airport to pick her up.
There were a few other people wandering around the arrivals area, but not as many as he’d thought there’d be. Hopefully that meant that Anna would be off the plane quickly and that they wouldn’t have to wait too long for her luggage.
Keeping an eye on the arrivals screen, Eli shifted his weight from one leg to the other. When the digital display finally showed that the plane had landed, he let out a quick breath, feeling his exhaustion give way to excitement. No matter what had gone wrong in his world over the past couple of days, seeing Anna again promised to make it all fade away. At least for a little while.
As the passengers began to appear, Eli searched each one, hoping to see Anna’s familiar face. He wasn’t sure why, but even though she’d sent him her flight information, he hadn’t been sure she’d really walk off that plane.
Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long. His gaze found her as soon as she appeared, and he watched as she glanced around before spotting him. Her smile was instantaneous, though not as bright as it had been before she left.
She began to walk straight toward him, and it wasn’t until she was closer that he saw the darkened smudges under her eyes and the strain on her face. Maybe her days in LA hadn’t been any better than his in New Hope.
On instinct, he opened his arms, and without hesitation, she walked right into them. Her arms slipped under his jacket, and he felt her grab handfuls of his shirt and hang on. Taking a deep breath of the familiar scent surrounding her, Eli felt warmth spread through him, and the places he’d kept hidden and protected for so long were suddenly made vulnerable.
Eli could feel the tension bleed out of Anna’s body as she sagged against him. The idea that being in his arms could make her feel safe enough to relax lit something up inside him, and along with it came the desire to always be that for her. Always be the one who made her feel safe and secure.
When he felt her grip on his shirt ease, he let his arms slide from around her. As she stepped back, Eli looked down at her, glad to see that though the dark circles remained, the stress had loosened its grip on her features, and her bright smile shone up at him.
“Thank you,” she said. “I needed that. More than I knew.”
“I think I needed it too, to be honest,” Eli admitted. “It’s been a rough couple of days.”
“Mine were rough too,” Anna said as they walked toward the baggage claim. When they came to the conveyor belt, they stood side by side, and she rested her head against his shoulder. “And I’m so glad to be back here. It’s like leaving one world and landing in another.”
Eli hadn’t ever been in her world, but he supposed that LA and New Hope Falls were worlds apart in more than just size. He’d met people who moved in circles like hers. They’d had wealthy visitors at the lodge plenty of times, but he’d never found friendship, let alone a connection, with any of them like he had with Anna.
“Oh, that’s one of my bags,” Anna said as she stepped toward the belt that was now circulating bags around in front of the passengers gathered there.
“Let me get it.” Eli stepped past her to lift it from the conveyor. As he
set it down beside her, he glanced at her. “One of your bags? I’m pretty sure you left with only one.”
She gave him a sheepish look. “You’re right, I did, but this time, when I went to leave, I was able to be a bit more conscientious in my packing and brought stuff that I’d left behind last time.”
Eli liked that she’d brought more of her things back, even though it really didn’t mean much since she could just pack it all in her car when she chose to leave. However, it gave him hope that she really could see a future for herself in New Hope Falls.
It didn’t take long for her second suitcase to appear, and once they had them both, they headed for the exit. Thankfully, though the evening air was cool, it wasn’t raining so they didn’t have to run through the raindrops to get to his truck. Once there, Eli opened the door for Anna then put her bags in the back.
“What time did you leave LA?” Eli asked as he started up the truck a couple minutes later.
“A little before eight.” Anna leaned back in her seat. “But I left my apartment around six, just to make sure I had enough time to get to the airport and through security.”
“Did you get a chance to eat before you left?”
“I grabbed a salad at the airport.”
“We could get something on the way home if you’re hungry. A midnight snack, if you will.”
She hesitated for a moment then said, “I could go for that. Not a burger, but maybe some nuggets and fries.”
“I don’t usually eat this late, but we had an early supper, so I wouldn’t mind getting something for myself as well.”
With that decided, Eli left the parking lot and headed for the nearest fast food place. As they approached it, he asked Anna if she wanted to go in or to get takeout.
“Do you mind getting it to go?” she asked. “I’m just about done having to deal with people today. Present company being the exception, of course.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Eli pulled up to the speaker to order. “So just nuggets and fries? How about a drink?”
Within a few minutes, they had a bag full of greasy goodness sitting on the divider between them, the aroma filling the interior of the car. Eli’s stomach rumbled in appreciation and anticipation.
A Love So Real: A Christian Romance (New Hope Falls Book 1) Page 27