by T. L. Haddix
Putting aside all other thoughts, she made herself focus on the present. There would be time enough in the morning, when she woke up alone, to think about the past.
Chapter Eight
Fridays were usually the busiest days at the Brown Bag, and this one was no exception. Lauren had been working on paperwork in the upstairs office, but when Janet called over the intercom to say that the lines were getting crazy, she headed down to help. Grabbing an apron from the hook behind the kitchen door, she quickly tied it around her waist and joined Janet behind the counter.
Forty-five hectic minutes later, the crowd finally thinned. Lauren heard a man come back to the counter and ask for a refill to go. She stopped cleaning the mess in the prep area and made his coffee when Janet handed her the order. After putting the finishing touches on his drink, she walked it down to the register and handed it over with a smile.
“Here you go.” Her smile froze as he reached for the cup. It had been thirteen years, but she recognized Travis Tyler. His reaction was the same as hers. He paused, a look of stunned surprise on his face. The person in line behind him cleared his throat and Travis jerked to attention. Picking up the cup, he nodded at Lauren and Janet, and headed out the door.
“What was that all about?” Janet asked a few minutes later. “You looked like you’d seen a ghost or something, girl.”
“I felt like I had for a minute there. He’s just someone I knew from years ago. I’m fine. He just startled me.”
“Oo-oh, a lost love?”
Lauren laughed. “Not exactly.” She gave a rueful smile at the thought and shook her head, moving to the register to greet another wave of customers.
For the next little while, she stayed too busy to think about what Travis might be doing in Leroy, but after the lunch crowd had moved on and things had quieted down, she let her mind wander over the possibilities. Travis had a reputation in southern Indiana as a real estate developer and commercial contractor. Based in Madison, his company had grown by leaps and bounds. She felt a little surprised that it had taken so long for the two of them to cross paths again. She was working her way through the empty dining room, wiping down tables and collecting dirty dishes, when the bell over the door rang.
Travis walked over to where she stood and studied her for a minute before speaking. “Lauren, right? Margie’s cousin?”
“That’s right.” She returned his smile, shaking the hand he offered. “It’s been a few years. How are you, Travis?”
“I’m doing well.” He held her hand for a few seconds longer than necessary before letting it go. “I’m a little surprised you remember me.”
She laughed and pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Well, it’s hard to live around here and not know your name, but the time we met was rather… memorable. You saved Margie and me a lot of trouble that night at the lake. I’m not liable to forget that. What brings you to Leroy?”
He grinned. “Business. What else is there? Any chance you can take a break? I’d like to buy you a cup of coffee.”
“I think that can be arranged. Give me just a minute.” Lauren excused herself and went to the kitchen to tell Janet she was taking a break. She untied the apron and hung it on its hook. Back in the dining room, she washed up at the sink in the prep area. She dried her hands and asked Travis what he wanted to drink.
He shrugged. “I’m pretty open to anything. Surprise me.”
Lauren thought for a minute then decided to try a recipe she was thinking of adding to the menu. “You like sweet coffee?”
“I like sweet anything.” He strolled around the dining room. As she pulled their drinks together, he stopped to look at the collage of black and white photos arranged near the door.
“Nice pictures.”
“Thanks. One of my friends took those last year at the Independence Day celebration.” She reached into the bakery case and pulled out a couple slices of carrot cake, setting them on a tray next to their coffees. Collecting napkins and silverware, she picked up the tray and moved to where he stood, still looking at the pictures.
She shifted the tray to her left hand and pointed to a picture of Ava. “That’s my daughter.”
“She’s adorable.” He took the tray. “Where do you want to sit?”
Lauren directed him to a booth, and he asked how much he owed.
“Not a dime.” He started to protest, but she stopped him. “I’m trying out a new recipe on you, one that isn’t on the menu yet. You’re my guinea pig. I can’t charge you for that.”
“So, you’re the owner?”
“Yes.” Reaching for her coffee, she inhaled the aroma before taking a cautious sip of the spiced mocha latte. Approving it, she nodded, watching him pick up his glass mug and taste the drink.
“Wow, that’s good. What’s in it?”
“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”
“Well, you should definitely offer it on the menu, whatever it is. How long have you owned this place?”
“For five years now. I managed the diner that was here for a couple of years before we had a major fire. After that, I bought Corrine out and this café was born. What about you? I know you’re a developer, and pretty big from the sound of it, but what else have you been doing these past years?”
“That’s pretty much it. Got married, had two kids, got divorced. My ex moved them out of state, so I hardly ever get to see them, and my parents are off traveling the world. I’m pretty much alone. Work fills the void.”
“I can understand that. Having Ava and this place kept me sane when I got divorced. At the time I wondered how I would ever get through things, having a six-month-old and a diner to manage, but being so busy kept me from dwelling too much on things I wasn’t ready to deal with.” She stopped, looking at him with a self-conscious laugh. “Why is it so easy for me to talk to you?”
“Because we’re perfect strangers who only see each other every decade or so.” His prompt response made her chuckle. Turning serious, he asked about Margie. “Have you seen her recently?”
Lauren had been expecting the question, but actually hearing it unsettled her more than she thought it would. She reached for her mug, needing something to hold. “I’ve neither seen nor heard from Margie in thirteen years. How much do you know about what happened that summer?”
“She left in a hurry, without saying goodbye to a lot of people. I know there was a scandal of some sort, that the police were involved, and that half her family left not long after she did. That’s about all.”
Lauren agreed. “That’s a pretty neat summation. I’d rather not discuss the details, but it was a bad situation for everyone. Suffice it to say, she had good reason for leaving, but she didn’t choose the best way to do it.” She took in the shuttered look on his face. “I take it you haven’t heard from her?”
“Nope. The last time I saw her was the night of that party. Things weren’t exactly pleasant between us at the time. We’d had a big fight a couple of weeks before that, and we both said things we shouldn’t have.” He twirled his mug around on its base.
Hearing what he wasn’t saying, Lauren sat up and rested her arms on the table, astonished. “You were in love with her, weren’t you?”
Travis snorted and sat back. Meeting her eyes, he seemed to realize that she wasn’t teasing or making fun of him. He sighed. “I was completely head over heels for Margie. I admit that after she disappeared, I fell apart a little. I got drunk and stayed that way for a week. By the time I sobered up, she was long gone, and so were her parents. Neither of her brothers who stayed here knew anything, or if they did, they weren’t telling me. After a while, I decided to just let her go. I figured if she wanted to hear from me, she’d call. It’s not like I moved away. I’ve been in Madison ever since.”
“I had no idea that’s how things were between you. She never said a word to me. Of course, she changed so much that summer… there were a lot of things she didn’t tell me,” she added bitterly.
“Yeah,
I gathered. That night at the party, you seemed pretty blown away by the whole thing. It was clear you were out of your element. No offense.”
Lauren shook her head. “None taken. If you hadn’t come to our rescue, I don’t know what would have happened.”
The party they referred to had happened that fateful summer. After spending a week at Lauren’s, she and Margie had driven to Clayhole and the Vernon’s farm, where Lauren was going to spend a few days. The night after they arrived, Margie managed to get permission from her parents to go out. She guided Lauren to Travis’s secluded property, situated on a small, private lake near Madison, Indiana. Unaware of what they would be walking into, Lauren had innocently gone along.
When they arrived, the party was in full swing, with dozens of teenagers and young adults scattered throughout the small cabin. There was a full, open bar, with alcohol and even some drugs, and most of the people in attendance were well on their way to being drunk or high, if not both. As soon as they arrived, Margie disappeared with some guy. While Lauren was searching for her, she ran into Travis.
Seeing that she was near tears, he escorted her out to the small front porch to sit on the swing, running off all the other partygoers. Drawing up a stool, he sat down in front of her, handing her a clean handkerchief and a bottle of water.
“Wipe your eyes.” She complied, and then opened the bottle and took a tentative sip, fearing that it might be spiked. As she drank, she swiped at her cheeks where tears continued to fall. She was furious with her cousin, and hurt because Margie had put her in that situation.
“What’s your name?”
“Lauren, Lauren Taylor.”
“You’re not from around here. Did you come with somebody?”
“My cousin Margie.” She tensed at the anger on his face. “You know her, then. Can you find her for me? I’d like to get out of here.”
He sat quietly for a minute then nodded. Standing, he went to the screen door, stepping inside to holler for someone named Jamie. When the lanky teenager came to the door, Travis instructed him to look for Margie and bring her outside. As the boy went off to do his bidding, Travis sat back down in front of Lauren. Twisting the top off the beer he had grabbed when he hollered for Jamie, he took a long pull and set the bottle aside. Lauren eyed him nervously, hoping she hadn’t made the situation worse.
“How’d she get you out here?”
“She told me that it was just a little party, a few friends around a campfire. I didn’t think it would be like…” She trailed off, unsure of how to describe the party in the cabin without offending him. “She disappeared when we got here, and I haven’t been able to find her.”
“Jamie’ll find her,” he reassured her. “When he does, you can get out of here. Are you okay to drive, or do you need me to get someone to take you home?”
“No, I’m okay,” Lauren rushed to say. “I just… I don’t go to parties like this. No offense.”
He laughed, not appearing offended. “I’d be better off if I didn’t go to ’em, either. Hell, this is my house, so I guess I’m doubly damned.”
Jamie came out onto the porch, pulling an obviously reluctant Margie behind him. Travis stood up so fast that the stool flew backward, tumbling down the steps to the stepping stones in the grass below.
“What the hell do you want? I was just starting to relax with Gary. You know Gary, right?”
Lauren was shocked, both at her cousin’s tone and her appearance. Margie’s neck was splotchy with hickeys, and her blouse was halfway unbuttoned.
Margie didn’t seem to notice and stood staring up at Travis, who had gone rigid. He stared back at her for several long moments before turning to Lauren. His fists clenched. A muscle ticked in his jaw.
“You need to go now.” His voice was soft and dangerous.
Lauren could tell that he was holding on to his temper by a strand, and she nodded in agreement. Standing, she edged around him, tugging her cousin’s arm. “Come on, Mar, we need to get home.”
Margie shook her off, sneering. Lauren could smell the alcohol on her breath as she spoke.
“I don’t want to go home, Miss Priss.” The words caused Lauren to draw in a sharp breath. “I’m staying right here.” Margie glowered at Travis, as if silently daring him to challenge her.
Seeing Travis’s face turn red, Lauren yanked on Margie’s arm. When her cousin turned to see what she wanted, Lauren hauled back and slapped her with all the force she could muster.
Margie raised her hand to her face and stared at Lauren, unable to speak.
“You listen to me, Margie Vernon, and listen very carefully. I am going home. With or without you in that car beside me. If I have to explain to your parents why you aren’t with me when I get back there, so be it, but I am not staying here any longer!” She turned to Travis, who eyed her with some measure of respect. “Thank you for rescuing me. I’m sorry we caused you trouble. Will you call her a cab and send her home if she doesn’t go with me?”
“I will.”
Margie pushed past both of them, fighting tears. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll go with Lauren.” She stumbled down the steps into the dark, heading in the direction of the car.
“Jamie, escort them to their car. Drive safely,” Travis told Lauren.
Lauren still wasn’t sure how they managed to get home that evening without Margie’s parents becoming aware of her drunken condition, but somehow they’d done it. Margie apologized profusely the next day, and Lauren made her swear to tell her what was going on, but it never happened. The following night, Margie was gone, and things had never been the same since.
Thinking back on that party, Lauren looked across the table at Travis. “Just in case I never properly expressed it, I really, really appreciated you stepping in that night.”
“I’m sorry I had to. She never should have brought you out there.” Sighing, he changed the subject. “Now that I’ve depressed the hell out of you, how ’bout we move on to something else?”
“That sounds nice. What?”
“Oh, I don’t know. How about dinner? You, me, a nice restaurant, some good food. How’s that sound?”
Lauren hesitated. “I don’t know. I think it would feel a little weird.” She looked up and noticed Charlie coming through the door. She waved at him and stood. “I have to go.”
Travis stood as well, and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a business card and handed it to her. “Call me if you change your mind. Sometimes having someone to talk to who shares your past can help. I get the feeling you have as many ghosts from that summer as I do.” He walked around the table and bent down, kissing her cheek. “Take care.”
She watched him go, then gave herself a shake and headed to the register to help get Charlie’s order ready.
Janet, who had come out of the kitchen, laughed at something Charlie said. “I’ll get your order boxes from the back.”
He called after her. “You need some help with that?”
“No, I’ve got it, thanks.”
“How are things?” Lauren asked when she reached the register. “Did your repair guy get the parts in?”
“He’s over there now, working on the ovens. He should have them fixed in a couple of hours.”
“I know Guy will be thrilled. He’s very… touchy about his kitchen.”
Janet came out of the kitchen with Helga close behind, both carrying large cake boxes. Guy had ordered four chocolate cakes and four Italian cream cakes, in addition to an assortment of pastries. The women placed the boxes on a table near the front door and headed back to the kitchen for the rest of the order.
“So who was the guy you were talking to when I came in? He looked familiar.”
“Travis Tyler. He’s a real estate developer from Madison.”
He nodded, picking at the edge of the counter with his thumb. “So, he’s a friend of yours?”
She hesitated, not sure how to classify Travis. “I guess you could say he’s a friend, yes. It’s complicated.�
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“Ah. He must be one of your collection, then.” His voice was full of sarcasm.
Lauren wasn’t sure she had heard him correctly. “Excuse me?”
“Well, you seemed awfully cozy when I came in, and you sure did seem to be having a good time at the Lighthouse the other night. I’m just saying…”
She stood back, shocked at his tone and his implication. Crossing her arms, she tried to rein in her temper, but lost the battle. She lashed out verbally, not noticing when the front door opened. “Oh, I understand exactly what you’re saying. What, are you jealous that you’re not on the ‘list’?”
Charlie’s face flushed, and he opened his mouth to reply, but stopped when a man cleared his throat. Lauren saw David standing just inside the door, wearing his “cop” face. Ava and Josie, David’s second wife, had stopped on the sidewalk and were looking at something on the concrete. He stepped inside casually, letting the door fall closed, and walked up to the counter.
“Don’t let me interrupt.” He gestured at Charlie. “I think it was your turn.”
Lauren groaned and dropped her head into her hand.
Charlie shook his head, jaw clenched. “Jesus, another one.”
“That does it.” Before she could think about it, she opened the pastry case and picked up a butterscotch pie. With the arm that had twice taken her high school softball team to the state championships, she let the pie fly. It hit an astonished Charlie square in the face, the tin sticking a few seconds before it slowly slid away from the crust to land at his feet with a clang. The majority of the pie followed shortly afterward.
There was absolute silence in the dining room.
“Oh, my…” Janet, coming back out front, rushed to the sink and grabbed a roll of paper towels. “Lauren, what were you thinking? Are you okay, Charlie?” She hurried to his side and tried to clean up the mess.
“I’m fine.” He stared at Lauren through the whipped cream and filling, but didn’t say anything else. Janet handed him the roll of towels and stalked off to the kitchen, muttering about mops and frustrated bosses.