Dangerous Delusion

by Rhonda Brewer

  She’d wiped down the counter so much that it started to shine. There were only two people currently eating in the diner, and she'd wiped down almost every surface of the place at least twice.

  It was insane that she was so used to his presence and missed his goofy comments. As crazy as it was, she needed to see him.

  “You should probably take a break before the supper rush.” Alice took the cloth from her hand.

  “It’s okay. I’m fine. I’m not exactly run off my feet here at the moment.” Lora chuckled.

  “True,” Alice pushed the swinging door and went into the kitchen.

  When the front door opened again Lora spun around to glance in the direction. She pressed her lips together to keep the sigh from escaping. The urge to lick him from head to toe every time she saw him in uniform was ridiculous.

  Nick marched right to his usual booth and tossed his cap on the seat. As he plopped down on the bench, he raked his hand through his short brown hair. He'd definitely had a stressful day. Lora could tell from the way his forehead wrinkled, and his jaw clenched.

  Lora filled a cup with fresh coffee and brought it to the table where Nick gazed through the large picture window. It was another thing he did when he had a bad day.

  “You look like you need this.” Lora placed the cup in front of him with three creamers because he liked to put them in himself.

  “Yeah. Thanks, Lora,” Nick smiled, but it wasn’t the usual bright, sexy smile that made her panties wet.

  “Something wrong?” She couldn’t stop herself from asking, but wanted to take it back when he sighed.

  “Just a rough day.” Nick opened the creamers and poured them into the cup.

  “Sorry,” Lora didn’t want to pry. If it was work related, he probably couldn’t talk about it anyway.

  “Don’t be. Your pretty smile makes my day a whole lot brighter.” Nick winked then dropped his eyes to where his hands wrapped around the cup.

  “Would you like to order some….” Lora was cut off by a loud crash from the kitchen.

  Before she had a chance to run to the back, Nick was on his feet and through the swinging doors leading to the kitchen. Lora was behind him seconds later. When she entered, she gasped. Nick knelt next to where Alice lay on the floor surrounded by broken glass and a step ladder on top of her.

  “Alice, my God. What happened? Are you okay?” Lora stepped over the broken dishes to help Nick lift the ladder that tipped over on top of Alice.

  “I fell off the ladder trying to get dishes from the shelf.” Alice tried to get up but cringed.

  “Aunt Alice, we need to call an ambulance.” Nick pulled out his phone and glanced at Lora.

  “Don’t you dare, Nicky. I can get up. Just give me a second.” Alice groaned when she tried to move again, but it was clear she couldn't get up on her own.

  “Alice, you may have broken something. I’m calling for help.” Lora didn’t pay attention to her boss’s refusal to call for assistance.

  “Aunt Alice, you don’t have a choice. Now lay still until the ambulance gets here.” Nick’s voice was sweet but firm.

  Lora grew up in the city, and at first, didn't realize how fast news spread in a small town. She found out how quickly about three weeks after she'd moved there. Before the ambulance pulled up in front of Jack's Place, several of the O’Connor family crowded inside the diner, but one person made Lora smile. Kurt O'Connor, Alice’s husband.

  “Baby, are you okay? That’s it. You’re hiring someone to take over all this heavy stuff in the back.” Kurt held her hand as she lay on the floor.

  “Kurt, nobody besides Kit will be working in my kitchen unless they’re one of the family.” Alice pointed her finger at her husband.

  Kit Courtney, the cook, was in his late forties and always had a funny joke whenever Lora went back to get something. He took the day off to take his wife to an appointment. It was the reason Alice was in the kitchen alone, and why she now lay on the floor

  “You could have killed yourself, and you know what? I’d be lost without you, baby.” Kurt cupped his wife’s cheek in his big hands.

  Lora had to back away or risk someone seeing the tears in her eyes.

  “They’re still so much in love.” Lora glanced over her shoulder at one of the wives of the O’Connor brothers.

  Lora didn't see Marina often. James' wife worked in St. John's and would only come in once or twice a week. Lora was usually on the way home or leaving by the time the pretty woman dropped in. Like the rest of the family, Marina always had a friendly smile. Then again who wouldn’t smile being married to one of the sexy O’Connor brothers? Although, Nick was the only one to peak Lora’s interest.

  “It’s so sweet. My mom and dad were like that as well.” The memory of her father and how he treated her mom brought tears to her eyes. To her dad, his wife was a queen.

  “Are you okay?” Marina must have noticed, because she took Lora’s arm and guided her out of the group of people gathered around the kitchen entrance.

  “Yeah, I just got a fright.” Lora forced a smile.

  “Lora, I hate to ask you this, but could you please make sure there’s a note put on the door to let everyone know the diner and pub will be closed for the remainder of the day?” Kurt asked as he followed the paramedics and his wife through the door.

  “You take care of Alice, and I’ll make sure things are taken care of here.” Lora smiled at the man as everyone filed out through the door behind them.

  “You’ll be paid for the whole day. I’ll see to that,” Kurt shouted as the door closed.

  Lora realized she was the only one left in the diner. She glanced toward the kitchen where the door had been braced open to make it easier for the paramedics to get to Alice. It was the best place to start before heading home. The mess of broken plates on the floor had to be cleared before she could even begin cleaning.

  Lora grabbed a piece of paper from the printer and scribbled a note to attach to the outside of the door. After grabbing a tack and hammer from the small toolbox under the counter, Lora attached the note to the wooden door and then went to work.

  She was about halfway finished in the kitchen when she heard a thump on the main floor. Lora flinched when she realized she hadn’t locked the door.

  “Damn it.” She mumbled to herself and walked slowly out of the kitchen.

  Lora glanced around but there wasn’t anyone in sight, and the pub doors were still closed. She shook her head and hurried to lock the door. It was the first time she was alone in the diner, and it was eerily quiet. Lora flicked on the radio and turned it up to kill the silence.

  As she backed out of the kitchen, mopping the floor, her favorite song started blaring through the speaker. Brokenhearted by Karmin, always made her think of Nick, probably because as much as she tried to deny it, she wanted the sexy cop, and to hear him call her baby would make her day. She started to sing and dance along to the song as she continued her task.

  With the kitchen finished, she turned around to drop the mop in the bucket and almost tripped over her own feet. Nick stood next to the counter with a sexy grin. Lora didn’t know whether to scream or pray for the floor to open up and swallow her. She flicked off the radio and pressed her lips together.

  “Great floor show. Do you do requests?” He rested his forearms on the counter and leaned forward.

  “How long have you been here?” Lora sighed.

  “Long enough. Uncle Kurt asked me to give you a hand closing up. I ran home, changed and came back right away. You were in the kitchen, so I went ahead and did the washrooms.” Nick tilted his head still with the amused grin on his biteable lips.

  “And you couldn’t let me know you were here, why?” Lora put her hands on her hips and scowled at him.

  “I thought Uncle Kurt told you I'd be back to help.” Nick grabbed the mop and squeezed out the water. “I’ll dump this and do the front of the store.”

  “I can do that.” Lora sighed.

  �
��Nope, you get to run off the cash register and toss it in the safe.” Nick headed to the cleaning closet to refill the bucket. “By the way Karaoke night at the pub is Thursday.”

  Lora could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, but the moment he bent over to push the lever on the bucket her cheeks weren’t the only thing hot. When she realized she was staring, she whirled around and practically ran to the register.

  Lora added the receipts, sealed them inside the deposit envelope and dropped it into the safe. On the way to the main floor, she grabbed her purse and heard the faint sound of music.

  At first, she thought it was the radio, but quickly realized it was coming from the pub. She flicked off all the lights in the diner and strolled to the entrance of the pub.

  There were no customers, since it wasn't opened that day, but Nick sat on the stage strumming a guitar and softly singing. Lora recognized the song right away. Chris Young was one of her favorites, but the way Nick sang Who I am With You, hypnotized her.

  He was part of a cover band with some of his brothers, but she’d never heard them play. If they were all as great as Nick, she was missing out. It was as if she couldn’t tear her eyes away and he appeared entirely lost in the song. Lora rested her head against the door jamb and listened.

  “He’s good, isn’t he?” The voice surprised her, and she jumped forward, knocking one of the tables.

  Nick stopped playing and spun around. He glanced at her and then noticed the other person in the doorway.

  “Sorry, I thought you heard me come in behind you.” James grinned sheepishly.

  “No. I swear, all of you are a bunch of ninjas." Lora straightened the tables and tried not to look directly at Nick. “Umm… how did you get in?”

  Lora knew she’d locked the main door and would have seen him come in through the pub entrance.

  “I pick locks.” James narrowed his eyes and grinned.

  “What?” Lora stared at the handsome man because there was no way he would have done such a thing.

  “Just kidding.” James jangled keys in front of him. “Aunt Alice realized you didn’t have the keys to lock up. She asked me to get the spare set at my parent’s house.” He held out the keys to her.

  “Oh, thanks.” Lora took them.

  “Is that one of the new songs you guys are putting in the lineup?” James sauntered toward Nick.

  “I was just playing with it. It’s a Chris Young song.” Nick shoved his phone into his pocket.

  “Sounded great.” That was an understatement because it sounded incredible.

  “Yeah, we’re going to play it on Canada Day at the beach.” Nick glanced at her, and she couldn’t move.

  “It sounded great, didn’t it, Lora?” James wrapped his arm around Nick’s shoulder as they walked toward her.

  “Umm… yeah… great.” Lora moved through the door before they got too close to her.

  “How’s Aunt Alice?” Nick asked him as they exited the pub.

  Lora closed the door to keep her back to them, but she did want to know how her boss was feeling. Alice was kind to her and Lora prayed she wasn’t hurt badly.

  “When I talked to Jess, she said they think her leg's broken, but she was on her way to x-ray then.” James walked back into the diner and checked all the windows.

  “I locked them.” Lora smiled.

  She didn’t feel as if he was double checking her work. It just seemed second nature to him. As if he needed to make sure they were all secured before he could leave.

  “Sorry, I didn’t even realize I was doing it. I do it at home too.” James chuckled.

  “You really should see a doctor about that.” Nick teased as he flicked off the lights.

  "What’s going to happen if Alice has a broken leg? Will they close down Jack’s Place until she can come back?” Lora was worried about how that would make Alice feel because the woman truly loved her business.

  “That’s where having a big family comes in handy.” James grinned as he started down the stairs.

  “Yeah, we’ll get together to set up a schedule. Mom and Nan will take over the kitchen with Kit.” Nick took the keys from her hand, and the light touch of his finger against her skin was like a spark.

  When their eyes met, she couldn’t turn away. Nick's hand still covered hers, and they both held the keys for what seemed an eternity. She swallowed as he slowly leaned toward her, and as if something drew her in, she leaned into him. Someone clearing their throat broke the spell, and she stepped back almost backing over the steps.

  Nick caught her arm and glared at James at the bottom of the steps. When Lora glanced at Nick’s brother, he suddenly seemed to find his boots very interesting.

  “I need to go.” Lora practically ran down the steps and across the parking lot to her car.

  God, she almost kissed him. Lora had to get a better handle on her attraction to Nick. The last thing she wanted was to put him in the sights of the person stalking her. If the investigator on her case couldn’t find the person, Nick wouldn’t be safe even if he was a police officer.

  He walked down the corridor of the high school as invisible as always. Sure, people said hi, and some smiled as he acknowledged them but none of them considered him important.

  Not that he cared what any of them thought of him. There was only one reason he trudged down the hallway. He needed information, and he’d get it from her even if he had to beat it out of her.

  He turned into her classroom and glanced around. A man with the short military haircut, beard and tattoos glanced at him. The man wasn’t familiar and it pissed him off. He didn’t have the time or patience to deal with anyone other than the woman he came to see.

  “Where’s Ms. Ross?” He snapped at the biker wannabe.

  “She’s out for a few days. I’m her substitute. Is there something I can help you with?” For a second, he felt intimidated when the man stood.

  “No,” He turned and stomped out of the room.

  The fucking bitch had to be home with her kid. It’s the only reason she would miss work. For as long as he’d known her, she’d never lost a day in front of the classroom.

  “She won’t be back until the end of next week. If you need help….” The muscle-bound ass shouted from the door of the classroom.

  He ignored him because there was no possible way he had any information. Nobody in the fucking place knew anything. He slammed against the handle of the exit and stomped toward his vehicle.

  “Well Ms. Ross, I guess I need to visit you at home.” He grumbled to himself.

  As he sped out of the parking lot barely missing the curb, a couple of students shouted at him for almost hitting them. It wouldn’t be a huge loss, but that was a hassle he didn’t need, and he especially didn't want to deal with any of the authorities inside the school. Not when they could ruin all his plans.

  Chapter 6

  “You’re a fucking dick.” Nick shoved James as he stomped by his brother on the way to his truck.

  “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were seeing each other.” James strolled next to him.

  “We’re not.” Nick yanked open his door.

  “Could’ve fooled me.” James snickered as he hopped into his vehicle.

  Nick slammed his hands against the steering wheel as his brother pulled away. He’d almost kissed her right there on the step of Jack’s Place. Considering why they’d been there together, it was a little inappropriate. Plus, she’d made it clear she wasn’t interested in dating.

  Not that she said as much, but Lora kept her distance. It was a whole new world for him because he’d never wanted a woman so badly that didn’t want him back.

  “Fucking idiot,” Nick grumbled as he watched Lora drive out of the lot behind James.

  The entire drive back to his place he continued to reprimand himself for getting lost in her beautiful eyes and forgetting where he was. The fact he’d just finished a song that reminded him of Lora didn’t help the situation. He'd pictured himself singing it to her,
which was probably why he hadn't heard anyone come into the pub.

  He swung his truck in front of the bunkhouse when his phone vibrated in his pocket. Nick yanked it out as he slammed his truck door.

  “Hello,” He cringed for a moment because he sounded as if he was ready to kill someone.

  “Who shit in your cornflakes?” Aaron grumbled on the other end.

  This is just what I need.

  “What do you want, A.J.?” Nick clomped up the steps and entered the house.

  “I’m leaving the hospital and heading to the station. Cory found something, and I told him I’d call you. He said it’s a connection.” Nick heard a horn honk. “Do you not know what a fucking arrow means, fuckhead?” Aaron grumbled.

  “Shouldn’t you go after that guy?” Nick chuckled.

  “If I was on duty, I would.” Aaron snapped.

  “How’s Aunt Alice?” Nick grabbed his laptop and the briefcase with all his notes.

  “Leg broke in two places and knee dislocated.” Aaron's voice echoed presumably because he was on speaker phone.

  “Ouch,” Nick winced at the thought of how painful it sounded.

  “Yeah, we’ll be brushing up on our waiter skills.” Aaron chuckled. “Anyway, I’ll meet you at the station. Let’s get this fucker.”

  Before Nick could reply, Aaron ended the call, but Nick was definitely on board with getting this evil prick.

  The station was all abuzz over Alice’s accident, and everyone offered to help out where needed. It was the great thing about living in a small town. Most people were there for each other without any ulterior motive behind it.

  After a couple of waves to other officers and staff, Nick made his way to the conference room where Cory moved the evidence board. John wanted the room kept strictly for the task force investigating the case of the missing and murdered women.

  Cory was hovered over something on the table when Nick walked into the room. His friend was a damn good police officer and Nick trusted him completely. However, there was something about this specific case that seemed personal to Cory, but Nick had no idea what.