by Tonya Kappes
“I’m fine.” I nodded and lied. “Like I said, I do it all the time. Low blood pressure.”
“At least stay for lunch.” Jill put the banana bread in the oven and began filling bowls with the chili she had cooking in a big pot on the stove.
“No, I have to get back to work.” After all, it was almost Valentine’s Day and I was running a Valentine’s massacre special with half-off dumps.
Besides, if Joel was a rancher, I was going to need a pair of boots.
Jill reached into a pocket on her apron and handed me my keys and thanked me for the secret nutmeg.
“Joel parked your car outside the front door.” Jill pointed the way.
I found my way to the front door and bolted down the porch steps, again. But this time, my Toyota was going to make it out of the ranch and head straight to the boot store.
Seven
I was exhausted by the time I had dumped five people when I got home from the boot store. Vegging out on the couch with Herbie was going to be my perfect night in.
“How did the date with Buddy go?” Erin asked when she got home from work.
“Are you honestly going to ask me that question? Let’s say that you owe me. Big time.” I propped my new boots up on the coffee table.
Erin laughed. “What are those?” She pointed to my three hundred dollar kickers.
“I read that boots are the rage now. So I went and got me a pair.” I shook my feet.
“Are you feeling okay?” Erin picked up the empty boot box off the couch and sat down. “Anyway, tell me about the date.”
I got up and went into the kitchen. If I was going to tell her how disastrous the date was, she was going to need a glass of wine.
“Are you sure you want to know?” I asked, pouring the box wine into a Styrofoam cup.
“Yes.” She walked into the kitchen and picked up the cup. “Really, Olivia? Styrofoam? Box wine? This is the stuff that put me out of business before.”
So maybe Styrofoam wasn’t the proper way to serve wine, but I hadn’t been to the store and it was going to have to do.
I proceeded to tell Erin about Buddy and his orange bucking bronco experience. We laughed so hard that we’d forgotten all about the Styrofoam cup issue and proceeded to fill our cups up several more times.
“Well, I hope Jennifer’s date with Joel goes much better tomorrow.” Erin stood up and yawned. “It’s been a long day. I’m going to bed”
“Wait, what happened to your car?” I had completely forgotten to ask her.
“What?” Erin looked a little confused.
Maybe she was really tired and hadn’t understood what I had said, but I thought I had said it loud enough for her to hear.
“Your car?” I asked, hoping to jog her memory. “Obviously, you must have gotten it fixed.”
“Wouldn’t you know it? I was just out of gas.” She waved me off as she walked down the hall to the bedroom. “Thank goodness for Aunt Matilda.”
Something was off. Erin’s strange behavior made me think she was up to something. She always forgets that when she’s lying, her crystal aura becomes muddy.
“Huh.” I rubbed my chin.
I shook it off. After all, we’d had a lot of wine.
Eight
I woke up in a cold sweat. Herbie towered over me, licking my forehead. I brushed my matted bangs out of my eyes and sat up.
I had to shake the dream out of my head.
One of those dreams, I smacked my forehead. I hadn’t had one of those since the death of Dabi Stone.
I started to reach for my journal, but pulled away. Normally, I write down all my dreams because some part of them always comes true, but I didn’t want to think about the dream I just had, much less write it down.
If this dream did come true, we were all in trouble.
I admit, I didn’t think orange Buddy was for me, but I would never wish him dead.
Pushing the thought aside, I got out of bed and put on my jogging suit.
“Ugh!” I’d seen the big red heart on the calendar hanging up on my wall when I bent down to put on my tennis shoes.
I remember putting that heart there when Bradley was still in my life. When I stuck it there, I was sure that was going to be the best Valentine’s Day ever.
How can someone be in your life that lived days away and you hadn’t talked to them in over six months.
“Come on, Herbie. Let’s go for a walk.” I said.
Herbie bounced around my feet. There wasn’t any guy I’d rather spend Valentine ’s Day with than my furry guy.
The coffee pot was full of fresh coffee. Next to it was a heart-shaped foiled chocolate and a note from Erin. She went into Color Me Love early to make sure that our secret client Jennifer didn’t stand up Joel like she’d stood up Buddy.
Secretly, I wished she would.
I filled my SPCA travel mug with coffee and grabbed Herbie’s leash. I really had to get out of the house.
I tried to put all the thoughts of Joel, Buddy, super secret client Jennifer, and Erin aside. There was no way any woman in her right mind wouldn’t be attracted to Joel and his amazing blue aura. I just had to accept the fact that I was going to lose Joel to Jennifer.
***
I decided to cut through town using the shortcut to Pleasant Ridge Park. It was early, but Park City was already hopping. The small cafes were packed with couples partaking of all the Valentine’s Day specials.
I looked down Aunt Matilda’s street as I passed by it. I slammed on the breaks and caught Herbie flying in mid-air after I’d seen the Chief of Police Carl’s car parked in front of her house.
He’d been coming around a lot lately, but Aunt Matilda had yet to let me in on her secret, even though her aura had told me that she had a new love in her life. I had to respect her privacy, even though she had not always respected mine.
I pulled down the street just in time to catch them walking out of her house holding hands.
I took the chocolate heart from Erin out of my pocket and jumped out of my car.
“Hi. What are you two doing?” I asked, but couldn’t repress the smile on my face.
I admit that Carl was a pain in my butt when he thought I’d killed Dabi Stone, and I was aware of the history he had with Aunt Matilda. She had worked at the police department as a psychic for years. What I hadn’t known was that she was reading my dreams.
Aunt Matilda would give me key clues in a case, and after I would fall asleep, she’d sit next to my bed and write down what I’d say in my dreams.
My dreams were pretty good clues to what had happened or was going to happen. Undercover, literally, I’d solved many of Park City’s crimes.
“Umm. . .” Aunt Matilda looked at Carl for the right words.
“Olivia, your aunt and I have been having some social time together.” Carl nodded towards Aunt Matilda.
“You mean dating?” I questioned them. “Okay. Anyway, I wanted to tell you happy Valentine’s Day and give you this heart.”
I held the heart out. Aunt Matilda took it.
“You lie.” She cackled. “Not only did Erin give me the same chocolate hearts, but you forget that I can read auras too, maybe not as good as you, but you are telling a tale.”
“Fine. I’m taking Herbie to Pleasant Ridge Park and I saw Carl’s car here. I’m tired of you hiding the fact that you two are dating from me.” I turned and walked back to my car, then turned around to face them again. “I approve.”
I left her and Carl standing on her porch, still hand in hand.
Color Me Love was dark when I drove past and I didn’t see Erin’s car parked in front. The only movement was next door at Vive’s store, The Surplus. The windows read “Happy Valentine’s Day” in hot pink paint, and “Special” written in black underneath.
There wasn’t a time I hadn’t seen her store busy. I guess everyone was worried about their personal safety.
I made it to Pleasant Ridge Park and pulled into an empty parking spac
e in front of the apartments across the street. I picked up my cell and dialed Michael Schultz.
Michael and I had become fast friends after we were both suspects in the investigation into Dabi’s death. With a lot of sneaking around and doing my own “Murder She Wrote” detective work, I’d cleared our untarnished, non-murderous names.
“Hello, Olivia.” Michael answered.
I got out of the car and started up the stairs to his apartment.
“Hey, I’m outside,” I said. “And I’m going to take Herbie for a walk. You and Belle want to join us?”
His malti-poo, Belle and Herbie had become good friends too.
I didn’t wait for him to answer. I hit the red button on my phone, and I knocked on his door.
“Michael, I’m here,” I sang in front of the door.
Belle was sniffing around the bottom and was yelping.
“Happy freakin’ Valentine’s. Open up!” I knocked louder.
He was just as single as I was.
I put my ear up to the door. I didn’t hear any footsteps, just Belle and a few whispers.
“Michael?” I questioned and knocked again. “I know you’re in there.”
“Olivia, I’m really sick.” He coughed out. “I’ll call you later.”
What was he up too? Who did he think he was dealing with?
“I hope you feel better soon!” I yelled back and pulled on Herbie’s leash.
Michael had never kept anything from me, but he sure was today. I had heard whispering and he wasn’t whispering to Belle.
Herbie and I got back into the car. I pulled out of the parking space and made a u-turn. I drove to the end of the street, made another u-turn and parked on the street a little distance down from Michael’s. I had nothing to do all day but watch his apartment and see what was going on.
He had to come out at some point; he and his whispering partner.
I hit the dashboard. Not only did the radio turn on, but the glove box popped open too.
“How appropriate,” I commented on the song playing on the oldie’s channel, Spies Like Us.
I grabbed my pair of mini binoculars out of the glove box and made some adjustments. I had a clear, clean shot of Michael’s apartment entrance. I took out the mini camera I had stashed in there too. It had excellent resolution for getting the clearest images. I had to make sure I got all the evidence, because sometimes you only have one shot.
If Michael was hiding something, or someone, I didn’t want to miss my shot.
“There’s definitely something in the air, Herbie.” I patted his head.
Yes, there was. Aunt Matilda and Carl, Erin’s crystal aura had become muddy, and Michael was even acting weird.
I couldn’t stand Valentine’s Day.
I focused my camera on Michael’s building to take the closest shots I could. There was nothing better than the rapid picture button to capture every single step.
In my heart, I secretly hoped nothing, but my instincts told me that he was hiding something. And my instincts were rarely wrong.
Before I even saw Michael, Belle was barking like she always did when she was going to go outside. Her bark was so high-pitched, I’m sure it could have been heard from miles away.
Steady. I held the camera up, looked through the eye hole, and pushed the button. The camera clicked away as Michael, Belle, and a girl walked out of the apartment and jumped into his car. I didn’t focus too much on their auras in fear of passing out, but hers was definitely in sync with Michael’s.
I didn’t take the camera down to get a good look at her or even grab my binoculars. I didn’t want to miss the shot.
Damn! There was a girl. And why hadn’t he told me. It wasn’t like we had feelings for each other.
Thankfully, they drove off in the opposite direction. I flicked the menu button and began to zoom in on Michael’s lie.
I zoomed in the first picture. From the back, I could see she had beautiful brown hair and was slender. She even had her skinny jeans tucked in a pair of boots that looked like. . .
“Oh! My! God!” I closed my eyes afraid to look at the next frame.
I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I had a feeling I knew exactly who this girl was.
Do it. My mind coaxed me to push next button. I did and came face-to-picture with the person I knew it was going to be.
Erin.
Nine
What the hell was going on? Had people in Park City lost their minds? Give out a few Valentine’s hearts and people go nuts.
Erin’s aura told me everything I needed to know. She was just as attracted to Michael as he was to her.
I threw the car into drive and headed back toward town.
“Valentine’s. Ugh!” This was fast becoming my least favorite holiday.
I wasn’t sure how to confront Michael. Erin was different. She was my best friend, or so I’d thought.
This was a big secret to keep from me. The super secret client and now this? It made me question our friendship.
“I’m sorry.” I patted a disappointed Herbie on the head. He was looking forward to a good long walk in the park, and I can’t get it together enough to take him.
I had zero motivation.
It was one thing not to have someone to share Valentine’s day with, but quite another to have your Aunt and your best friend keep something as big as their relationships a secret.
Erin’s cell number popped up on my cell phone.
“Hello?” I answered. There was no way I was going to confront her on the phone when I knew Michael was with her.
“Where are you?” She asked.
I listened for any background noises like Michael or Belle, but all I heard was her radio.
“Why?” I asked putting the ball back in her court.
There was no way I was going to make this conversation comfortable for her.
“You aren’t going to believe this.” Erin said, giving me a little hope there was some sort of explanation why she was with Michael. “Jennifer can’t make Joel’s date either and I need you to go pretend to be her again.”
I veered the car off the side of the road and put it in park.
Had Erin just handed me a free pass to Joel?
Only there was no way I could pretend to be Jennifer when he had seen me pass out twice. It wouldn’t be something he’d forget.
And one of those times was at Color Me Love.
Erin didn’t need to know that I had come face to face with Joel at Heifer’s and Ho’s.
If I go, I could just go as myself and not say I was there for Color Me Love.
“Okay.” I could forget that I saw her and Michael for a few hours. “Where?”
I would meet Joel, and question her later.
There had to be a good reason for her secrecy and it was up to me to find out what it was.
“The date is set up for noon at Pete’s Pizzeria.” Erin said. “They are going to have a romantic Italian lunch.”
I rolled my eyes. Pete’s was my favorite restaurant. Bradley and I use to go there a lot. Plus, Pete’s put together the best Valentine Day specials and always went all out with decorations.
I looked at my watch and peeled out. I had forty minutes to get home, get a shower, and get to Pete’s.
###
Pete’s was as romantic as ever. All the tables were covered in white linen table cloths, and had chandelier holders with white candles in the middle of the table, setting the ambiance for all the lovebirds. The chairs were covered with red slipcovers.
The sterling silver utensils and china were neatly set in places for two. A red rose was laid on each place setting.
“Do you have a reservation?” The hostess looked at me.
Hmm. . . That wasn’t something I had thought of. I figured I’d go in and get a table, happen to notice Joel was alone and say hi. We’d start talking, one thing would lead to another and by the end of the night, we’d be in each other’s arms.
Wrong!
> “No, but isn’t there just a tiny place for me?” I asked and pointed to an empty table.
“Uh, no.” The hostess snarled. “It’s Valentine’s Day.”
In the distance, even in the dimly lit restaurant, I could make out a blue glow.
I was ten minutes late, and I was glad to see that Joel was already there.
“Really?” I questioned the hostess in a loud voice hoping Joel would look up and see me. “Not one tiny chair or side table?”
The blue aura floated closer just as Joel appeared.
“Olivia, right?” He pointed to me.
“Yes, umm. . .” I pretend not to remember his name even though it was tattooed on my brain.
“Joel from Color Me Love and Heifer’s and Ho’s Dude Ranch.” He turned to the hostess. “She’s with me.”
“But she said one.” The hostess’ eyes narrowed.
Joel shrugged and I followed him to the table. My plan was working great.
“Are you sure?” I asked knowing good and well Jennifer wasn’t showing.
“No, but too bad.” He laughed. “This is my date from Color Me Love” he said, pointing to the empty chair. “The girl hasn’t shown up. Why were you there anyway?”
The waiter filled our water glass, and took our drink order.
“So why were you at Color Me Love?” He asked again.
“I could ask you the same question.” I took a drink of my water. “You don’t look like you need help getting a date.”
I had to dodge any questions concerning Color Me Love.
“I’m new to Park City and wanted to meet some new people.” He put his hands out. “And see, I met you.”
Talking to Joel was easier than I thought it was going to be. I knew I liked his blue aura, but sometimes auras could be deceiving and take on a different look depending on the situation.
But his was true blue, and he didn’t even mention Jennifer or Color Me Love again.
“The pizza and company was great.” Joel paid the bill. “But I’m starting my new job in a couple hours, so I have to go.”
“You don’t need to pay for me.” I took my wallet out of my purse.