Secret Hunger (The Harper Sisters)

by Satin Russell

  Chapter Eighteen

  Beep!

  Beep!

  Beep!

  “Euuurrrrggggh! Alright already!” Olivia slammed her hand down on the alarm clock and flopped face first into her pillow. She briefly debated the merits of hitting the snooze button one more time against the need for a quick shower before heading into the café. Sleep vs. clean hair…hmmm.

  In the end, it was her bladder that forced her to roll out of bed and stumble blearily into the bathroom. Ten minutes later, with her wet hair in a bun, she managed to make her way downstairs and out the front door.

  Thank goodness she’d had Tom and Jackie open the café this morning, she thought. Even with the extra hour of sleep in the morning, she was having a hard time functioning. Of course, it hadn’t helped that she had tossed and turned practically all night.

  If it wasn’t unfulfilled desire keeping her up, it was remembering Mason recount the incident with his partner. His eyes had been so tortured. She wished there was something more she could do to help him combat those demons.

  Shaking her head to clear it of that unpleasant thought, she pulled into the lot behind the building and slipped through the backdoor. Surprised, she listened to Tom whistling as he worked the grill. Well, at least one of them was chipper this morning. Maybe she should have him open more often.

  “Hey, Tom, I’m here.” she called, pulling her chef coat down from the hook by the door.

  “Hey, Olivia. No rush, take your time and have some coffee. It’s not too busy just yet.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate you opening for me. Jackie’s out front?”

  “Yup.”

  She poured herself some coffee and made her way into the dining room, hoping she could take a moment and talk to Jackie about last night’s date. She was happy to find only a few tables occupied.

  Jackie greeted her from behind the breakfast counter. “Livvy, let me just make sure everybody is topped off, and then you and I can have a little chat.”

  Cautiously, she blew on her hot coffee and watched as Jackie swung by two tables, topped off a few mugs, laid a bill on one of them, and then made a beeline back to where she was standing.

  Dumping the pot back onto the burner, she turned to Olivia, “So…? How’d it go?”

  “The kids put on a good show…” Olivia answered coyly.

  Jackie hit her friend on the shoulder. “I don’t care about that! Well, I mean, I’m glad to hear they did well, but you know darn well that’s not what I want to hear about. How was Mason?”

  “Sexy, intense, wonderful…Oh my goodness, Jackie, the man can KISS!” She fanned herself.

  “A man looks like that, I would certainly hope so.”

  “On one hand, I felt so comfortable with him. We never ran out of things to talk about and actually seem to have a lot in common. But, then there was this underlying tension and heat between us. Every time our eyes met, it was like he was stoking a fire in my belly. I have never felt that kind of chemistry with someone before.”

  Jackie shivered in delight. “Please tell me you did something about it.”

  “Well, there were a couple of pretty heated kisses, but that’s about it. He came right out and told me he’s not sure how long he will be in town. I think he was trying to give me a chance to make up my mind about how far I wanted to let things progress with him.”

  Her friend made a face in disappointment. “Well, how long does he think he’ll stick around?”

  “To be honest, I’m not sure. I don’t think he even knows for certain. He’s been through so much recently. There’s a part of him that’s really struggling right now…” She gave her a brief version of what had happened to him and his partner.

  “That poor man!”

  “Suffice it to say, it’s knocked him off kilter. I get the feeling he’s at a crossroads in his life right now. I don’t know if it would be fair of me to make things more complicated for him.”

  “Well, what about you? How do you feel about getting involved with someone temporarily?”

  She stared down into her mug and pondered the question. “I don’t know. When I’m around him, all I can think about is experiencing as much as I can with him and letting tomorrow sort itself out. On the other hand, it could open me up to a lot of heartache in the near future.”

  “True, but then again, any relationship has its risks. You don’t get a guarantee when it comes to that kind of stuff.”

  “Exactly! Which is what makes me want to say, ‘to hell with it’ and just go for it.”

  “Especially if by ‘it’ you mean really hot, toe-curling sex with a hunky man.”

  Olivia laughed. “Right.”

  Jackie drummed her fingers on the counter and pondered the situation. After a moment, she sighed. “In all seriousness, Livvy, you’re the only one who’s going to know what’s right for you. However, if I were in your shoes, I’d probably go with my instincts. Feel more, think less, and don’t worry so much. You’re young, have fun. Trust me, it’s not every day a hot man comes along and wants to make your pulse sizzle.”

  Downing her coffee, she gave Jackie a hug, “Thanks. I’ll think about it. But, for now I’m going to go back to the kitchen and see what Tom’s up to.”

  Despite her best efforts, Olivia couldn’t get Mason out of her head all morning. Unfortunately, her preoccupation kept leading to mixed tickets and incorrect orders. By the third incident, Tom’s good mood had evaporated. He was his usual cantankerous self again, with some extra grumbling.

  “Wheat toast! This plate gets the English muffin. Olivia, the eggs were supposed to be scrambled, not your brain. What’s going on with you this morning?”

  “Sorry, I guess I’m not all here right now.”

  He grunted. “Don’t you have some bills or inventory you could be doing in the back office? I can handle the kitchen; it’s not too busy.”

  She protested. “It’s really not necessary. I’ll get my head in the game.”

  “Please. I insist. I’ll call you if I need you.”

  Reluctantly, she started to take her chef coat off. “Okay, but be sure to grab me if it gets too busy. I’ll just be back in my office.”

  Spatula in hand, he gave her a final shooing motion and turned back to the griddle.

  Olivia refilled her coffee mug before walking back to her office and shutting the door. How pathetic. One date left her this flustered? She knew she was out of practice, but still. She’d never been a simpering female before, and she would be damned if she’d start now.

  Resolved to set the whole matter out of her head and get something productive done, she turned to her books and started to fill out her next inventory order. Fifteen minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

  Fiona poked her head in. “Hey, Jackie told me you were back here. Mind if I come in?”

  “Not at all. You didn’t have to work today?”

  “I’m covering for Sarah this Saturday so she can go visit her grandchildren. She’s taking today for me instead. So? How’d last night go? Did the dress make his eyes pop out?”

  She laughed. “Oh yeah. It was perfect. I had a really good time last night.”

  Sensing she was holding back something, Fiona prodded her, “But…?”

  “But, I’m not sure if there should be anything more than that.” She put her head in her hands for a moment, and then looked back up. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s hot. When I’m with him, sparks fly. But, he also lives in Boston and is only here temporarily. Why set myself up to get hurt like that?”

  “Have you thought about just enjoying the moment for what it is? Not everything has to be a long-term commitment.”

  “I’ve thought about it, but that’s just the thing. I think I could really like this guy. I mean, other than his good looks, he’s kind, considerate, funny, heroic…thoughtful. And, we have a lot of interests in common. I’m afraid if I let myself get close to him physically, I’ll get too close emotionally. Then, when he’s healed up, he’ll be go
ne.”

  Concerned, Fiona asked, “I know you mentioned he was here recuperating, but is he really that badly injured?” Olivia explained the circumstances of what had brought him to town.

  “Wow. That’s pretty insane. Okay, so he’s going through a tough time right now. I can see why you’re hesitant…” She leaned over and put her hand on Olivia’s shoulder, “but, you have to realize, no matter what, there are always going to be risks. Opening up, being vulnerable, that’s a part of it. You can try to keep yourself safe emotionally, but you’ll just end up keeping yourself alone. At some point, you’re going to need to decide which way has the bigger risk.”

  “Have you and Jackie been reading the same books? You’ve both basically said the same thing to me this morning.” She gave her sister a hug, “How did you get to be so wise?” She took a step back. “Thanks for your help. I think I’m going to set it aside for now. I’m tired of thinking about it.”

  Olivia turned back to her computer. “Besides, I should be concentrating on my plans for changing this little café into a fine dining experience during the evening. I’ll probably need to hire at least one new employee to help cover the added shifts.”

  “How’s that coming along?” Fiona said, allowing her to change the subject.

  “Well, I’ve been trying a number of new recipes and experimenting with flavors. I really want to source most of my produce from the local farms if I can. I came up with a really great crab cake recipe the other night.”

  “That’s great. When are you thinking of having your ‘Grand Opening?’”

  “Probably after the holidays. I’m hoping I can find a way to consolidate the items on both menus to help defray costs. I’m also thinking about limiting the start of evenings to the weekend only. Kind of have it be a soft opening of sorts. Hopefully, it won’t be too hard to adjust the atmosphere in the dining room for both purposes. I’ll order some nice little candles and new linens to dress up the tables. I might have to close the restaurant for a week to repaint and hang some new art that can work for both night and day.”

  “Yeah, somehow I don’t think the cheerful sunflower motif is going to cut it for a romantic evening atmosphere.”

  “Right. So, you can see, I still have a lot of things to work through. Really, the last thing I need is to get distracted by romance.”

  Fiona scoffed, “Oh, come on, Olivia. Now you’re just hiding behind excuses. Lots of people manage to function and fall in love at the same time. There’s no reason you can’t do the same.”

  “Woah! Who said anything about falling in love? I’ve had one date with this guy. I’m just trying to keep things in perspective here. Maybe I do think he’s interesting and charismatic. Who knows? Maybe I will have a fling with him. But, the fact is, in all likelihood, he’s going to heal up and head back to Boston and I’m still going to be here. The café, and my goals for it, is still going to be here. My priority has to be here.”

  Sighing, her sister conceded the point. “Okay, but that’s still no reason not to enjoy life and be open and willing to enjoy opportunities as they present themselves. You’ve always been the responsible one. It’s time to have some fun.”

  “You make me sound like a stick in the mud. I have fun!”

  “You know what I mean…” She got up and gave Olivia a hug. “Whatever you decide, I’m sure it will be right. Just try not to make your decisions based on fear.”

  “Thank you, Yoda. I’ll be sure to keep your wise words in mind.”

  Laughing, Fiona left her sitting at her desk, pondering life and love, and wishing there was a recipe for it all.

  Chapter Nineteen

  That afternoon, Olivia got home and dropped her bag on the bench by the front door. She glanced around, feeling at odds with herself and not really sure what she was in the mood for.

  Wandering into the living room, she sat down on the couch and picked up the remote control, but after clicking through a few channels, quickly turned it off again.

  With a sigh, she grabbed the cooking magazine off the table and started to flip through it. Five minutes later, she realized that she’d been reading the same paragraph over and over again and still didn’t know what it said. It was weird to hear the house so quiet.

  Exasperated with herself, she finally stood and headed upstairs to her bedroom. “This is crazy. I just need to go for a run and clear my head. Maybe once I get rid of all this pent up energy, I can go back to thinking like a normal, rational woman.”

  Catching her reflection in the mirror, she grimaced. “Great, I’m even talking to myself like a crazy woman. Now all I need are a few dozen cats and I’ll be all set.”

  Turning away, she pulled off her shirt and dug into her drawer for a sports bra. Suddenly, she heard something clatter and thud downstairs.

  Her head jerked up and she froze. “Hello?” Craning her neck, she paused and listened. “Liz? Fiona? Are you down there?” Feeling vulnerable without a top on, she grabbed the first shirt on the pile and whipped it over her head.

  Feeling a bit more confident, Olivia cautiously padded down the stairs, all the while straining to hear any more unusual sounds.

  As she reached the bottom of the steps, she took a moment to scan the front entryway and poked her head into the living room. When she didn’t notice anything out of place, she shook her head. “I’m getting as paranoid as Mason.”

  At that, she brushed off the eerie feeling and made her way into the kitchen to grab a glass of water…

  And stopped.

  There, on the kitchen island, were the mysterious flowers she’d received and placed in a vase. Their stems were all broken, blooms drooping down towards the counter, as if in mourning.

  They reminded her of beautiful broken dolls with snapped necks.

  Inhaling sharply, she quickly scanned the rest of the room. One of the stools by the kitchen island had fallen over and was lying on its side in the middle of the floor. That must be what she had heard a moment ago. Her pulse spiked. No way could that have tipped over on its own.

  Alarms went off in her mind. Spinning around, Olivia darted back out towards the entryway, grabbed her purse, and lunged to unlock the front door, but halted just before running out of the house.

  What if whoever broke into her house was still out there? She’d just heard that sound coming from the kitchen…they could be lying in wait for her right now, hoping she’ll run out and into their arms. Carefully, she replaced the latch and peered out the window, trying to make out any figures in the late afternoon shadows, her mind racing with possibilities.

  She’d just come from her room and master bathroom and knew the upper level was safe. With that thought in mind, she changed course and sprinted up the stairs and through her room, and locked herself into the bathroom.

  Fumbling through her bag, she quickly dug out her phone and dialed 911. While waiting for the cops to arrive, she shuddered to think that the whole time she’d been sitting in the living room someone must have been in her house, maybe even watching her.

  That thought caused another full body shiver. A couple of minutes later, she was relieved to hear the sound of sirens gradually filtering into the room.

  Thank goodness for small towns and their ability to respond quickly. Cautiously, she poked her head out of the bathroom before making her way to the front door to let the cops in.

  After checking through the window, she opened the door and gave the officer a relieved smile. “Brad, or should I say Officer Brad? I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “Hi, Olivia.” Brad made his way into her house and gave her a brief, comforting hug before getting down to business. “We got a call that there was a break in at this address. I thought I remembered this was your home. Are you okay?”

  “Yes, but someone else was definitely here.” She quickly relayed what had happened.

  “Let me take a look,” he said, and made his way into the kitchen, stopping just inside the threshold. “Did you touch anything?”
/>   “No, I just turned and ran. I didn’t know what else to do.”

  He turned to look at her. “You did exactly right. You got yourself to a secure location and gave us a call.”

  Exhaling, she nodded. “It was only after I locked myself in the bathroom that I thought I should have grabbed one of the kitchen knives or something. I looked around up there, and all I could find for a weapon was a can of hairspray and a nail file.”

  He gave her a comforting pat on the arm. “We don’t get too many break-ins around here. I’ll have a forensic team come in here and take a few fingerprints, see if we can find a match. In the meantime, why don’t we go into the living room and take some notes for the report…”

  “Olivia!”

  The alarmed, frantic voice caused both Olivia and Brad’s heads to swing towards the man standing in the doorway. “What’s going on? Are you okay? Why is there a police cruiser outside with its lights on?”

  “Everything’s okay now. I had an intruder and was just about to answer a few questions…”

  “An intruder?” Mason walked into the kitchen and took the scene in at a glance.

  “I’m sorry, sir, don’t step any further,” Brad raised a hand to him, indicating he should stop.

  Mason shot him a look. “I’m not going to contaminate your scene. I just wanted to take a look at what’s going on in here.”

  She stepped between the two men and gently placed her hand on Mason’s chest. “Brad, this is Mason Clark. He helped me out the other night when my car was run into a ditch. Mason, Brad and I went to high school together. He’s the best cop we have in town.”

  At the introduction, he eased back slightly and took a position next to Olivia. Brad shook his hand. “Well, I don’t know about the best, but I’d like to think I do a good job. You know how it is with small towns like this. You pretty much can’t help running into a classmate or a cousin anywhere you go.” He gave Olivia a fond look. “Some of them might be biased.”