Among the Shadows (The Ash Grove Chronicles)
Page 33
“Just coffee, please,” said the young man. He was college age, maybe, but didn’t have the college look about him; his jeans looked as if they’d come by their faded look naturally and hadn’t come from the store that way, and his suntan was real, not sprayed on, as if he was used to working outside.
“You between buses?” Clarence asked, pouring the coffee and sliding it across the counter to him. The diner was near a Greyhound station and saw a lot of travelers. It kept things interesting, the constant stream of new faces.
“Not exactly. I hitched my way here, but I haven’t decided yet where to go next.”
He didn’t sound like he was in a hurry. “Decided to see the world, eh? Probably the best time to do it, while you’re young. Hitching can be dangerous, though.”
The young man’s wry smile made him look suddenly older. “Dangerous is what I left behind,” he said. “This is what you might call a fresh start.”
Clarence poured himself a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter, pleased at the chance to hear a newcomer’s story. “I’m guessing you were in with a bad crowd.”
“Mainly one person. She was… it always had to be about her, you know?”
“I get you,” said Clarence. He could just picture some predatory woman—a cougar, wasn’t that what they called them?—taking advantage of this good-natured kid. He reminded Clarence a little of his youngest son. “Don’t you have any family to take you in?”
“No sir. There’s just me.” He downed the rest of his coffee, and Clarence refilled the cup. “How about you? You run this place by yourself?”
That was a sore spot. “It’s just me and my wife Della these days, now that the kids’re grown and gone,” said Clarence. “None of them wanted to stay and take over running the place. But we can’t just close it; it’s like—well, it’s like one of our kids.” He drew one hand along the scarred old counter fondly, as he would have stroked a loved dog.
The kid put down his coffee cup. “Would you have a job opening, then?”
Clarence hadn’t expected that, but the boy seemed to be serious. “You got any experience with this kind of work?”
“No,” the kid admitted, “but I’m a fast learner, and I’m good with people. That’s a lot of it, isn’t it? Jollying customers along when they come in cranky and hungry?”
Or when they stayed that way because Clarence and Della couldn’t get their food cooked and served fast enough. It would be a nice change not to be understaffed, but he wasn’t sure yet that this was the solution. “You sure you wouldn’t find it too dull? You might get restless, want to hit the road again, and then I’d have trained you for nothing.”
The kid shook his head decisively. “I’m looking for someplace to put down roots,” he said. “Start feeling like I belong somewhere, maybe even start a family. This seems like it might be a good place to start.”
Clarence only had to think a second. He’d seen so many people come into his diner over the years that he’d developed an instinct for whether they were on the level or not. This kid was. He wasn’t telling the whole story, Clarence knew, but who could blame him? Probably he was ashamed of his past and wanted a chance to start over. And everybody deserved that.
He stuck out his hand and said, “Welcome aboard, son.”
The young man looked thoughtful as he shook Clarence’s hand. His grip was firm but not overly aggressive. “Son,” he repeated. “No one’s ever called me that before. I kinda like it.”
“Well, the customers’ll need to call you something else. What’s your name?”
“Ray,” said the young man, his dark eyes looking guilelessly into Clarence’s. “Just Ray.”
“And I’m Clarence. So, where do you want to start? Waiting tables or washing up?”
“Either one’s fine.” Ray grinned, and his teeth were startlingly white against his tan. “I’m adaptable,” he said.
The End
~~~~~
Did you enjoy Among the Shadows? Leave a review at Amazon or GoodReads to tell others what you think!
Acknowledgments
I have many to thank now that I’ve reached the end of my first trilogy (for that’s how I think of it, although more Ash Grove Chronicles will follow). Completing this three-book arc about Joy and Tanner, William and Maddie, has been an adventure and an education, and many people helped me along the way. All errors, however, are my own.
My particular thanks go to my parents, who furnished the writing location that in turn became the series’ setting; to Indie Romance Ink, the Young Adult Indie Ninjas, Georgia Romance Writers, and my other writing groups whose talented members are so generous in sharing their knowledge and support; to Pamela Kipreos, for answering all my hospital-oriented questions; to my sharp-eyed and thorough beta readers, Kim Culbertson, Peyton Smith-Hopman, and Lisa Blackwell (who gets extra credit for unwittingly furnishing the novel’s last line!); and to all of my friends and relatives, both virtual and tangible, who have given their support and encouragement. My gratitude also goes to Lesley Cobbs, Jeanna Cornett, Adella Harter, Matthew Heller, Diana Plattner, Emily Sewell, and Wanda’s Amazing Amazon Reviewers. I particularly want to thank my readers for their enthusiasm, which is the best encouragement of all.
My wonderful mentor, Raven Hart (a.k.a. Susan Goggins), continues to offer invaluable inspiration, support, and motivation. And no writer ever had a better BFF than Maurice Cobbs, whose patience, generosity, and talent I have prevailed upon more times than I (or he, no doubt) can count.
Among the Shadows is dedicated to the memory of Su. A gentle, loving, and witty lady, she is sorely missed by the many friends she leaves behind.
About the Author
Amanda DeWees is an author and editor based in Atlanta, Georgia. She received her PhD in English literature from the University of Georgia and likes to startle people by telling them that her dissertation topic was 19th-century vampire literature. Besides writing, her passions include movies, costume design, ghost stories, and correct apostrophe placement.
The Ash Grove books were inspired in part by the breathtaking scenery of North Carolina, where Amanda prefers to do her writing.
Among the Shadows:
Book Three in the Ash Grove Chronicles
Copyright © 2013 Amanda DeWees
Lyrics to “Joy’s Ballad” copyright © 2012 and “She Says Yes 2.0” copyright © 2013 Amanda DeWees
All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or distributed in any printed or electronic form without the prior express written permission of the author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
ASIN: B00C372PPG
Cover art by PhatPuppy Art; cover design by Bookish Brunette
Visit the author at amandadewees.com or on Facebook as Author Amanda DeWees.
Books by Amanda DeWees
Sea of Secrets (historical gothic romance) (ebook) (paperback)
The Ash Grove Chronicles:
The Shadow and the Rose (ebook) (paperback)
Casting Shadows (ebook) (paperback)
Among the Shadows (paperback coming soon!)
Discover more about Ash Grove and explore extras at amandadewees.com or Facebook.com/TheAshGroveChronicles. Visit the author at Author Amanda DeWees.
Also by Amanda DeWees
Sea of Secrets, a captivating historical gothic romance set in 1850s England, is now available in ebook and paperback.
After her brother is killed in the Crimean War, innocent young Oriel Pembroke finds herself alone in the world. Disowned by the cruel father who has always despised her, she has nowhere to turn until she is taken under the wing of a glamorous relative she never knew: the former Duchess of Ellsworth, who has scandalized society by remarrying soon after her first husband’s death. At th
e opulent seaside estate of Ellsmere, Oriel thinks she has found a safe haven—but the darkly handsome young duke, Herron, believes otherwise. Haunted by the death of his father, he suspects that Ellsmere is sheltering a murderer.
Even as Oriel falls in love with the duke, she begins to fear that his grief and suspicion are turning to madness. When dangerous accidents start to befall both Herron and Oriel, however, she realizes that someone may be trying to stop them from discovering the truth about the past. And when her father comes back into her life, she learns that he may hold the answer to the most horrifying secret of all…
Length: 110,000 words ~ Sensuality level: mild/sweet
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Books by Amanda DeWees
Also by Amanda DeWees