by Alexa McLean
I fished my phone from my pocket and started swiping through my photographs. Maybe a late-night date but I would have remembered that, too.
“Brown eyes, with a hint of caramel. Fair, sun-kissed skin. Full, pink lips. Wavy hair, the color of wet sand. A sprinkling of freckles across her nose –”
“Sir, I’m sorry but I don’t know what you’re going on about.”
“The girl.”
“What girl?” He pulled into a parking lot, stopped the car, and looked at me. “Sir, maybe it would be best for you to get something to eat. You’ve had a long flight from New York and it’s clear to me that you must be very, very tired.”
I waved my hand, dismissing his suggestion. “I’m not hungry.”
“I insist.” Robinson stepped out of his car and opened my door.
“She was real.” I insisted. “And I’ve seen her before...”
“I don’t doubt you, Sir, but obsessing about her isn’t going to get you any closer to her identity.”
I frowned. He was right. Sighing, I relented and started toward the restaurant. Up ahead a woman dressed in a mink shawl got out of her car. She was all legs, smooth and sleek. Any other man would have fawned over her but all I saw was the fakeness in her face. The Botox. The plastic surgery. The layers of makeup hiding her true features. Just a woman wearing a mask.
Not like the girl from the airport.
She was a natural beauty.
The woman reached the door first. As she grabbed the handle, a large diamond ring sparkled against the sunlight.
She turned her head and flashed a smile in my direction. “Oh!” She exclaimed, eyes twinkling. “Aren’t you Roy Butler?” She gasped, laying her hand across her mouth. “You are! I would recognize you anywhere!” The woman leaned forward and greeted me with two European-style kisses on the cheeks.
“I’m flattered. I see you’re wearing one of my pieces.”
“Oh, yes.” Her smile stretched across her face, spanning from ear to ear. “I simply adore your jade collection. They’re to die for.”
Before I could respond, my stomach howled with hunger. In the wake of its angry roar, the world spilled into silence.
“Sorry, I have no intention of being rude but it’s been a while since I last ate.”
“Oh!” The woman smiled even wider. I could see every tooth in her mouth and if her lips stretched any further, I had the feeling they would split apart and that wasn’t something I wanted to see. “You just must have lunch with me.”
“Really, ma’am, I’m on a tight schedule.”
“You were going to eat here anyway, weren’t you?” She batted her eyelashes, trying to convince me. “I promise, you won’t regret it.”
I glanced over at my driver but he offered no assistance. He just stood there with a stoic expression on his face. Maybe even a slight grin. He was enjoying this...
“Please, I insist.” She grabbed me by the wrist and towed me into the restaurant. There, she flirted with the host until he showed us to the best seats in the house. “I come here all the time. The food is phenomenal. It’s hard to go anywhere else.”
“Is it? I’ve never been here.”
“Oh, really? A man like yourself? But this is the best place in town!” She held out her hand, about to place it on top of mine but I moved it out of the way just in time.
She frowned, lips pursed together, smudging some of her makeup.
As I looked through the menu, all I could think about was the girl. Those eyes... They were sure to haunt me.
I tried to scour my mind for memories but I simply could not remember where we had met before.
“I’m gunning for my husband to buy this place. Wouldn’t that be fabulous? Owning a nice, little restaurant like this? Although, if I was in charge, I’d change the decoration up a bit. A tad bit drab in here, don’t you think?”
“You know, more people close their restaurants than any other business. It’s not a walk in the park.” I said. I didn’t even bother to look at her.
I could already tell what kind of woman she was. The way she kept playing with her jewelry. The bedroom eyes she kept tossing my way. A definite gold digger, if you’ll excuse me being so blunt. She wants my money and that’s no secret.
“Oh, I know. That’s why you handle managers. They do all the work and you just sit back and reap the profits.”
“It doesn’t work that way.” I put down my menu and held her gaze. “Running a successful business means putting your heart and soul into it. You can’t just hand over the reins. That’s a surefire way for you to crash a burn.”
“But surely, Mr. Butler –”
“Sure, I’m not in my stores as often as I’d like to but I’m constantly in communication with my team. I’m a presence in my company. Everyone from the designers to the sellers know exactly who I am.”
She stared at me a moment, not quite sure what to make of my sudden change of tone. “I...That’s...” She stumbled with her words before finally grabbing her glass of water and taking a sip. With her cheeks burning red, she called over the server. “Can I get a glass of wine? You know what I like.” She said with a wink.
“And for you, sir?”
“I’ll stick with water, thank you.”
“Very good.” The server said with a nod.
“Water?” The woman repeated.
“Mhm. Is there a problem with that?” I raised an eyebrow waiting for her response.
“No... it’s just... strange... most people order something.”
“I’m not a fan of wine.”
“Really?”
“Mhm. I think most of them taste incredibly bitter and that most people just lie and say they like it so they can be included in a crowd. It’s just for show.”
“I don’t think that’s the case at all.” She protested but she was already red in the face. Phony women never liked it when you exposed them like that.
“And, just for the record, is it really appropriate for you to be having lunch with me when you’re married?”
“What are you implying?” She smirked, leaning forward. Doing so, her low-cut dress plunged forward, exposing even more of her chest. “Because my husband and I have a very liberal relationship. He does as he pleases and so do I.”
“That’s hardly a relationship.” I shook my head. “What’s the point of marrying someone if you’re just going to run around and sleep with other people?”
Her eyes looked like they were going to bug right out of her head. She gaped up at me like a fish out of water.
I stood up, placed my napkin on the table, and walked away. If she thought she could weasel her way into my wallet, she had another thing coming.
“Sir?” My driver furrowed his brows as I approached the car.
“We’re going home. I rather eat buttered toast than spend another minute with that woman.”
“A leach?”
“A definite leach.” I agreed before sliding into the back.
There, it finally hit him. Her name was Kylie. She had walked into one of his boutiques, dressed to the nines, trying to impersonate an Orange County housewife. I caught her stealing. Had a half-million-dollar necklace stuffed down her bra. She was clumsy. She was young.
I was going to press charged but then those eyes... I couldn’t resist their plea.
So, I let her go.
I’ve regretted it ever since.
Chapter 3 (Kylie)
“Yeah, it’s a complete horror show over there,” Billy said through the line. “I mean, it’s all over the news.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this before I got on a plane to California?”
“Slipped my mind.”
“Slipped your mind?” I repeated. My fingers were so tight around my phone that they were actually turning white at the knuckles. “Let me guess, they just released some new video game and you’ve been trying to keep up with all the latest news on that but not the news regarding your partner’s safety.”
“Re
lax. I’m sure you’ll be fine. You’re still carrying that can of mace, right?”
“I hardly think that’s going to stop a wolf from eating me.”
“Wolves aren’t the problem.”
“Then, if not the animals, what’s the big problem?” I paced back and forth through the parking lot. The taxi driver had dropped me off over an hour ago. His mysterious warning to stay away from the Cove had left me spooked and I wasn’t about to set foot in that place without getting all the details first.
“Billy?”
In the background, I could hear an assortment of dings and sound effects. I ground my teeth together. Sometimes, Billy was the most annoying person in the world.
“I swear to God, if you are playing a video game right now, I am going to kill you myself. You’ll wake up in the middle of the night to find my fingers around your neck.”
“Jeez. And I’m the one that likes to play violent movies.”
“Just tell me what’s going on in this place and whether I need to worry.”
“Alright, so, rumor is that there have been some shady dealings in there. Some real thugs going around but I think it’s all just one big rumor.”
“How do you figure?” I fiddled with the straps on my backpack, my nerves creeping up to the surface. Usually, I’m a pretty courageous person. I’m okay with killing spiders in my house. I love roller coasters. But, I’m not stupid. I knew that if it came down to it, I’m just a girl, and some hulky meathead could easily overpower me and then who knows what would happen to me.
“It’s Jade Cove Trail, the nicest place on Earth. There are park rangers everywhere. If something shady was going on, don’t you think the park officials would be the first to know?”
“I guess...”
Just then, a car pulled into the lot. My first instinct was to hide so that’s exactly what I did. I crouched behind a couple of bushes, peering through the leaves.
A couple of teenage girls popped out of the car. They wore short shorts, tank tops, and flip-flops. Obviously, they weren’t dressed to hike.
“Kylie?” Billy’s voice shot through the line, reminding me I was still on the call. I hung up and clung to the bush hoping the girls wouldn’t see me. How embarrassing would that be?
“Hey!” A deep voice rang through the trees. Three handsome looking boys emerged. They were all shirtless, minus the scrawny looking one. Oh, he was definitely going to be the fifth wheel. Poor guy. “Glad you could make it.” Immediately, the blonde girl bounced up to the stud. She wrapped her arms around his neck and started making out.
“Jessica. Don’t make us gag.”
“Oh, she’ll be gagging alright.” The scrawny guy snickered.
Is this what teenagers did nowadays? God, seeing them made me feel so old.
Thankfully, they disappeared into the forest. Once I was sure they were gone, I emerged from my hiding place. Well, if they aren’t scared of going in there, I wasn’t either.
And, I’m glad.
Jade Cove Trail was absolutely stunning. Ancient trees soared into the sky and weaved a canopy of leaves overhead. Moss crept along the trunks, covering them in a thick blanket. Occasionally, a trickle of water ran through the landscape. Birds chirped. It was like a little slice of Heaven on Earth.
I continued down the path, camera in hand, trying to capture the beauty in its full essence. Oh, I was going to have fun writing about this place.
Suddenly, I heard something a little different. It wasn’t a bird call. It wasn’t a forest groan. But something soft and soothing. I found myself following the sound, like a sailor to a siren’s song.
I climbed over brambles and fallen logs.
The sound stopped.
I paused, tilting my head to the side. Where had it gone?
The wind fluttered through my hair. I brushed it behind my ear. Just then, the sound started up again, bouncing from tree trunk to tree trunk.
As I got closer, the sound became more distinct. Almost like an instrument of some sort.
Strange.
Chime!
Oh, that makes sense. It was a wind chime. It swayed in the breeze, singing its song.
But, wait, Jade Cove was supposed to be protected land. What was a wind chime doing out here?
I peered into the distance.
Wait! Was that a house?
Too curious to resist, I continued forward.
Yes, that was a house and a very charming one at that. It looked like a cottage, made of wood and stone. Smoke billowed from the chimney. I snapped a picture. After all, this place would make the perfect story for my blog.
Wanting a better look, I started forward only to trip over something. I fell forward, crashing into the dirt. I spat out a mouthful of grass and shook my head. “Nearly thirty and still as clumsy as a two-year-old...” As I grumbled to myself, I disentangled my foot from a gardening hose.
Yep, someone definitely lived here. But who? A park ranger maybe?
I was just about to get up when I noticed something green on the ground.
My eyes widened.
I picked it up. It sparkled in the sunlight.
Jade.
Chapter 4 (Roy)
I’ve always hated plane rides. They suck the life out of me. So, as soon as I got home, I drew a bath and soaked in the tub for a while. I leaned my head against the edge and closed my eyes. And as soon as I did, that girl with the green eyes popped into my head.
I could still see her wearing that tight dress. Bright red. Brought out her gorgeous eyes. A light touch of makeup but she kept her lips bare. Soft and pink. The kind of lips a man could easily get addicted to.
For a moment, I allowed myself the fantasy. Our lips pressed together. Bodies locked. Oh, I would have some fun with her. If only I had kept her all to myself instead of letting her go...
Definitely a missed opportunity.
If only I had realized who she was at the airport. I wouldn’t have let her go a second time.
I sighed. There was nothing I could do about it now. I didn’t even know her name.
EVENTUALLY, I GOT OUT of the bath and dressed. As I walked along the floorboards, they creaked underfoot. It was the only sound that echoed through the house. I lived here on my own with no one to bother me. And that’s exactly how I liked it.
In the kitchen, I brewed myself a nice cup of hot coffee. Trust to my word, I ate a couple of pieces of buttered toast and believe me, it was better than anything that fancy restaurant could have served.
I stepped onto my back porch and to my surprise, there was a woman standing in my lawn. She held a piece of jade against the sunlight. There was a mesmerized look on her face, eyes glazed over with wonder.
Wait.
It was her.
So, she came to steal from me a second time. As beautiful as she was, I wasn’t about to let her abscond with my wealth. I should have known that she was nothing more than a leach.
“You’re on private property,” I said with my arms crossed over my chest.
She nearly jumped right out of her skin, immediately dropping the piece of jade. She stood there, feet planted into the ground like she had petrified into a statue state.
I sighed. This girl wasn’t one to learn, was she? She did the same thing all those years ago. Just looked at me with those beautiful green eyes, like a deer caught in headlights. It made it near impossible to lash out at her. But my patience was coming to its end.
“You’re on private property,” I repeated. “So, I suggest you leave before I’m forced to call the authorities.” My tone was stern. It pained me to say those words because, under different circumstances, I probably would have invited her inside for a cup of coffee or something. I liked my solitude but sometimes, a little company was a nice change of pace.
“I...” She bit her lower lip.
I stopped. God, there was something about a woman biting her lip that I found extraordinarily sexy. At that moment, all I wanted to do was push her up against a wall, pin her i
n place, and have my way with her. Mmm, what a thought.
“I...” Again, she attempted to say something but nothing coherent escaped her lips. She hung her head and looked at the ground.
I picked up the piece of jade and placed it in my pocket. “Let me guess, you’re here for round two.”
“Round two?” She furrowed her brows together. “Round two? What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. You tried to steal from one of my boutiques a long time ago. I haven’t forgotten.”
Her eyes widened. “I...” She bit her lip once more.
She really had to stop doing that or there was no telling what I would do to her. “You really need to go.”
It was then that I noticed the blood on her hands. But, upon closer inspection, I realized it didn’t stop there. Her knees were also covered in blood, seeping into the fabric of her ripped jeans. “What happened?” I demanded as I grabbed her wrist, inspecting the damage. The cuts weren’t deep but they would definitely get infected if she didn’t treat them.
“I... I fell.” She gulped, ran her fingers through her hair, and took a deep breath. “I was just following the trail when I heard the chime. So, I followed it – here. I wasn’t trying to trespass or anything. I thought Jade Cove Trail was protected land so I just assumed this house belonged to a ranger or something.” Now she was babbling.
Without thinking, I pinned a strand of her hair behind her ear. My fingertips brushed against her cheek. She was warm to the touch. Her skin was silky soft. I had the sudden urge to pull her close and kiss her but I kept my distance. It would be better that way.
A carnal relationship never ended on a high note anyway.
“Okay. I believe you – for now.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “But, I still want you off my property once we get you fixed up.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it.”
“I insist. Those will get infected if you don’t tend to them soon. I would never forgive myself if I allowed that to happen.”
“I have a first aid kit in my backpack...”
“Save it for another time.” Despite my best judgment, I wrapped my arm around her waist and guided her into the house. This was a risk. A huge risk. Many people did not know about my secret home in the woods. It was my great escape. Should its location get leaked to the public, there’d be people knocking at my door day and night. I’d be forced to move just like that last time.