by Mandy Baggot
“Well, we’ve been together forever, but he’s still in first gear. I want more than that, I want marriage and a family.”
“So tell him.”
“Oh Rob, you know it isn’t that easy. This is Mickey we’re talking about,” Sarah said with yet another sigh.
“I don’t see the problem. Tell him you want to get hitched and you want kids. Job done.”
“But what if he says that isn’t what he wants?”
“Then you’ll know you’re wasting your time with him. Ah, great!” Robyn announced as the waitress arrived with their food.
“So, what about you? Do you have someone in England?” Sarah inquired, picking a bit of lettuce up with her fingers and nibbling on it.
“Someone?” Robyn asked.
“Yeah, a guy, you know…a boyfriend.”
“No, too busy.”
“Well, who was the last guy you dated? Did he have commitment issues?” Sarah wanted to know.
“Do you want to try some of this? I mean, that salad looks nice and everything, but it’s missing some meat in my opinion,” Robyn told her.
“No thanks,” Sarah declined.
“Are you sure? ‘Cause I’m going to be as fat as a house if I eat all of this and…Well, well, well, doesn’t he clean up nicely?” Robyn remarked as the door to the diner opened.
“Who? Who are you looking at?” Sarah asked, turning around.
“That guy who just walked in. The one in the suit,” Robyn replied.
“Wow, the really hot one?” Sarah said, noticing him.
“Yeah, give me a second and I’ll ask him to join us,” Robyn said, standing up.
“What?! Robyn! What are you doing?” Sarah exclaimed.
He was starving. He missed the hot dog stand outside the front doors of the Gen-All offices in Chicago already. Maggie, one of his new assistants, had suggested this diner and recommended the soup. The state his stomach was in right now, he was thinking about ordering two bowls.
Meeting the team had been hard. The people he’d worked with in Chicago had been friends, people who’d understood what he’d been through and what drove him to do the work he did. They got his determination and drive and no explanation was necessary. The inquisitive faces today had looked at him like a specimen on a Petri dish. He knew what they were thinking. Here he was, Cole Ryan, the person they had heard so much about. He was barely out of college, how could he be the leading expert in his field? He knew he would have to earn their belief and trust, but it was so hard having to prove himself all the time. Especially when his mind wasn’t fully on the job. He needed to focus more. If he didn’t focus, he might not be able to control what happened next. He might be forced to think about something other than work. He wouldn’t be able to handle that. Work was his priority now. It had to be.
The suit suited him. His dark head was down, studying a newspaper and, for a second, Robyn didn’t know what to say. Robyn Matthers—lost for words—it was unimaginable.
He looked up all of a sudden, and Robyn stood on the outside edge of her tennis shoes and opened her mouth to speak.
“Now how did you know this was the best diner in town?”
“Hey, Robyn Matthers,” Cole greeted, smiling back at her.
“I have the best table in the place over there and a salad-nibbling friend. If you’re going to join me in eating real food, you can come and sit with us,” she invited.
“I’ve been told the soup is good here. Does that count?” he asked.
“Just this once. Come on,” Robyn said, encouraging him out of the seat.
Sarah was flushing with obvious embarrassment when they joined her.
“Sorry about my friend. She’s from England and I can only guess inviting strangers to eat with them is a quaint old custom,” Sarah began awkwardly.
“Oh, relax, we know each other. Sarah, this is Cole Ryan. Cole, this is my friend Sarah Gorski,” Robyn introduced.
“Oh, hello,” Sarah greeted, holding her hand out to him.
“Hi, nice to meet you,” Cole greeted, shaking Sarah’s hand.
“Excuse me…could we have some soup? And some more coffee? You want coffee right?” Robyn asked as the waitress came over.
“Sure,” he replied.
“So, how do you two know each other?” Sarah asked.
“We met before the flight to Kalamazoo, and he carried my bag,” Robyn informed her.
“And she talked a lot,” Cole added.
“And I kind of kissed him,” Robyn blurted out.
“What?!”
“Oh, you know, it was just one of those moments,” Robyn responded, putting more food into her mouth but checking for Cole’s reaction.
“Have I slipped into a vortex?” Sarah asked, looking open-mouthed at both of them.
“So what’s with the suit anyways? You looked like a strictly jeans and sneakers guy on the plane,” Robyn told him.
“Oh, I am. This is only for today. I’ve had a meeting at work. You know, getting to know everyone, meeting the team,” Cole explained.
“What do you do?” Sarah asked.
“I work for Gen-All Pharmaceutical.”
“You and half the town. I don’t know why I didn’t guess that. So, do you play hockey?” Robyn asked.
“A little.”
“Good, you can come along tonight. The Panthers are meeting at seven at the arena. Apparently we only have a squad of ten. Want to try out?” Robyn asked him.
“Sure,” Cole agreed.
“So what are you? Forward? Defense?”
“I played center.”
“Oh yeah? Who for?”
“Chicago Wolves,” Cole answered.
Robyn’s jaw almost dropped to the table, and she had to stop herself from spitting out the coffee she had in her mouth. The Chicago Wolves were a team doing well in the American Hockey League and they were a division above the Portage Panthers.
“Is that good?” Sarah asked.
“Yeah, it’s good. Good, wow, you’re full of surprises,” Robyn said when she had regained her ability to speak.
“Right back atcha,” he replied, his dark eyes meeting hers.
Robyn smiled and then took to concentrating on her brunch. There was something very Freddie Prinze Jr. about him. Maybe it was the dark eyes, or perhaps the black, glossy hair. Or it could be the chiseled jaw and friendly smile. It was a memory from her youth, a poster on her wall, a pin-up to be admired. A crush! She felt immediately better at this realization. A crush was fine because a crush was far removed from reality. She’d had a long flight and fantasizing went hand-in-hand with jetlag. This wasn’t real attraction.
But would she really know? What markers did she have for that?
“Shall I go? I’m feeling like a spare part in this double act,” Sarah spoke up.
“Eat your nutritious Devil’s food,” Robyn ordered, smiling at Cole.
“So, how’s the roadhouse? As bad as you thought?” Cole asked, changing the subject.
“Worse. Are you any good with wallpaper?” Robyn asked him.
“Never tried it before.”
“Do you want to? I remember you saying you like new experiences.”
“Don’t feel obliged, she does this. She’s been asking everyone about their decorating skills,” Sarah said, pushing her salad around the plate.
“Well, I wouldn’t be if Old Man Harrison hadn’t gone and died,” Robyn said, pouting.
“Someone died?” Cole queried.
“It was a few years ago,” Sarah informed him.
“I’m off to the roadhouse next, wanna come?” Robyn invited.
“Sure,” Cole replied.
“Can I drive your car?” Robyn asked with a grin.
Chapter Eight
It wasn’t far to Shaver Road, and soon Robyn was pulling into the parking lot of Eddie’s Roadhouse. A large security van was parked outside, and a man in overalls looked to be installing new locks on the front door.
“New locks,
huh?” Cole remarked as Robyn pulled up by the entrance.
“Looks that way. Hey there!” Robyn called, opening the window and greeting the man.
“Afternoon ma’am,” he replied.
“What are you doing?”
“Fitting new locks, ma’am. You work here?”
“Yeah, I’m the manager.”
“Ah, you must be Miss Matthers. Officer Willis said you might be by. I’ve fitted new locks, front and back, and I’ve installed a new alarm system. Shall I run you through it?” he asked.
“Oh man, is it expensive? I have money, but it’s kind of tied up at the moment,” Robyn began, pulling on the handbrake and getting out of the car.
“No need to worry, ma’am. It’s all been paid for, Officer Willis settled everything up already,” the locksmith informed her.
“Brad paid for it?” Robyn said, looking at the man for clarification.
“Yep. You’re all square with me. Wanna see what I’ve done?” he queried.
“I think I’d like that. Come on Cole, come and see the place,” Robyn called to him.
“So? What do you think?” Robyn asked, bringing Cole a bottle of beer and brushing dirt off of one of the chairs.
The locksmith had given her new keys and run her through the intricate workings of the new security system. She had no doubt she was going to fail hopelessly at working it. She never remembered her PIN number and had it written on a piece of paper under the insole of her left shoe.
“I think you definitely need to find a decorating firm,” Cole answered, accepting the drink.
“Yeah? You don’t fancy helping me strip? Wallpaper. Strip wallpaper,” Robyn said, her cheeks glowing.
What the Hell was wrong with her? She was acting like a teenager around him. Any second now she might ask him who his favorite member of The A-Team was. She’d done that a lot in the nineties. Boys had been keen to tell her, girls had looked at her pitifully.
“I think you need professional help,” Cole said.
“I know that, but what about the decorating?” Robyn replied with a nervous laugh.
“Are you sure you want to take this on? I mean, it’s going to take a lot of work to get it straight,” Cole told her.
“I have to take it on. This and the hockey team, they’re what Dad lives for. He may say he isn’t interested, but he doesn’t mean it. When I was young, this place was buzzing. It had a great reputation for food and we had bands here and everything. I need to get that back,” Robyn explained.
She didn’t just want it back for Eddie; she wanted it back that way for her. The roadhouse was where she had some of her best memories; she didn’t want to lose those. The good memories were what she clung to.
“It might take some time,” Cole said.
“I’ve got a couple of weeks,” Robyn informed him.
“Man, you’ve got your work cut out.”
“Well, I need to make a list, don’t I? I need to find someone to decorate, I need to hire a chef and some more bar staff, and I need to organize some posters telling people we’re back in business. What else?” Robyn asked.
“You need to call suppliers, hammer them down on the price of beer, and talk to the people at the diner…ask them the best place to get produce. You’re going to need a menu, too,” Cole said.
“I’ll find a pen and paper, there must be some here somewhere, amongst all the dirt and grime and years of neglect,” Robyn said, getting up and going behind the bar.
“So who’s this Officer Willis who’s kindly paid for your new security? He your guy?” Cole asked.
“My guy? No! I don’t have a guy. Listen, about the kiss yesterday. It was just a thing, you know, just because you were really nice, and I just wanted to see what it would be like. I mean, it wasn’t a prologue to anything,” Robyn explained, shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other.
“Sure, I get it,” Cole responded, watching her.
“Cool. I mean, not that it wasn’t great or anything, because it was…”
What had it been? She didn’t know. Her big mouth had called him to a halt, and then she’d just kissed him, without warning. She’d done some pretty out there things before but never that.
“It was…” Cole prodded, waiting for her to finish her sentence.
She was blushing now. A whole, full-on body blush like someone had caught her in her underwear, dancing to Madonna.
“To be honest, I get girls on planes kissing me all the time. I think it’s customary, actually,” Cole said, easing the tension.
“It is! You’re right, I read it somewhere,” Robyn replied gratefully.
“So, Officer Willis…”
“Yes, Brad. He’s an old friend, you’ll see him tonight at the arena. He plays for the Panthers. I’ll pay him back for the alarm. I have money. I just need to get to the bank. Anyway, soon I’ll be making a profit here, won’t I?” Robyn said as she carefully peeled the label from her beer bottle so she had something to write on.
“I like your optimism,” Cole replied.
“You being funny?” Robyn asked, returning to her seat.
“No, I wasn’t. I meant it. It’s good to have a project,” Cole answered.
“Yeah? And what’s yours?”
“At the moment, I’m trying to find a cure for cancer,” Cole said straight-faced.
Robyn looked up at him, waiting for the smile and the laughter as he admitted to the joke. It wasn’t forthcoming. In fact, she had never seen him look more serious. It was like a thought or a memory had come into his head and taken over.
“That’s what I do…at Gen-All Pharmaceutical,” he added.
She watched him nod, and then he cleared his throat, almost nervously.
“But hey, running a roadhouse sounds much more fun. Bands. You need to book some bands,” Cole said quickly, pointing to the list Robyn was compiling.
“You’re really clever, aren’t you? No wonder girls are kissing you any chance they get,” Robyn said, locking eyes with him.
“You’ll need furniture,” Cole added, gazing back at her.
“Yep, furniture. I’m going to need new tables and chairs,” Robyn said, writing it down.
“And a TV, there’s no TV in here. You need to show sports.”
“Mr. Ryan, may I officially make you the first member of Team Matthers?” Robyn asked him.
“Definitely, count me in,” he answered with a smile.
He’d told her what he did. Actually told someone what he really wanted to achieve. She obviously thought he was crazy, but she hadn’t laughed out loud. In fact, she had looked at him as if she could see right inside him. She was so different. She always spoke before she thought about what she was going to say. She was honest too and, if he was honest, he was disappointed the kiss wasn’t a prologue to anything. Not that he was looking for anything serious. A few months had gone by but, well, it was too soon to think about anything else, wasn’t it? Besides, he had work to do. He didn’t have the time or the headspace to get involved in anything else. Look at what had happened the last time he had let someone in.
She was cute though.
Chapter Nine
“So, honey how was your day?” Pam asked.
It was six p.m., and Pam, Bob, Robyn, and the twins were all seated around the dining room table behind mountainous portions of meatball stew. Robyn wasn’t sure whether to try and eat it or climb it. The twins sat opposite her, swinging their legs and catching her shin any chance they got.
“Good. I’ve got two decorating firms coming to look at the roadhouse tomorrow and give me quotes. I’ve shaved five percent off the beer prices, and I’m advertising for staff in the paper,” Robyn informed her aunt.
“My, you have been busy! She’s been busy, hasn’t she, Bob? Girls, stop swinging your legs like that and eat your food,” Pam ordered.
“We never eat at the table normally, it’s because she’s here, isn’t it? Why does everything have to change because she’s here?” Sierra moaned,
glaring at Robyn.
“Sierra!” Pam exclaimed in horror.
“Pam, if it’s too much having me stay, I understand. I mean, you have your routines and things and…” Robyn began.
“It’s not too much having you stay, Robyn. You’re always welcome in this house, you know that, you’re family. I didn’t realize how rude my daughters had gotten. Frankly, I’m embarrassed,” Bob said sternly, looking at Sienna and Sierra.
“So am I. What’s gotten into you two?” Pam wanted to know.
Sierra and Sienna just looked sullenly back at their parents and offered no response.
“It’s fine. Kids are kids,” Robyn insisted.
“No, it’s not fine. Come on you two, out with it!” Pam ordered in a voice usually reserved for price checking at Meijer’s.
“People at school say she’s a witch. They said someone took her into the woods and hurt her. They say, because she’s our cousin, they’re going to come and take us to the woods, too,” Sierra blurted out, her eyes wide.
“Sierra, you’re not supposed to tell!” Sienna exclaimed in fear.
Robyn looked at her plate of food and swallowed. A familiar feeling of fear washed over her, and she adjusted her position in the seat to disguise the visible shiver. There she was again, transported back to another time when she was lost, alone, and vulnerable.
“That is enough! Now, I don’t know who told you this, but it’s not true. Come on girls, you’re nine, you know witches aren’t real! Who are these people? I’ll speak to the teacher and we’ll put a stop to this,” Pam said, flustered.
“Listen, thanks for the dinner, Pam, but I’d better go. I’ve got to be at the arena at seven,” Robyn said to her as she stood up from the table, her meal untouched.
“Want a ride?” Bob offered.
“Oh no, don’t worry, I can walk,” Robyn said.
“You will not walk that road, Robyn,” Pam ordered, her tone severe.
“I’ll be fine,” Robyn answered, ignoring the loaded response.