Текст книги "The Monster Within"

Автор книги: Kelly Hashway

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Текущая страница: 8 (всего у книги 16 страниц)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

MAYBE the note wasn’t from Nora. It could’ve been a coincidence that someone left it under her cup. This place had been packed tonight. Anyone could have left it without me seeing. But what if it was Nora? That would mean she knew my secret. Did that also mean she was the same person who had left the other notes?

I studied the handwriting, but it was smeared by a ring of coffee from the bottom of the cup. I couldn’t be sure if it looked like the other notes or not. I couldn’t even be sure Nora was the one who’d left it. Although the threatening nature of the note definitely fit Nora’s personality.

“Ready to go?” Ethan asked, coming up behind me.

I dropped the cup, spilling a few drops of coffee on the note.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Ethan grabbed a towel off the counter and began mopping up the spill.

“It’s okay. I’ll get it.” I took the towel before Ethan could see the note underneath it.

“I don’t mind helping.”

“I know, but you’ve been working just as hard as I have, and this is all I have left to do.” I wiped the towel and the note into a plastic washtub under the counter and brought it to the kitchen.

Jackson was out back taking out the trash. I could hear him slamming the metal lid closed on the garbage container. I fished the note out of the washtub and tore it up before burying it under food scraps in the garbage. I stood there for a moment with the message on the note swimming in my head. I know what you are.

I thought of the peeping Tom from the cottage. I’d almost forgotten about him with everything else that had happened since then. My life was one big jumble of problems, and that guy had gotten buried under the others. But he knew my secret. Maybe he was the one who’d left the note. It was crowded tonight. I could have missed him somehow. I’d hoped I wouldn’t see him again after Ethan threw him out. If the guy had the guts to come here and risk running into Ethan again, he must really want to get to me.

I jumped when a hand touched my shoulder.

“It’s me.” Ethan turned me around. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“I’m just tired. This place was crazy tonight. Even my fingernails hurt.”

Ethan chuckled. “I didn’t know fingernails could hurt.” He brought my fingers to his lips and kissed each one. Sometimes I wanted to melt right into him. If I wasn’t so sweaty and didn’t smell like stale coffee and melted cheese, I probably would have.

“I really need a shower.” I brushed a stray hair out of my face and turned away.

He took my hand. “I wouldn’t care if you were covered in dirt. You’d still be beautiful to me.”

I stiffened at the thought, remembering my first night back—after I’d climbed out of my own grave. Ethan and I were both dirty after that. Sure, he’d done all the digging, but I still had to climb out of my casket. A small sound like a whimper escaped my lips.

“Hey.” Ethan brushed his hand against my cheek. “No bad thoughts, okay?” He leaned his face to mine and kissed me, making every thought wash away. He had that effect on me.

The back door opened, and Jackson cleared his throat. “Did I somehow stumble into your bedroom? Because I was looking for my kitchen.”

I pulled away from Ethan, feeling my cheeks warm from embarrassment. “Sorry, Jackson.”

“All my fault,” Ethan said, winking at me. “Is there anything else I can do for you before we head out?”

“Nah, go on home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Jackson,” Ethan and I said.

“Oh, isn’t that cute?” Jackson shook his head and mumbled, “Teenagers in love.”

Ethan and I smiled at each other as we walked out of the kitchen. Gloria was sitting at the counter rubbing her foot. She looked up when she saw us. “I’m not sure how many more crowds like that these old feet can take.”

“We could come in earlier tomorrow if you’d like,” I said. We could definitely use the money, and it was obvious Gloria needed the help.

Gloria waved us off. “That’s very nice of you, but I can’t ask two teenagers to give up their entire weekend to work in a diner. I don’t pay you enough to take away your youth.”

Taking away youth. Her words hit me like a slap in the face. That’s what I had done to Trevor—stolen his youth, stolen his life so I could have mine.

“Besides, you’re not looking too good.” Gloria narrowed her eyes at me. “You coming down with something?”

Yeah, a bad case of being sickened by the thought of myself. “I’m just tired. We’ll see you tomorrow afternoon. But if you change your mind about us coming in early—”

She got up and herded us to the door before I could finish my sentence.

Ethan laughed as we walked to the car. “I kind of love that woman.”

“Don’t make me jealous.” I playfully jabbed my elbow into his ribs.

“Oh, yes. You should be jealous. I’ve always had a thing for grandmas.”

“Well then, sonny,” I said in my best grandma voice, “give us a kiss.”

Ethan backed away and put his hands up to keep me from getting too close. “Okay, that was disturbing.”

“Over the grandma thing?”

“Definitely.” He opened my door for me, and as soon as I was in the car, he bent down and kissed me. “Definitely better than kissing a grandma.”

“So, you have something to compare it to?” I laughed as a look of disgust crossed his face.

“That’s so evil,” he said, but he was stifling a laugh. He shut my door and walked around the car.

My eyes caught a glimpse of a shadow at the side of the diner. I figured it was Jackson or Gloria, so I raised my hand to wave, but the figure stepped into the light. It was him. The peeping Tom.

Ethan got in the car, and I reached for his arm. “Look!” I pointed to where the guy was standing, but he was already gone. I’d only looked away for a second to get Ethan’s attention, but that was all it took.

“What?”

“It was—at least I think it was that guy, the one who was looking in our bedroom window.”

“Where?” Ethan opened his door again.

“No.” I reached for him. “Please, don’t go after him. I’m not even sure if it was him. It’s dark. My eyes could’ve been playing tricks on me.”

Ethan didn’t look convinced.

“Even if it was him, he’s gone now.”

“Tomorrow I’ll ask Jackson and Gloria if they’ve ever seen him. He’s pretty hard to forget with the bleach job.”

“He doesn’t bleach his hair. He’s a platinum blond. He’s really pale, and his eyes are really light blue. All his features match. He definitely doesn’t dye his hair.”

Ethan cocked his head at me. “How closely were you looking at him?”

“He was in our bedroom, only about two feet from me. Believe me, I got a good look. When someone tries to attack you, you remember things about them, especially their face.”

Ethan sighed. “You sure you don’t want me to see if he’s there? I don’t want you to be afraid to come here.”

“I’m fine. Besides, this place is always packed. What could one guy possibly do to me with that many people around?”

“That doesn’t exactly make me feel better. I don’t want anyone to come after you. Ever. There’s no good time to have a stalker.”

“I know that.” I leaned my head back on the seat. “Can we please drop this? I’m really tired, and I’m dying to get in the shower.”

Ethan stared at me for a minute before starting the car. When he pulled out of the parking spot, he drove around the diner.

“Ethan, what are you doing?”

“I want to make sure he’s gone. Humor me.”

What could I do? I wasn’t driving, and I didn’t want to get into a fight with Ethan over some creepy guy. We drove around the diner twice, just in case Ethan missed anything the first time around. I tried to keep my eye-rolling to a minimum. I knew he cared and that was why he was being cautious, but I wasn’t helpless. Finally satisfied, Ethan pulled out of the diner and headed home.

“Want to watch a movie before bed?” Ethan asked, trying to forget our almost fight.

“A movie? We don’t have any.”

“I found a DVD player and some DVDs in the storage facility. They’re pretty old, but there are a few comedies and even a horror flick.”

“No horror flicks for me, thanks.” My life was a horror flick these days.

“Comedy it is, then.”

We pulled into the driveway and stared at the rock formation.

“I guess I have to move these again in the morning. I still don’t see why anyone would bother to do this. Some of the rocks are heavy.”

“I thought we were going to leave the rocks for a little while, so whoever did it would lay off the lame pranks.”

Ethan held my hand as we wove through the rocks to the front door. “All right, I’ll leave them for a little longer. It’s just a pain to get around them.”

Inside I headed straight for the shower. I needed to wash the events of the day down the drain, and I needed a good cry. My emotions had been a roller coaster lately. I was trying to deal with this strange way I’d come back to life and the terrible things I had to do to stay alive, and I was trying to put on a happy face for Ethan. If he knew how miserable I was most of the time, he’d feel guilty. And who knew how he would feel if he knew my secret. Which was why I couldn’t let that peeping Tom near Ethan again. I couldn’t chance him telling Ethan what he knew. The question was, how did he even find out?

The water rained down on me as I went through all the possibilities. My peeping Tom had seen me kill Herman, the creepy guy I’d almost collided cars with. He’d been at the gas station when I killed the guy in the cowboy hat. I couldn’t remember what the guy working the register at the gas station quickie mart had looked like. It could’ve been him. But why would he follow me all the way out here?

The water went cold before I came to any real conclusions, and I cursed at myself for using up all the warm water. Ethan hadn’t showered yet. I wrapped a towel around me and walked out of the bathroom with my head hung low. “Sorry, I guess I lost track of time in there.”

Ethan looked at me in my towel. I usually brought my clothes into the bathroom with me so I could get dressed before I came out.

“Are you mad?” I asked.

He gawked a little more. Boys. I shook my head and walked into the bedroom. I threw on a tank top and pajama pants and combed my hair. A few minutes later, I heard the shower running. Ethan could probably use a cold shower right now. I chuckled to myself, making a mental note that wearing nothing but a towel was a great way to get out of a potential argument with Ethan.

I put my comb down on the dresser and was reaching for the light switch when there was a knock on the window. I whipped around. Someone was standing at the window, looking in. Someone with platinum-blond hair and pale blue eyes. Oh, God! Had he watched me get dressed? I stormed out of the room and out the front door. It was stupid. I knew that. But I was pissed. I had had enough of this guy following me around, leaving notes—if it was him. I was putting an end to it tonight.

I left the front door wide open and turned the corner. He was leaning against the house, waiting for me. The smug bastard knew I’d come out here.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” I stormed up to him and smacked him across the face.

His head turned to the side, and he pressed his open palm to his cheek where I’d left a big, red mark. It went well with the black eyes he had from Ethan breaking his nose.

“That’s for peeking in my window.” I moved closer to him, and he backed up against the cottage. I punched him square in the stomach, and he let out a whoosh of air as he doubled forward. “And that’s for watching me get dressed, you pervert.”

He moaned and coughed, looking at me like I was the one who’d done something wrong.

“Well, what do you have to say for yourself?” I held my fists up, ready to punch him again if need be.

“I didn’t watch you get dressed. All I saw was you brushing your hair.”

“Sure. Like I believe that.”

“I’m telling you the truth.” He straightened and held his hands up in defense. “I’m not going to hurt you, and I’m not trying to catch glimpses of you naked, if that’s what you think.”

“Then what are you doing following me around? And what’s with the notes?”

“Look, I need to tell you something, and you have to trust me.”

“Trust you? You bashed my boyfriend’s head into the side of our house!” My arms flailed, and he ducked, afraid I was going to hit him again.

“He came at me with a hammer. What did you expect me to do?” I stopped swinging my arms, and he shook his head. “I had to get the hammer away from him. I tossed it in the woods when he dropped it. Doesn’t that prove I’m not this monster you’re trying to make me out to be?”

“Not wanting to go to jail for murder doesn’t make you a good guy. You didn’t have to hurt Ethan. If you weren’t a creep, you wouldn’t have.” My mind lingered on the image of Ethan threatening this guy with a hammer. He’d never been a violent person. What was happening to him?

“I needed to talk to you. He got in the way.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t want to talk to you. All you’ve done is threaten me with things you supposedly know about me. I’ve had it. Stay away from me, or Ethan coming at you with a hammer will be the least of your concerns.”

“Because you’ll kill me yourself? It doesn’t work that way. You don’t get to choose when you get the urge to steal life from others.”

Oh, my God. Up until then, I’d tried to tell myself there was a chance this guy only thought he knew my secret. But he really did. Right down to the last detail.

“Get out of here!” I screamed.

“Sam!” Ethan came running outside in his pajama bottoms. “What the hell?” he yelled when he saw me with the peeping Tom.

The guy stared at me and shoved a piece of paper into my hand before taking off toward the woods. Ethan ran after him, leaving me to look at the yellow Post-it note in my hand.

Dylan 555-0851

His name was Dylan. He knew my secret, and he wasn’t about to let me get away with what I was doing.

I had to keep him quiet. Somehow.

Ethan came back out of the woods and jogged toward me. He was going to be really upset and demand to see the note. I was sure he’d destroy it. So, I did the only thing I could think of. I memorized Dylan’s number.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“WHO is he? What did he say to you? And why the hell did you go outside with him?” Ethan’s face was bright red. Dylan wasn’t the only one he was angry with.

I handed Ethan the note.

“Dylan? Is this his phone number? You’ve got to be kidding me. What, does he want to date you? Is he the one who put the necklace in your locker?”

“Ethan, calm down.” I reached for his arms, but he shook me off.

“Don’t tell me to calm down. You’re my girlfriend, Sam. Do you have any idea what I’ve been through? Do you know what I went through to bring you back?”

“No, I don’t. You won’t tell me!” I lashed out at him, unlocking the anger building up inside me.

He tore the note into pieces and let them fall to the ground. He stared at me for a second before grunting and running his fingers through his hair.

“Ethan, please tell me.” I tried to calm down, knowing he wouldn’t give me an answer if I was acting like a raving lunatic.

“Why did you come out here?” he asked, ignoring my plea.

“Answer my question first.”

He punched the side of the cottage. “Damn it, Sam. Obviously, it took some pretty heavy stuff to bring you back. It’s nothing I want to relive, and, believe me, you don’t want the details.”

I sighed. At least I was making some progress. I decided to answer his question. “Dylan tapped on the bedroom window, and when I saw him, I freaked out. I had just gotten dressed. I figured he saw the whole thing, and it really set me off. I ran out here, and I slapped him in the face and punched him in the gut.”

“Groin,” Ethan said. “Always knee to the groin. The scumbag deserved it.”

“He said he didn’t see me get dressed.”

“Don’t be naïve, Sam. Of course he saw you, but he wouldn’t admit it.”

“Listen, I know it was stupid, but I just reacted.”

“You’re being reckless. This isn’t like you. You were always so levelheaded.”

“That’s because I was sick.” Tears welled up in my eyes. “When you’re dying at seventeen, you tell yourself whatever you can to not be pissed off at the world. I’m done with that now. All this stuff that’s been happening, I don’t deserve this. I shouldn’t get crap like this to deal with after everything I’ve been through.”

His face fell. The anger left completely. He looked hurt, heartbroken. “You’re unhappy here.”

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

“Yes, it is. I brought you back and tried to give you the life you wanted, the life you should’ve had in the first place, but you’re miserable.”

“No, Ethan, listen to me.”

“You hate school. You hate the cottage. Your ring is missing, and the only thing that’s made you happy was a stupid necklace I didn’t even give you. He did.”

“That’s not true, and we don’t know if he gave me the necklace.”

“He’s a freaking peeping Tom, Sam. Open your eyes. He’s been following you around at school, at work, and here.” Ethan was yelling, but I knew I wasn’t the one he was mad at. He was angry with himself. He thought he’d failed in his attempt to make things better for me. He blamed himself for my unhappiness.

I launched myself at him, pressing my lips against his. He stumbled backward at first, not sure why I was kissing him when he was yelling at me. I opened my eyes and looked at him, not taking my mouth from his. His features softened, and he kissed me back. I didn’t let up. I wanted to stop thinking about everything. I wanted him to realize I was happy with him. He was everything to me.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he picked me up by the waist. My legs wound around his waist as we walked back into the cottage. Ethan locked the door, but we didn’t pull apart for a second. We went straight to the bedroom, and he laid me down on the bed. I had more questions I needed answered, but they were going to have to wait. Right now all I wanted was Ethan.

* * *

I woke up with the first rays of sun shining in the window. I used to sleep in on Sundays. Mom would go to the deli and get fresh bagels for breakfast. Ethan always got a cinnamon-toast bagel, but I didn’t care for the sweet flavors. I liked salt bagels. They made my mouth pucker, but it was nothing a little coffee couldn’t cure. Mom preferred sesame, and Dad liked poppy seed. We each had our own tastes. I lay in bed wondering what Mom and Dad were doing this morning. Had they carried on the Sunday bagel tradition after I died, or had the tradition died with me?

Ethan rolled over and propped his head up in his hand. “Morning.”

“Good morning.”

“Did you sleep okay?”

“Great, actually.” I snuggled into him, feeling his bare chest against my cheek. I wasn’t sure what I’d been so scared of when it came to being with Ethan. I mean, he was Ethan. I should’ve known it would be amazing.

“We have plenty of time before work today,” he said. “It’s not even seven yet. What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know. What’s there to do around here?”

Ethan smiled, and I could tell an idea was forming in his head. “It’s supposed to be hot again today, and I know the perfect way to spend the morning.”

“How?”

He sprang out of bed. “Can’t tell you. It’s a surprise, but you’ll need your bathing suit, sunblock, and sunglasses.”

“We’re going swimming?”

“Only if you fall in.” He wagged his eyebrows at me as he disappeared from the room. I heard him singing in the bathroom. Ethan wasn’t exactly a great singer, but the bands he listened to were more into yelling than singing anyway. I laughed to myself as I got ready, layering shorts and a tank top over my bikini.

Ethan was ready two minutes later. I was never going to figure out how that boy could get dressed so quickly. I was tempted to see if there was a world record for it, because he’d probably be a shoo-in. I took a few minutes longer to brush my teeth and pull my hair into a ponytail. When I was finished, Ethan handed me a granola bar while he scarfed down a protein bar.

“Come on. It’s going to get crowded quickly. I want to be one of the first ones there.”

“And where exactly is there?”

“You’ll have to wait and be surprised.”

We drove about twenty minutes down the road and pulled into a canoe rental place.

“We’re going canoeing?” I’d never done it, but I’d always wanted to.

“Yup. Nothing beats canoeing down the Delaware River.”

“You’ve done it before?”

“Sort of. My uncle took me. He did most of the rowing, but I think I can handle it.”

Ethan paid the woman at the counter, telling her we’d be out for about three hours. That meant we’d be going to the diner all nice and sweaty. Oh well. I didn’t care. Canoeing sounded great.

As we brought the canoe down to the boat launch, an awful thought struck me. I was going to be trapped on a canoe with Ethan for hours. Normally, that would have been heaven, but what if I had an attack? I didn’t think I’d have the strength to dive overboard and swim away from Ethan. I’d tried to stay away from the storage facility manager, and that hadn’t worked. The urge to live was too strong, and no matter how much I didn’t want to kill, my survival instincts took over, forcing me to do what was necessary for me to survive.

“What’s wrong?” Ethan asked.

I realized I’d stopped walking. I had to get out of this. “Um, I’m not feeling so good all of a sudden.”

“You’re kidding, right?” He put the canoe down and felt my forehead. “You don’t have a fever.”

“My stomach is doing flips.” That was true. I was nervous and sick to my stomach with the thought of possibly hurting Ethan. “I’m not sure being out on the water, rocking in a canoe, is the best thing for it right now.”

He looked crushed.

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” he said, but I could hear the disappointment in his voice. “Wait here. I’ll go return the canoe and get our money back. Sit and relax until I’m done.”

I sat down on the sand, feeling awful about all of this. I couldn’t even have a nice morning on the water with my boyfriend. This sickness was ruining everything.

“Good call,” came a voice behind me.

I turned around. Dylan.

I sprang to my feet. “I told you to leave me alone.”

“Do you really want me to do that? You didn’t go out on the water with your boyfriend, so obviously you don’t trust yourself.”

“Stop it! Stop pretending you know everything about me, and stop following me. If Ethan comes out here and sees you…”

“Are you worried for me? Don’t want your boyfriend to beat me up again?”

“I don’t care about you at all. I don’t want Ethan to be upset.”

“He never asked you what you wanted, did he? I mean, before he brought you back.”

My lungs stopped working. Dylan didn’t just know about me killing people. He knew Ethan had brought me back from the dead.

“It’s okay. I’m not going to tell anyone.”

I swallowed, forcing myself to find my voice, not to show fear. “Not as long as I pay up, right? Well, I don’t have any money. I work at the diner. You know, that place where I saw you last night. You were watching me there.”

“I don’t want your money.”

“Then what do you want?”

“Where’s your necklace?”

Before I could answer I saw Ethan walk out of the rental place. He was putting his money back into his wallet, so luckily he didn’t see Dylan.

“Go!” I said in a loud whisper.

Dylan turned toward Ethan and then looked back at me. “The necklace,” he said as he took off running down the beach.

So, he had given me the necklace. Maybe Ethan was right. Maybe Dylan did have a thing for me. That would make him even more sick and twisted than I’d thought. Who would willingly want to be with a killer? Or was he asking about the necklace because he wanted it back? Maybe he wanted to get it back and forget about me. If only I had it to give back to him. Maybe he’d go away for good.

“You want to go home? Lie down until work?” Ethan asked, walking up to me.

“Yeah. Sorry again for ruining your idea. I really wanted to go canoeing with you.”

“Some other time.” He kissed my forehead before draping his arm around my shoulders and walking me back to the car.

Since we’d never gotten to watch that movie last night, Ethan put it on, and we passed the morning laughing at the bad acting. When the movie ended, we still had some time before our shift, but we both decided to go to work anyway. We knew Gloria and Jackson needed the help, even if they were too nice to ask for it. I was feeling fine, good actually. No attacks brewing at all.

Gloria yelled at us the second we walked through the doors. “I told you not to come in early. We’re doing just fine without you.” But I could see the relief on her face. She wasn’t fooling anyone. She was happy we were there.

Ethan squeezed my elbow before heading into the kitchen, where I heard Jackson give a joyful yell. He didn’t hide the fact that he liked having Ethan around as much as possible.

I put on my apron and grabbed the coffee pot, but it slipped from my hands as big, black spots filled my sight. Damn it! Another vision. Scorching hot coffee spilled all over the floor and my feet. Luckily my sneakers took the brunt of it, but a few drops burned my ankles. I cried out in pain, and I slumped to the floor as I lost my sight completely.

A few customers screamed, and I felt Gloria’s hands propping up my head. Ethan was at my side, too.

“Sam!” His voice was full of panic. “Sam, can you hear me?” He held my hand and gently patted my face. My eyes were open, but I couldn’t see a thing. Then the curtain lifted, and there was George, the storage facility manager. He was sitting in front of a fire, and a Christmas tree was all lit up to his left. He handed a gift to a woman sitting on the couch next to him.

“Here you go, sweetie. I know you’re going to love this one.”

She tore open the wrapping paper and opened the small box. “The Bahamas?” She threw her arms around George. “I didn’t think you knew I wanted to go.”

“Are you kidding? I saw all those magazines you left lying around the house. I may work a lot, but I’m not oblivious to everything. And thanks to me working so much, we can afford to stay for two weeks.”

Her smile widened. “George Peterson, you are the best man I know.”

The scene darkened, like someone dimming the lights. Everything went black again, and Ethan’s voice filled my ears. I was sure he’d been talking this whole time, but I couldn’t hear him over the vision playing in my mind.

“Yes, she collapsed. She has some burns on her legs from coffee she spilled, and she might have hit her head on the floor. She’s not responding.”

“Ethan,” I said, beginning to see his outline. “Hang up the phone. I’m fine.”

He dropped the phone and held my face in his hands, looking me over. “What happened?”

“I fainted, I think. I’m okay now, though.” Physically, I was fine, other than the few burns. Emotionally, I was a wreck. George Peterson had been a good man, and now he’d never get to take his wife on that trip to the Bahamas. Disgust and pain tore through my insides. How much longer could I handle fooling everyone? How much longer could I allow myself to live at the expense of others?

Ethan helped me sit up. “Take it easy. The paramedics are on their way.”

“I don’t need the paramedics.” There wasn’t anything they could do for me.

He shook his head, not believing me. “People don’t faint for no reason.”

Gloria’s eyes widened, and she leaned down and whispered in my ear, “You’re not pregnant, are you?”

I pulled back. “What? No!”

“What?” Ethan asked.

I wasn’t about to tell him what she’d said. If I did, he’d faint. “Nothing. Now can you guys give me some room? I’d like to get off the floor. The coffee is soaking into my shorts.”

Ethan insisted on holding my arm while I stood up, but Gloria backed away. Jackson was watching from the door of the kitchen.

“Seriously, guys, I’m fine. A little clumsy and maybe dehydrated from this heat, but I’ll be okay.”

Gloria insisted I sit down at the counter and drink some water before I even attempted to start working. Ethan made me promise to let the paramedics look at me before I sent them away.

The whole process took an hour. One long, humiliating hour. I knew what was wrong with me, and it wasn’t anything modern medicine could fix. I was relieved when the paramedics left and I was cleared to work. At least waiting on tables would take my mind off things for a little while.

“Samantha, your friend was here.” By the way Gloria said friend, I knew she was talking about Nora.

“Ugh, please tell me I missed her. That would be the only good thing to come out of this very embarrassing afternoon.”

“Yes, you missed her, but she asked me to give you this.” Gloria handed me a white envelope.

I wrinkled my brow, wondering if Nora had actually paid me all the tips she’d stiffed me on.

I took the envelope. “Thanks.”

“Finish that water before you start taking orders, got it?”

“Yes, Gloria.” I took another sip to satisfy her, and then I opened the envelope. Inside was a yellow Post-it note.

Meet me out back.