Recalled (21 page)
She was a good friend—sleeping on my couch to make sure I was okay and then driving me all around town.
“Must sleep,” she groaned.
I laughed. “There’s coffee in the kitchen if you want to make some later.”
She grunted and I slipped out the bedroom door and into my boots. As much as I hated riding the bus these days, it was too cold to walk. As I waited at the bus stop, my thoughts went back to Dex. I wondered when I would see him again and I found myself hoping it would be sooner rather than later.
“Disappointment -
a feeling of dissatisfaction that results when your expectations are not realized.”
Dex
It was time to get serious about my job. That was the thought that kept me up half the night. Well that and the fact that Charming was sleeping down the hall. I didn’t want him here looking over my shoulder and watching my every move. I didn’t sign up for a babysitter; I was too old for that.
'Course working for the Grim Reaper wasn’t really what I planned either.
I lay there in my huge, almost too comfortable bed and stared up at the ceiling. It was still dark out, the winter night lasting a long time here in Fairbanks. I didn’t really want to get up. I knew the air would be icy as soon as I pushed back the covers. Sure, we had the heat on—I kept it up high (the luxury of having money to pay the heating bill)—but I usually always felt cold.
With a heaving sigh I shoved the covers off anyway and rolled out of bed. I reached for my glasses, finding them on the nightstand, and pushed them onto my face. The room came into clearer focus as my arms prickled with goose bumps as I made my way into the bathroom for a hot shower. I didn’t bother to shave, but I did use the wall mounted hair dryer to blast my hair, because walking around with a wet head only made me colder. I pulled on a pair of jeans (without holes because that would be freezing) and a long-sleeved thermal T-shirt, grabbed my converse, and went downstairs to hopefully find breakfast. Hobbs never did reappear last night and I hoped it didn’t mean he quit.
At the end of the hallway I paused at Charming’s door, noticing it was slightly ajar, so I pushed it open. The room was empty and I had a happy thought he left. But then I noticed the clothes lying across the foot of the bed and knew he was coming back.
Feeling disgruntled, I went downstairs. Thankfully for Hobbs, he was in the kitchen and the coffee was made. I went quietly over to the counter and poured some into a mug. I growled when the creamer was nowhere to be seen. It appeared at my side and I uncapped it and poured it into my mug.
“Trouble sleeping?” Hobbs asked.
I grunted and took a gulp of the coffee. I loved that creamer stuff. “Where were you last night?”
“I had to make an impromptu trip to the store to get your beloved creamer.”
“Did you just say ‘impromptu’ and ‘beloved’ in the same sentence?” I wondered out loud.
“Yes, sir, I did,” he said dryly. “Will you be having your usual bacon and eggs this morning?”
“Heavy on the bacon,” I said, taking my coffee to the bar and sitting down.
Hobbs began putting together my breakfast while I drank half my coffee. “Where’s Charming?” I asked, suddenly remembering he wasn’t around.
“I assume you mean your houseguest?” Hobbs asked, his back to me as he cooked the bacon. It smelled really good.
“More like my jailer,” I mumbled.
“What was that?” Hobbs said over the sizzling of the meat.
“Yeah, that’s him.”
“I heard him leave early this morning,” Hobbs replied.
“Quick, change the locks,” I said sarcastically, knowing full well if G.R. wanted him in this house the locks wouldn’t matter.
“You jest, sir,” Hobbs said, placing a plate with some eggs and a heaping pile of bacon in front of me.
“I what?” I asked, not understanding half the words out of his mouth.
“You joke,” he clarified.
“Yeah,” I agreed. “I was just kidding.” Kind of.
“Tomorrow is my day off and I was wondering if it would be okay if I took the following day off as well. I’d like to visit my sister a few towns over.”
“Sure, take off as many days as you need,” I said around a mouthful of food.
Hobbs refilled my coffee and sat the creamer beside my cup. “Thank you. Two days will be plenty. I’m afraid you’ll starve before I come back.”
“I’ll eat out,” I said, dumping the cream into my coffee. I looked at the bottle. “Where do I get this?”
“I stocked the fridge. You will have plenty until I return.”
“You’re the best, Hobbs.”
I finished off the rest of my food. I felt better already. Bacon has a way of putting a man in a better mood.
I was ready to get down to business. The fact was, I could’ve had this done by now. Dumb accidents and coincidences kept ruining things, but I couldn’t let that go on. Finding out your boss is the King of Death himself, well, that has a way of lighting a fire under a guy. That and the knowledge I would be recalled if I didn’t complete my job. None of this was really what I wanted, but like a lot of my life, these were the cards I’d been dealt. All I could do was play my hand.
It was time to amp things up. To get the job done. The Target wouldn’t even know what hit her. Grim would be satisfied and Charming would be off my back and out of my house.
“Put my coffee in a travel mug, Hobbs. I have somewhere I need to be.” I got up from the island and went to grab my coat and keys.
“Do you have an appointment, sir?”
“As a matter of fact, I do,” I zipped up my coat and pulled a black knit cap over my head. “I’ll be gone all day. Go ahead and get a head start on your vacation.”
Hobbs handed me my mug and I thought I saw some worry pass behind his eyes.
“Sir, you remember that talk we had not so long ago?”
“The one about my job?”
“Yes, that’s the one.”
“What about it?”
“I hope you have given what I said some thought.”
I actually had. Quite a lot. But the fact of my situation was that I really didn’t have the luxury of choice. Well, I guess I did. I could choose to be sent to a lonely, empty existence—an existence that promised to be worse than hell itself. Or, I could suck it up, do my job, and preserve my humanity, my life.
I pushed away the voice that whispered my life would come at the cost of someone else’s.
“I did, Hobbs,” I told him, turning away. He didn’t say anything until I reached the door that led to the garage.
“Remember,” he said quietly but loud enough that my hand froze on the knob, “with great sacrifice sometimes comes reward.”
I stood completely still for long moments as his words kind of wrapped themselves around me. They echoed through my ears with some kind of meaning I didn’t understand. Then I blinked and the feeling was gone.
“Thanks for the advice,” I called and left the townhouse, backing my little Roadster out onto the street.
I pushed away the feeling that I somehow left a very disappointed butler behind.
“Bully -
A person who is habitually cruel or overbearing, especially to smaller or weaker people.”
Piper
As if getting up early on a freezing cold morning, riding a bus that makes you feel like a traitor, and worrying the whole ride about your best friend’s life wasn’t enough, I get to work and find out I’m stuck with Emilio.
Yay.
Emilio is a new addition to the diner’s staff (any other time I might’ve said family, but I would rather get poked repeatedly with a sharp object than call that guy family), and he has to be the hardest person to get along with I’ve ever met.
Frankly, he’s a bully.
None of us like him, but we all have to tolerate him.
I was the first waitress to arrive, on time, but Emilio was already there, standing on the sidewalk in a thin coat with his hands shoved into the pockets. The minute I stepped on the sidewalk, he started complaining about us waitresses and how we were never on time. He blamed me for his frozen toes and nose the whole time I unlocked the diner and he was still complaining after I let us in and flipped on all the lights.
“I’m sorry you had to wait. I know it’s very cold this morning,” I said to be polite. Really, I wanted to tell him it wasn’t my problem he showed up early and had to wait. I guess I should be glad he showed up at all.
“I think I might call the boss and let him know you didn’t show up on time. Made people wait on you.”
I didn’t say anything as I started the coffee makers. When I tried to move past him toward the back and the ice machine, he blocked my path, staring down at me with a sour look on his face.
“Excuse me,” I said, holding on to my temper. Giving this guy a reaction is what he wanted. I wasn’t about to play into his hands.
Just then the other waitress working the morning shift walked in and behind her was our first customer of the day. He stepped aside and I went past to get the ice. I let out a deep breath. If the start to my morning were any indication, this was going to be a very, very long day.
“Fight -
To engage in a quarrel; argue. To attempt to harm or gain power over an adversary by blows or with weapons.”
Dex
I got a spot in front of the diner, probably because it was still early. I sat there with the engine running for a few minutes and looked through the windows and into the restaurant. Piper came out from around the counter, holding a plate of food and a pot of coffee. She went across the room to deliver the meal. She moved a little slower than normal and I figured it was because it was early and she was probably still half asleep.
I realized I was smiling.
I stopped.
Then I climbed out of the car and headed for the diner. The bell on the door was offensively loud when I pushed open the door, and the few customers looked up from their food. I went to the bar and sat on a stool, waiting for Piper to notice me.
She did and she smiled.
I cleared my throat and she came over and stood behind the counter in front of me.
“Here,” I said and shoved my travel mug at her.
“We have coffee here,” she said, amused.
“Yeah, it tastes like mud. This’ll actually wake you up.”
Her lips curved and she took the mug and lifted it to her lips. Her eyes sparkled over the rim as she tipped it against her mouth. Just moments before my lips were in the same spot. The thought made me feel a little… well,
warm
.
She made a face and handed it back to me. “Do you want a little coffee with that creamer?” she said, reaching for the pot.
“Don’t mess with my coffee, woman,” I warned.
She laughed. “So what are you doing here so early?”
“Breakfast,” I lied. “Hobbs has a few days off.”
“Does that mean you actually made that coffee?”
“He set the timer,” I lied again.
