Three Heartbeats Away: The Mortician's Daughter, #3

by C. C. Hunter

  He motions between us. “And whatever this is.”

  How nice. He won’t even give it a name? “Then why don’t you get Jacob or Brandy to take you to your therapy session. That’s why I didn’t want to do this.” I stand up.

  “No. Shit. Don’t.” His expression twists to pure anguish. “Riley, please sit down. I didn’t mean that. Don’t run out on me. I’m just… All this shit feels crazy.”

  “Yeah, you want to know what else feels crazy?” I ask. “The fact that you lied to me about Brandy.”

  “What? When did… I lied to you?”

  I stop short of saying yes. Then I check out my tennis shoes just so I don’t have to look at him. “You didn’t lie. But you didn’t tell me you had a girlfriend. And if you had, I wouldn’t have… I wouldn’t care.” I wait, hoping he’ll counter that with he’s glad I care, that he cares, or that he doesn’t care about Brandy. But nope. There’s no mention of caring.

  He finally starts talking, and I look up. “Riley, I’m sorry. I don’t remember that part of things. But that’s not something I’d normally do. I’m not saying you’re lying. I’m saying it’s not like me to do that. I need some time to get this straight. Figure it out.”

  Time? He needs time. I get that, don’t I?

  “I remember some things, like…”

  “Like what?” His time request still hangs in my mind.

  “Strange stuff. Stuff about you. That you paint. And you like marshmallow treats. That you have a cat. I remember watching you sleep and us…making out. I think we’re in your bed. And…sometimes that’s all I can think about, but then…” He runs a hand over his face.

  He stares off a few minutes, then faces me again. “When…Jacob mentioned you were hanging out with gang members, I instantly felt mad at you for it, too. It’s like there’s a memory there, but I can’t quite get to it.”

  I nod.

  “Can you explain it?”

  I tell him about Annie’s dad being a convict who was killed. “He asked me to find his brother and convince him to donate part of his liver to Annie. His brother is a gang leader. I went to see him without you once. You got upset.”

  He frowns. “But…what good was I to go with you? I couldn’t protect you.”

  “You did. You figured out how to explode a phone with your energy or something. You saved me twice doing that.”

  He rubs his forehead. “I remember that now.” He hesitates again. “Did you convince the brother to do it? Is that why Annie is okay?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And you couldn’t explain to Jacob why you were hanging out with gang members.”

  I nod.

  “Is that why you broke up?”

  My shoulders tighten. “I already told you. I was never going out with him.”

  Doubt shows in Hayden’s eyes. “Why do I remember seeing you kiss him?”

  “Please. There’s a difference between kissing someone and going out with them. But other than the party at his lake house, I never dated him.”

  “Why not?”

  Because I was in love with his best friend! “It didn’t feel right.”

  He studies me harder. “Because of me?”

  Damn.

  “Was it?” His blue eyes meet mine, and my heart does a nosedive to hang out with my liver.

  “Maybe a little.” I shrug like it isn’t a big deal, but I think he knows it’s a big deal. And just like that, his request for time feels like a big deal. What does he need to figure out?

  We both go silent. I can’t help but wonder what he’s thinking. “Oh, look what I found.” He reaches over to the coffee table, picks up a photograph, and hands it to me.

  It’s an image of me when I was thirteen—at camp. I’m standing with three other girls, and I’m the dorkiest one in the photo. A string bean with buck teeth.

  “That’s you, isn’t it?”

  “Afraid so.”

  He ducks his head a little and looks up at me through his dark lashes. “You aren’t the girl I danced with.”

  I sink a little deeper into the sofa. “No.”

  “Why did you lie?”

  “When we discovered we went to camp together, you…you asked me if I was the girl you tripped while on the dance floor. You told me the whole story.”

  He blinks kind of spacy-looking, then says, “We were dancing. I remember.”

  “Yeah. When I was going to see you at the hospital and your mom found out that I didn’t move here until after you had your accident, she freaked out, acted like I was a stalker. So I told her that we went to camp together. And wanting to make it sound like we were close, I told her the dance story.”

  “Makes sense.” He leans in. Our gazes meet, hold. I feel him shift closer. Reaching up, he brushes a strand of hair off my cheek. His fingers, his touch is barely there, a whisper against my face, but I feel it there, I feel it everywhere.

  I swear he’s going to kiss me. The question is, am I going to let him?

  “Hayden Parker?”

  We’re sitting in the waiting room of the physical therapy office. It’s actually on the first floor of the hospital. Since I shot off the sofa to avoid the oncoming kiss, we’ve shared nothing but small talk and awkward glances.

  And I don’t know if I regret pulling away or not. Oh, hell, yes I do know. Why didn’t I let him kiss me? Haven’t I already admitted I’m trying to steal him from Brandy? But…

  Hayden, who’s been thumbing through a sports magazine, pulls his walker over, stands, then turns to me. “I’m only in for thirty minutes.”

  “Don’t worry. I brought my computer.”

  He takes a step, then turns back around and leans down. “I’m sorry for what I…almost did. Like I said, I’m confused.”

  About what? All I manage is a nod.

  “When I’m finished, do you think we could run by and see Dex?”

  “Yeah. I don’t have to be home until five-thirty.”

  When he’s gone, I slump back in the chair, and all my Hayden worry turns into what’s happening at five-thirty.

  The air suddenly feels too thin and my throat too thick.

  Not wanting to give in to tears, I pick up my computer and go to Google. I put in my dead bride’s name, Shane Casey. I don’t know what I’m looking for that I haven’t seen, but I’m feeling slightly desperate.

  I need something to turn over to the police. Then I’ll have to figure out how to deliver it.

  I find an article that I haven’t read yet. It’s a small piece about missing persons in Texas. I leave that screen open and open another one, where I search again for recent murders, then for dead brides. The same one about the woman dying while driving away from her church the day of her wedding comes up. I can’t help but wonder why she was running away. Maybe the same reason I pulled away from Hayden’s kiss. She was scared.

  After several dead-end searches, my bladder insists I search for a bathroom. I set the laptop down in my chair and step up to the counter to get directions to the closest one. The attendant points the way. I look back at my laptop, and she must read my mind. “I’ll watch your stuff.”

  “Thanks.”

  As I’m heading to the bathroom, an idea hits. I should check the Weddings For Less website and see if any missing women have posted anything for sale. I hurry to the bathroom, eager to have something else to look at. When I step back into the room, Hayden is sitting next to my chair, my laptop is on his lap, and he’s reading.

  I really should have shut it down.

  Hayden looks up. I move in. Guilt crosses his expression. “I didn’t mean to snoop. But I guess I did. Sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” I say. It’s his little time request that’s pissing me off. “Are you finished with physical therapy?”

  “Yup.” He holds up a few pieces of paper. “She gave me a new list of exercises to do at home.”

  “Good.” I put my laptop in my bag.

  He pulls his walker over, and we start for the door.


  “You still don’t mind running up to see Dex?” he asks as we walk into the hospital’s lobby.

  “No, I owe him big time.”

  “Do you think that creep would have shot you or Kelsey?”

  “He shot Dex, didn’t he?” Then I have to amend that: “Well, they were fighting over the gun, but the reason Dex jumped him was because he had his gun pressed against Kelsey’s face.” I see it happening in my head when I describe it.

  “And he hit you, too.”

  “Yeah, well, that was meant for Kelsey. I kind of jumped in front of his fist.”

  “I hear you do that a lot.” He grinned.

  “Guilty.” I find myself smiling back at him. Is there a reason I can’t stay mad at him? Perhaps because he’s so…dashing. Whatever the hell it means. “Maybe I just like getting black eyes.”

  He laughs. And I love that sound. After a second, he adds, “I’m really sorry about what almost happened at my house. I wasn’t thinking straight. Until I…figure things out, we should just be friends.”

  Again with the figuring out. And… Friends? I’ve been downgraded to the friend category. Oh, that hurts. The elevator door opens, and we both walk in. I push the button.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  I look at him. “What?”

  “Why are you looking up missing people and dead brides?” When I don’t immediately answer, he asks, “It’s another ghost thing, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Is it dangerous?”

  The elevator stops, and the door opens. “This is it.” I walk out, hoping to leave the conversation inside.

  He pushes his walker and moves with me. I realize I’m walking a little fast and slow down. He steps beside me, but I don’t look at him.

  “Riley?” He says my name, and it feels loaded. Nothing stayed in the elevator.

  I glance at him. He’s wearing his I’m-concerned face. We keep walking.

  “Will you tell me about it?” He slows down. I don’t. “Riley?” His tone is serious now.

  I look back.

  “Let me help you,” he says. “I don’t want you doing it alone.”

  The new Hayden is really beginning to sound a lot like the old Hayden. I frown, then realize we’ve arrived at Dex’s room. I knock.

  His lips thin. “I’m not dropping this.”

  Yup, it’s definitely the old Hayden.

  “Come in.” Dex’s voice echoes from behind the door. “Welcome to my castle.”

  Hayden and I look at each other, then he folds up his walker.

  “You’re not too tired to do that?” I ask.

  “I’ll sit down when I get in there.” I know it’s because of pride, and I understand it.

  We walk in. Dex, sitting in his bed, has a goofy smile on his face. Much to my surprise, Kelsey is sitting in the chair beside his bed.

  “Hey. I thought you’d have left to take your mom home by now.”

  “I did, too. The doctor is late making his rounds.”

  Dex says something to Hayden about him walking. Hayden grins, then he sits down in the chair beside the bed.

  Kelsey motions to Dex. “He got a pain shot right before I came in about five minutes ago. He’s high on morphine. You wouldn’t believe the crazy shit he’s been telling me.”

  “Nothing I said was crazy.” Dex looks at Hayden. “Isn’t it true there’s a law that if you save someone’s life, they are indebted to you…for life.”

  I chuckle. Kelsey rolls her eyes.

  Hayden swipes a hand over his smile. “I think that’s a Native American legend.”

  “No, it’s a law. I saw it on Star Trek.”

  We all laugh now.

  Dex’s gaze shifts to me as if he just noticed me. He waves like he’s on a parade boat, then turns back to Hayden. “She looks hot with that black eye, doesn’t she?”

  Hayden glances at me. Appreciation fills his eyes. “Yes, she does. But I kind of like her better without it.”

  “Not that you aren’t hot.” Dex motions to Kelsey. “Isn’t she hot, Hayden? I told you she was hot the first time I saw her, didn’t I?” Pointing at Kelsey, Dex continues, “You were mowing your grandmother’s lawn, wearing jean shorts and a bathing suit top. I fell in love right then.”

  Hayden laughs.

  Dex shoots Kelsey a swoon-like smile, then continues, “You are so hot. I’m sweating now.”

  Kelsey rolls her eyes at me. “Told you he was high.”

  “I’m not that high,” Dex says. “If I was, I’d be showing you my new lip-printed boxers. Melissa bought them for me as a joke. But the joke’s on her, because I’ll wear them. You want to see them?” More laughter explodes.

  “No,” Hayden says when Dex starts to pull down the sheets.

  “Y’all having a party in here or what?” Jacob walks through the door.

  “Shh.” Dex pushes a finger over his lips. “Parties are against the hospital policy. I already asked.”

  “He just had a pain shot,” Hayden tells Jacob.

  Jacob laughs, then his gaze shifts to me. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” Unlike last time, I’m not nearly as pissed at him.

  Dex’s shoulders drop back on the bed. “I was just telling Hayden that Riley looks hot with that black eye.”

  Jacob offers me a smile, one I don’t counter. “I agree one hundred percent.” The next thing I know, he puts an arm around me. “You should see her change out a transmission.”

  His arm around me is heavy, and I feel crowded.

  “I miss you in auto tech,” Jacob says. “They stuck me with that new kid, Tommy. The guy doesn’t even know what a spark plug is. Please, tell me you’re coming to school tomorrow?”

  “Yeah.” I pull my phone from my back pocket and pretend to check the time just to have a reason to shift away. “I hate to be a party pooper, but I should run.”

  “Pooper,” Dex says, laughing.

  “Yeah.” Hayden stands and reaches for his walker.

  “You want me to drive you home?” Jacob offers to Hayden.

  “Thanks, but I left some stuff in her car.”

  And that’s a lie.

  “When are you coming back to school?” Jacob asks.

  “I’m seeing my doctor on Friday. He’ll tell me then.” Hayden’s gaze goes to me. “You ready?”

  “Yeah. See you later,” I say to the now droopy-eyed Dex. I look at Kelsey. “Call me.”

  “I will.”

  Hayden and I don’t say anything walking to the elevator. When we get in and the doors close, he stares straight ahead. “Have you told Jacob you aren’t interested?”

  I frown. “Many times.”

  “You may need to remind him.” His tone is sharp, and…

  Is he…?

  I realize neither of us pushed the lobby button. I do it, and as the elevator drops, I selfishly enjoy the fact that he’s jealous.

  We leave the hospital, and I barely get seated behind the wheel before Hayden says, “Tell me about your dead-bride search.”

  I consider telling him it’s not his deal but Hayden helped with my last two spirits. I start driving and give him the lowdown on the bride and about going to Delicious Donuts earlier.

  A wrinkle appears in the middle of his forehead. “You went by yourself.”

  “It was daytime. People were around.”

  He shakes his head. “You’re trying to find a murderer. You shouldn’t go there alone.”

  “I’m not trying to find him. I’m trying to find evidence to take to the police.”

  “Same thing.” Frustration sounds in his tone. “Do you realize how crazy it is that you are even doing this?”

  “What am I supposed to do? Not help them?”

  “Maybe,” he says.

  I halt at a stop sign and look at him. “I can’t not help them. I didn’t ask for this, but they come to me and it is what it is.”

  For the next mile, we don’t speak. Then he says, “Sorry, I just… It still blows m
y mind. I’ll do some checking on the internet, too.”

  “Don’t you have enough on your plate?” I pull up in front of his house.

  “I’m by myself all day.”

  I cut the car off and pull out the keys to get his walker out of the trunk. When I set it down, I say, “I should go.”

  He frowns. “You said you didn’t have to be home until five-thirty. You’ve got—”

  “I know, but…my big showdown with my dad about Mom is supposed to happen this afternoon, and I need to wrap my head around what I’m going to say.” My voice almost trembles.

  “You going to be okay?”

  One look at his blue eyes and the truth slips out. “I don’t know.”

  Hayden stands there. “Call me when it’s over. I’m sure you’ll need to talk.” He picks up the walker and sets it on the curb and uses it to step up.

  I worry he did too much today. “Hand me your keys and I’ll unlock your door.”

  He hands them to me, and I move with him up the walkway.

  We get to the porch, and I unlock the door and hand him his key.

  Our hands touch, and the brief contact is almost painful. “Riley, I’m sorry you’re having to go through this.”

  “I know.”

  Before I realize his intention, he pushes his walker aside and hugs me.

  I close my eyes and let my head rest on his chest. I know this spot. I can smell his skin, feel his chest rise and fall. Alive. The boy I was so afraid of losing is alive and walking. And he cares. About me. Emotion stings my eyes.

  His cheek comes down to the side of my temple. I savor the closeness, relish the feel of his arms around me. I memorize his whispered breath against my cheek. Counting the seconds, I pray for twenty. Or more than twenty. I get to thirty before Hayden says, “I’ll be thinking about you.”

  His arms fall from around me. I step back. Our eyes meet, hold, and I feel it, the connection I’ve never felt with anyone else.

  “Call me,” he says. “If only to say you survived. I’ll worry if you don’t.”

  Nodding, I walk back to my car. I get inside. The warmth of his embrace lingers. I look out the window. He’s still there watching me. Part of me wants to run back and hug him again. But I remember my appointment with Dad.

  I start my car. When I pull out, I see a candy-apple-red Honda parked across the street. And I recognize who’s in the driver’s seat—recognize who’s staring at me. Brandy.