by Sarah Fox
I carried a plate of bacon cheddar waffles over to a man I’d seen in The Flip Side three or four times before. Prior to that morning, I hadn’t known anything about him aside from his name—Adam Silvester—but thanks to my chat with Ed and Gary earlier, I now knew he had once been friends with Wally Fowler.
There wasn’t anything about Adam that screamed or even whispered lowlife, but maybe I had a distorted view of Wally. Even if I didn’t, the fact that Adam had been buddies with Wally back in high school didn’t mean he was a bad guy. They weren’t necessarily friends any longer, and I couldn’t say that I’d always picked the best people for friends when I was a teenager.
As far as I remembered, I’d only ever seen Adam at The Flip Side on his own. While he was always polite, he kept mostly to himself, gazing out the window as he ate or reading the latest issue of the town’s local newspaper. That was what he was doing today, perusing the articles as he started in on his waffles.
I cleared up the neighboring table and carried the dirty dishes into the kitchen before delivering mocha mascarpone crêpes and blueberry crumble pancakes to hungry customers. I glanced out the window on my way back to the kitchen, noting that the rain had stopped and the sun was attempting to peek through the clouds. As I was leaving the dining area for the kitchen, the front door opened, admitting three new arrivals—two men and a woman. I didn’t alter my path.
Leigh darted through the kitchen door behind me, grabbing my arm.
“That’s him!” she said in an urgent whisper.
“Him who?” I asked as I set down two dirty coffee mugs.
“Wally Fowler,” Leigh said, keeping her voice low. “The so-called Waffle King.”
“He’s here?” Ivan’s question boomed across the kitchen. “Why?”
“I don’t know, but I guess we’ll find out.” Leigh hurried out of the kitchen.
I followed right on her heels, ready to finally meet Wally the Waffle King.
Chapter 2
I approached Wally Fowler with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. He wasn’t quite six feet tall and was on the hefty side. His head was bald on top, while mousy-brown frizz stuck out from the sides. His watery-blue eyes gave me an uneasy feeling, as did the oily smile that spread across his face when he noticed me heading his way.
“Wally the Waffle King,” he said, loud enough for everyone in the pancake house to hear. He stuck out his hand. “Are you the proprietor?”
I shook his offered hand but released it as quickly as I could without being too rude. “That’s right. Marley McKinney.”
His two companions hovered behind him, looking as though they wished they were anywhere else. The man was tall and burly with a short, dark beard and brown eyes that didn’t settle on any particular point. The woman appeared to be about my age. She had the same mousy-brown hair—though much more of it—as Wally, and the same pale blue eyes, making me wonder if the two of them were related.
“Chester and Vicky and I decided to come over and check out your little place,” Wally said, his gaze sweeping over the dining area.
Some of the customers continued eating, but most were watching the scene unfolding by the cash counter.
“Quaint, don’t you think?” Wally jabbed his elbow into Chester’s ribs.
Chester kept his expression neutral and didn’t speak.
I forced myself to smile, though I wanted nothing more than for Wally to leave.
“It was nice of you to stop by,” I said, doing my best to sound unfazed by Wally’s clear attempt to insult me.
“I’m sure you’ve heard that the Waffle Kingdom will be opening next week.”
“Yes.”
“You don’t mind a bit of friendly competition, hey?” He chuckled, and I had to work hard not to make a face at the grating sound. He addressed the dining room at large. “You’re all invited to the grand opening. It’s going to be a great event. Fit for a king!”
He laughed at his own joke, but no one else did. Behind him, Vicky’s face had flushed with embarrassment.
“You’ll get to see our top-of-the-line establishment,” Wally continued. “We’ve got all the modern conveniences. You’ll be impressed. This little town hasn’t seen the likes of what I’ve got in store for you.”
While a couple of diners appeared mildly interested, most had returned their attention to their meals, one or two with a frown. I caught sight of Adam Silvester across the restaurant and was surprised to see that he was doing more than frowning. He was sending a death glare Wally’s way. He must not have considered Wally his buddy anymore.
“We’ll have free samples available at the grand opening,” Wally went on, oblivious to the fact that few people were still listening to him. “And I’ll do a demonstration of how to make ice cream with liquid nitrogen. Sounds amazing, huh? I bet none of you have ever seen that before.” His self-satisfied grin stretched across the full width of his face as he gazed around the restaurant.
“That sounds fascinating,” I said, though I didn’t manage to infuse the words with any enthusiasm.
The kitchen door swung open and Ivan appeared, Tommy behind him.
“Aha!” Wally’s watery eyes fixed on Ivan. “You must be the chef of this little establishment.”
Ivan’s scowl was far stormier than usual, his dark eyes boring into the Waffle King.
“You’ll be interested in the demonstration,” Wally said to him. “Maybe you’ll even learn a thing or two.”
I barely managed to keep my jaw from dropping.
“You think I need to learn from you?” Ivan practically bellowed.
Everyone’s attention focused on us again.
For the first time, Wally’s pompous smile faltered, but he quickly snapped it back in place. “There’s nothing wrong with updating your skills.” Wally stood taller, but Ivan still towered over him. “When was the last time you cooked with liquid nitrogen?”
“I don’t need fancy tricks to make food taste good,” Ivan said.
I cringed when Wally chuckled. Ivan’s expression had become thunderous, and I worried that the situation might get out of hand.
“Innovation. That’s what people want.” Wally addressed the diners again. “Right, folks?”
Nobody replied, but he didn’t seem to notice. He also didn’t notice the daggers shooting toward him from Adam Silvester’s eyes.
Wally spoke to me and Ivan again. “I’ll tell you what. The two of you should come over to the Waffle Kingdom this evening. I’ll give you a tour, maybe even a sneak peek at my ice cream demo. Once you see me in action, I’m sure you’ll come to appreciate what the Waffle Kingdom can offer that this place can’t.”
Ivan’s nostrils flared. He reminded me of a bull getting ready to charge.
“You should leave,” Ivan said, his deep voice edged with steel.
Wally was about to speak again when Vicky grabbed his arm.
“We’ve taken up enough of their time, Wally. Let’s go.” She tugged him toward the door.
He shook his arm free of her grasp, glaring at her for a fraction of a second before smoothing out his expression. “Sure, all right. We’ll let you get on with…whatever it is you folks need to do.”
I could feel Ivan’s wrath radiating off him in fiery waves. I probably wasn’t giving off a much better vibe myself.
Vicky and Chester left the restaurant without another word.
As Wally followed, he waved at all the diners. “I hope to see all you folks next week. I think you’ll find the Waffle King reigns supreme.”
It was a good thing he disappeared out the door at that moment. Ivan had taken a step toward him, and I didn’t want to know what would have happened if Wally had hung around any longer.
When the obnoxious man was out of sight, I released a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.
“Well, tha
t was…” I wasn’t sure what to say.
“An experience?” Leigh suggested.
“That’s one word for it,” Tommy said. With a shake of his head, he returned to the kitchen.
Ivan was still glaring at the front door.
I rested a hand on his arm. “Ivan?”
He finally wrenched his gaze away. “That man is nothing but trouble.”
He strode into the kitchen.
Leigh grabbed the coffeepot and set off to refill some mugs. I had to give my head a shake before I could do anything else. The encounter with Wally had left me irritated and uneasy. I couldn’t help but believe that Ivan’s words were true. Wally seemed eager to show us up, to prove that the waffle house would be far superior to The Flip Side. That grated at my nerves, and I had to hope he wouldn’t succeed.
I pushed the Waffle King from my mind and refocused on waiting on my customers. As I jotted down an order at one table, I caught sight of my friend Lisa Morales sitting across the room, the only occupant at one of the small tables by the window. After I’d relayed the new order to the kitchen, I headed for Lisa’s table.
“Hey,” I said in greeting. “I didn’t see you come in.”
Lisa sniffled and blinked away tears.
Alarmed, my smile fell from my face. I put a hand on her shoulder. “Lisa, what’s wrong?”
She sniffed again and tried to smile, but she failed miserably. “I don’t want to cry in front of everyone. Can I go in the office for a bit?”
“Of course,” I said. “I’ll join you in a moment.”
She grabbed her purse and hurried off down the hall toward the office. I watched her go, concern for my friend erasing the remnants of aggravation Wally’s visit had left with me.
Leigh had disappeared into the kitchen seconds ago, so I followed after her.
“I’m going to be in the office for a while,” I told her. “Let me know if you need any help out there.”
“Everything okay?” she asked, probably sensing some of my concern.
“I don’t know. Lisa’s upset. I’m going to go talk to her now.”
Ivan’s gaze snapped up from the crêpe he was folding, but he said nothing.
I hurried to the office, worry for my friend quickening my pace. I shut the door as soon as I was in the room. Lisa sat in one of the two chairs before the desk, so I pulled up the other one.
“What’s going on?” I asked as I settled into the chair.
Lisa had gained control of her tears, but the sadness hadn’t left her brown eyes.
“It’s Wally Fowler.” Her expression hardened in a way I’d never seen before. “He’s a scumbag.”
“I haven’t heard anything good about him,” I said, “but I also haven’t heard any specifics about why he’s so unpopular. Did you know him before he left Wildwood Cove?”
She nodded and gazed out the window for a moment before speaking. “His sister, Vicky, was a year ahead of me in school, and Wally was about four years ahead. I’m not sure if he ever graduated, though. He got suspended more than once, I know that. He was dealing drugs by age sixteen, if not earlier.”
I thought I knew where this was going. “Does this have something to do with Carlos?”
Her youngest brother had been battling a drug addiction for years.
Lisa nodded again. “Wally’s the one who got Carlos into drugs. They’re years apart in age, but even after he left school, Wally used to hang around the grounds, dealing to the kids.”
“That’s awful.”
“It gets worse. He was driving drunk one night, with a girl in the car with him. He drove into a tree. The girl died, but he walked away without a scratch.”
The brief story left me sickened. “Didn’t he get arrested?”
“He did, and he got tossed in jail, but only for a few years. Lizzie Van Amstel is dead, but now he’s out walking free. And not only that, he inherited millions from a great-aunt last year. How is that fair?”
“Was Lizzie from Wildwood Cove?”
“Yes. Her sister still lives here.”
“And Wally dared to show his face again?” I wouldn’t have put much past Wally now that I’d met him, but that seemed even more insensitive than I would have expected from him.
“He’s strutting around town, acting like he’s better than everyone because he’s got money now. He doesn’t care about Lizzie’s family. He doesn’t care about anyone. And if he’s still into dealing drugs, if he’s going to get more kids messed up like he did with Carlos…”
I squeezed Lisa’s hand. “Maybe the waffle house will be a flop and he’ll move on before long.”
“Maybe.” Lisa didn’t sound convinced. “But with all that money he’s got, he can afford to operate at a loss. He probably would, just to spite those of us who don’t want him around. You heard him out there, Marley. He wants to show everyone he’s better than you, that his place will be more successful. He could end up hurting your business. You don’t deserve that.” Her hands had balled into fists.
“I’m going to hold on to the hope that he won’t succeed at ruining The Flip Side,” I said. “Maybe he won’t steal much of our business since he’s so unpopular.”
Lisa sighed heavily. “If only we could run him out of town.”
I squeezed her hand again and decided to shift the conversation. “How is Carlos these days?”
“Better,” she said with a hint of a smile. “He’s living on the Oregon coast with my aunt and uncle. He finished his in-patient treatment program and he’s seeing a counselor regularly. He’s even working some shifts at my uncle’s store. It’s been a while since he had any sort of job.”
“I’m glad he’s doing better.”
“Me too. It’s a relief after the last couple of years. Things were getting really bad. I don’t think he can ever move back to the peninsula, though. Too many triggers.” She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m sorry I got so upset.”
“You don’t have to apologize. It’s totally understandable that you’d react this way.”
She picked at the cuff of her sweater. “I guess we’ll have to learn to live with that lowlife being in town.” She got to her feet. “I should let you get back to work.”
“There’s nothing pressing I have to attend to,” I assured her. “You must have shown up for some lunch. Can I get you something or have you lost your appetite?”
“I did lose my appetite for a while, but I’m getting hungry again. Did Ivan make any of those delicious maple pecan sticky rolls today?”
“He did. And I think there are a few left. How about we go see? Yours is on the house.”
This time her smile was a bit brighter. “You’re a good friend, Marley.”
“So are you,” I said, giving her a hug. “Now let’s go find those sticky rolls.”
Chapter 3
By the time I arrived home late that afternoon, the early morning rain was a distant memory. The last of the clouds had disappeared hours earlier and the sun shone brightly in the perfect blue sky. My orange tabby, Flapjack, was eager to get outdoors when I got home, so I opened the French doors to the back porch. As he wandered out to prowl across the yard, I stayed up on the porch, leaning against the railing and gazing out at the gorgeous view.
I shivered despite the bright sun, the cold wind sweeping up from the ocean and cutting through my clothes. Despite the chilly air, I wasn’t ready to retreat indoors, so I stayed put, watching as Flapjack hopped onto a sun-bleached log at the top of the beach, peeking down at the sand now and then as he padded his way along the large piece of driftwood.
If not for the effect Wally’s visit had on Lisa, I probably would have all but forgotten it by then. I couldn’t erase the memory of my friend’s distress, and I wished there was some way I could get things back to the way they were before Wally’s return to Wildw
ood Cove. I didn’t see how that was possible, unfortunately. Wally seemed determined to prove that his waffle house would be a success, and I didn’t think there was much anyone could do about it except wait and see how things panned out.
I had no intention of taking Wally up on his offer to visit the Waffle Kingdom that evening. I had other plans, but even if that hadn’t been the case, I still would have avoided the place like the plague. Business competition aside, I found the man repugnant and had no desire to spend time with him.
Pulling the sleeves of my hoodie over my cold hands, I considered heading indoors until I heard the rumble of a car engine drawing near. I smiled as a door slammed and footsteps sounded around the corner of the house. I pushed off from the porch railing in time to see Brett jogging up the stairs.
“Hey,” he greeted, pulling me close for a kiss. “Isn’t it a bit chilly to be out here?”
“It is.” I slipped my arms beneath his unzipped jacket and hugged him. “But now I’ve got you to warm me up.”
“One of my favorite pastimes,” he said, kissing me again.
We lingered over the kiss this time, until a gust of salty wind blew my curls into both our faces.
“How was your day?” Brett asked as he brushed my hair behind my ear.
“I think I’d rather hear about yours.”
“Mine was routine.”
“Routine sounds much better than mine.”
“It was that bad?”
“Some parts weren’t great.” I took his hand and led him into the house, too chilly now to stay outside. “Speaking of which, I’d better text Lisa and see how she’s doing.”
As Brett shrugged out of his jacket, I told him about the visit from Wally the Waffle King and Lisa’s reaction. I tapped out a text message as I talked, sending it once I’d wrapped up the story.
“Poor Lisa,” Brett said.
“I feel really bad for her.” I left my phone on the kitchen table and filled the electric kettle at the sink. “Do you remember Wally from before he left town?”
“Only vaguely. I remember his sister, Vicky, better. I think she was only a year or two ahead of me and Lisa at school.”
