A Reason to Run (The Camdyn Series Book 1)

by Christina Coryell

  “Hold up… Where were you eating breakfast, and who the heck is Artie?”

  “Cole’s aunt runs a bed and breakfast; that’s where he took me last night when I was lost,” I explained, looking out my window where another car had pulled up, the elderly lady inside staring at me quizzically. “So I was there eating breakfast, and Cole showed up with the guys he works with, and they turned on the TV.”

  “Okay, you’re having breakfast with the perfect guy, what’s the problem?”

  “The problem is, all of a sudden there is Peter on the screen, and then they are talking about me as though I’m some kind of murderer or something, and they said my name and showed my picture…”

  “Oh, no… I was afraid you might have seen that.”

  “You mean you saw it too? Ugh, I can’t even imagine all the people that saw it! Cole couldn’t get out of my presence fast enough! Now I have to stay there until the end of the week because I promised I would, so she would clean out the extra bedroom. And Rosalie has been so nice to me, and I had to go and steal her picture. I am a terrible, terrible person Trina!”

  The elderly lady was standing outside my window now, looking in at me. She tapped on the glass and asked me if I was okay. I gave her the thumbs up sign and the biggest smile I could muster, and she finally walked into the library.

  “You are not a terrible person, and whatever you took, just put it back.”

  “I don’t think I want to put it back. It’s a picture of Cole, in his firefighter’s uniform.”

  “Let me get this straight: You got rescued by a hot firefighter, and this is a problem how?”

  “I’m pretty sure he hates me,” I muttered. The elderly lady was looking out the library window now. She had recruited another woman, and they were pointing at me and talking. I gave her the thumbs up sign again, and she waved.

  “Well, don’t do anything silly until you find out for sure,” she told me. “Honestly Cam, you are such a mess sometimes!”

  “That’s what I always tell you, but you usually try to convince me otherwise.” She laughed, and then let out a huge sigh.

  “I love you. I’m glad you’re okay. I gotta go now.”

  “Okay, Trina. Love you,” I said before I hung up.

  Now I could go into the library so those ladies could get a good look at me – and at least their conversation about the crazy girl from out of town would be somewhat accurate.

  -§-

  The library looked like it might be a promising start, once I was able to get away from all the little old ladies who wanted to know who I was and what I was doing. The librarian was following me around, too, so I tried to be as friendly as possible, in case I needed her help. I was able to find bits and pieces about Willa, but nothing noteworthy yet. Still, anything was a start, I supposed.

  When I was finished, I drove back to the bed and breakfast. Rosalie was outside messing around in her flowerbed. She asked me about dinner, and I told her not to make a big fuss on my account. I didn’t mention that I might have plans.

  I spread my research out on my bed and propped open my laptop. I had changed clothes before going to the library, so I was ready if and when Cole showed up. Immersing myself in Willa’s world for a while seemed like the best solution, so I desperately tried to stop thinking about myself. I had worked myself up to the point where she was on the wagon headed to Tennessee, even though I still didn’t have that crucial piece of information about why she left in the first place. Maybe it would come in time.

  One eye was constantly on my phone so I would know what time it was, since I couldn’t tell from looking outside, as it had started raining again. Eventually, I emerged from my room and went looking for Rosalie. I found her sitting on the couch, watching Wheel of Fortune. She told me she had everything to make sandwiches in the fridge, if that was okay. She also told me that my clothes from the night before were dry in the laundry room, if I wanted to take them back.

  Wondering if Cole was going to show, I quietly made myself a sandwich and sat alone, watching the television over Rosalie’s shoulder. She turned around every so often to make a comment about what she was watching, but I honestly wasn’t paying much attention. Eventually I made my way over to the couch, too.

  By the time eight o’clock rolled around, it was obvious that Cole was not coming. I suppose I knew in my heart that he wouldn’t show up, but I was still holding out a little hope. To think, I had imagined that this would be the best day ever!

  I told Rosalie that I was going to work on my writing some more, and then turn in. Making a quick stop in the laundry room on my way, I happened to see Cole’s Poison t-shirt sitting on a shelf near the laundry detergent. I gathered my things and slipped his shirt on top of my stack.

  Yes, my thievery had increased from photos to articles of clothing. Was I ashamed? Possibly, but not enough to put it back, especially once the scent of it wafted up into the air and I realized it smelled exactly the way Cole had the night before.

  Retreating into my room, I slipped on some pajamas and worked on my laptop for a couple more hours. Eventually, I decided to call it a night.

  I feel it necessary to add that I might have slept with the Poison t-shirt on my pillow.

  And I might have cried, just a little.

  Chapter Five

  Wednesday morning’s sun greeted me much the way Tuesday’s had, but this time I groaned and pulled the covers over my head. Nothing could atone for the bleakness of last night’s solitude, compounded by the fact that I woke up with the Poison t-shirt half wrapped around my head, as though Cole himself was trying to smother me in my sleep. Even so, I was determined not to let my mood be determined by a guy who stood me up.

  He had stood me up, after all, regardless of whether he thought he had good reason.

  Setting off for a morning jog was one of the last things on my mind, but I needed to clear my head. Besides, if I was going to stay with Rosalie very long, I needed to burn off all those breakfast calories she was going to guilt me into consuming.

  I decided to run in the same direction as I had the previous day, but this time when I came to the low water crossing, I wanted to see what was just past the next curve in the road. As I passed a gravel road and a small farmhouse, I started to think about Charlie and Trina. If I wasn’t so impulsive and headstrong I would have taken Trina’s advice and stayed near them, especially with the baby coming. I could have come up with a good enough storyline for Willa – I did have an imagination, after all.

  Soon the thoughts in my head were tumbling out much faster than the pavement was whizzing by, and I lost all track of time. When I finally thought to look at my watch, it had been 45 minutes and I still hadn’t turned back. There was no way I would be able to get to Rosalie’s in time for breakfast.

  I pointed myself in the opposite direction and began walking. I really wished I could at least entertain the thought of moving to a hotel in Jackson. I could offer Rosalie some kind of payoff for the trouble of cleaning the room, and then simply go back to being completely independent, with nowhere to be and no specific time to be there. I worked best when I was alone, and what I needed to do now was work, partly because I had a deadline, and also because I could lose myself in the story. When I was lost in someone else’s life, I tended not to think as much about my own.

  There was no way to go to Jackson, though, without going back on my word. As my grandma used to say, “Your word is your bond.”

  And then there was the added factor that Charlie accused me of always running away. I did not want to prove him right, either, especially when he compared me to my mom.

  Bleh, I would not be like her, no matter what.

  No, I would stand and fight.

  What am I supposed to be fighting, exactly? Myself?

  Oh, who cares?! Stand and fight, you coward!

  I threw a couple of punches into the blue sky in front of me. (I might have asked if it wanted a piece of me, too – I was caught up in the illusion.) I then
took off in a sprint, bringing my pace to a slow jog after a short time. Deep in the activity of composing a new fight song in my head, I heard a horn behind me. I turned to see a red pickup truck, and as it came closer, I realized the driver was Jake.

  “You’re quite a ways from home, heartbreaker,” he called out the window. I stopped jogging as he brought the truck to a standstill in the middle of the road.

  “I lost track of time,” I told him, struggling to catch my breath. Sprinting probably wasn’t such a great idea. He reached over and pushed the passenger door open.

  “Hop in, I’ll take you back.”

  Part of me really wanted to tell him no, but I knew Rosalie would be finishing breakfast any moment, and I didn’t want to disappoint her. Besides, I had no reason not to like him, other than the fact that he was teasing me. If a guy as good looking as Jake offered me a ride, I should take it, I supposed. Now that I was really looking at him, I noticed that he had a slight dimple in his left cheek when he smiled, and that there were tiny specks of brown embedded in his blue eyes.

  Yeah, you should get in the truck.

  “Thanks,” I muttered as I climbed up and sat in the passenger seat. “Are you meeting at Rosalie’s today?”

  Please say no. I don’t even want to look at Cole right now.

  “No, not today. We only meet there on the days we work with Cole. Most of the time he is off doing his own thing.”

  “Oh.” Thank you, God, for that little detail.

  There was a toolbox sitting in the seat between us, and a large red thermos. He was listening to classic rock on the radio, tapping his thumbs against the steering wheel with the drum beat.

  “What are you doing today?” he asked, grinning at me. No way would I step out of this truck without him asking me out, I could already tell. At the moment, I wasn’t sure whether I minded or not.

  “Spending the day at the library,” I said. If anything would convince him I would not be an exciting date, it would be that. Part of me regretted saying it, almost.

  “I’m glad I ran into you, then,” he stated. “I’m working in town today. Maybe I could pick you up at noon, take you to lunch?”

  And there it is.

  Once the words passed through his lips, I started feeling a little panicky. This was Cole’s friend. What if they talked about me? What if we ran into Cole? The whole thing would be so…awkward.

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” I finally told him.

  “I had a feeling you would say that,” he added. “Don’t worry; it can be our little secret. I know you’re staying with Rosalie and she’s probably trying to set you up with Cole or something, so you don’t want to hurt her feelings.”

  “What!? Who told you that?”

  “I just guessed as much. Yesterday morning I thought maybe Cole had a thing for you or something the way he was acting, but then yesterday afternoon when I mentioned you, he told me he wasn’t interested and that I should go for it. I figured then it was probably Rosalie trying to get the two of you together. I don’t know why I even bothered asking, though, I should have known better. Cole is never interested in anyone. So, I can take you to lunch and no one would be the wiser.”

  Ouch.

  I can’t even begin to express how much that stung, the verbal acknowledgement that Cole wasn’t interested. I bit my lip as I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I was so grateful to see Rosalie’s driveway, I started to open the truck door before he had even come to a stop.

  “So I will pick you up at noon, then?” he asked as I slid out of the seat.

  Man, this guy doesn’t give up. And why should he, when Cole told him to go for it? Ugh, this whole thing makes me so…mad!

  “Yep, noon,” I tossed back at him, swinging the door shut and heading into the bed and breakfast.

  -§-

  While I was at the library that morning, it started raining again, which seemed about fitting. I was able to concentrate on Willa more, though, so there was some improvement in that arena.

  The first thing I did was mentally check off what I already knew. She had grown up as part of a wealthy family in Richmond, an only child since her sole sibling, a brother, died as an infant. She married her second cousin, and they had a daughter, my fourth great-grandmother. When the baby was eight months old, Willa’s husband was suddenly taken ill, and he passed away a few days later. Just weeks after that, she paid someone to take her and the baby west in a wagon, taking virtually nothing with her. As soon as she arrived at her destination in Tennessee, she married a young widower who had two small children of his own. From all accounts she lived a perfectly normal life after that, and they eventually added four more children to their family.

  The most intriguing question I had before was still there. There had to be some type of falling out with her family, because she was written out of her father’s will. What was the catalyst for that, and why did she leave so suddenly?

  There was another tidbit of information I had learned in the few hours of research here: The man she married in Tennessee, Robert Clark, had also come from Richmond, not that the fact necessarily meant anything. Also, I had discovered some documents that mapped out the location of the property they owned, so I marked all of that to investigate later.

  The two librarians checked on me often, an older, thin lady wearing round wire-rimmed glasses and a young woman who looked to be in her late twenties with a short asymmetrical haircut. The third time the latter checked on me, she introduced herself as Lily, pulled up a chair and asked me what I was doing. She talked to me for quite a while, the other librarian walking by every so often giving her dirty looks. Eventually, she must have felt guilty about sitting for so long, because she stood up and asked me if I would like to go to lunch with her. I told her I would like to, but I already had plans with Jake.

  “Jake?” she asked, sitting right back down. “I thought you’d only been here a couple days. How do you know Jake?”

  “I guess I don’t know him, really,” I explained. “I met him yesterday morning when he was working with Cole Parker.”

  “Well, if you’ve already met Jake and Cole, you’ve seen most of what we have to offer,” she said with a giggle. “I wish one of them would take me to lunch!”

  “You should come with us to lunch, then,” I suggested.

  “Oh, no, I wouldn’t want to screw up your date,” she stated adamantly, shaking her head.

  “It’s not a date,” I told her. “Besides, if they’re the best this town has to offer, why is it that nobody has caught one of them yet?”

  “It’s not for lack of trying!” she said with a smirk. “Jake is too wild, I don’t think anyone could get him to settle down. And Cole...he doesn’t go out with anyone. His mama says he’s just too picky.”

  “Well, that’s a shame, for your sake,” I teased her. The older librarian poked her head in and cleared her throat, so Lily stood up and went back to her work, waving at me on her way out. When Jake showed up a few minutes later, she winked at me and gave me a thumbs-up.

  We walked to the café across the street, where we were almost immediately the center of attention. Most of the people just kept giving me curious glances, but a couple actually walked up to our table to see who I was. One woman commented that I looked very familiar, to which Jake responded that I was a soap opera actress, and maybe she had seen me on daytime television. The lady informed him that she didn’t watch soaps, so Jake filled her in on the plot by saying that my boyfriend came back from the war to propose to me, but I had already fallen in love with somebody else, and it was too late. He told her not to worry, though, because the other guy was a really intriguing choice, and he thought things were going to get very interesting. He winked at me across the table then, and I seriously considered kicking him.

  Our waitress, on the other hand, could not hide her disdain for me. It only took me about five minutes to figure out that she was interested in Jake herself, a sentiment he did not appear to share. I mentioned
to him about halfway through lunch that I thought she was jealous, and he laughed, telling me that she was an ex-girlfriend. After that I was afraid that she had spit in my food, so I couldn’t eat. I don’t think Jake noticed, he was so involved in convincing me what a great guy he was. It took him practically twenty minutes before he asked me anything about myself, and other than telling me every few minutes that I was beautiful, Jake was definitely his favorite conversation topic.

  When he walked me back to the library, he slipped his arm around me and asked me to go out with him on Friday night. I had no desire to say yes, since it seemed that we had almost nothing in common. I told him I would think about it, but I had a deadline and needed to keep writing. He told me I couldn’t shake him so easily, and that he would plan on Friday night. After that, he kissed me on the cheek and then walked back across the street to his truck.

  I must admit, part of me simply wanted to like him out of spite. He was clever and attractive, even if he was a little conceited and self-absorbed. The problem was, he just wasn’t…

  But that didn’t matter anymore, did it?

  -§-

  That afternoon, when I returned from the library, Rosalie was busy at work putting the rooms upstairs in order after her deep cleaning. There were four rooms, all beautifully decorated in completely different themes. I found myself wishing I had been able to stay in one of those rooms instead of the dinky little bedroom downstairs, but after the trouble she had gone through to let me stay, I wasn’t about to complain.

  “We’ll have a full house Friday night,” she told me. “I’m catering a rehearsal dinner, and then several members of the wedding party are staying here.”

  “Rosalie, you didn’t tell me you were a caterer too!” I said with surprise as I tugged on one end of a blue fitted sheet, trying to pull it onto the mattress.