Curious, I looked at him to continue.
“It’s the same reason you built this clinic. You’d save the world if given the chance.”
I smiled. “I would. Everyone needs someone fighting for them. The way I have you.”
“And you always will.” Drake kissed my forehead, and I leaned into him, grateful for his strength.
I could hear voices talking in the room, but I couldn’t make anything out. Ten minutes passed, and one of the cops shouted Teagan’s name. It sounded like Roy. Hollis and I looked at each other and bolted for the door. Any remaining sleepiness dissipated immediately.
“What’s going on?” Hollis asked.
Both cops were knocking at the bathroom door.
“We began to ask her questions, and she said she needed to use the restroom. The door’s locked, and she’s been in there about ten minutes.”
Hollis grabbed his key and unlocked it. “Teagan, I’m coming in.”
He disappeared into the room but came back quickly. “She’s gone. Out through the window. What did you say to her?”
Already heading to the door, Travis yelled, “Nothing. We never asked our first question. Stay here in case she comes back.”
My heart sank. She’d been playing me all along.
Sometimes people didn’t want to be saved.
Chapter Thirty
Alexa
It had been a week since Teagan disappeared. Part of me worried about her, knowing she was one high away from death. Deep in my heart, I believed no one should be left behind. Everyone deserved a chance to be saved. Yet I couldn’t save someone I’d considered a friend. For as long as I’d known her, I’d only had her best interests at heart. Yet… she chose to stay ill.
For the rest of the week, I’d been in a funk. I felt like a failure. But I knew I had to keep moving forward and focus on what I could do to help other people. At the end of the day, Teagan had to want to save herself first.
I imagined she was most likely somewhere dead or close to it. Her vitals had been poor. There was no way her body could take much more.
Yet I kept hoping.
As each day passed, a little more hope faded away. Teagan hadn’t been back to her apartment. No one had seen her. After the cops had cleared the area, Kane had come to the clinic and had been able to track her to a road on the other side of the woods. There he found a second set of tracks. It wasn’t far—maybe a ten-minute walk at an easy pace. From there, the trail disappeared. It was likely the mysterious Sam had met her there.
But how did she know he’d be there?
I blew out a deep breath as I sat in my car outside the community center, unhappy about being there at all. I wasn’t in the mood to socialize. But, I needed to be since Drake was on the city council. More people walked toward the balloon arch. Colored spotlights faced toward the building, nearly transforming our plain, white meeting hall.
Tonight was the local Fall Festival. It was a celebration of the end of the tourist season. Normally, I loved the event. The townspeople came together to enjoy an evening of socializing before the harsh winter set in. After this, everyone would be consumed with preparations before the temperature turned frigid.
But this year, Raquel had taken over. Normally, it was a simple town event. I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be simple this year.
I got out of my car and walked to the entrance, smoothing the skirt of my simple black dress. The attire had said formal, but I couldn’t imagine anyone showing up in a tux or a ball gown. That wasn’t our town’s culture.
A couple of times that week, I’d called Raquel to talk to her about her selling her land to Milano Incorporated. Each time, my call was sent to voicemail. On Tuesday, I invited Mom to lunch. When I was already at the restaurant, she’d sent me a text saying she couldn’t come. Every subsequent text I sent went unanswered. It was like I was a stranger to my own family. An outsider to my own mother. At times, I felt like I had no parents left. When my dad had died, I lost everything.
It hurt.
A lot.
But I kept moving forward. I had no choice.
When I was halfway to the door, my phone vibrated.
Drake: Last-minute meeting ran late. I’ll be there in thirty. Need to stop by the Red Onion. It’s been a hell of a day with this Fall Festival.
Me: I’ll see you there. Love you.
Drake: Love you, too, Lex.
Maybe we’d be able to leave the festival early. Hollis planned to meet me there after he finished installing his new coffee machine that arrived that day. The Starbucks was going to miss him. Or not. I imagined he would probably keep going to retain his gold status.
I waved hello to the Twiner sisters, who stood near the door and spoke into a recorder. They normally described what people wore and what they did. Then they sent out the Twiner newsletter, which made it sound like we held some sort of huge gala with celebrities, when in reality it was just a laid-back, hometown event.
Devney joined me on the sidewalk. I said, “Hey there. How are you doing?”
“Okay.”
But she didn’t look okay. I touched her elbow. “What’s going on?”
We stepped into the foyer inside the main doors. The weight of the world seemed to be resting on her shoulders, but she looked adorable in her flowery dress. “It’s my mom. I just found out she has cancer. I’m going to get a second job to help with the medical expenses. She’s going to move in with my brother, who’ll take her to her appointments at the Mayo Clinic. He’s helping significantly, but I want to, as well.”
Devney and I weren’t close, but it was obvious she needed someone to talk to. “Oh, Devney, I’m so sorry. Where have you applied?”
“Just about everywhere I could think of. But tourist season is over, so there aren’t many jobs left. I thought coming here tonight would be a good idea, but now that I’m here, I think I need to go home.” Her shoulders sagged with the weight of her troubles.
An idea hit me. “Would you consider being a receptionist at the clinic? The job isn’t listed yet, but Hollis and I decided we needed help.”
She grabbed my shoulders as her eyes lit up. “Are you serious? But I couldn’t get there until noon. My classes at the high school end at 11:30. But I could move my music lessons to the evening.” Devney was a part-time teacher at the school. Due to our low population, a full-time music teacher wasn’t a necessity.
“Noon works great. The clinic is closed tomorrow for Labor Day, so when do you think you could start?”
Devney pulled out her phone, tucking her dark hair behind her ear with her free hand. “Do you think I could have a few days to get my music lessons rearranged? I might need this week if it’s not too much to ask.”
“Of course.”
“I’ll stop by Wednesday to get all the paperwork done, if that’s okay. My schedule is light on Wednesdays.”
“Perfect.”
Devney hugged me. “Thank you, Alexa. Thank you.” She walked back toward the door. “I’m going home. I thought I could do this tonight, but I’m not feeling up to it. I cannot thank you enough.”
“I’m glad it worked out.”
Before we could discuss pay, she was out the door. I couldn’t imagine what she was going through. Oh, my heart hurt for her. I had to remember to tell Hollis later. That was going to be an adventure all by itself. Maybe I could get him to believe the lovebug had migrated further north than Florida.
I paused as I stepped inside the community center. Things were more over the top than I’d expected. The normal wood walls were draped with shimmery fabrics. Silver and black balls were strung up to the ceiling. A full string quartet played soft music from the stage. They’d had to be brought in from either Juneau or Anchorage.
This was not the Fall Festival. Far from it.
Ol’ Man Rooster sat at a table off to one side, looking a little lost. Behind him was a three-tiered champagne fountain. He wore a suit jacket over his coveralls. He looked relieved when he saw
me and waved me to come over. It was going to be interesting to get his take on this circus.
Raquel had gone so far overboard.
“Hey, Rooster. How are you?”
He grunted. “Starving.”
His affronted tone had me chuckling. “Want me to get you some food?”
“Ain’t no way I’m eating stuff I can’t pronounce.”
I looked around the room and located the food table. Some of it, from what I could see, was barely recognizable.
He huffed. “Is it too much to ask for moose chili and a beer?”
An idea hit me. “I’ve been meaning to do a welcome to Skagway party for Dr. Fritz. I’ll ask the quilting circle to provide the chili, and I may have a connection for the beer.” I gave a wink.
He stood and hugged me. “If you were a little older, I’d take you from Drake and marry you.”
“I’d be careful saying that too loud. I met the other end of his fist once. And let me tell you, it’s not something I want to be reacquainted with.”
I turned to see Hollis dressed in slacks and a dress shirt. He held out his hand to greet Ol’ Man Rooster.
Normally, Ol’ Man Rooster was a little abrasive with new people in town. He wasn’t a fan of change. So, I braced myself for what he’d say. “Where’s your penguin suit?”
Hollis shrugged. “Never was a fan. It’s one of the reasons I came here. Alexa assured me I would never have to wear one.”
A slow, approving smile appeared on his face. “You might be an okay city slicker. I wasn’t so sure when I saw you going into that fancy-schmancy coffee shop. I thought you might be one of those guys.” Rooster nodded toward the front of the room where there were two men in tuxes. Must be Chazz and the brother I’ve heard about.
“It makes me a work in progress. Rome wasn’t built in a day. I guess making me into an Alaskan is the same thing. Hopefully, you won’t hold it against me too much.”
Rooster let out a loud, gruff laugh. “Come. I want you to meet my granddaughter.”
Hollis’s eyes widened, and he looked to me for help. I gave a sweet smile and patted his shoulder. “Have fun. I’m going to take a close look at the food table.”
“That stuff ain’t natural, Alexa. Green and orange eggs.” He shuddered. “Eggs are supposed to be white and yellow.”
“I won’t try the eggs. Promise.” The thought of green and orange eggs wasn’t appealing.
As they walked away, Hollis turned and looked back at me. I waved my fingers at him. This was payback for the week he’d been grumpy, almost insufferable, to me. As I made my way to the food table, I said hello to other locals. Everyone looked miserable. Everyone except Raquel, who stood at the front of the room, oblivious to the total flop.
Amie and Ike spotted me. “You look beautiful, Alexa. Where’s Drake?” she asked.
“Thank you. You do, too.” Her dark green dress made her eyes sparkle and flattered her blonde hair. “Drake texted me a little while ago. The city council meeting ran late, and he needed to run by the Red Onion first.”
Ike was in jeans and a button-up shirt. It made me chuckle that the people refused to conform to Raquel’s rules. Amie patted my shoulder. “This is definitely a change from the normal.”
“Yeah. Ol’ Man Rooster is fit to be tied. He’s missing the moose chili. I thought maybe I could see if the quilting circle would make it for Hollis’s welcome party at the Red Onion.”
“Consider it done. I’ll see if the church wants to do desserts.”
“Perfect.” The church usually did the desserts for the Fall Festival. Hollis would be a hero— the town would be getting their normal Fall Festival food at his party.
Amie took out her phone. “When were you thinking? I have to make a note, or I’ll forget to ask everyone.”
I stopped to think about it. “Well, with the weather, we probably should do it soon. How does next Friday sound?”
Amie bumped my shoulder. “Good thinking. With this flop for the Fall Festival, Hollis will be the town hero.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
Beside Amie, Ike grumbled, “I’m starving, and all this talk of moose chili is only making it worse.” This event was far worse than I imagined it would be with Raquel in charge. I knew I was counting down the minutes until I could leave.
Chapter Thirty-One
Alexa
The party dragged on. Seconds felt like minutes. From across the room, Jim Hathaway motioned to Ike. He was the owner of the logging company, and for years, he’d been my dad’s boss. When he spotted me, he didn’t wait for Ike to come to him. I felt a little uncomfortable. I’d always liked Jim, but it was his machine that had killed my dad. I pushed those thoughts aside as he approached me. “Alexa, it’s good to see you.”
It’s not his fault.
I kept a smile on my face. “You, too, Jim.”
“I know this is probably an inappropriate time, but I still have your dad’s stuff. Your mother never answered me about picking it up.”
His words were another knife in my chest. Did my mom love my dad at all? I wasn’t sure anymore. Mom had gotten pregnant with Raquel, and they’d gotten married a few months later. As time went on, it seemed they stayed together more out of obligation than love. My throat grew a little thick. “Yes, I’d love to get whatever you have of Dad’s. When would be a good time?”
“I’ll drop it off at the clinic next week when I come in.”
“Perfect.”
As Ike and Jim started talking deliveries, I excused myself and headed to the food table. My curiosity was piqued. When I arrived at the table, I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or gag at the offerings there. As Ol’ Man Rooster had said, there were tiny orange and green eggs arranged around some sort of foul-smelling brown stuff. Is this stuff edible? There was nothing recognizable on the table.
“You could at least look like you’re enjoying yourself,” my sister hissed in my ear, bringing me up short.
Putting on a pleasant smile, I turned to face her. “I was trying to figure out what the brown stuff was and why the eggs aren’t the right color.” It was childish, but I knew the comment would piss her off.
She smoothed her dark hair with a roll of her eyes. “It’s paté with fish eggs as a garnish.”
Yuck. That sounded disgusting. Ol’ Man Rooster was right; moose chili sounded good about now. My stomach rumbled, but I’d wait until later.
The two men in tuxedos stood behind Raquel, both similar in features and handsome. Their blue eyes stood out prominently against the dark hair.
The one to the right extended his hand. “I’m Chazz Hennington, and this is my brother Dixon.”
So this was my brother-in-law. It was an awkward introduction for someone who was supposed to be family. “Nice to meet you both.” Stiffly, I stood there for a moment before I realized they were waiting for me to introduce myself. “I’m Alexa, Raquel’s sister. Well, I guess I’m your sister-in-law. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“You, as well. Raquel, darling, let’s take our seats. I don’t want you standing in your delicate condition.”
Raquel and Chazz had begun to walk away by the time the words hit me. I grabbed her elbow. “Oh my gosh. Raquel, are you?”
Am I going to be an aunt?
For a second, I forgot our precarious relationship. However, my mom came up to Raquel and grabbed her hand, her eyes shooting daggers at me. “Come along, sweetheart. Let’s get you seated.”
“Hey, Mom.”
“Alexa.” Her eyes flicked down my dress, her frown disapproving. Next to Raquel’s sparkling, beaded dress, I looked like a homeless person. “Come, darling. Let’s get you some water and enjoy your party.”
Her party?
They walked off without another glance my way. I knew I should be used to this, but I wasn’t. I could become an aunt, but I might never know my niece or nephew. I wanted to have a loving family so badly.
“So, I take it you’re not a paté fa
n?”
I turned to see Chazz’s brother. He’d definitely dressed the part in his penguin suit.
Extending my hand, I remembered my manners. “Dixon, right?”
“Nice to meet you, Alexa.” Conspiringly, he leaned in closer. “Between you and me, if you haven’t tried the paté, don’t. It’s positively one of the most wretched things. And from the looks of things, the town agrees.”
I chuckled. “The smell alone made up my mind for me. We’re more of a crab, shrimp, and moose chili kind of town.”
“I had the chili for the first time this last week. It’s good. I can see why it’s high up on the list.”
One of the waiters came by with glasses of champagne on a tray. I took one, grateful for the temporary distraction while I got my emotions under control. After a moment, I asked, “How long are you in town for? I think I remember seeing your name in the newsletter.”
“Word travels fast in a small town. I’m planning on going back to California in another two weeks. Our annual business dealings will be done by then, and I’ll be ready to get back home. The hotel is nice, but I’m ready for a home-cooked meal. Or a well-cooked meal from my housekeeper, Mrs. O’Neal.”
Dixon didn’t seem like the type of guy who could do laundry or cook. But as I’d learned with Hollis, appearances could be deceiving. Well, Hollis could do neither, but he wasn’t a stuck-up snob. “Maybe you should stay with Raquel some. She’s actually a really good baker.”
He took a sip of his champagne and let out a sigh. “Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. It was best to leave, if you get my drift.”
“Oh, I do.”
We laughed, and it was nice to let the earlier encounter with my family go. Dixon picked up one of the crackers with some sort of concoction on top and popped it in his mouth. “So, I hear you came back to open a clinic. Brought your friend from New York.”
“I did. I’ll have to introduce you to Hollis.” I glanced around the room. He was still with Ol’ Man Rooster, but they were now joined by four of Skagway’s single ladies. Poor, poor Hollis. He was like fresh meat, which would be good for him. And I wasn’t done paying him back yet. “He looks a little preoccupied. Maybe later.”
Intoxicated By You_An Exposed Hearts Novel Page 16
