The weather had turned colder today; typical Nebraska weather—cool one day, warm the next. Pulling his stiff hands from his woolen coat pockets, Levi opened the door to the diner, and the warmth washed over him comingled with the delicious aromas of freshly baked biscuits and bacon frying in the kitchen. Nodding to the waitress, he found a seat in the booth in the corner—his favorite place. It was hard staying to yourself in this town. Everybody knew everyone and everything a person did; it was annoying. Although, in his line of work, it did come in handy to know some of the things going on. He tried to quietly keep tabs on everything within reason.
The waitress walked to his table, a skip in her step and a cheery smile. It was a bit too early in the day for that as far as he was concerned. She smiled brightly. “Mornin’, Levi. The usual today?”
“Morning, Viv. Black coffee, two eggs over easy, an order of crispy bacon, and toast on the side.”
She jotted something on her order form, then offered, “Yep, the usual. Be right back with your coffee.”
She skipped away, and he took the opportunity to glance at her legs. She always wore shorts and tennis shoes when she worked. Her nail polish was always a different color and her red hair was always pulled up in some messy-looking do. She dressed a bit too young for her age—which he guessed to be mid-forties, maybe fifties—and she still maintained the vigor of youth. Whereas, he felt old beyond his forty-five years.
He frowned as he watched her briskly move behind the counter; she was a whirlwind of activity—smiling and waving—just a happy gal. He slightly shook his head as he glanced around the diner. The usual suspects were present this morning. Some of the older farmers gathered each morning to talk about crops, equipment, and to gossip about the goings-on in town. There was an elderly couple at the next booth, a couple of high school kids at one of the tables, a nice looking younger gal with long dark hair and a striking face at the table in the window, and a smattering of truck drivers at the counter. This week’s gossip was especially juicy because the Halloween Festival was coming up next week and that’s when the majority of the town’s shenanigans happened. As soon as you added a haunted house, zombie shooting, a kissing booth, and a tarot reader to a small town, things that normally didn’t occur began to happen.
It was sure as hell going to make his job harder this week. He hoped his new guy, Sage Reynolds, who should be arriving this afternoon—worked out. He’d started his security firm a couple of years ago, and he was finally starting to see some profit. Worried that profit would float away if this new guy and Chuck, his employee of about two weeks, didn’t get trained to take on some of his work, Levi heaved out a heavy sigh.
“Here’s your usual, Levi.” Viv set the steaming plate of bacon and eggs in front of him, his toast on the side on a separate plate, two pats of butter next to the toast, a little pot of apricot jam next to that, and she refilled his coffee cup. She seemed to have five arms, though by looking at her, you’d never guess she could carry a kitchen full of food in one trip through the diner.
“Thanks, Viv.”
“You’re welcome. Are you excited for the festival? It’s my favorite time of year. Ooh, and did you hear? We’re going to have a gypsy in town. I hope she can read my palm and tell me something good.”
In spite of trying to stay neutral, he chuckled. “What would be something good?”
“Oh, you know. Love, marriage, house with a picket fence, a dog—the works.”
“I find it hard to believe you don’t already have all those things.”
She smiled brightly and winked. “Not yet, and at my age, time’s a wastin’, but I’m still hopeful.”
He glanced briefly at her backside as she moved to the next table to refill their coffee cups. She sauntered back before he’d finished his eggs and checked on the quality of the food, quietly laid the newspaper alongside his plates, and walked away without another word.
He opened the paper to glance at the local goings-on and frowned when he saw there’d been another break-in at one of the farms. The locals had a hard time letting go of the old ways of doing things and private security seemed a bit uppity and unnecessary to some of them. They thought they knew about everything going on in this town and private security or security cameras weren’t something that was needed. Luckily enough, there had been new people moving into town as of late, and they were from areas where security cameras, microphones, and devices were necessary. That’s how he flourished. That and locals in the next town over—in York—loved his work.
He trained his ears on the old farmers jabbering next to him and heard them speaking of the break-in. Oddly, they had more information than what was printed in the paper. Food, clothing, tools, and some pry bars had been taken from Thomas Bennett’s barn.
Finishing his coffee, he watched the gal sitting in front of the window. She sat quietly enough, but she was assessing the crowd. He watched as she looked at each table and booth occupant before moving on to the next. When her eyes landed on his, a little jolt ran through his body; those dark eyes of hers were mesmerizing. She was petite of build, but intelligence showed on her face and in the way she held herself. She wore no makeup on her face and yet she was striking. Their gazes locked for a few moments, then she glanced to the farmers sitting at the big table next to his.
He tucked the paper under his arm and walked to the cash register at the end of the counter, laid the paper down, and pulled his wallet from his back pocket.
“Busy day ahead, Levi?”
“Yeah. I just hired a new guy to help me out and maybe train Chuck. Hoping it all works as planned.”
“Okay, good luck then. If you need a date for the festival, I might be available.” She smiled her brightest smile, and he couldn’t help but grin back. “Thanks, Viv, but I’ll be working the festival this year. TJ asked me to head up security around town.” TJ Bennett was the Mayor of Sapphire Falls and the oldest of the boys in the Bennett family. Levi had been surprised but thrilled when TJ called him about security.
“Well, look at you working with the Mayor and all.” She let out a low whistle and Levi blushed.
* * *
Sage Reynolds sat at the table in the window at the diner in Sapphire Falls. The last thing she’d wanted to do was end up in another small town like the one she’d just left. There’d be no prospects for jobs, dating, fun or anything, and the fact that small towns were nothing more than gossip holes and a place where fun went to die. Fifteen years in the Army meant she was ready for life on her terms.
She was fortunate, though, that she’d found this job. Her last email was a late notice from her credit card company, and she needed the money. Burying her father eight months ago, wrapping up his paltry estate and selling off his old furniture, record collection, and the fifty-seven Buick he’d restored was behind her now. She’d burned through her savings on her dad’s medical bills and medications before he died, so she had some catching up to do.
When the offer from LJS came in for a security position, she had no choice but to take it. They’d agreed to start out on a two-week trial and see if they could work together to get LJS through the Halloween Festival. She’d agreed simply because of the two-week trial. She’d continue to send out her resume in the meantime and get out of this small town for good and land in a big city, maybe Minneapolis. San Diego would be fantastic, and warm. She liked it warm.
Glancing around the diner, she noticed each of the customers sitting and shooting the breeze, all of them gossiping about someone named Mary Borcher and her penchant for booze. The haunted house seemed to be a place where folks went to make out. A ride on the Ferris wheel seemed to mean you were going steady, and if you got a kiss on it, it was serious. Small towns!
She glanced at the handsome man in the back of the diner, sandy brown graying hair—ex-military, for sure—rigid posture and constantly assessing the crowd. Loner. No wedding ring, quiet, and he liked to glance over the paper as he listened to the conversations going on around him.
“Can I get you something else, sugar?” The waitress was chipper and bubbly.
Clearing her throat, Sage said, “No thanks. But can you tell me if you have a bed and breakfast or a hotel in town?”
Viv set the coffeepot on the table and pulled her order pad from her apron. She wrote something quickly on it and ripped the page off, handing it to Sage.
“This is the bed and breakfast in town; it’s called the Rise & Shine. Austin Stone is the new owner and the place is clean and friendly. You should have no problem getting a room this time of year. Tell them Viv sent you from Dottie’s. It’s just the next street over.” She pointed with her thumb over her shoulder.
Sage glanced at the neat penmanship and the name, address, and phone number of the B&B. “Thank you so much. It means a lot to me.”
“Sure thing, darlin’. How long are you staying?”
Folding the paper and sliding it in her jacket pocket, she replied, “Two weeks.”
“Oh, well, you’ll be here for the festival then. I hope you’ll check it out; it’s so much fun, and if you don’t mind me saying, the single men would certainly line up for a kiss with you at the kissing booth.”
Sage blushed to the roots of her hair. “Um, I don’t think I’ll have time for kissing booths or kissing men, but thank you.”
“Never rule it out, darlin’.” Viv winked, and Sage held out her hand.
“Sorry for my manners; my name is Sage Reynolds.”
Shaking hands, Viv smiled sweetly. “Nice to meet you, Sage Reynolds. Stop in while you’re here and if you need a tour guide, let me know; I’m happy to assist. I get off work just after the lunch hour and have my afternoons free.”
“Thank you.” Sage pulled a twenty from her jacket pocket and laid it on the table. “Do I pay you or at the register?”
“Either is fine, sugar. I’ll be right back.” Picking up the coffeepot and scrambling to the register, Viv stopped to refill cups along the way.
Sage stood and pulled her duffel bag from under the table, pulled on her gloves, and hoisted her bag onto her shoulder. Viv came back and handed her change and Sage promptly pulled out the twenty percent for a tip and dropped the rest in her pocket. She made her way to the door, careful not to bean anyone in the head with her big duffel. Stepping onto the sidewalk, she inhaled the crisp air deeply into her lungs and let it out slowly. Everyone had been nice so far, but it felt stifling to her. It was going to be a long two weeks.
* * *
Checking into her new abode for the next couple of weeks, Sage glanced out the window onto Fuchsia Street and saw the back of the grocery store directly in front of her. Glancing down the street, she noticed quaint little homes, neatly trimmed lawns, flower baskets hanging from porches, and the top of the Ferris Wheel. She was near the festival grounds, so it’d probably be noisy here. Letting out a deep sigh, she turned and unpacked her duffel. She had half an hour before she needed to report to her new job. According to the email, it was located in the little building next to the Sapphire Hills Shops, opposite of Scott’s Sweets. It should be easy enough to find.
Tucking her duffel bag into the closet, she glanced at herself in the mirror, shrugged her shoulders, deciding she looked good enough for reporting to work, and made her way downstairs to begin her walk to LJS.
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