The Goodbye Café by Mariah Stewart

Author:Mariah Stewart
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gallery Books

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Ben was gone by the time Allie got downstairs in the morning. No surprise there, she thought as she made coffee. The mug she’d prepared for him the night before was on the counter where she’d left it, but it was empty. Had he really gulped down cold coffee before he left the house at whatever time he had?

She wondered how long he’d stayed. Surely not too long, given the cramped position he’d been in. A smile touched her lips when she thought about kissing him the night before—and it wasn’t the first time since it happened that she’d thought about it. He’d surprised her, no denying that. For one thing, who asks a woman if he could kiss her? Well, that wasn’t exactly what he’d said, but still. For another . . . who knew Ben Haldeman could kiss like that? If she’d known, Allie thought, she’d have kissed him sooner, and she wouldn’t have waited for him to ask.

The chief had been full of surprises last night.

But this morning she had work to do, so time to put away all that and take care of business. She was determined to finish the theater ceiling before the end of the week. She’d see if Ginger could take over for her at the café from seven until closing. Allie needed to spend some time looking for tile to replace the original in the bathrooms. She was hoping to locate a dealer close enough to drive so she could see the selections in person. She made a mental note to remember to ask Cara if she could use her car.

She looked out the kitchen window, drinking her coffee, thinking about the falls and the lake, the two things she wanted to see before she left Hidden Falls. The house was so quiet, with Nikki at her friend Wendy’s and Barney possibly at Tom’s, though she could have come in late. She knew where Des and Cara were, and for a moment, she envied them both for having found their place. Allie knew she was still looking.

The sound of the front door opening brought her to the hallway.

“Good morning, Barney,” she called to her aunt, who was doing a really good impression of an older woman trying to sneak into the house after a wanton night of sin.

“Oh, good morning. I was just . . . oh hell.” Barney sighed deeply. “I suppose you’re never too old for the walk of shame.”

Allie laughed. “Barney, no one cares if you spent the night with Tom.”

“Shhhh. I don’t want Nikki to hear you.”

“Nikki’s not here. She spent the night with her friend Wendy.” Allie turned back to the kitchen as Barney came down the hall. “Her last name is Dunham, by the way.”

Barney frowned. “I don’t know that name.”

“She’s from Kingston, so you probably wouldn’t know. Her mother’s name is Tess and her father is deceased, though I’ve yet to get that story. I spoke with the mother yesterday. She seems really nice. She took Nik and Wendy to the movies last night and the girls stayed at her house.

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