Another Yesterday by Angela Christina Archer

Author:Angela Christina Archer [Archer, Angela Christina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Long Valley Press, L.L.C.
Published: 2020-06-16T16:00:00+00:00

EIGHTEEN

Rachel

September 1996

My pencil rolled off the desk, bouncing on the floor before it vanished under the filing cabinet.

“No, no, no, no. Ugh. Why did you have to roll under there?” While a part of me felt a little foolish for talking to an inanimate object as though it understood me or would answer me, I didn’t care. My annoyance somehow lessened the foolishness of it. I bent down, climbing on all fours as I lowered my face down to the floor to look for it while I stuck my hand under the cabinet, tapping my fingers around to feel for it.

“Oh, it couldn’t have gone that far. It wasn’t rolling that hard.”

Someone cleared their throat above me, and I froze.

Lord, please tell me that isn’t Luke watching me search under this cabinet with my butt sticking up in the air.

I glanced up, but closed my eyes; opening up only one as if the one closed would somehow free me from embarrassment.

An older gentleman—perhaps nearing his fifties—stared back at me. Nearly as tall as my dad, his face was warm and kind.

“Are you the owner?” he asked.

“Yes, yes, I am.” I pushed off the floor, rising to my feet as I wiped my hands to remove any dust. I should remember to vacuum back here. Next time I will. “My name is Rachel Grey. May I help you with something?”

He sucked in a breath and for a moment it looked as though his eyes filled with tears. Before they could stream down his cheeks, he blinked them away and cleared his throat.

“I’m sorry if I just barged in without knocking. I just thought . . . it’s a inn.”

“No, no, you’re fine. I think the only time I lock the door is at night.”

“I’m looking to rent a room. Are you open for guests?”

“Well, technically we aren’t. I mean, we can be open since we’ve had the necessary inspections and are allowed to take on guests, but I must warn you, I’m still renovating some of the outside.” I lifted my hands to motion around us. “I can promise you a clean room and tasty meals, but I can’t promise you peace and quiet.”

He chuckled and rested his hands on the desk. “That’s fine with me.”

“Great. Let me just get my book.” I moved a few things around on the desk, picking up different sets of papers until I finally found it. “Ah, here is it. How many nights are you looking to stay?”

“Um, I’m not sure. Why don’t we start with a week?”

“A week?” I penciled in the dates. “And your name?”

“Charlie Wil—“

“Hey Rachel!” The front door opened, and Luke stepped inside. He removed his sunglasses as he looked at the two of us. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You didn’t,” I said. “I was just checking this man in.”

“Oh, so you’re her first guest, are ya?”

“First?” The man glanced between the two. “I thought this inn had been around for years.”

“It has. A woman named Helen owned it, and then she gave it to my parents when I was about a year old.

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