Page 45 of Forgotten Pieces

Trace snaps his head toward me. “What the fuck, T?”

I slowly back up, hands raised. “My bad. I was just looking for Ivy.”

I don’t even let them answer as I hightail it back to the diner.

“What do you think you’re doin’?” the girl asks me as I walk behind the counter to fill my cup back up.

“Pouring more coffee since I spilled my first cup all over me.”

She huffs. “That’s not what I meant. How did you have a key to get through that door?”

“I’m special.” I smirk then take a sip of coffee while I pull my phone out of my back pocket.

The girl starts pacing back and forth. “If Ivy found out I let you back there, she will fire me. She said ‘don’t let anyone walk through that door. I’m goin’ to get more sausage.’”

“She was gettin’ sausage alright. And I am sure a whole lot of it.”

“Good, she said we were runnin’ low.”

I snort as I take another sip of coffee. “Well, I am sure she is full now.”

The girl looks at me confused. “What?”

“Nevermind. I was looking for my sister. Have you seen her?”

“Who?”

“Raelynn,” I reiterate.

Her eyes widen like she finally put two and two together. “Oh. Oh, oh, you’re her sister.”

I nod.

“She isn’t in today.”

“Well, this would have been easier if you told me that in the first place.” I don’t even let her answer as I walk out the door, coffee cup in hand. To-go cups be damned.

I walk back behind the building and jump into my SUV and make my way to the bed and breakfast.

I park by the back cabin where Rae and Brooks used to live when they lived here and walk up the back deck and into the kitchen. I slide into a seat at the giant island as I watch my sister dance to Ed Sheeran.

She finally turns around and drops a sheet rack of cookies on the floor. “Holy fuck, T. You scared the shit out of me.”

I lean over the counter and look at the ground. “Looks more like cookies.”

She picks one up and throws it at me but I duck and here an oomph.

“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry, Summer,” my sister says.

“I heard a crash. I wanted to make sure everythin’ was okay,” she says in her sweet southern twang.

“Well, Tacoma just appeared out of nowhere.”

“Actually, I came in through the back door.”

“What are you doin’ here?” they ask in unison.

I look back and forth between the two. “I just wanted some company.”

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