Page 35 of One Chance to Stay
His eyes narrowed as we returned to our usual roles.
“Email? Handwritten letter delivered by courier?”
“Quit while you’re ahead.”
I caught the upturn of his lip. I scaled the fortress walls, and there was no going back. He grabbed my shoulder, turned me around, and gave a little shove. He could go back to his grumpy, reserved self, but I had seen it. A smile. Joy. Hope. Now I needed to deliver and help that spark turn into a fire.
“Smoke signal,” I yelled as I exited the store.
ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT
“Let me get your bags.” I stood in the doorway, confused by the unfamiliar faces. Evelyn gestured for me to come inside. “Come or go, but shut the door. Stop heating the whole town.”
I shimmied my way past the luggage, shutting the door. I didn’t recognize visitors, but if they were staying at Valhalla, I had to assume they were from out of town.
“Nice to meet you.” The woman’s pink sweater would make it impossible to lose her in a snowstorm. The matching hat completed the outfit. But it was the smile that stood out. Based on the laugh lines, this might be her default state. She quickly took my hand, shaking it.
“I’m Paula, and this is Ben.”
He provided a firm grip, almost tight enough that he might be overcompensating. Like his wife, his smile remained a permanent fixture. It became infectious, and I found myself smiling as Evelyn hoisted a suitcase over her back.
“They’re here for the wedding.”
“Wedding?”
Evelyn’s eyes rolled back. “You know, for the bachelor party you worked at?”
“We decided to make a vacation of it.” Paula sounded as if she had been built around a bundle of excitement. “It’s the first time we’re all together since Jackson went off to college. And Walter, he’s a peach.”
Peach? It wasn’t the first word that came to mind. Goof, maybe. A chaotic force of laughter? I had flashes of doing shots with him as he told stories of the war. Thinking about it made my head ache.
“Will we see you at the wedding?”
Evelyn answered for me. “Of course. Everybody in Firefly will be there.”
“But my stay?—”
Evelyn jabbed me, a perfectly executed attack between ribs. Jon had my sympathies. “We’ll talk about extending your stay later.” She leaned close to my ear. “When you agree to do me a favor.”
I’m sure work would give me a few more days. Missing tipsandpaying for extra days in Valhalla? I’d have to look at my bank account before I decided. When I caught her mouthing, “Please,” I felt we’d be able to strike a deal. If anything, it gave me more time to charm the pants off a certain man. Figuratively speaking… mostly.
“Let me show you to your suite on the third floor.” She climbed halfway up the stairs. “Patrick, would you mind entertaining Jackson? I’m almost done prepping his room.”
Had I become an employee? I demanded a bellhop uniform. If I had learned anything in Firefly, it’s that the community is what made this town work. “For you?” I made a heart over my chest. “Anything.”
As she dragged suitcases upstairs, I turned my attention to the young gentleman sitting in the living room. He had his nose buried in his phone, his eyes glued to a video.
“Jackson?” He glanced up, tucking away his phone. He had manners. Bravo to his parents. “Welcome to Firefly? First time here?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I’m told we visited when I was real young.”
“How do your parents know Walter?” It was the nicest way to ask why they weren’t like every other person at the bachelor party.
“My grandfather served with him.” A-ha. That made sense. “They kept in touch. I think he’s my mom’s godfather or something.”
I sat down on the couch facing the young man. UMASS covered the chest of his gray hoodie. In New England, everybody had a piece of clothing with the University of Massachusetts logo. It at least gave me something to launch into the usual bar small talk.
“UMass, huh? How are you liking it?”
