“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Don’t be. She made her own bed. Both of them did.” His eyes ran over her slowly. “You’ve grown up. I like what you’ve done to yourself.”
She laughed. “Ten years,” she reminded him. “You’ve gotten some new muscles and grown a few inches taller yourself.”
He nodded. “You won’t hear a word of discouragement from me. I can’t say the same from my parents or sister. They’ll fight you right up to the end. I wouldn’t put it past them to sue you for control of this place.” He shook his head. “Don’t let them take it from you. Fight. I know you’ve got it in you. And Liza, well, she’ll come around, after she comes to grips with the fact that her access to unlimited income has to end.” He shrugged.
“Yeah.” Raven sighed. “So, about that. I’m having my dad’s old accountant take over. I don’t want to put your family out, but unless they start working, actually working around here, things are going to have to change.”
“Then change them,” he said with a smile.
“What about you?” she asked, worried to make yet another enemy.
“Girl, I’ve got a place to stay. I’ve been… seeing someone,” he said.
She raised her eyebrows slightly.
Cal’s eyes quickly ran over to the kitchen. “You’ll meet him soon enough, when the dinner shift starts. His name is Tim. He works here in the kitchen and wants to be a chef.” He shook his head. “During the season he’s a ski instructor.”
“That’s wonderful. So, your family knows then?” she asked.
He shook his head quickly. “No, they think I’m seeing… someone else. I know you’ve known for ever and, well, I think my secret is safe with you.”
“It always has been.” She touched his arm. “It’s good to be back,” she said suddenly.
“I’m glad your back.” He hugged her again. “Now, I’m off. My family doesn’t know it, but I have a part-time job down at an art studio in town.”
“Good for you.” She nodded. “Before you go, is there anything else I need to know?”
He thought for a moment. “My father’s mistress… happens to run the books for the resort.”
“Morgan Roche?” she asked quickly.
He nodded and walked away, waving over his shoulders. “See you later, cousin.”
By noon, she’d run into a handful of employees around the facility.
Liam Montford reintroduced himself as her uncle’s business manager. The middle-aged man reminded her of a retired lawyer. He was very careful in everything that he said to her and even wore a suit and tie. She scheduled a meeting with the man for the following afternoon, as he claimed his schedule was full for the rest of the day.
She met Eddie Mimms, a younger version of Montford, who claimed to be the manager of the resort. She didn’t know what the difference was, between Liam Montford and Eddie but figured she would find out the following day, since both men seemed to be too busy for her.
She ran into Rachelle Braun in the hallway. The woman had been running around, yelling at a few of the cleaning staff for smoking in the hallways.
So far, Rachelle was the only employee Raven had met that was actually doing any work.
“If you find some time later today, I’ll be in my uncle’s office. I’d like to sit down and have a quick chat,” Raven had requested.
The woman had smiled and nodded. “Will after lunch work out?”
“Perfectly. Thank you.”
The woman practically sprinted down the hallway to finish talking to the cleaning crew.
Deciding she needed a break and that it was time to face the rest of the music, she headed into town for lunch.
Parking in front of the Cannon Falls Diner brought back so many memories. Her hands gripped the wheel tightly, and she had to breathe through another panic attack.
The diner hadn’t changed a bit. The same neon sign hung over the old wood-sided building that sat just on the edge of town. Its outlying location had saved it from the fate the rest of the buildings in town had paid.
It took her almost ten minutes to build up the guts to walk into the diner. Just watching townspeople come and go added to her nerves, people she vaguely remembered or wondered if she should remember.
Finally, she took a deep breath, climbed out of her car, and walked inside.
Instantly, her eyes scanned the familiar surroundings.
“I thought you were going to sit in there forever,” a deep voice said directly behind her as she stepped inside.
Turning, she saw Cade sitting on a barstool by the front door.
She’d been so nervous, she hadn’t even seen him. From his position, he must have been able to clearly see her sitting in the car. She kicked herself for not parking further away.
When he motioned to the stool next to his, she tried to think of a reason not to join him.
Then a loud piercing squeal filled the diner. She jumped and spun around.
“Raven!” Darby Nabers, one of Raven’s best friends, rushed towards her and engulfed her in a tight hug.
Darby, or Darb, had been a steady friend most of Raven’s life. The bubbly, energetic blonde had been like Phoebe from Friends in their group. Carrie Edwards had been their Monica. Which left Raven as the Rachel in the group. Well, they’d been a lot younger back then.
She’d kept in contact with Darby and Carrie over the years, though not by her doing. Darby was the kind of person that just wouldn’t let go. Like cling wrap, she tended to stick to you.
After Raven had moved in with her grandmother, Darby had hunted her down and, ever since then, they’d texted one another on an almost weekly basis.
She knew everything about her friends’ lives. Darby still ran her family’s diner with her dad, Steve. Her mother, Barb, had died in the fire ten years ago, which was one of the reasons Raven found it hard to stay in contact with her friend. But Darby had made it perfectly clear that she didn’t blame Raven for her mother’s death. And, after ten years, Raven believed her.
Carrie had started her very own travel guide newspaper a few years ago. Her online version was more popular than the paper one that went out once a week. She mainly talked about current world affairs or places she’d traveled to. Both Darby and Raven believed the small town was holding their friend back from greatness. But Carrie loved the lifestyle in Cannon Falls and took several long trips each year to exotic places.
“You’re here. You’re really here,” Darby said, spinning her around.
Laughing, Raven stopped her from knocking a few customers over.
“I am,” she agreed.
Then Darby dropped her hands and narrowed her eyes. “I’m mad at you.” She pointed a finger into Raven’s face. “You didn’t tell me you were coming.”
“Sure I did.”
“You said you were thinking about it. Thinking. You didn’t say, ‘I’m coming.’” She shook her head. “Oh!” She pulled out her phone. “I have to tell Carrie you’re here.” She shot off a text. “The three musketeers are back together.” She held up her hand, and Raven lifted hers as well in the friends’ salute as she laughed. “Sit.” She pushed Raven into the stool next to Cade, taking the decision to sit somewhere else away from her. “I’ll get you your favorite.” She quickly disappeared.