Brie had never forgiven herself for allowing Claire to go inside the haunted mausoleum that night. They had all been scared, but Claire was the sensitive one, the one least able to fend for herself. Brie had always been stronger and street-smart. Maybe she could have fended off the person who kidnapped, then tortured poor Claire. But Claire had drawn the marked piece of paper and had insisted on going through with the ritual. And she had gone insane as a result of what had happened to her. Claire was better now, even living at home once more, but Brie wasn’t sure she would ever fully recover. They may not have seen the legendary Leary’s ghost that night, but he’d cursed them just the same.
While Brie’s friends stopped by the diner periodically, they were all living vastly different lives now. Elizabeth was happily married to Cullen Ryan, and Kat had finally captured the attention of Jonah Ries. Brie was honestly happy for her friends, but she was a bit envious all the same.
“Hey, Brie,” Becca greeted.
Brie smiled back. “Hey, yourself.”
“Is it true? Was someone killed out at the firing range yesterday?”
Brie shrugged unhappily. “That’s what everyone is saying.”
“You didn’t see it happen?”
“No, thank heavens. I wasn’t there very long.”
“I heard Andrew Pierce was involved. Isn’t he the man who’s going to run against Mayor Thane?”
“Yes,” she admitted, reluctant to think, let alone talk about Drew. “What can I get you today?”
Fortunately, as the bell over the door continued to chime, she had little time to chat. The day stretched on, but at least she was busy. Brie collected dirty dishes from a vacated booth, pocketing a generous tip gratefully. People were still waiting to be seated so she hurried. As she turned around her tray struck a passing arm.
She tried to steady the load, but a glass tipped, splashing her with the remains of a soda and ice. Hands suddenly steadied the tray from the other side. Dishes clattered together. Total catastrophe was narrowly averted.
She looked up and her words of thanks lodged in her throat. Instead of dishes, it was her world that came crashing down around her feet. People, sounds, even the heat faded away as she stared at the man holding the other side of her tray. Pain splintered the fragile wall she’d erected around her memories.
He wasn’t supposed to be here. Not here in the diner. This was her part of town!
Andrew Pierce’s impossibly brilliant blue eyes stared at her in shock.
“Brie?”
The sound of her name on his lips raised a lump of longing at the back of her throat. Drew stood there and she couldn’t utter a sound.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
His incredulous expression made it a whole lot easier to swallow the emotions churning inside her. She sensed his pity and that steadied her. Conscious of the room full of people, she settled for a terse reply.
“I work here. What are you doing? Out slumming?”
Again fluttered unspoken in the heavy air.
Dusky red climbed his neck.
Good. How dare he come here now? See her like this? In her fantasies they met one day in Salem or Boston or some other big city where she was a respected attorney. She would, of course, be perfectly dressed and not at all troubled by the sight of the only man she had ever loved.
His eyes narrowed. She couldn’t help but notice that his thick black lashes were still tipped with gold—just like her daughter’s.
“I came to see if the diner still carries that incredible blackberry pie,” Drew said bitterly.
If he’d slapped her, she couldn’t have been more hurt. Her hands trembled and the dishes clattered, threatening to fall once more. Memories of sharing blackberry pie and long conversations with Drew were painfully raw.
“I’m sorry,” he said so softly she wouldn’t have heard the words if she hadn’t seen his lips move.
“Andrew?”
Long, slender fingers rested against the skin of his lightly tanned bare arm. Brie felt as though those perfectly manicured nails had stabbed her soul. She hadn’t realized Drew wasn’t alone. She followed the nails up the arm to the face of the lovely woman at his side and discovered there were two curious men at his back, as well.
“Hello,” the woman said in a deep, pleasant contralto. “I’m Nancy Bell, Andrew’s…publicist.”
“Really?” The back of her throat actually ached. “How nice for both of you. Trying to change his image should prove quite a challenge. Have a seat and someone will be with you in a moment.”
“Ouch!” she heard Carey Eldrich exclaim.
“What on earth did you do to her, big brother?” Zachary Pierce demanded.
Brie didn’t hear his reply. She pushed her way clear, the dishes rattling dangerously. Drew’s stare burned a hole in her back all the way out to the hot, noisy kitchen where she nearly collided with Lois, the other waitress on duty.
“Whoa there!”
“Sorry.”
“Hey, kid, you look awful.”
“Thanks.” Just what she wanted to hear.
“You’re supposed to serve that stuff, not shower in it. Let me have the tray. That headache’s really getting to you, isn’t it?”
At the reminder, her headache returned with gleeful malice.
“Would you do me a favor, Lois? Another party just came in and I need to go take something. Would you cover their table for me?”
“Sure, kid. If you’re going to break down and take medication that must be some headache. You want to go home? I can probably manage alone. I think we’ve already fed the town twice over.”
More than anything in the world she wanted to go home.
“Thanks, Lois, but I’ll be fine. If you’d just take the new table…”
“Sure. Why don’t you go to the office and rest for a couple of minutes?”
“I’m okay.”
And she would be. Eventually. It was just the shock of seeing him again like that when she hadn’t expected it. What was he doing here? Why here of all places?
And why did seeing him again still have to hurt so much?
She refused to hide. It wasn’t like she could change into someone other than a tired waitress. But taking a few minutes to wipe off the sticky cola and pull herself together wasn’t hiding. And running a brush through her wild tangle of hair was hardly primping. She didn’t bother replacing the makeup the heat had melted away hours ago.
She’d take a pain reliever and go back out front, hold her head up and do her job. She had nothing to be ashamed of. She wasn’t a lawyer, but she was an excellent waitress.
If only were the saddest words she knew.
She swallowed two pain relievers dry and leaned her head against the cool metal filing cabinet, closing her eyes. But that only sharpened the images from the past.
Drew, laughing down at her.
Drew, flirting with her.
Listening to her.
Hungry for her.
Kisses