Disturbed Mind (A Grace Ellery Romantic Suspense Series Book 2) by Charlotte Raine Page A
Authors: Charlotte Raine
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got reservations for three months beforehand…and we thought we left a candle burning in the living room?”
“I remember that I had to run back home while you had to stall the waiter,” I say, smiling at the memory. “I don’t think I’ve run so fast in my life…and the candle wasn’t even burning. I don’t think we ever actually lit it that day.”
“And I had to convince the waiter that you were talking on your cell phone right outside the restaurant the whole time so we didn’t lose our table. We were crazy, weren’t we?” she asks. “Those were good times.”
“I agree,” I glance back at my John Doe. At least they were simpler times.
“Are you doing okay?” she asks. I force a smile, turning back to her.
“Yeah, I’m great.”
“Really? Because I’ve known you for a long time and I know you’re faking a smile when your eyes don’t have those crow’s feet next to them.”
“I don’t have crow’s feet,” I say. “I’m not that old yet.”
“You don’t have them when you’re upset,” she says. She snaps the folder shut. “So, tell me what’s going on. I’m a really good listener. I went to therapy for three years, so I know how to listen like a therapist.”
She leans forward onto a nearby gurney, rests her chin on her hand, and stares intently at me.
“Nothing is wrong.”
“You’re a terrible liar,” she says. “Do you kiss Grace with those lying lips?”
I hesitate. She notices, standing straight up. I can’t remember the last time Grace and I kissed. It had to have been a few days ago. Right?
“What happened?” she asks. “Did she cheat? I can’t see you cheating. You’re too much of a Boy Scout, but Grace…I could see her hooking up with a gym teacher. Or the principal.”
“She did not cheat,” I say firmly. “It’s…I wanted more commitment from her a few months ago and she…didn’t want to go that far. So, it’s been a bit awkward ever since. I know it’s my fault because I should be able to accept her rejection and I understand she’s had a lot to struggle within the last few years…but it doesn’t change my feelings. I’m hoping everything will straighten itself out eventually.”
“Look at you, Samuel Meadows, actually sharing his feelings,” she teases. “Grace certainly changed you. But you should know…things generally don’t straighten themselves out. They certainly don’t straighten themselves out after months have passed by. I mean, if the world worked like that, you would have sold the house by now. Maybe that’s a sign. Maybe the gods are telling you both that the house shouldn’t be sold because Grace should still live there.”
“Grace can’t go back there,” I tell her. “She has issues with the family that lives there.”
Alicia shrugs. “They could move out.”
“They won’t.”
“Sam,” she says, putting her hand on my shoulder. “You need to think about yourself sometimes. You can’t be superman all of the time. If the relationship isn’t going to work out, you should call it quits.”
“It’s going to work out,” I say. “I love her.”
She inhales sharply then exhales as if she were performing a three-second meditation. “Well, why don’t you think about what I said and look through the folder—seriously consider it because the amount of money you spend on paint and decorations will be paid back by selling the house—and I am going to go because that death smell is getting to me. I may not be able to eat for the rest of the day…which wouldn’t be a bad thing because I’m trying to lose a few pounds.”
She turns on her heel and I watch her walk toward the door. She opens it and the light from the hallway pools inside the morgue.
“Alicia,” I call out. She glances back at me. “I think you look great. You don’t need to lose weight.”
She smiles, flashing her perfect, straight teeth. “That’s sweet of you, Sam, but it’s not about how I look on the outside right
“I remember that I had to run back home while you had to stall the waiter,” I say, smiling at the memory. “I don’t think I’ve run so fast in my life…and the candle wasn’t even burning. I don’t think we ever actually lit it that day.”
“And I had to convince the waiter that you were talking on your cell phone right outside the restaurant the whole time so we didn’t lose our table. We were crazy, weren’t we?” she asks. “Those were good times.”
“I agree,” I glance back at my John Doe. At least they were simpler times.
“Are you doing okay?” she asks. I force a smile, turning back to her.
“Yeah, I’m great.”
“Really? Because I’ve known you for a long time and I know you’re faking a smile when your eyes don’t have those crow’s feet next to them.”
“I don’t have crow’s feet,” I say. “I’m not that old yet.”
“You don’t have them when you’re upset,” she says. She snaps the folder shut. “So, tell me what’s going on. I’m a really good listener. I went to therapy for three years, so I know how to listen like a therapist.”
She leans forward onto a nearby gurney, rests her chin on her hand, and stares intently at me.
“Nothing is wrong.”
“You’re a terrible liar,” she says. “Do you kiss Grace with those lying lips?”
I hesitate. She notices, standing straight up. I can’t remember the last time Grace and I kissed. It had to have been a few days ago. Right?
“What happened?” she asks. “Did she cheat? I can’t see you cheating. You’re too much of a Boy Scout, but Grace…I could see her hooking up with a gym teacher. Or the principal.”
“She did not cheat,” I say firmly. “It’s…I wanted more commitment from her a few months ago and she…didn’t want to go that far. So, it’s been a bit awkward ever since. I know it’s my fault because I should be able to accept her rejection and I understand she’s had a lot to struggle within the last few years…but it doesn’t change my feelings. I’m hoping everything will straighten itself out eventually.”
“Look at you, Samuel Meadows, actually sharing his feelings,” she teases. “Grace certainly changed you. But you should know…things generally don’t straighten themselves out. They certainly don’t straighten themselves out after months have passed by. I mean, if the world worked like that, you would have sold the house by now. Maybe that’s a sign. Maybe the gods are telling you both that the house shouldn’t be sold because Grace should still live there.”
“Grace can’t go back there,” I tell her. “She has issues with the family that lives there.”
Alicia shrugs. “They could move out.”
“They won’t.”
“Sam,” she says, putting her hand on my shoulder. “You need to think about yourself sometimes. You can’t be superman all of the time. If the relationship isn’t going to work out, you should call it quits.”
“It’s going to work out,” I say. “I love her.”
She inhales sharply then exhales as if she were performing a three-second meditation. “Well, why don’t you think about what I said and look through the folder—seriously consider it because the amount of money you spend on paint and decorations will be paid back by selling the house—and I am going to go because that death smell is getting to me. I may not be able to eat for the rest of the day…which wouldn’t be a bad thing because I’m trying to lose a few pounds.”
She turns on her heel and I watch her walk toward the door. She opens it and the light from the hallway pools inside the morgue.
“Alicia,” I call out. She glances back at me. “I think you look great. You don’t need to lose weight.”
She smiles, flashing her perfect, straight teeth. “That’s sweet of you, Sam, but it’s not about how I look on the outside right
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