Mountain Man Santa (Naughty and Spice)

Chapter 16

Chapter

Sixteen

STACEY

SIX MONTHS LATER

“ A medium soy latte for Marsha!” Suzy calls, setting the to-go drink on the counter. Pulling her eyes from the vast array of paintings lining the walls of The Human Being Cafe, the middle-aged woman with graying hair strides up to the counter to grab her drink, thanking us both.

I run the cash register today, and Suzy’s the barista. But it’s mid-morning, and things have quieted down enough that I grab a wet washcloth and lemon-scented soap to wipe down and bus tables. I’ve worked here for half a year now, and I can’t believe how the time has both flown and inched by. For all of the heartache and loneliness of these last six months, I’m no closer to understanding what happened between Jerry and me, let alone healing from the pain.

Suzy is young with pixie-cut black hair, glittery purple eye shadow, and a nose piercing. I’ve gotten to know her decently since last December when the Silver Fork closed for good.

Every morning, I walk by the darkened building, thinking back fondly to a time that seems like it happened centuries ago. Yet, I can still touch each memory with all five senses, as though it were yesterday. Doing so reassures me that Jerry and my love for him are real. But it comes at a grave cost as the bittersweet tangle of emotions overpowers me anew, making it tough to breathe, think, or feel anything beyond soul-grinding anguish.

The last time I saw Jerry was when he wordlessly dropped me off at my house after the blizzard. Tears filled his eyes, and he hugged me so tightly and kissed me so breathlessly I knew it was over…without any explanation, any hope of understanding the sudden change. I could tell by his actions and face that he was devastated, yet he let me go. No, worse than that. He pushed me out of his life…

And then, he vanished.

Hollister has never been the same, and neither have I. Looking down at my forearm, I trace the small heart with a tail that I had tattooed on my wrist as a reminder of everything Jerry and I were together for those magical few days in December. Everything since feels like a hollow shadow of life—tasteless, uninspiring, loveless, and bland.

Suzy calls to me. “Hey, Stace, Dee needs to see you in the back.”

I nod, heading in her direction and depositing the rag and cleaner in the industrial sink behind the bar. “Are you good with the register if anyone comes in?”

She gives a thumbs up, her face frowning with late teenager angst.

“Thanks, babe,” I nod. That’s Dee’s and my unofficial nickname for the moody young woman.

Copies of vintage psychedelic rock posters plaster the door to Delilah’s office. She has a collection of real ones jealously guarded behind glass frames at her house, which I’ve admired while stopping by her house to chat or hang out. The woman who used to fill me with jealousy now comforts me, one of my only lifelines to Jerry’s memory.

I rap lightly on the door and wait for her to call, “Come in.”

Turning the knob, I step into another world of elaborate artwork, bright colors, countless houseplants, and eclectic furnishings. Modern folk music plays softly in the background, and the redhead sits behind her desk, one to two rings on every single finger as she writes in a journal on her desk.

“Suzy said you wanted to see me?”

Her eyes widen, taking me in, and her face tightens. She looks nervous, an expression I rarely see cross her face. “Please have a seat.”

I take the high-backed Victorian chair, reupholstered in deep, rich turquoise velvet, sighing as I sink into its decadent comfort.

“What’s up, Dee?”

“How have you liked working here over the past six months?”

I shrug. “I’ve enjoyed it. Thank you for the opportunity. You get an entertaining clientele, and I enjoy working Open Canvas Nights.” My gaze drops to her silky purple and black floral top and the strings of one-of-a-kind chains around her neck.

“Yeah, those are fun.” She scowls, biting the inside of her lip. “I wasn’t sure how you’d like it here after the Silver Fork.”

“It’s fine,” I say, looking down at my hands in my lap.

“Do you ever miss the other place?” she asks. It couldn’t be a more innocent question, yet tears swim in my eyes.

“I miss everything about it,” I say quietly, wiping a tear from my cheek. “I miss everything about him, Dee.” I finger the tattoo on my wrist, trying to hold it together and utterly failing.

“I know,” she says quietly. When I look up, bleary-eyed and sniffling, tears shine in her eyes.

“The worst part is, he gave me no explanation…nothing. When I asked him how he could be so cruel, he said that cruelty was in his nature.” I shake my head, relieved to let anger gain a foothold so the torrent of sadness slows.

“And you and I both know that’s not true… Not remotely when it comes to Jerry,” she says.

“That’s right! Thank you,” I say, feeling validated. “It never made sense. It still doesn’t make sense, and yet here I am walking around with a massive hole in my heart.”

She presses her lips tightly together, her face conflicted.

“At this point, I just want to know if he’s okay. Anything…”

Delilah shakes her head. “And your brothers haven’t said a word?”

The room grows silent.

“My brothers? What do they have to do with this?”

She presses her lips firmly together. “Everything.”

How in the world does Delilah know my brothers? I shake my head, throughly confused.

The redhead continues, “I’m not supposed to tell you any of what I’m about to say. But I can’t live with this secret any longer. It’s killing me…”

I swallow hard. “What?”

“After the blizzard, Jerry got word that his brother Szymon was coming into town. He was terrified of his past catching up with him and even more worried about how it could affect you. I don’t know how much Jerry told you. But these are highly violent men…totally depraved and very happy to harm a man’s loved ones to make their point. So, he made a deal with your brothers to go undercover and infiltrate the Greenpoint Crew back East. Apparently, Szymon and those loyal to him were trying to make a resurgence despite their father, Casimir’s imprisonment. And they wanted Jerry back in their ranks…no options given.”

My face shatters with shock. “What?”

“That’s why he ended everything so abruptly. Because your brothers made him promise to break it off with you and never have contact with you again.”

I shake my head in disbelief, rage taking hold. “Wait, how do you know about this?” I ask, confused.

“Because Jerry may have agreed to their terms, but that hasn’t stopped him from keeping an eye on you through me… It’s why I insisted you come to work at the cafe immediately…even though no one knew whether the Silver Fork would reopen or where Jerry was. And while I can’t say I hear from him often, when he reaches out, he always asks about you first.”

“But why would my brothers do this to us?”

She shrugs. “Out of a misplaced sense of protection. What they don’t understand is that Jerry can protect you better than anybody. And he loves you so much, Stacey. It would be one thing if he moved on and didn’t mention you, or you got on with your life. But knowing the two of you are completely miserable has been so tough to watch… I can’t take it anymore.”

I ask breathlessly, “Is Jerry safe? When’s the last time you heard from him?”

“Fifteen minutes ago. He’s at Sacramento International Airport about to catch a flight back to New York City to deal with his mother now that arrests have been made.”

I shake my head. “Is he okay? How long was he undercover for?”

She shrugs. “He’s definitely been through the wringer. I don’t know how badly because he’s not one to complain. But I don’t know where he’s planning on going after this, and I’m afraid this may be your last chance to see him.”

“I have to go,” I say desperately. “Do you know when he’s flying out or which airline?”

“I didn’t ask about a time. But he said American Airlines. I’ll try to call him back and let him know you’re on your way. He doesn’t answer unsolicited calls these days, though.”

“Thank you.” I step forward, offering my hand, but she pulls me into a hug instead.

“Make sure your brothers understand I’m the one to blame for this. I can’t stand seeing you two apart like this any longer. Even if all you get is the final goodbye both of you deserve and need.”

“Thank you.” My heart feels more alive than it has in the past five days, and the thought of seeing Jerry again has my whole body buzzing.

She calls after me, “He really loves you, Stacey. So, please promise you’ll be careful with his heart.”

Turning around, I feel lighter and more free than I have in ages as I confess, “And I love him, too, more than I’ve ever loved anybody on the face of this Earth.”