The Noel Bridge

Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

A licia finally got ahold of the airline the next morning. Her original flight had been canceled, so she’d been able to change it to the following Friday. She also extended her rental agreement for the Tahoe. Being in Noel had shifted her focus, given her a different side of life to consider, and while she’d eventually have to face her life in Savannah without Bo, she wanted a little more time to avoid it.

So she’d decided to stay through to next Friday and get home just in time for the weekend before she had to go back to work that Monday. Doing so put her in Noel for Christmas, and she wasn’t sure where she’d be staying or how she’d handle it if Dean hadn’t shown up on his doorstep by Christmas Day.

At the moment, with Evelyn at rehearsals and at least a couple of hours to kill until she returned, Alicia sat alone in the apartment and nibbled on one of the gingerbread cookies they’d made the day before. She clicked on the TV and flipped through the channels, but nothing caught her eye. She stood and walked over to the window. The street below had piles of plowed snow on each side, the pavement beneath like a black stripe against the snow-covered ground. The apartment was just high enough to make out the wave of the tree line along the mountains. It would be a beautiful sight if she wasn’t worried Dean Whitaker was out in it. She went back over to the sofa and decided to text Leo to check in.

Any news?

Right away, she got a response.

Nothing. What are you up to?

She texted that she was at Evelyn’s while her friend was at rehearsals for the school’s play for the next two hours or so and she was going stir crazy.

Leo texted back:

I had another sleepless night and I’m in need of food and someone to keep me from falling asleep. Think you’d be up to the task?

She couldn’t ease his burden, but she could definitely be a sounding board. And his company would be nice. She replied that she’d meet him at Bridge Coffee and Tea in fifteen minutes. Then she wrote a note telling Evelyn where she was off to and pocketed the spare key her friend had left for her. She put on her coat and scarf before heading out the door.

Alicia crossed her arms to keep warm as she walked down Main Street toward town. It occurred to her how easily she’d been able to open up to both Leo and Evelyn. It was as if her past and present were colliding. Evelyn had been a connection to a happier time of her life, and she’d initially connected with Leo because they both knew about loss, but she also felt an element of hope when she was with him.

When she arrived at the coffee shop, Leo was waiting outside. He held up a gloved hand to say hello. She was clearheaded enough today to notice how handsome he really was, even though it was clear he was tired and under a lot of stress. She could see what the draw was with the ladies in town. When her eyes met his, something deeper than his surface charm seemed to connect her to him.

He held the door open for her and they went inside. Once they ordered, they took a seat at a table near the fireplace. The flickering embers warmed her.

“So what’s the latest from the sheriff’s office?” she asked, jumping right in.

Leo rubbed his eyes. “They’ve got nothing. They’ve been combing the woods, but haven’t had any trace of him, and the new snow has covered anything that might have given them a clue.”

“And you’re sure he hasn’t somehow managed to travel somewhere to visit anyone?”

“We don’t know anyone close by and no one has reported finding an old man.” A look of exhaustion washed over him. “It’s been too long… I’m starting to consider this a recovery operation and him no longer a missing person.” He was having a difficult time keeping himself together. “How many days do I go before I stop looking?” The last word caught with his emotion, and he cleared his throat. “I feel like I’ll never stop.”

Alicia chewed her lip, shaking her head. “I wish I could do something. I want to help. ”

A small smile formed on his lips. “You are helping.”

The waitress brought their plates of food. Alicia had opted for brunch, ordering the frittata and French toast, while Leo chose a sandwich.

“How am I helping?” she asked once the waitress had gone.

“You’re the first person I’ve actually gotten to know a little bit since I’ve been here. And it’s easy to talk to you. When you arrived that night on the doorstep of the diner, I was about to crack under the pressure of it all. But you softened the blow.”

Completely consumed by her own grief at the time, she hadn’t considered that she was helping anyone. And yet somehow she had. But he’d made her feel better as well.

“You did the same for me.”

His cheeks flushed and he offered her a wide smile, the sight taking her breath away. Then he tucked in to his breakfast, still pensive. His red eyes turned down to his meal.

“You need to sleep,” she suggested.

He took a sip of his coffee. “I can’t. The minute the search teams stop for the night, I’m out searching. The nights are the hardest.” He shook his head. “I don’t know why I keep going out after sundown. It’s too dark to find anyone. But my alternative is to sit in the house and do nothing.”

While knowing Bo’s fate had crushed her, Alicia couldn’t imagine the paralyzing feeling of not knowing.

“I’ve had a lot of volunteers helping,” he said. “They tell me to give myself a break, but what will I do? What would take my mind off it?”

“They’re right, you know. You’ll do no one any good running yourself into the ground.” An idea occurred to her. “ This is a long shot, but would you like to go with me to my friend’s middle-school play tomorrow evening? She said it’s only an hour and a half long, and it might give you a mental break.”

“I’ve got a couple of employees who can handle the weekend crowd at the diner… Yeah. I’d like to go,” he said, to her complete surprise.

“I hope it’s okay, but I invited Leo to the play tomorrow,” Alicia said when Evelyn arrived home.

Her friend lumped her coat on the edge of the sofa and dropped down next to her. “Of course it’s okay to bring eye candy to the play!”

Alicia laughed. “Seriously, I think it might help lift his spirits.”

“Yeah, good thinking.” She kicked off her shoes and folded her legs underneath her. “Do you know anything about him?”

“Not much, to be honest. We just sort of connected.”

“Well, it’s rumored he had a long-term girlfriend before he moved here, but his dad’s care sort of put a damper on things and they broke up.”

“I lost contact with people after Bo’s death. Life’s trials can put a strain on relationships that aren’t built on a strong foundation. But I’d never imagine losing someone I was close to.”

“Maybe they weren’t as close as he thought,” Evelyn said. She pulled the throw pillow from behind her and set it in her lap. “When he first got here, he was the talk of the town: eligible bachelor, newly single, independently wealthy… Remember Sheila Jacobson? ”

“The prom queen?”

“Mm-hmm. She asked him out, and he turned her down.”

Alicia sucked in a breath of surprise. Sheila Jacobson wasn’t used to hearing “no” back in high school. “How did she take it?”

“She hasn’t been fluffing around town since.”

“Oh, my.”

“Yet you’re getting hugs and he’s agreed to go to a school play with you. How are you doing it?”

“Doing what?”

“Swooning him? Have you been to the bridge?”

The question surprised Alicia, pulling her from the moment. “Why?”

“I wondered if you wished for a handsome suitor or something.”

Their collision that night floated into her mind. “We both know the bridge doesn’t have any powers whatsoever.”

Right?

“Yeah, you’re right,” Evelyn said. “I wished for something to happen with Andy Nelson and it never did.”

Alicia folded her legs under her. “Oh, I forgot you had a crush on him.”

“I still do,” Evelyn said, her cheeks growing rosy. “I think he might feel the same, but we just can’t get our timing right.” She put her feet on the coffee table, crossing her legs at the ankle. “I have to admit that I wished for him inside the bridge.”

“And nothing happened?” Alicia asked.

“Nothing yet!”

The thing Alicia loved most about Evelyn was her optimism.

“I’m leaning toward a seven-letter word,” Evelyn said as she set letter tiles on the board of the old game of Scrabble that was spread out between them on the coffee table that evening.

“Don’t tell me that,” Alicia said with a laugh as she picked up her glass of wine.

“Why not? You wouldn’t actually let me win, would you? You always manage to win.”

Alicia rearranged her letters. “How do you even still have this game?” she asked before building on a word in front of her.

“I have all the games we used to play.” Evelyn drew her tiles and pumped her fist.

Though unwilling to spend too much mental time back in Savannah, Alicia couldn’t think of a single board game in her condo. Where had they all gone? Bo hadn’t enjoyed board games. He was always on the move, gravitating to social activities and traveling. Even when he came over to their condo, they spent their time having long conversations and philosophical debates. But there was a nostalgia to doing this that centered her. She imagined what it would be like to play with her children one day. If she ever got the chance.

“Okay, I think I have an eight letter word—alfalfas,” Evelyn said before taking a proud sip from her wine glass.

With a smirk, Alicia shook her head. “Can that be plural?”

“Definitely. I win. Unbelievable.”

“We used to keep track of all our wins, remember?” Alicia asked.

“Yes, I do. I probably have the list tucked away in one of the other game boxes.” The oven beeped and Evelyn got up off the floor. “Pizza’s ready.”

Alicia took her wine and followed Evelyn into the kitchen. “We used to play board games all winter long when we couldn’t be outside. I loved it.”

“Good thing, because with all this snow, it’s probably our only option unless you want to watch a movie.”

Still comparing her adult life to her youth, Alicia admitted, “I can’t remember the last time I played a board game.”

Evelyn turned her attention to Alicia as she slid the pizza out of the oven and onto a hot pad. “Really? I play them at school with the kids sometimes.”

“I should play more.”

“Everyone should play more in my opinion.” Evelyn handed her the pizza cutter and then topped off their wine glasses. “It’s what’s wrong with the world—all this work, work, work, and no play.”

As they took their dinner back to the living room, Alicia considered Evelyn’s comment. Alicia had laughed tonight, and she’d barely thought of her pain. Perhaps there was something to her friend’s idea.