Page 37 of Behind the Cascades
The woman emits a tiny gasp, barely audible over the phone, before correcting herself. “Sorry, no one works here with that name.”
“You sure about that?” I know she's lying, but I decide to play along.
“Yep.” Her curt tone has me wanting to dig for more, but I choose to let it go. Unbeknownst to her, I already have all the information I need to know and I’m already well on my way to Oregon.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Hayes
Sixteen hours later, a large green sign welcomes me into the tiny town in the middle of Oregon. Three Sisters, Oregon, Cascadia County, Population: 2500.
Rolling into this tiny town in the middle of Oregon has adrenaline coursing through my veins. Traffic is backed up as the highway runs through the main part of town, giving me time to scope everything out. If it weren't for the tourists strolling along the main strip, I'd stick out like a sore thumb.
I can feel it in my gut that Charlie is still here. The woman I called denied that she knew Charlie, but there was something off in her tone. That, and Lincoln swears she’s still here.
Now that I'm officially a civilian, I'll drive through every city if I have to in order to find her. She shouldn't be on the run. She should be home and looked out for. Even if she never forgives me and we don't get back together, I’ll make sure she's safe. I owe her that. But I really fucking hope she forgives me.
I pull into a small hotel that looks more like a ski lodge than a hotel. The hotel attendant is just another teenage girl, bubbly and welcoming. I don’t pay her much attention; I just handover my card and wait for my room key. My eyes scan out the front window, watching for any sign of Charlie. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed that she wasn’t one of the many that walked by.
Throwing my bag on the bed, I grab a quick shower and then get dressed. I've researched every part of this town. I know where every road is, where Ithinkshe's working, and possible places she would hang out.
My phone lights up and the vibration sounds on the wood nightstand.
"Hey, mom." I answered with less than enthusiasm. I drove through the entire seventeen hours to get here, only stopping for food and gas. I'm exhausted and energized all at the same time.
"How's it going, honey? You about to hit the road again?"
I clear my throat, ready for the verbal smackdown. "No. I just checked into the hotel."
"Hayes Carrington! You killing yourself to get to a town you don't even know if she's in won't solve a damn thing."
I'm a trained Navy SEAL. I’ve gone days without sleeping or eating—pushing myself until I physically felt like I couldn't move anymore, and then pushing myself harder. One long drive is nothing.
However, arguing with my concerned mother won't help.
"Sorry, mom. The adrenaline hit and I wouldn't have been able to sleep knowing I'm so close."
I hear a loud sigh on the other end. "Fine. You be careful, okay? She's happy, wherever she is. It's not your place to go in there demanding anything."
I've already run through every scenario in my mind, so it doesn't sting to hear her say that. She’s been living here for a long time and has started a completely new life. I know thatmight not be a life that I fit into. It won’t stop me from trying like hell, though.
I walked through the entire town fifteen times. Coming back to the same two-story brick building with the Cascades Property Management sign out front. It's Saturday, so it's been empty the entire time. My instincts are screaming at me that this is where she is, where she's working, and where she's been hiding. All that I want to do is buy a lawn chair and plant myself in the parking lot until Monday morning. It's almost dark and the beginning of winter, though, so I make my way to the small diner I passed a few times. I need to warm up a bit, eat some food, and get a better plan.
When I walk past the window, I look inside, scanning the room.Old habits die hard.
My eyes glaze over the booths—a family sitting with a baby, a woman with short hair sitting by herself in the booth, and two older gentlemen sitting behind her.
The air ceases to pump through my lungs as I do a double take on the strawberry blonde sitting alone.
There she is.By herself, eating a cheeseburger. I stare at her for at least a minute, trying to decide if my exhaustion has caused me to hallucinate her or if she's really there. Her hair is much shorter than when I left, barely touching her shoulders, but it’s definitely her.
Taking a deep breath, I step inside in a daze. The door chimes and it snaps me back into reality. I glance around the front; there isn’t anyone at the hostess station, so I turn toward Charlie again.
She takes a bite of her cheeseburger, staring at the table like she's completely lost in thought.
Six large steps and then I slide into the booth.
Her startled eyes look up at me, and then she chokes on herbite of food. Coughing and spluttering, she reaches for her water.
