Worth the Wait: Blue Falls Book 4 Read online

  Worth the Wait

  Blue Falls #4

  Written By Stella James

  Copyright © 2017 Stella James

  All rights reserved

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons living or dead, events or locations are entirely coincidental.

  ISBN: 978-0-9958388-5-7

  Cover design by Dee Ellis

  Formatting by Stella James

  *The town of Blue Falls is fictional*

  Acknowledgments

  As always, I must thank my hot as hell, sweet as can be husband for his never ending support and encouragement. I love you. Thank you for putting up with my shit.

  My three daughters, M, N and B…You are the apples of my eye. You are wild and beautiful and I love you more than all the cupcakes and all the chocolate.

  My tribe, L, R and J. As usual, this story would not have survived without you. My writing would die without your never ending love and support. I love you.

  Megan – I wish I could touch you.

  Ellis – Thank you for everything you do, both technologically and as a human.

  Christine – You make me question my sexuality….Thank you?

  My fellow Indies Ink crew, thank you for the great conversations about random things and for all your support.

  Shay, Maren and Jess – Ya’ll are the freaking bees knees. I love your faces.

  My arc group, thank you for continuing to accept my work, even though I don’t even give you the option to say no.

  My insta-family/friends…There are TOO many of you to name, but you know exactly who you are. You mean the absolute world to me and our daily interactions have been a serious bright spot over the course of my journey as an indie author. Thank you so much for everything, I love you.

  Thank you to anyone who reads and reviews my work. Even if you didn’t love it, thank you for giving me a chance.

  So, this is it, the conclusion to my Blue Falls series…I’m not gonna lie, I’m uncomfortably emotional about this. I have fallen in love with each and every one of these characters and their story. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey and for welcoming Blue Falls into your hearts.

  Cheers and Love,

  Stella xoxoxox

  For my readers

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Excerpt from Wild (a Blue Falls novella)

  Excerpt from Clipped (a Blue Falls novella)

  Prologue

  “Mr. Doyle? Sir?”

  I blink my eyes open and squint against the harsh fluorescent lighting in the hospital waiting room, it takes me a minute to remember why I’m here. Brandi. I glance at the seat across from me and scramble to sit up when I realize it’s the doctor sitting in front of me. The same doctor I spoke to when I first arrived, right before they wheeled Brandi into surgery. He looks down at the folder on his lap and then back at me, his eyes weary and full of hesitation.

  “Just tell me,” I say, my voice rough but firm.

  “I’m sorry Mr. Doyle, we did everything we could but your wife’s injuries were much more extensive than we originally thought,” he says. “She didn’t make it out of surgery. I’m very sorry for your loss.”

  He sits for a moment and lets the news sink in before he goes on to tell me about arrangements and paperwork and other shit that doesn’t matter to me right now. She’s gone.

  Chapter 1

  Grey

  I stare at my reflection in the dirty mirror, allowing my eyes to linger on the complete disarray that is my current appearance before I snap myself out of it and pull my thin red hoodie up and over my head. I’ve been on the road for nine hours now and I smell like it. I pull a wad of paper towel from the broken dispenser and wet it with warm water before swiping it under my arms and tossing it in the garbage can. I remove my white tank top and plain cotton bra and repeat the process, this time wiping under my breasts. God, I need a shower. Or a hot bath. Yes, a hot bath with bubbles and candles and the sweet sound of silence. Unfortunately I’m still three hours away from my destination so my little impromptu gas station sponge bath is going to have to do for now.

  I pull a clean bra and a fresh shirt out of my duffle bag and apply some deodorant. I brush out my blonde hair and smooth it back into a ponytail and after washing my face I’m already starting to feel like a functioning member of the human race. I don’t bother with makeup and roll my dirty clothes into a ball and shove them back into the duffle bag, checking my appearance one more time in the mirror before I flip the lock and offer an apologetic smile to the woman waiting outside the door. I browse the shelves and settle on an iced tea and a bag of pretzels, reaching for my debit card out of habit before remembering that I emptied my account before I left. I give the young cashier a twenty instead and search for the thick envelope of extra bills that sits at the bottom of my purse, breathing a bit easier when I feel it beneath my fingertips.

  I head back out to my car and toss the duffle bag into the back seat where the rest of my luggage sits. I pick up my iPod and plug it in, swiping the screen until I find Miranda Lambert’s latest album. I start the engine and turn the volume up nice and loud, which in my opinion is the only suitable way to listen to music, and crack the window a bit to ease the heat until the AC kicks in. I earn myself a couple passing glances from people as they make their way across the parking lot and into the store. As per usual, I don’t care. I suppose the last six years that I’ve spent stripping my clothes off for a living has desensitized me to the point where I no longer care what people think. I put the car in reverse and pull back onto the highway, blending in with the traffic and singing along with Miranda about her bathroom sink.

  It’s late afternoon by the time I reach the town limits of Blue Falls. I pass the familiar sign welcoming me to the community of just under three thousand people and exhale a sigh of relief. Finally. I round the bend and feel a sense of peace as I approach the heart of the town. The sidewalks are filled with people coming and going, clearly taking advantage of the warm weather. I roll my window down further and breathe in the fresh air, letting it sit in my lungs for a moment before I exhale. The memory of my parents and I walking along these same streets, eating ice cream and looking for the perfect souvenir makes my heart heavy and my nose tingle.

  I was thirteen the last time we made the trip and spent our two week summer vacation at a modest bed and breakfast. We’d been coming here every summer since before I could remember. They always used to say that when they were ready to retire they were planning on doing it here. My dad died less than a year after that last trip. My mom followed eventually three months ago. When I found myself unceremoniously in need of a fresh start, the first place that came to mind was the beautiful mountain town they loved so much. I like to think that by coming here and starting over I’m honouring their memory in some way. I have other reasons for making the trip, of course. Blue Falls is safe.

&nb
sp; I scan the streets as I drive and look for a place to park. I’m positive I look even more dreadful than I did the last time I stopped, but my back is aching and I’m starving. I’ll grab a quick bite to eat and then head over to the small motel where I made my hasty reservation just yesterday from a different motel in a different town. I’ve been travelling for just over three days now and I am sick to death of being on the road. I’m lucky I got a room at all being that summer is just beginning and this place is already crawling with tourists. The price will no doubt be jacked up as well but I should have enough to cover me until I find a job and can earn a paycheck.

  I spot an empty space in front of a hardware store and pull in, quickly putting the car in park I turn off the engine and open my door. My stiff muscles rejoice as I stand and lace my fingers together bringing my palms high above my head. I lean side to side and try to work out the kinks as best I can. When I look down I realize my baggy T-shirt has slipped down, exposing my shoulder and the strap of my red bra. The boldly coloured collage of tattoos that cover most of my upper arm and shoulder is exposed as is the large piece on my opposite forearm. I adjust my shirt just as I turn towards the front doors of a hardware store and see a man and little girl walking down the steps. The man doesn’t give me a passing glance but the brown haired little girl pushes her glasses up her nose and stares openly at me, likely at my tattoos. I give her a friendly wave and she giggles, waving back at me as the man gently tugs on her hand and smiles at her while they head down the sidewalk.

  I open the back door and grab my purse from the floor before I lock the doors and quickly look up and down the street for somewhere close by to eat. I walk about half a block and come to a small diner called Rosie’s. I don’t remember this place being here before but a lot has changed in the thirteen years since I was here last. I open the door and I’m instantly assaulted with the heavenly scent of old fashioned home cooking. My mouth begins to water before I’m even across the threshold and as the door shuts with a jingle behind me, a woman spots me from behind the counter and gives me a welcoming smile. She’s on the petite side and looks to be in her forties maybe, her dark brown hair is held back in a messy ponytail and her eyes are warm and sincere.

  “Have a seat wherever you like sweetheart, I’ll be right with you,” she says.

  I return her smile and choose a small booth beside the window so I can watch the people walk by. I set my purse beside me and pull out my cell, sending a quick message to the only number I have programmed in this phone.

  Me: Made it.

  I avoid providing details, he’ll know what I mean anyways. My phone chimes a second later with a short response.

  DM: Keep your cell with you at all times.

  I delete the conversation and scroll through my apps while I wait for the waitress to come by. I snort under my breath when I realize how pathetic it is that I don’t have anyone else to check in with. My mom’s gone now, I have no other family and any so called “friends” that I had were girls at the club and even then, I wouldn’t label them as anything other than superficial acquaintances. I set the phone down and remind myself that this is a fresh start. My fresh start. No more medical bills, no more taking my clothes off for self-entitled customers and no more simply existing. My life begins now.

  “Hey there, sorry about that, would you like coffee or something else to drink?” The woman who greeted me now stands beside the table holding a full pot of coffee and a menu.

  “Could I just have water please, I think I’ll fly out of here if I drink any more caffeine today.”

  “Of course,” she smiles. “I’ll leave this menu with you and be back in five.” Just then the door jingles again and a family of four walks in. “Better make that ten,” she groans before she heads back behind the counter and grabs a handful of menus.

  I look around the small diner and notice for the first time that it is almost completely packed. There’s maybe three empty tables in the entire place and it looks like there’s only one waitress. Without thinking too much about it, I toss my phone into my purse and use the longer strap to drape it across my body. I walk up to the sleek counter and duck behind it, grabbing the extra pot of coffee off the burner. I make a round and top up everyone who needs it while the other woman continues to take orders. We meet behind the counter and she hands me a small pad of paper and a pen.

  “I assume you can take orders honey?”

  “Yes I can,” I smile.

  “Girl, you are my guardian angel, take the tables along the window and I’ll take the rest, leave your slips beside the till and I’ll enter them for you. We’ll get you squared up on pay when the dinner rush is over.”

  “You got it,” I turn and head towards the first table when she calls out behind me.

  “I’m Molly by the way, what’s your name sweetheart?”

  I stop short and turn back around. Grey Donovan. “Grey,” I say. My name is Grey Caldwell.”

  *

  “Sweet merciful lord I need to get off these feet,” Molly says as she plops down in the booth across from me.

  I ended up helping out until closing which was just a few minutes ago. I’m practically devouring the slice of homemade cherry pie that Molly insisted I eat while we wait for her husband Jack who’s finishing up in the kitchen.

  “Mm, this is the best damn pie I’ve ever eaten in my life,” I say as I shove the last bite into my mouth. “Soooo good,” I groan around the mouthful of pastry.

  “I wish I could take credit for that but it’s all Sophie over at Olive’s café. That girl has skills I could only dream of having. She makes our desserts for us since Jack and I are both useless,” she chuckles.

  “Hey now, who are you calling useless, woman?”

  “Oh don’t be a baby, you know you make the best pulled pork in the entire county,” she says smiling as he takes the space beside her.

  I watch the two of them grin at each other and it’s plain to see they are one of those couples that are just meant to be. He throws a muscular arm around the back of the booth they share and pulls her against his side. He looks about the same age as her, forties give or take. His dirty blonde hair is short and thick and he has neatly trimmed beard. He’s quite a bit taller than she is and I can’t help it that my mind instantly goes to Beauty and the Beast when I see them sitting together.

  “So, are you both from Blue Falls originally?” I ask as I push the empty saucer away from me. I’m tempted to lick it clean but that probably isn’t the best first impression to make.

  “Jack is,” she says, looking up at him. “I came passing through about five years ago on my way to my cousin’s wedding. I got a flat tire and pulled over just across the street, Jack noticed and came out to change it for me. I ended up with a wedding date and he ended up with a business partner.”

  “The diner was only halfway built at that point,” he says. “We built the rest together.”

  “Wow, that’s the kind of love story a girl likes to hear,” I say with a smile.

  “Oh don’t be fooled, we’ve had more than enough bumps in our road, both divorced, we’ve both got kids in college and we’ve both made enough mistakes to fill up a decent sized landfill. But when the bumps lead you to someplace good and unexpected I suppose they’re worth it,” she says.

  “Damn right they are,” he says. “So, what brings you to town?”

  Right.

  “Well, I guess you could say I’m looking for a fresh start. My parents are both gone now and I don’t have any other family so I figured I’d take a chance and start something new. We used to come here as a family when I was a kid and I always remembered loving it… so here I am.” I know I’m being vague as hell but it’s better for everyone this way, I just hope it’s enough to score me a job.

  “Aw, I’m sorry to hear about your folks,” Molly says. “But you definitely came to the right place if you’re looking to start over. I would know. And you showed up at the perfect time, we’ve been going through staff li
ke crazy, young travellers coming and going who only want to work enough shifts to get some cash in their pockets and then they take off,” she sighs. “We usually have a couple high school kids to cover evenings but with finals wrapping up we’ve been giving them less shifts so they can study.”

  “Molly’s been running damn near on empty for the last week, so we appreciate you helping out tonight,” he says. “If you’re inclined to stay in town I’d be happy to have you on full-time. School’s out for the summer at the end of the week so we’ll have our girls back on evenings. You okay with early mornings?”

  “Mornings are great,” I say a bit too quickly. “I mean, I would appreciate anything you can give me, I wasn’t expecting to find a job so soon and I’d rest easier knowing that I won’t have to burn through my savings.”

  “Then it’s settled. If you can handle doubles for the next couple of days Molly can get you trained on the till and show you where everything is and by the weekend we’ll have you on a regular schedule,” he says. “Otherwise we’ll see you tomorrow at seven.”

  A soft breath of relief bursts from my lungs and I thank whoever is listening for small mercies. Jack heads back to the kitchen to finish up and Molly and I tidy up the front. It’s dark by the time I make it back to my car and drive over to the quaint motel on the other side of town. I check in and pay cash for the week before I park my car around the side of the building where it’s not quite as visible from the road. Better safe than sorry.

  I haul my luggage to the ground floor room where I’ll be living for the time being and when I open the door I’m relieved to see that although it’s modest, it’s clean. I lock the door behind me and promptly fall back onto the bed. I’m asleep within seconds.

  Chapter 2

  Eric

  I rip the tape from the small box and pull out the pink outfit, hoping to God that my mother will know how to get Jamie into this thing. I’ve been a single dad for three years now and this is the kind of shit that serves as a glaring reminder that I have no idea what I’m doing at least seventy-five percent of the time. The other twenty-five percent when Jamie is playing soccer or has reading to do or even when we spend weekends at the lake, feel as natural as breathing. But this girly stuff throws me for a loop every single damn time. I want Jamie to have what the other girls her age have and usually my mom is great about dealing with this stuff but I try to keep an active role no matter what so that Jamie knows she’s always got me.