Seven Days

Chapter Two

For the rest of the afternoon, Syd tried to concentrate on work, as the weather began to clear and that brought out more foot traffic. The Christmas rush had begun, and that meant she was running crazy, even with Gram's help, and she breathed a sigh of relief when seven o'clock rolled around and the shop closed for the night.

"So, what're your plans for tonight. Syd?"

She looked up at Gram and shrugged. "Nothing special. I'm going home and curling up with Ted Lasso."

"Television?" Gram wrinkled her nose. "You're too young to be sitting around the house like an old woman, Sydney. You should be out with your girlfriends, having fun."

"They're all married now. With kids. And no free time. And besides," Syd turned the sign on the door from open to closed, "when I do see Christie or Jen, all they ever talk about is how tired they are and how I cannot possibly understand because I don't have kids."

She came back to the front counter and leaned her elbows against the cool glass. "It's exhausting to listen to them. And let's face it, I don't exactly relate, either, do I?"

"So, see if Teri is off tonight. She's neither married nor a mother."

Syd waved off that suggestion. "She's Lex's friend more than mine. And besides, she said there was an early Christmas party being held at the Hilltop. So, she'll be working until closing, most likely. And it's just as well. I like Ted Lasso."

Gram sighed softly. "If you say so."

"I do. Besides, the guy who plays Roy Kent is hot, so there's that."

"Oh, now you sound like Charlie and any guy who passes through that door."

Syd chuckled. "I know, right? The difference is, if he was real, she'd nab him in a heartbeat. What about you? Do you and the chief have a date tonight?"

"Actually, yes. I'm meeting him for dinner," Gram looked down at the delicate gold watch on her equally delicate wrist, "in about fifteen minutes, so I'd better get moving."

"I can finish locking up and do the deposit."

"Would you, love? Thank you!" Gram pressed a kiss into the top of her head and swept by her, her car keys jangling softly in her hand. "Don't stay up!"

"I won't," Syd forced a smile into her voice all the while shuddering at the same time. Everyone in Cranford Falls knew Gram was the catalyst behind Chief Parmenter's divorce and more than once, Syd or one of her sisters would be in the shop when the chief came in to see Gram about something, as they did quite a bit of work with the police department. That Syd didn't mind. The part she minded—the part they all minded—was when he came out of the upstairs office a bit more wrinkled or Gram's blouse was buttoned crooked. That was something none of them ever wanted to know about.

Ever.

Never mind that it was depressing as hell to think her grandmother had a far more active social life. Syd was going home to watch television. Pathetic, really. It had been ages since she last had a date. She couldn't remember the last time a guy asked her out. Most of them were hesitant because of her family. As one winner put it, "I can't handle you or your family knowing what I think before I know it."

Only, she couldn't read minds. Auras and tarot, sure. But she couldn't read minds. None of them could. And yet, that was the first thing that seemed to come to everyone's mind when it came to the Prescott family.

It was dark by the time Syd made it to her car. She sighed as she turned over the Jetta's engine and rubbed her hands together to warm them until the heat kicked on. Winter had decided to come early, and between that and the snow that once more swirled through the air, Syd found herself wishing it was almost spring instead of not even winter. And the weather wasn't the only thing on her mind. Why had Frerin come into the shop and why was he so insistent on making it up to her? And why the fuck didn't he call her when he said he would?