Cold Outside

31 - Detective

Any other night, Oliver might have left and gone home. To what? Get drunk? He couldn't leave. They were still seating parties, and his family was still dining. He tried to concentrate on work, but more than once he mis-stepped.

Felix said, "You alright boss?"

The one small blessing was that Ava wasn't there to witness it..

Finally, they served the last plates, and he went to see his family. They were buzzing about the engagement. His mother said, "I don't think she said yes."

Stu said, "What happened to getting down on one knee?"

Hayley said, "Dad, you're old fashioned. That girl looked somewhat familiar to me, but I can't imagine why."

Oliver bit his tongue, because he wanted to say, because you yelled at her over ice cream sprinkles.

"Ollie, dear are you feeling alright?"

"Just tired this event tomorrow has been a lot of work. I need to be back very early. Tomorrow will be a long, busy day."

They still had more pastry dough to make. He'd be so glad when it was over and he could go on with his life.

By the time he arrived home, he was exhausted. As much as he wanted a drink, he willed himself not to by promising himself he could get drunk on Sunday night. Because he was a masochist, he wanted to know if she contacted him. He looked for his phone in his coat and his bag. He must have left it at the restaurant. Just as well, he thought. He had lost her before and gone on. He would again. Sleep was fitful, and he woke early. He remembered his promise to take snowflakes and paused. As much as he wanted to go back on his word, he couldn't. He filled his car with glittery snowflakes while trying not to remember that snowy night.

For the first time, he arrived before Ava. When the service door opened, he was busy pounding out butter. It was a therapeutic outlet for his anger as he muttered under his breath.

Ava took one look at him and asked, "What did I miss?"

"Don't ask."

"What did Hayley do?"

"Absolutely nothing."

Ava stopped talking and went to work leaving Oliver to pound on his own. They both jumped, when they heard a knock at the service door. It was his mother.

"Mom, what are you doing here this early?"

"I was worried, and you didn't answer your phone so I figured you were busy in the kitchen." She was cheerful for seven-ten in the morning.

"I don't even know where my phone is." He let out a long, exasperated breath.

"Wasn't it charging in the office yesterday afternoon?" Ava reminded him.

He motioned for his mother to follow him down the stairs. He and Beth had... stop! He told himself.

When they reached the storage area, his mother said, "Ollie dear, does this have anything to do with the engagement last night?"

She was uncanny. "What? How?" he asked in disbelief.

"Well, you know I don't miss much especially related to you. Let's see. When we arrived you were talking and smiling at that table. Then when you brought our meals, you kept looking at her. She's beautiful, by the way. After that crazy display started, she gave a pleading look toward you and you ran away."

"Mom, they may be hiring detectives over at the police station."

"Oh, and when Hayley thought she'd seen her before, that was another clue. Now I told you, it didn't look to me like she said, yes."

"She put the ring on her finger."

"Ollie, she never smiled. She looked stricken. Has she contacted you?"

"I don't know my phone's in there." He pointed to his office. His phone on the desk blinking red. There were seven messages from Beth. He took a deep breath. As he read, he smiled. "You were right. She didn't say yes."

"Tell me about this girl who another man wants to marry."

Suddenly he felt foolish for not trusting Bethany, she wouldn't fall for Lucas' desperate attempt to hold on to her.