Evans Creek Book 1: Mister Mayor

THIRTY-FOUR

Photo Credits: background/heart-vectorstock.com, crying girls-wehearit.com

I've cried a few tears in my time, and well, let's just say: Wouldn't it be nice if we looked Hollywood pretty when we cried in real-life?

THIS CHAPTER WAS RE-WRITTEN 07/23/2020.  If you read it before that, you might want to read it again.  Lots of new content!

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 The Encounter in Arayna's POV

"Good Afternoon. I'm here to meet with Graham Morgan and his guest."

"Right this way." The maître d' looked Arayna up and down and turned to lead the way.

They meandered at an irritatingly sedate pace through the large dining area. Arayna scanned the many vacant tables and wondered if perhaps there was a private meeting room? They turned a corner and another smaller area opened up before her.

The tables were smaller and spaced farther apart. The overhead lighting was dimmed, accentuating the candles glowing on each table. The couples she saw were well dressed and appeared happily ignorant of the laughter rising loudly from the far corner. Unable to resist, she looked over and stumbled as the maître d' turned toward the couple.

The woman laughed and the sound skittered down Arayna's spine. It had been a while since she'd had to deal with the vultures. That's rather odd, Arayna wondered as she looked at the stiff-backed maître d' before her, why would the maître d' seat three people at what was obviously a table for two?

Graham leaned forward and grabbed the woman's hands between his own. Graham's back was toward Arayna, so she couldn't see his face...but the gesture, and the look on that woman's face...Arayna's steps faltered as she and the woman locked eyes. The woman's smile was cruel, knowing and...Arayna's heart broke right down the middle.

It was happening again. Arayna was losing Graham to another woman. I can't do this. Not here. Not now. Not ever again! Turning, she hurried out. Tears fell, but Aryana was too upset to care about what people might think about her ruined make-up. Halfway to her car she heard Graham call out to her. I can't do this!

Breaking into a run, she reached her car and managed to get in and lock the door before Graham began pounding on the glass. Graham begged her to open the window. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. She almost ran over his foot as she backed out, but he jumped back just in time. As she pulled out of the parking lot, she made the mistake of looking in the rear-view mirror.

Oh, God. Arayna drove away, far too fast for anyone's good. She cried, bawled actually, wailed more like. Her heart hurt so much. She hadn't gone more than a few blocks when her phone began ringing. It was probably Graham. Don't answer it. The phone finally went silent but immediately began ringing again.

But what if it was Jesse? She promised Jesse she would always answer her phone.

After a few more minutes of agonizing debate, she pulled into a small empty parking lot. Reaching for the phone she blinked trying to focus on the little screen. Three missed calls from Graham. It began to ring and she flexed to toss it away when Liz's smile showed up on the screen. Arayna answered.

"Hey Girl!" Liz chirped.

"Liz." She answered with a sniffle, trying to force a smile into her voice.

"Rayn?" Liz went from excited to worried in a single breath. "What's wrong? Who do I have to kill?"

"Graham." She blurted as the tears began anew. "I...saw..."