Tea Leaves & Pine Trees

Chapter Eight

MEET THE DEVIL

❀

A week flew by, and then another. I felt like I was running a marathon just to keep up.

I rose early and slept late, the time in-between spent at work or curled up on my single lounge chair, reading. The harsh winds gradually subsided, and I organised with some of the council members to clean up the roads where trees and branches had fallen.

Honestly, and I would never admit this to Everest Flint, but I was surprised it hadn't stormed.

"Aubrey James," Monique's voice startled me from the doorway. I snapped my head up to see her lips pursed and eyebrows arched in disapproval. "This is your last warning," she said sternly. "If I find you nose deep in reports at an ungodly hour tomorrow morning, I will confiscate your key for 48 hours."

"I don't work on the weekend anyway," I pointed out with a small smile. "Besides, these aren't reports. They're surveys for my meeting with Joan. Speaking of which, I'm running late."

I stood, compiling the documents on my desk together and putting them in my backpack. It was a beautiful Thursday morning, and now that the wind had finished being a hazard, I planned on cycling to Whittlevale instead of driving. It was about a half an hour ride through the forest, and the track ran along the lakeside.

From the doorway, Monique sighed, and the disapproval on her face melted into something softer. "Honey, it's barely 8AM. Your meeting isn't for another two hours."

"It's only 8AM?" I frowned, glancing at the clock on the wall. "Weird. I swear I've been in here for at least three hours." Monique arched an eyebrow. I pursed my lips. "I haven't been here for three hours. Obviously."

"What time did you start?" she asked, but we both knew she already knew the answer.

Choosing not to respond to that, I set my backpack on my desk and grabbed my wallet from the top drawer. "I'll go for a short walk to pay Madi another visit. Do you want a coffee?"

Main Street was mostly deserted at quarter to 8 on a Thursday morning, but there were a few people opening their stores and a couple of teenagers grabbing breakfast on their way to school. I stopped by the local pet store to see Lisa McClain with her baby bump, and then I passed by Isaac's office – only to immediately turn on my heel and leave when I heard Dianna's voice behind his closed door.

They'd been having... problems lately. Which was strange because they'd never had problems before, but in the last week I'd received six different text messages from Dianna, complaining about Isaac's laziness, and four messages from Isaac, whining about Di's assertiveness. There had been no winning either way, so I'd left them both on read.

The bell above the door chimed as I stepped into the café, and Madison lifted her head from where she stood at the counter, reading a magazine.

"Another?" she asked, pushing away from the counter to step behind the coffee machine and grab the tin of chamomile and lavender tea leaves.

"And two soy lattes, a raspberry leaf tea, and a skinny mocha," I listed as I found a $50 bill in my wallet. I handed it to Benjamin as he came in from the back. "You can split the change between you," I told him with a smile.

Ben did so happily, and I turned to look around the café as he and Madi made their way around the coffee machine. The booths along the window were empty, and so were the tables pressed flush to the exposed brick wall along the side of the café. Well, all except one.

Sitting at one of the tables was Jade, and across from her, facing me, was Amelia. My stomach twisted at the sight. Since when were they friends?

Amelia caught my eye and waved me over. Jade was hunched slightly, signing a contract. But even without lifting her head, she knew it was me.