better than this one, yet something held her firmly back from either of those realities. She fired off another text.
I’m okay. Tangle Valley is gearing up for the new year. It misses you.
She watched as the last sliver of sunlight slipped below the horizon. She stood in the dark, alone. With her hands on her hips, she stared up at the universe and asked silently for guidance. Her mind was open, her heart raw. She stood in surrender, asking for a sign, anything to give her soul direction. Where was she supposed to be? What path was hers?
She remained there for what felt like hours, thinking, feeling, hoping. She never got that sign.
What she did receive was a text message, simple and direct. In fact, it was everything.
I miss it right back.
Chapter Eighteen
January came and went while Becca spent most of it in a flurry of activity at the resort, undoing so much of what her predecessor had erroneously implemented. Policies not in accordance with corporate, a horrendous lack of checks and balances, and a staff lacking in true hospitality training. It was six a.m. and she’d already been at work for an hour. She’d likely stay into the evening, grabbing meals when she could from their in-house café. The work kept her occupied, and that was best. Her mind wasn’t always an easy place to spend time these days. She waved at an older couple heading to breakfast.
Her phone buzzed and she smiled at the readout. Carla.
“You’re up early,” Carla said.
She squinted through her smile. “And how did you know that?”
“I saw an email come through from you ten minutes ago. Gave you away. You gotta cut yourself a break. Relax. Sleep a little.”
“Technology is a betrayer. How’s The Jade?” She pivoted past Carla’s advice but was grateful that her coworker was now definitely a friend as well.
“Running smoothly. What about La Bella?”
Becca tried not to wince in case anyone was watching. “We’re making strides to get back on track.”
“Code for chaos.”
“Yes, a good description. We don’t have the fantastic wine, though.”
Carla chucked. “I’m sipping enough after work for both of us. Hanging in there? We miss you here. You miss your life?” Carla asked.
“You’ve been living mine for weeks now.”
“Dodging the question.”
She closed her eyes. “I’m managing.”
“She was here, you know. Joey. You should have seen the look on her face when I told her you’d left.”
Becca opened her eyes again. God, she wanted to know every detail of that interaction but knew it would serve no good purpose. Water under the bridge. “Oh yeah?” She busied herself on the reservations console in front of her, perusing their occupancy level.
“Fix it when you get home. If that’s what you want.”
She laughed. She’d heard that before. Her younger brother used to make fun movies when they were teenagers, and that was always his favorite go-to solution for most any problem. Don’t worry about it. We’ll fix it in post.
She sighed, abandoning the keyboard. “Not sure it’s that simple.”
“Becca. What in life is?”
“Good point.”
Becca tried to throw herself into work that morning, sifting through the rubble of the GM’s office, trying to formulate some sort of order. Yet she couldn’t help but drift back to memories of a time when her heart leapt in excitement every time Joey walked into a room. She wondered what she was doing right that very minute. Likely sipping a cup of pecan coffee and looking out over the vines before heading over to work. She wanted to be there, to share their daily schedules, to kiss each other good-bye. She wanted to come home from work to Joey and drink a glass of pinot as they traded stories from their afternoons. Her heart hurt when she gently reminded herself that she would likely never have those things again.
No. Best not to think on it at all.
* * *
Where the hell was a person supposed to find cremini mushrooms, and how were those different than regular mushrooms, and why weren’t these signs any clearer? Joey studied Gabriella’s list of ingredients for that Saturday’s menu. Their weekly delivery had apparently shorted them a few items, and Joey, who was heading to the grocery store anyway, agreed to pick up the strays. Only who knew this mushroom quest would be difficulty level ten?
“Oh, I know that look. You’re stumped about something.”
She glanced up into familiar brown eyes. Simone’s. “Do you know which of these is a cremini mushroom?” she asked, automatically, as if they were on one