The Pepper in the Gumbo (Men of Cane River #1)(78)
Except that she didn’t feel particularly happy. In fact, she was wiping tears from her face with both hands now, small sobs escaping. She buried her face in her arms and cried. She’d gotten what she wanted and but it didn’t feel the way she’d thought it would. It felt like she’d ruined everything.
***
After he heard the petition had been approved, Paul retreated to his room. Andy knew better than to bother him. Paul had been worried that Alice would be crushed when her petition was denied. He should have been worried about his company. Along with BWK’s beau geste that rescued her store, but doomed the balance of their friendship, Paul had never felt so low.
The hours crept by and it was time for bed. He tossed and turned, finally getting out of bed and spending hours on the Browning Wordsworth Keats site, responding to fans and catching up on email. It made him feel just a little better.
When the sun rose, Paul slipped down the stairs and trudged down the block to Babet’s. Even the smell of maple-cured bacon and hot grits didn’t lift his mood. He ate without really tasting it, then carried an order of biscuits and sausage home for Andy. The air seemed colder, wafting off the river and across the sidewalk, sending a chill through his T-shirt. Paul zipped up his sweatshirt and thought of New York City. He loved the bustle and the smell of Autumn in the city. He’d never thought of it as home, exactly, but he really didn’t belong here, either.
The hallway was quiet as Paul opened the door and slipped inside. He didn’t want to see Alice right now. They’d laughed together the night before, joking about lawsuits and legal maneuvers. It wasn’t funny now.
Andy’s eyes lit up when he looked in the bag. “Biscuits? You’re a real friend. Or you’re trying to make me fat so you get all the girls.” He looked up. “Sorry. That came out wrong. I know you’re… you’ve got problems…”
Paul shrugged. “No big deal.” He dropped onto the couch wishing he’d had at least a few hours of sleep. Watching the Saturday-morning financial reports wasn’t the way Paul liked to start the day. The overly-somber reporters and the dire projections irritated him.
He sat up as the next segment opened. Pictures of the Natchitoches historic district flashed across the screen, tall historic buildings lining the river. A news anchor intoned, “A temporary stay was approved today against ScreenStop, the billion-dollar tech company, and its newest flagship store.” The picture changed to one of the distinctive brick roads in Natchitoches and a horse drawn carriage frequented by tourists. “Local residents objected to the construction of the modern building in the historic district of Natchitoches, saying it illegally bypassed zoning laws. The grand opening of the store was scheduled for the twentieth of this month, withJared Darren scheduled to perform.”
The picture cut to a crowd of people outside another ScreenStop store. A spotty-faced boy with shaggy hair spoke into the camera. “I’ve been waiting for this release for months. Then I read about the scavenger hunt and the prize so I emptied my college account to pay for tickets down there. Now it’s canceled. I hope they’re gonna refund me all my money.”
The picture flashed to the Natchitoches ScreenStop store, abandoned and silent. Several dirt movers sat idle where the parking lot should be. “The company spokesperson declined to comment at this time. Though ScreenStop stock is expected to dip in response to the current troubles, long-term predictions for the company are still strong. However, time will tell whether they will be able to hold onto their fan base after this disappointment.”
“It wasn’t residents. It was only one resident. This is bad. This is really bad.” Andy stared at the screen, both hands clutching his head.
The reporter continued on with the rest of the news and Paul muted it. “We need to make sure this opening happens.” He grabbed a laptop and logged onto the official ScreenStop site. The red seraph glowed brightly against the black background. Paul paused, thinking of Alice’s copy of Seraphim and Other Stories. That symbol once had meaning just for him, a blend of his favorite poetry and his gaming passion. Now it was intertwined with Alice, just like everything else in his life. Everywhere he looked, he was reminded of her. He couldn’t understand how in just a few weeks she had become so much a part of his life. Or maybe she always had been, her life mirroring his from the beginning. Maybe they had walked around the world for years, unaware of each other as their lives flew forward on a trajectory that would finally collide right here in this tiny town.
“Need help, sparkly vampire?” Andy was watching him, a worried look on his face.
“Funny. And no, I got this.” Paul shrugged off his thoughts. “We’ll have to make sure the warehouse is up to code for that kind of crowd. We’ll fly down Tom Wallace and Nancy Sandoz. They handled the Houston opening on a tight timeline.”
“I really didn’t think she’d get it approved,” Andy said. “You’ve got to hand it to her. On the outside she’s so sweet and pretty, but inside she’s ruthless. She’s not afraid to crush anybody in her way.” He grimaced as he reconsidered his words. “Sorry.”
“I’m not crushed.” He focused on the screen. “Just surprised. I wasn’t thinking this would happen, either.”
Andy didn’t say anything for a moment. “She sort of reminds me of you, actually.”