Page 65 of A Love Like Candle Light

“Hey, Cho.” Whenever I get called in for an accident on the highway, I expect the worst. Luckily, this time it was only a dented bumper and a shocked driver. He’s off to the hospital now, his car has been towed and I cleaned the pieces his car left behind in the road. “What’s up?”

“Hey, Erik.” He clears his throat, paper rustling. “I have a diner recommendation for you.”

“A diner recommendation?” I hear the innuendo in his voice but I’m not sure where he’s going with this.

“Yeah. You should absolutely drive there. Heard the eggs are divine.”

“Okay.” I pull out my notepad and pen. “Give me the address.”

Turns out the diner is only 45 minutes away from Wayward Hollow. Close enough of a driving distance to go there today.

“And I do think it would pay off to check it out urgently.”

“Got it. Thank you, buddy.”

“You’re so welcome. Let me know how you find the… eggs.”

“Will do. Have a good one.” I end the call, lower the phone, hand trembling, and take a deep breath.

I’m not an idiot. Obviously, he doesn’t want me to go there for eggs. But I’m scared to get my hopes up about what I will find there. Presumably, maybe, Lilith.

Bad mood one way or another, there’s no way I can wait until tomorrow. I have to see for myself if it’s her. Before I know it, I have Kylie’s number pulled up and press ‘call.’

“Hey!” She sounds like she’s smiling.

“Hey.” I mumble and rub the back of my neck nervously. “Kylie, I’m so sorry, but... I might have gotten a lead about Lilith. I don’t think I’m going to make it to Caleb’s this afternoon.”

“Oh.” One little word. But it’s enough for me to picture the way her smile slips off her face.

“Sure. That’s okay,” she stammers, and damned if it doesn’t send a knife right to my heart.

“I still want to see you today,” I quickly clarify and pick the remaining cones up. A car drives past me, dispersing the dry leaves in the road.

“I can come over to your place tonight and we can have dinner?” She offers, already sounding less tense.

“Yes,” I say before my brain even catches up. “Yes. I’d like that.”

“Good.” She sounds a cheerful again. “There’s also something I need to show you.”

“You do? Like what?”

“Guess you’ll have to find out tonight. Good luck, Erik. Fingers crossed it’s her.”

“Thank you, babe.”

The line goes completely silent. The nickname slipped out a lot more easily than it should have, considering we only just kissed for the first time yesterday. It didn’t feel wrong, though.

“See you later,” I press out and end the call before she can reply. For a moment, I stare into nothingness, before I burst into a chuckle and pinch the bridge of my nose. Damn, I’m out of practice.

The diner Cho sent me to is on the outskirts of a little town called Chestnut Falls. I’ve been here once before, to visit a crisis seminar held by the local PD. The town is nestled between a giant forest and a river, about as remote as Wayward Hollow and the diner is only a five-minute drive away from the highway.

The early afternoon sun peeks through heavy clouds and makes the wet ground of the diner’s parking lot glisten.

My heart beats in my throat, fingers clammy and white around the steering wheel. Quickly, I wipe them off on my jeans.

Could this really be it? My phone buzzes with a message from Cho.

Cho: If I were you, I’d go there before 5 p.m.