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SPRING IN WHISTLERarrived leisurely, but surely. The rains came more frequently, drowning the old snow. Soon flowers began peeking from behind grassy hedges. Instead of a watery warmth from a faraway gray sky, the sun was now larger than life, beaming with promise and potential. Addisyn couldn’t believe the changes in the landscape. It was a far cry from that dreary night at the gym, when Darius had driven her home.
“Hand me a spoon, will ya?” Her coworker’s voice broke into her daydreaming.
“Sure.” Addisyn grabbed a spoon from the metal jar on the back counter.
Taking the job at Love You A Latte had been one of her best decisions so far. She’d been working there for almost a month and found herself enjoying it far more than she’d thought possible. Something about creating the specialty drinks seemed like an artistry, reminding her almost of the poetry of skating. She liked the cheerful atmosphere, the delicious aromas, and even Chelsea—though she could be annoying at times.
“I think we’re set.” Chelsea swept the area with an expert glance. “I’m gonna open up.”
“Sounds good to me.” Addisyn resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Chelsea made a big production each morning of opening the shop at seven thirty on the dot—as though there were lines of customers outside, holding their breath in anticipation. As usual, Chelsea strode purposefully to the glass doors and flicked on the pink-and-teal neon OPEN sign with a flourish, then unlocked the doors. “We are officially open for business!” she cried, as if it were the most exciting event of the day.
Addisyn just shrugged and lifted the lid of the big icemaker. So far, so good. Yesterday it had begun spasmodically freezing up. Chelsea would be making a trip to Vancouver on Thursday to buy its replacement, but until then, this one had to be guarded.
Chelsea sauntered back behind the counter. “How’s the ice machine?”
“Still working.” Addisyn slammed the door shut and looked around the shop, watching the way the sun splashed honey-colored squares on the wood floor. The first customers would arrive soon.
Including Darius.
Looking for something to do, she began idly straightening the contents of the counter. Chelsea slumped against one of the barstools and pulled out her phone. Probably scrolling through Facebook. It hadn’t taken Addisyn any time to learn that Chelsea was a social media fiend.
“Addisyn, are you on Facebook?”
Addisyn’s heart gave a wild leap and then took off running. “Uh...not really.”
Why had she never thought about that? Never considered that anyone who found her on social media would know every detail of her past?
She hadn’t posted anything since the night of Sectionals, but her old content dealt almost exclusively with the two things she now wanted to conceal the most—Brian and skating. If Chelsea—of all people—found out...
“Not really?” Chelsea giggled. “Either you’re on Facebook or you’re not, right?”
“Right...well...what I meant was, I have an account, but I don’t post anything.” The statement was true. She made a mental note to deactivate her account as soon as she was off work.
“Oh.” Chelsea’s tone had lost interest. She sighed and—to Addisyn’s great relief—laid her phone down. “No fun.” She made a pouty face. “What’s the use of having Facebook if you don’t do anything with it?”
The danger was far from over. Addisyn hated the feeling. Would she always have to keep looking over her shoulder? She stopped herself. No sense peering too far ahead. “I had to get it...for work.”
“Really?” Chelsea looked at her with renewed curiosity. “What kind of work did you do in the States? I don’t think you ever told me.”
By a saving grace, Addisyn noticed the container of straws was empty except for three or four. “Hey, do we have more straws?”
“Yes! In the back room. I meant to grab a new box before we left last night. Be right back.” Chelsea scurried away, the conversation apparently dropped.
Addisyn allowed herself to sag limply against the counter. What a close call. But relief that she’d escaped detection was overpowered by the dread the event had raised—the dose of reality it had rudely forced in her face.
Did she think she could hide forever? Never divulge who she was, where she had come from? People didn’t just vanish and start new lives these days. Too many paper trails—government records, IDs, websites. And of course, social media. There was no way to just blot out twenty years of life simply by changing location. The truth about Addisyn was as close as Chelsea’s sleek pink iPhone.
With a clang, the bells over the door sang out the arrival of a customer. Addisyn looked up quickly, ignoring the way the fringes of her heart were fluttering. Their first customer each day, without fail, was the same.
Darius Payne, on his way to work and in need of a Cuban latte.
“Good morning.” His shadow crept over the counter, and his lopsided smile tipped his face. “How you doing?”
“All right.” Addisyn smiled brightly back at him. “Cuban?”
“You know it.” He leaned leisurely against the counter and gazed into her eyes.
It wasn’t his words, or even his tone, that made Addisyn’s breath catch and her world tilt slightly. It was the look in his eyes—a look she couldn’t quite figure out.
