I studied the handwriting, but it was smeared by a ring of coffee from the bottom of the cup. I couldn’t be sure if it looked like the other notes or not. I couldn’t even be sure Nora was the one who’d left it. Although the threatening nature of the note definitely fit Nora’s personality.
“Ready to go?” Ethan asked, coming up behind me.
I dropped the cup, spilling a few drops of coffee on the note.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Ethan grabbed a towel off the counter and began mopping up the spill.
“It’s okay. I’ll get it.” I took the towel before Ethan could see the note underneath it.
“I don’t mind helping.”
“I know, but you’ve been working just as hard as I have, and this is all I have left to do.” I wiped the towel and the note into a plastic washtub under the counter and brought it to the kitchen.
Jackson was out back taking out the trash. I could hear him slamming the metal lid closed on the garbage container. I fished the note out of the washtub and tore it up before burying it under food scraps in the garbage. I stood there for a moment with the message on the note swimming in my head. I know what you are.
I thought of the peeping Tom from the cottage. I’d almost forgotten about him with everything else that had happened since then. My life was one big jumble of problems, and that guy had gotten buried under the others. But he knew my secret. Maybe he was the one who’d left the note. It was crowded tonight. I could have missed him somehow. I’d hoped I wouldn’t see him again after Ethan threw him out. If the guy had the guts to come here and risk running into Ethan again, he must really want to get to me.
I jumped when a hand touched my shoulder.
“It’s me.” Ethan turned me around. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“I’m just tired. This place was crazy tonight. Even my fingernails hurt.”
Ethan chuckled. “I didn’t know fingernails could hurt.” He brought my fingers to his lips and kissed each one. Sometimes I wanted to melt right into him. If I wasn’t so sweaty and didn’t smell like stale coffee and melted cheese, I probably would have.
“I really need a shower.” I brushed a stray hair out of my face and turned away.
He took my hand. “I wouldn’t care if you were covered in dirt. You’d still be beautiful to me.”
I stiffened at the thought, remembering my first night back—after I’d climbed out of my own grave. Ethan and I were both dirty after that. Sure, he’d done all the digging, but I still had to climb out of my casket. A small sound like a whimper escaped my lips.
“Hey.” Ethan brushed his hand against my cheek. “No bad thoughts, okay?” He leaned his face to mine and kissed me, making every thought wash away. He had that effect on me.
The back door opened, and Jackson cleared his throat. “Did I somehow stumble into your bedroom? Because I was looking for my kitchen.”
I pulled away from Ethan, feeling my cheeks warm from embarrassment. “Sorry, Jackson.”
“All my fault,” Ethan said, winking at me. “Is there anything else I can do for you before we head out?”
“Nah, go on home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, Jackson,” Ethan and I said.
“Oh, isn’t that cute?” Jackson shook his head and mumbled, “Teenagers in love.”
Ethan and I smiled at each other as we walked out of the kitchen. Gloria was sitting at the counter rubbing her foot. She looked up when she saw us. “I’m not sure how many more crowds like that these old feet can take.”
“We could come in earlier tomorrow if you’d like,” I said. We could definitely use the money, and it was obvious Gloria needed the help.
Gloria waved us off. “That’s very nice of you, but I can’t ask two teenagers to give up their entire weekend to work in a diner. I don’t pay you enough to take away your youth.”
Taking away youth. Her words hit me like a slap in the face. That’s what I had done to Trevor—stolen his youth, stolen his life so I could have mine.
“Besides, you’re not looking too good.” Gloria narrowed her eyes at me. “You coming down with something?”
Yeah, a bad case of being sickened by the thought of myself. “I’m just tired. We’ll see you tomorrow afternoon. But if you change your mind about us coming in early—”
She got up and herded us to the door before I could finish my sentence.
Ethan laughed as we walked to the car. “I kind of love that woman.”
“Don’t make me jealous.” I playfully jabbed my elbow into his ribs.
“Oh, yes. You should be jealous. I’ve always had a thing for grandmas.”
“Well then, sonny,” I said in my best grandma voice, “give us a kiss.”
Ethan backed away and put his hands up to keep me from getting too close. “Okay, that was disturbing.”
“Over the grandma thing?”
“Definitely.” He opened my door for me, and as soon as I was in the car, he bent down and kissed me. “Definitely better than kissing a grandma.”
“So, you have something to compare it to?” I laughed as a look of disgust crossed his face.
“That’s so evil,” he said, but he was stifling a laugh. He shut my door and walked around the car.
My eyes caught a glimpse of a shadow at the side of the diner. I figured it was Jackson or Gloria, so I raised my hand to wave, but the figure stepped into the light. It was him. The peeping Tom.
Ethan got in the car, and I reached for his arm. “Look!” I pointed to where the guy was standing, but he was already gone. I’d only looked away for a second to get Ethan’s attention, but that was all it took.
“What?”
“It was—at least I think it was that guy, the one who was looking in our bedroom window.”
“Where?” Ethan opened his door again.
“No.” I reached for him. “Please, don’t go after him. I’m not even sure if it was him. It’s dark. My eyes could’ve been playing tricks on me.”
Ethan didn’t look convinced.
“Even if it was him, he’s gone now.”
“Tomorrow I’ll ask Jackson and Gloria if they’ve ever seen him. He’s pretty hard to forget with the bleach job.”
“He doesn’t bleach his hair. He’s a platinum blond. He’s really pale, and his eyes are really light blue. All his features match. He definitely doesn’t dye his hair.”
Ethan cocked his head at me. “How closely were you looking at him?”
“He was in our bedroom, only about two feet from me. Believe me, I got a good look. When someone tries to attack you, you remember things about them, especially their face.”
Ethan sighed. “You sure you don’t want me to see if he’s there? I don’t want you to be afraid to come here.”
“I’m fine. Besides, this place is always packed. What could one guy possibly do to me with that many people around?”
“That doesn’t exactly make me feel better. I don’t want anyone to come after you. Ever. There’s no good time to have a stalker.”
“I know that.” I leaned my head back on the seat. “Can we please drop this? I’m really tired, and I’m dying to get in the shower.”
Ethan stared at me for a minute before starting the car. When he pulled out of the parking spot, he drove around the diner.
“Ethan, what are you doing?”
“I want to make sure he’s gone. Humor me.”
What could I do? I wasn’t driving, and I didn’t want to get into a fight with Ethan over some creepy guy. We drove around the diner twice, just in case Ethan missed anything the first time around. I tried to keep my eye-rolling to a minimum. I knew he cared and that was why he was being cautious, but I wasn’t helpless. Finally satisfied, Ethan pulled out of the diner and headed home.