Page 25 of Rogue’s Path (Sweet Chaos #1)

Dylan

Would I have expected anything less than a formal tea party fit for a queen from Cordelia?

I’m not a cozy mystery writer, but even I recognize bone china that’s probably worth more than my car.

The only thing out of place in this fancy setup is the hot chocolate instead of tea.

But she hid it in these stunning teapots covered with little cozies to keep them hot.

“Do you want to stay for tea?” Cordelia sets a multitiered platter down with several types of mini cakes on it.

Would I love to sit and eat all this beauty? Absolutely. But I don’t want to interfere with Cordelia’s life. “Thank you. But I really need to get some work done or I’ll fall behind.” Which is sorta true. Being way ahead of my release schedule makes my life so much more relaxed.

“You going to work in your room to hide that whisker burn you’ve got going?” Her finger circles around her mouth.

I was hoping it wasn’t as noticeable as I thought.

“Did any actual talking happen?”

“Sort of.” What can I say? We did a lot of kissing.

She laughs.

“Somehow, he apologized and told me we’re talking, then going on a date.”

“Told you? You let a man tell you what you’re doing?”

It wasn’t my fault. His kisses and scalp massages are more than a woman can handle. “Kinda.” I grin.

“Oh. So it’s like that, is it?”

Not totally, but mostly.

“You better start shopping for leather.”

Yuk. I’m going to look like one of Cordelia’s overstuffed piping bags. The only people who look good in leather are a size two, and my hips have never fit in anything close to that size. “Not going to happen.”

“Keep telling yourself that. We lost Greer to the exact same thing.”

Greer? She wasn’t at the party. Did she stop being their friend because she got married? That happens sometimes. You just don’t have time anymore.

The doorbell rings.

Winnie steps in with another woman. Both women have on designer outfits and bags that I’d be afraid to carry around.

Winnie’s outfit is part of who she is, a powerful businesswoman.

The other’s outfit is sleek, not quite with the classical elegance of old money, but also not gaudy new money either.

The diamond on her finger screams ‘look at me’. It’s so large.

“Who happened to you?” Winnie doesn’t have a filter, it seems.

“Winnie!” the other woman chastises.

“It’s not like she’s even trying to hide it, Greer. Dylan made out with someone, and we need the details.”

So that’s Greer. What do they mean by lost when she’s right here meeting up with them?

Interesting. I try to pretend Winnie didn’t ask.

The doorbell chimes again, and Greer opens it since she’s standing right next to it.

Mindy steps in. So far, every time I’ve met her, she’s been wearing fun colors and the most interesting outfits. I wish I could do that. My idea of adding color is red lipstick.

“Ottilie is outside. She’ll be in soon.” Mindy takes off her coat. “Today’s meeting couldn’t have been more convenient. Maddox and Jacko had to drive out here today for a funeral.”

A funeral. Is it for Rogue’s nephew? Probably, there can’t be that many funerals on the same day in a small town.

“What happened to your face?” Mindy stops talking to stare at me.

Is it really that bad?

“Who,” Winnie corrects.

“Oh really. Well, I’m glad Maddox shaves. I wouldn’t want the entire world to know when we were kissing.”

It’s that bad.

“So, who were you kissing?”

These women are such gossips, and I’m right here.

“A biker.” Cordelia grins at me like she wasn’t flirting with Bear all night.

The door opens, and Ottilie storms in. “It’s time. We need to start the meeting.” She doesn’t wait for anyone else, but marches straight towards the table Cordelia set.

And that’s my cue to escape.

Those women are wild.

What if their meeting isn’t simply some friends getting together?

They could be part of a secret society created in one of those fancy boarding schools that morphed into a super spy network.

The group they’re in is so dark that the government doesn’t even acknowledge their existence.

No one would even look at a nutty group of rich women traveling the world.

That would be so perfect for them.

Are they seeking out intelligence on enemy countries…

Nah. These women work together to kill terrorists.

Ottilie runs the show. Winnie is for close-up kills.

Cordelia’s eye for detail would make her the perfect sniper.

What would Mindy do? Distraction. That leaves Greer for reconnaissance.

Not one person is ever going to think she was involved in anything but herself.

The main street has already switched back to normal, which is a little bit of a letdown.

All the drama surrounding the Ivy Café has me stopping in at a little restaurant on the main street. It’s practically empty for a little after one.

This place probably hasn’t changed since the seventies.

It’s perfect all the way down to the plastic floral tablecloths.

After ordering a cup of chicken noodle soup and potpie to ward off the chill in the air, I pull out my laptop and get to work.

It’s slow going because my eyes keep wandering over to the spot in the park.

Last night felt like such a change. We made a huge step forward. This could end up being a relationship.

Am I ready for one?

It’s been years and years since my last one. My life…it just works. Why am I even throwing a biker that I know nothing about into the mix and possibly messing it up?

A hearse pulls up onto the main street, followed by a seemingly endless line of motorcycles.

Is that? It can’t be.

But it is. That’s definitely Rogue in the second row. And he has a woman on the back of his bike. Thanks to a little research, I know what that means. The only people on the back of a man’s bike for events like these are the women they're dating or married to.

How can Rogue be saying all these things to me while he has a woman on the back of his bike? She’s beautiful. Perfect for him. With her colorful hair in locks and all that leather on her size two body.

I should hate her, but I'm too busy hating him.

Why would he make me addicted to him when he’s got an old lady?

Why would he do that?

My phone rings. I’m tempted to ignore it. To just walk out and find a place to cry. That’s the weirdest feeling for me.

Crying always seems pointless.

“Hello,” I answer. There’s more than a little tremble in my voice.

“Dylan.”

“Taylor.” Just minutes ago, I was determined to tell this man that we could only be friends. Now, I don’t know. In less than a day, I went from three men pining over me to one who’s so far away he could be on another planet. “You sound closer.”

“That’s because I’m in a city with phone service.” He yawns.

“But still on the other side of the world.”

“Yup. I should be stateside next weekend sometime. And free to fly anywhere the next Monday. Do you have any idea where that will be?”

Now would be the time to break it to him gently.

“No. I’m planning on leaving Silent Valley soon.

” Like tomorrow. “But I’m not sure where I’m going.

Maybe to Alaska to learn how to build an igloo, or I could go white water rafting.

It won’t be the first time I’ve gone, but I’ll focus a bit more on what it means to be a guide there. Have you done either?”

“Learning to build a survival shelter in any condition was something my father taught me before boot camp.”

I’ll take that as a yes, then.

“But white water rafting is just fun.”

Is there anything Taylor hasn’t done?

***

It feels final walking up to the Ivy Café. I’ve only been going there for a week, but this will be my last visit. Coming back to Silent Valley…one day, maybe when it doesn’t hurt so much anymore.

After a quick stop at the cutest little card shop that I’ve ever seen and an ATM, I have everything I need to say goodbye to all the staff.

Jane stops at my table almost immediately. “Hey there. Rogue was looking for you yesterday.”

“He found me.” Oh, did he find me. Before she asks a ton of questions, I say, “Today will be my last day visiting the Ivy Café. I wanted everyone to know how much I loved this place.” I pull out the stack of cards I wrote in and filled.

“Oh, that reminds me, we have something for you.” Jane grins wider than I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying something since she always seems to be smiling.

Something for me? That’s odd.

“You’re going to love it. I’ll be right back with it.” She dashes off.

What could they possibly have for me? I’m going to miss this place. Maybe I’ll find a place like it in Alaska.

Really? That’s nuts. You’re going out in the boonies to build an igloo. Do you really think people are going to be walking to a coffee shop in the middle of winter just to hang out?

White water rafting won’t be any better. Although I will be with a group all the time. Maybe I’ll need a quiet break from all the interaction.

White water rafting won’t give me much time to think about the man whose name will no longer be part of my vocabulary. It’s the middle of winter. Do they actually go in when it’s freezing?

Australia is warm this time of year. My characters might want to trek through the outback. They could feed their victims to the crocodiles. Like that hasn’t been written nine million times.

Throwing them in a pack of kangaroos to let them be stomped on would be way more interesting.

Rogue would be able to fight his way out—Stop thinking about him, or you’ll end up crying.

“Here it is. Someone got you flowers. Someone really likes you.”

Jane’s voice makes me jump, and suddenly there are red roses in front of me.

Don’t scream.

Don’t scream.

Maybe you’re overreacting. Your mind is playing tricks on you, just like it did last night. These could be from Rogue…the scoundrel and not your stalker.

You’re completely under the radar. There’s no way he could find you here.

“Aren’t they pretty?”

They’re causing me some pretty intense heart palpitations.

“I’ll just take these—” She grabs the pile I set on the edge of the table. “While you read the note in private.”

Privacy is the last thing I want.

The very last thing. If these are from my stalker—what do I even do? I reported the last ones and got nothing.

They’ve got to be from Rogue. Or maybe Bear ordered them before he met Cordelia. Bear is definitely the type to send a woman flowers the next day.

That’s got to be it.

Bear sent me flowers that I should probably give to Cordelia.

My hand won’t stop shaking as I reach for the card.

My dearest love Dylan,

He found me…