Chef's Delight (Stories of Serendipity) Read online

  “What the hell?” She asked, mystified, through the sudden pain. She looked at Connor, who jumped up from the floor, and stared at her arm, mouth agape.

  “How did that happen?” He demanded, eyes traveling from her arm to her face.

  “I don’t know. Help me get it out.” Jessie touched it tentatively, wincing at the surge of pain her touch inflicted.

  An unexpected blast of frigid air hit Jessie’s body, as she sat on the table, naked except for the jeans around her ankles. Goosebumps popped up over her body and she shivered.

  They both tensed when they heard the laughter.

  A woman was laughing near them. It was an eerie sound, echoing in their ears.

  Jessie looked at Connor, the look of fear on his face had to mirror her own. “Is there somebody else here?” He shook his head, mouth open with shock.

  Jessie jumped off the table, grimacing when she reached down for her pants. “Get this thing out of me. Now.” She said through gritted teeth.

  Connor held her arm still with one massive hand encircling the bicep, while his other hand yanked the shard of glass out in one fluid movement. Blood started pouring out of the wound.

  “I think you should go to the emergency room. This looks like it needs stitches.”

  “Yeah. I think you’re right. Hand me my clothes, please.” Connor reached to the floor and grabbed her clothes, then he leaned over to a nearby table and plucked a linen napkin off it, he held it against her arm. Then he grabbed another napkin and tied it around the wound, creating a makeshift dressing.

  “After you dress, I’ll take you.”

  Jessie had put her bra on, but couldn’t fasten the clasp. Her arm wasn’t moving. “I’ve got to get out of here. Now.” Connor fastened it for her, and helped her into her shirt.

  “Yeah. I get that. Let’s go.”

  While they were on the way to the hospital, Connor looked over at Jessie, his hand on her leg.

  “Do you know what happened?”

  She shook her head. “No. I don’t. Did you hear…laughing?” She really needed some sort of reassurance she wasn’t going crazy. Her mind kept picturing the woman in the mirror from her first night at the restaurant, how angry she looked, and Summer’s warnings.

  “Yes…I did. I’ve heard lots of weird things in that house, since I’ve moved here. But nothing’s ever…hurt anybody before.” As she looked at Connor, he visibly shuddered, and tightened his grip on her leg.

  “Like what? What weird things?”

  He expelled a long breath. “Like floor boards creaking, old music playing, that kind of stuff. And the mirror…”

  “The silver one?”

  He looked at her. “Yeah. The one you were holding the other night. I keep putting it away, throwing it away, even. I’ve even broken it.” His face paled, and his voice lowered to a whisper. “And it keeps coming back.”

  She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. “I saw a woman in it…that night. Standing behind me. I thought it was my imagination, Summer had been saying stuff about a woman, and I thought I had let her get to me.”

  His hand clenched her leg painfully at her declaration, but he relaxed it quickly. He was looking at her intently. “What did Summer say?”

  “She kept saying she saw a woman standing in the corner by the stairs, and she was angry at me. Summer…she’s sensitive to stuff like that. Or at least she says she is…I’ve never put much stock in it. But that’s why she left early that night. She was spooked.”

  “I’ve never seen anyone in the house.” Connor said quietly. “One morning, the windows in my bedroom had fogged up, though. Just my room, none of the others, and something had written on one of the windows.”

  “What did they write?”

  “Mine.”

  “This is so weird.”

  “Yeah. I believe I’ll be staying with Luke in the carriage house for a while, until I can figure all this out.”

  At the ER, Jessie told the nurses, she had accidentally stabbed her arm with a piece of broken glass, which was as close to the truth as she was willing to get. They looked at her bruised face with raised eyebrows, then assessed Connor, who shrugged. When they saw in her chart that this was the second night in a row she had visited, the nurses stifled more questions. Eight stitches later, they were on their way back to Connor’s, where Jessie’s truck was. They were quiet on the ride there, each lost in their own thoughts.

  After pulling into the parking lot, Connor looked at Jessie, resting his hand on the back of her neck. “Look, tomorrow I need to talk to Luke about…all this. And some other stuff. I’m going to talk to him about doing some stuff to your place, if that’s okay.”

  “Sure. Call me sometime tomorrow. Okay?”

  He pulled her closer and kissed her. “I really want to finish what we started.” His voice was husky, and it sent a warm pool of melted tummy straight to her toes.

  “Me too.” She kissed him again, trying to convey her need for him, before releasing him and getting out of the truck.

  Chapter 10

  Connor had roughly shoved Luke’s unconscious body over on the foldout couch the night before and slept with him in the carriage house. There was no way he was going to be sleeping in the big house, not with that woman there. When he woke up the next morning, Luke was sitting on the coffee table, coffee in hand, staring at him with a bemused expression.

  “What’s up bro? Did you get cold last night? Need a snuggle buddy?” The boyish grin on Luke’s face did nothing to dispel the horror of the night before.

  Connor rubbed his face as he sat up on the lumpy mattress. “Naw, man. I’ll tell you, but I’m pretty sure you won’t believe it. Later. I need you to help me move the mattress out of the big house. I’m not sleeping there anymore.”

  “Whatever you say, man.”

  They swiftly moved the mattress downstairs and out to the loft of the carriage house. It took up most of the space, but that was okay with Connor.

  Since it was Monday, the restaurant was closed, so he had all day to talk to Luke, who seemed restless. He was lazing on the couch with a sketchpad, tapping his pencil. Connor looked over his shoulder, none too discreetly, and noticed Luke had been writing Kathy’s name in giant block letters across the page, shading them beautifully.

  “What’s up with you and Kathy?”

  Luke sighed dramatically, running his hands through his hair. “I don’t know, man. She seems interested, but I’m just not totally sure. We’re such good friends, and I’m afraid if I make a move, I’ll screw it up.” He held up a hand to Connor’s surprised expression. “I know, dude. Don’t say it. I sound like a pussy.”

  Conner laughed, and it felt good, after the events of last night. “Yeah, you do.”

  “We have a date tonight. I guess since you’ll be staying here, I need to go back to her place, if anything happens.”

  “Yes, please.” Connor agreed. “What’s left to do on this house?”

  “Nothing. I’m finished. It’s wired, plumbed, insulated, and painted. You just need to furnish it. That’s part of why I’m so nervous about Kathy. I’m leaving.”

  “Not if you’ll do me a favor.

  “What?”

  Connor told his brother about Jessie’s open house for the dairy, and glossed over some of the things, which needed to be done to her house.

  “I can’t pay you, and I don’t think she could either. I’ll buy you beer, and feed you. But I won’t be able to pay you until later. But you could stay until the event, that would give you more time to decide what to do with Kathy.”

  “Yeah, it would. Thanks, bro.” His attention shifted. “What happened at the big house? Why are you staying out here all of a sudden?”

  Connor shifted uneasily. “It’s haunted, and it’s gotten too weird.” He said simply. Luke eyed his brother warily. “I told you you wouldn’t believe it, but there’s been stuff going on in there, and last night was the last straw. There’s a woman haunting the place,
and I need to figure out what to do about her before she starts messing with customers.”

  “Messing with them? Ghosts don’t mess with people, man. They levitate shit, and mess with lights.”

  “This one stabbed Jessie in the arm last night.” Connor said quietly, hearing how ridiculous the words sounded in his own ears.

  “Okay, man. Start at the beginning.”

  So he did. Connor told his brother about the creepy music, the floor boards creeking, the foggy windows with the word ‘mine’ written in them, the refrigerators, and the mirror. He told Luke about Jessie seeing the woman in the mirror, and Summer seeing the woman by the stairs. He ended with the mirror shard in Jessie’s arm, and the sound of the laughter.”

  Luke was pensive throughout the entire story. “I’d think you were messing with me, except I’ve seen half that stuff myself. I just thought it was creepy though, nothing to worry about. It’s an old house, with a lot of history.” He slapped himself in the forehead with the palm of his hand, getting up to go to the storage closet and rummage around. “That reminds me. I found something in the walls when I was putting in the insulation. Up in the loft, there was a plank in the wall that was unattached. That’s how I got access to the interior walls. Somebody had left a book in there. I didn’t look at it much, just determined it was some sort of diary or something. But I put it in this closet for you to look at later. Here it is.” He emerged from the closet with a linen bound book in his hands. He tossed it to Connor.

  Connor turned it over in his hands, examining the plain, beige cover. It may have been white at some point, but had yellowed with age. Opening the book, he fingered the pages, noting the faded, yet still legible writing.

  “It is a diary. From 1923-1926. That’s what’s written on the front. I wonder whose it is?”

  “Yeah, me too. It probably belonged to someone from the big house, though I can’t imagine why it’s hidden out here. This was a pretty much an old barn back then.”

  Connor was quiet, as he read the first few pages, of a young woman’s mundane life in Serendipity. Looking up at his brother, he asked, “Would you do some research on this house? You know how to look stuff up at the title office, you could find out who used to own this place, then go to the library and see if they have anything.”

  “Yeah, sure. I’m not doing anything else, except fixing up your girlfriend’s house for free.”

  At Connor’s blush, the younger brother could tell he’d struck a nerve. “Tell me about you guys. What exactly is going on? Has she broken through your resolve?”

  Luke was the only person who knew all there was to know about Brandy and her evil machinations. Connor had told him everything, since Luke had taken it upon himself to set his big brother up with all sorts of women after the divorce. As soon as Connor saw what Brandy was doing with his relationships, he asked Luke to stop, explaining why.

  “Yeah, I guess. She’s different, you know? I really like her. I tried not to, but…” He shrugged. “I’ve decided maybe enough time and distance have lapsed for Brandy to not mess with me now. I don’t know, but I’m giving it a shot.”

  “Well, good for you. It’s been too long since you’ve had a little lovin’ in your life.” He clapped Connor on the shoulder and went into the kitchenette. Connor settled himself on the couch, and opened the diary to the first page.

  I’m starting this diary to tell of things, which would send me straight to Hell if I spoke of them aloud. People would think me evil, even though I have no control over these events of my life.

  Father is doing it again. When he thinks I’ve gone to sleep, he comes to watch me. Always watching. It’s a sin to not honor thy father, but he terrifies me. After the watching, he goes back to their room, and makes Mother cry. I cannot honor him, when he does that. And he does it every night, now. I have to tell of it, but there is no one to tell. So I’m writing it here, and hoping this will ease my guilty soul. Because I know somehow, it is my fault.

  The malice resonating from his being as he watches me sleep, terrifies me. After a very long time of watching, he goes back to his bedroom and makes Mother scream in horrific pain. I can’t imagine what he’s doing to her, but I’m glad it’s not me. I know it is sinful, to be grateful for someone else’s pain. I’m just so thankful that those screams aren’t mine.

  I sense it’s my fault though, that he goes and hurts Mother. Is there something I’m doing or not, that gives him the thoughts to go and make her scream like that?

  Connor read with growing curiosity. Was this the same woman who was antagonizing him? Were there clues in this diary to help him get rid of her presence in his house? He kept reading.

  If I could only find a suitable husband, I could leave this oppressive home, and start my own family. But Father won’t allow suitors to visit, and he rarely lets me go anywhere without him. I am twenty-three-years old, and he does not seem to wish me married. He controls my daily activities, allowing me away from the house only for church functions without a chaperone. There are no eligible men at church, anymore. I yearn for someone to rescue me from this oppressive existence, but I cannot seem to find anyone with the interest necessary to take me away from him.

  Connor found himself feeling sorry for the woman. According to the pages he’d read, she lived a sheltered life at home with her parents. Granted, times were different, but he seemed to have the impression that the twenties was an era of freedom for women. The suffrage movement, flappers, prohibition, speak-easies all came to mind when he thought of the period. This woman seemed to be stuck in the Victorian era of male domination, and repression.

  He grabbed a beer, and settled down for a day of reading.

  Jessie needed her girlfriends today. She called Summer, Kathy, and another friend, Alyssa and invited them over for drinks, snacks, and some much-needed girl time. Between Connor and Chad, she had too much to think about, and she needed her girls to get her mind off the men.

  Kathy was the first to show, claiming she had a hot date that night she needed to get ready for. Alyssa and Summer would be by later, after work.

  When she saw the bandage on Jessie’s arm, and the bruises on her face, she freaked.

  “Shit, Jessie. What happened?”

  Wanting to lead up to the weird stuff, Jessie didn’t answer directly. “Have you run across any creepy stuff at the restaurant?”

  “Are you kidding? That whole place has a creepy vibe. If I didn’t like Connor and Luke so much, I would have quit my first week.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Nothing specific. I just get a weird feeling, especially when I’m there alone.” She looked at her friend quizzically. “You didn’t answer my question. What’s going on?”

  Jessie took a deep breath. “Before I tell you anything, you have to swear to keep an open mind. I promise I’m not turning into Summer.”

  “Okay…”

  “Last night, a ghost stabbed me in the arm with a piece of mirror.”

  Kathy’s gasped. “What? That silver mirror?”

  “Probably. You know about the mirror?” Jessie was surprised her friend wasn’t shipping her straight to the funny farm.

  “Just that it’s always showing up around the kitchen. Connor is totally weirded out by it. He has thrown it away at least twice that I know of, and put it in the carriage house a couple of times. He thought I was leaving it around. What ghost?”

  “I don’t know. It’s a woman. I saw her in the mirror one night.” She shook her head. “It’s too weird. I sound crazy.”

  “Yeah, you do. Did she beat you up, too?” Kathy asked, looking at the bruises on her face.

  “No, that was all Chad. Let’s talk about something else. Okay?”

  Her eyebrows raised, but she must have noticed the look in Jessie’s eyes, because she said, “Alright. Let’s talk about you and Connor. Is there a budding relationship in the works?” She nudged her friend with her elbow.

  “I think so, yes.”

  Kathy sque
aled with delight. “Ooooh! Do tell!”

  Jessie winced. “I’m not sure I should…”

  “Oh come on. That’s never stopped you before.”

  “Well, I think this one is different, Kathy. Connor is different from the other guys I’ve been with.”

  “What do you mean? Different how?” Kathy quirked a well-manicured brow at her friend.

  “Well, he’s insisting we get to know each other, and take things slowly. I’m having a hard enough time with that. It’s not my style, usually.”

  “So you guys haven’t had sex?” Both eyebrows raised in disbelief.

  Jessie shrugged. “No.”

  “Wow.”

  “I know.” And she did. Relationships, taking it slow, and no sex were not in Jessie’s normal vocabulary.

  Kathy opened her mouth, as if to say something, and thought better of it. “Well, I’ll leave that alone, for now.”

  Jessie went into the kitchen to get the plate of fruit and cheese she’d put together, as well as a bottle of wine from the fridge. “Who do you have a date with tonight?”

  “Connor’s brother, Luke.” Kathy said quietly.

  “Seriously? Is he as hot as Connor?”

  “Yeah, in a different way. He isn’t as massively huge as Connor is, and his hair is a little darker, but they definitely look like brothers.” Kathy bit into a slice of peach she had spread cheese on. “This is so yummy Jessie. I wish everybody knew how good this stuff was. You’d be rich.”

  “That reminds me. Connor wants me to do some sort of open house here, and invite the public. Cheese tasting, wine pairing, appetizers with cheese, music, stuff like that. You want to help me get ready?”

  “You know I do. What do you need?”

  They spent the next hour making plans and dividing up jobs for Jessie, Summer, Kathy, and Alyssa. Kathy agreed to get the recipes for the stuff Connor would make and make cards for the guests to take home to try. She also volunteered to help Luke with repairs around the house, which needed to be done before she opened it up to the public. Since she would be working at the restaurant the day of the event, so Connor could be there with her, she volunteered to do things behind the scenes to help Jessie prepare.