Free A Roux of Revenge by Connie Archer

right. I just appreciate your letting me stay here. I need some more time on my ownright now.”
    “I understand. You can stay here as long as you need. If you’re still up when I’m back, well, I’m a good listener.”
    Janie nodded. “Thanks.”

Chapter 14

    L UCKY FELT A knot forming in her stomach as she walked the length of Broadway to the Snowflake Pub. She hated to cut her conversation with Janie short, but there didn’t seem to be anotheralternative. Elias hadn’t pressed, but she could feel his determination to talk to her tonight. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good; she could feel it in her bones. Elias had been distant and distracted the other day when he had stopped in at the Spoonful. She thought at first that he was just tired. He had been working long hours with no backup, and she had been thrilled when he told her he had hiredanother doctor, but there was an undercurrent of . . . what? Something not spoken? Something hidden? He didn’t sound relieved about his decision. More as though he were dreading something. Since that day, he hadn’t called or stopped by to see her at the restaurant for lunch as he usually did. Again, that was very unlike him.
    Maybe it was best that they meet on neutral ground. They had beenso close for so many months, and now something was wrong, but she didn’t know what. As hard as this might be, it would be better to talk to him and find out exactly what was going on.
    She felt a hot rush of anger rising in her chest as she approached the Pub. She knew she had fallen head over heels in love with Elias in the early days, and she believed he felt the same way. This ambiguousbehavior on his part was confusing her. Normally, she would have brushed her hair and put on some lipstick, maybe even a little blush. After all, wasn’t everyone always telling her she should be more feminine? No one denied she was good-looking, but she knew she was never one to care about fashion or her appearance. So be it. He’d get her as she was—tired, no doubt looking dragged out after her talkwith Janie and a long day on her feet.
    A noisy crowd was gathered at the near end of the bar as she pushed through the door. The overhead television was turned on, and the loud drone of a football game filled the air. She pushed past the group and spotted Elias sitting near the rear, behind the central fire pit that hadn’t been lit for the winter yet. She slid into the booth across from him.

    He looked up and smiled. He was nursing a beer. He reached across the table and took her hand. “What can I get you?”
    “Red wine would be nice.” She forced herself to smile in return. No point in being a downer right off the bat.
    Elias slid out of the booth and headed for the bar. The waitress, the one that always flirted with him and made Lucky uncomfortable, was busy with her loud customersat the other end of the room. He returned with a glass of wine and a napkin. “Cabernet. A good one.”
    Lucky took a sip. “Sorry I couldn’t invite you over. Janie’s going through some stuff, and she’s staying with me for a few days.”
    “She all right?”
    Lucky shrugged. “Upset about some family matters, but I think she’ll be fine.” Although I may not . She waited a few moments for him to speak.When he didn’t, she finally said, “What’s going on, Elias?”
    He took a deep breath as if to steel himself. “I wanted to tell you this the other day, but I realized the Spoonful wasn’t the place to talk.”
    Lucky waited, watching him carefully. There was nothing to criticize in his behavior, nothing concrete that is, but she knew she was right to feel the ground had shifted beneath her feet,an earthquake of the heart.
    “You met Paula at the Clinic. The day you stopped by.”
    “Yes.” And, in fact, I didn’t like her very much, Lucky thought, but for once kept her mouth shut.
    “The part I didn’t mention is that Paula and I . . . well, we did our internships together