Book #1

Chapter One

His third wife.

I shook my head, unbelieving. My dad used to be such an awesome guy. Now I see him as a lowlife with nothing better to do than meet women, go on dates them a few times, and pop the question. Dad, you were so much better than this. I wished that I could say it aloud, but the deadly quiet kitchen was impossible to say anything during, and I didn't want to upset him.

"Alexandria, feel like having breakfast with me?" he asked, sounding a little hopeful.

Again, I shook my head. "I can't." the hope fell from his eyes like a rock would sink in water. "Remember? Nate's helping me fix up the truck today." My pick-up, I recalled. Needs more than just one fix-up.

Dad sighed. "If you would have just let me buy you a new car, honey, this wouldn't happen all the time. You're lucky that Nate is a good mechanic."

"There is nothing wrong with my truck, Dad."

He gave me a look. "It's a 1962 Ford, kiddo. Basically, a piece of crap. Get the picture?"

"I know what my truck is. But you forgot the F-250 pick-up part. And that it's shamrock green." my good humor was wasted. He merely turned the page in his newspaper, holding it up so he couldn't see my glare. That's when I saw the article about a job in the local diner. "I'll be home later. Call my cell phone if you need me, or call the garage. Okay? Bye." I didn't let him protest, and simply grabbed the keys to my truck and went out the front door.

It was a gorgeous day. There was nothing like the sun. It was too bad that it gave me a migraine if I was out in it too long. I never bothered enjoying the sun, because it would just be covered up in the next few hours. Climbing into the truck, I stuck the key into the ignition and twisted it. Slouching in the seat for a minute, I closed my eyes, imagining myself away. The wedding was done with, and they were sure to get a divorce within a half year. I was sure of it; I prayed for it.

When I reopened my eyes, I felt a little dizzy, but I put the truck in reverse and backed out anyway. Changing to D, I put a little pressure on the gas pedal and turned up my radio. Normally, I would take my Border Collie, Elliot, with me to Nate's garage. But today I just needed to get out, and plus, I didn't have a clue where Elliot was. For all I knew, he could be in my bedroom. I hadn't let Dad know, but I was up all night, sick. It was amazing what a cup of coffee and a hot shower could do.

We lived in a small town. A really small town. Our population was really over eight thousand, but that was everyone put together in Valley County. My father and I live in Cascade, Idaho. Population as of two years ago, one thousand-four. Need I say more? I've lived in Cascade my whole life, though. Even thinking about somewhere else, without the rain there was, and the brisk mornings and evenings... I couldn't stand anywhere else. How Texas and Florida dwellers stood the heat, I would never understand.

Singing to the song that came on, I couldn't help but grin. Singing. My life long dream was to become a country singer, but, by the looks of things... With my dad needing me to have a part time job, and having discovered said job in the paper when he chose to ignore me, I didn't exactly have time for singing. Sure, I could hum a tune in the shower, but unless my shower was in a recording studio, what would be the point? But singing came natural to me. The one thing I know about my mother was that she was an amazing singer, only she couldn't bring herself to sing in front of anyone. I had the guts, but what I didn't have was the money.

I pulled into Nate's garage, and wasn't surprised to see a grease-blotched Nate emerging from beneath someone else's car. "You too busy to tune up this piece of junk?" I called, getting out, smiling. He returned the smile.

"Nah, never. Just pull up a chair, get a root beer, and talk to me, Alex." I did just that, and the company was well appreciated. We talked for over an hour, went through three root beers, and then he got started on my truck. "Well, what do you need this time?"

"Tire pressure needs to be checked, oil needs changed, and I think the left headlight is going out." I sighed.

"The usual, then." he smiled and popped the hood. "Hey, while I get to work on this, do you mind running one errand for me?"

"Not at all."

"Awesome. I need you to go to the diner and pick someone up for me. It's my cousin, Romeo."

I was sure he was joking. "While I'm at it, do you want me to drop Juliet off at the library...?"

"Ha, you're so funny. I'm serious. Go get him and bring him back here. Please," he smiled. "It would be a huge load off my shoulders. If it helps, he looks like me, only older. Taller."

"Um, okay." Nate tossed me the keys to his truck, and after a moment, I got in. I nearly gagged at the potent odor of cologne. So as soon as I was out of sight, I rolled down both windows. While I'm there, I can just apply for that job. I thought.

Sliding the white and pale blue pick-up, which was a few years newer than mine, into a parking spot, I got out and went into the diner. It was a quiant little place, furnished so humbly, almost simple, and I was awed by the sweet smell that greeted me. I was bracing myself to find the manager, but when I turned around, I was face-to-chest with a tall, jet-black haired young man. "I'm guessing you're Romeo?" he smiled down at me.

"Juliet?"

"No, unfortunately. I'm Alexandria Bishop. Your cousin, Nathaniel Whiteford just told me to come down here and pick you up." he shook my hand, and I was eager to let go. My outer temperature always felt like ice. It felt like he was running a temperature of a hundred.

"Oh, he did? I thought he was coming in, because I saw his truck in the lot."

"I borrowed it."

"Borrowed?" he raised an eyebrow.

"My truck's at his garage." I explained. "Hey, before I take you to the garage, you mind if I take care of something?" he said he would wait, and I went over to the counter. "Excuse me, ma'am? Are you the manager?" a tiny old woman came up to me, smiling, and said she was. "Great. I was wondering... I saw your add in the newspaper. My name is Alexandria Bishop, and I would like the job."

She cleared her throat. "Add... Oh, yes! Of course. Please, just sign your name and put down your phone number, and I'll get right back to you once we've narrowed down who to call." eagerly I scribbled down in my fairly elegant cursive, and then went back to Romeo after bidding her a good day.

"Alright. I'm ready to go. Sorry for the hold up." I gave him an apologetic grin before starting out the door. He followed, and got into the passenger seat. "Ew. Still more cologne." I choked out, rolling down the windows. "What does he do- bathe in it?" Romeo started laughing. I'm not that funny, I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. And I'm not funny looking. Silently brushing off his laughter, I backed out of the lot and drove off.

"So. Are you Nate's girlfriend or something? I thought only Aunt Kathy called him Nathaniel anymore." he sounded a little too interested to have only known me for ten minutes.

Clearing my throat, I said. "No. We're not dating. I didn't know what you call him, so I figured you'd know who I was talking about if I used his full name. Well, I was right, wasn't I?"

"Guess so." he looked out the window for a long minute. "So you're single."

"Yes." I couldn't have been happier to see the garage, and Nate's more childish face. Once I was inside, I reclaimed my seat and half-finished root beer. "That will be a set of new tires," I smirked.

"Oh, aren't you the comedian." as if I were a kid, Nate ruffled my hair. It was too long to totally mess up, so he settled for turning the top of my head into a rat's nest. "Thanks, Alex."

"Mhm." I smiled, taking a swig of the soda.

"And whose piece of crap is this?"

"That would be my piece of crap, sir." I called back. He was stunned. "Hey, Nate. Any clue when I'll be able to go home?"

"Not for a few hours." he admitted.

"Thank God."

"Lisa that bad?" Nate looked over.

"Yes." I groaned. "She's worth than the other two combined!" from inside the truck, my cell phone went off. Grumbling, I hopped up and opened the door, pulling it off the dash. Flipping open the phone and placing it to my ear, I answered in a forced, casual voice. "Hello?"

"Hey, Alexandria. It's Dad." Who else? "Lisa and I want you to come home. She saw you in someone's truck with some guy-"

"Dad! Relax. While Nate was working on my car, he wanted me to pick up his cousin. It's the least I could do." I folded one arm and on top propped my elbow to hold up the phone.

"Oh. Well that doesn't make any difference. Come home, now." I just hung up on him. What more was there to say?

"Thanks. Again. Really." I stammered. "But, can we reschedule?"

Nate put down the tool he was using and put a hand on my shoulder. "You're my best friend. Okay? If you need something, call me." I smiled sadly. "Now, go make him madder than hell." I laughed.

"I'll tell him I'm pregnant," I teased.

"You do that, Alex." he put the hood down on my truck, I got in, waved, and was down the road in ten seconds.