Pepper, the Highlander & the Dead Guy

I’d forgotten today was breakfast with mom day. I usually check my calendar before going to bed, so I’d know what was in store for the next day, but I’d been so tired last night that I’d fallen into bed. I avoided adding appointments and dates to my online calendar or else my phone would be forever dinging with reminders.

With Amy telling me my mom would love the pics, I knew what the messages were. I scrolled through them and sure enough, Ian had sent me the pics from last night. Amy was right the photos of me were fabulous. I had to look three or four times to make sure it was me. I never looked so good. However, shock had me staring dumbfounded at the photos of Ian and me. Amy was right again. They were magical and something else, but I wasn’t quite sure what it was. And I didn’t have time to keep staring at them, I had to get dressed to meet my mom.

I was about to call Ian to thank him for the pics when my cell rang again.

I smiled as I answered, “Your photographer is a genius.”

“It’s easy to be a genius when you have a beautiful woman to photograph.”

It amazed me that he thought me beautiful, and I decided not to disagree with him.

“Thanks for that and for sending the pics. They are stunning.” I took a second to think and as often heard, threw caution to the wind to say, “I particularly like the ones of us.”

“I do too. I’d love to get you to model with me for a few books covers.”

I shook my head as I spoke. “Me model? I don’t think so.”

“We’ll talk about it later. I didn’t get to spend any time alone with you last night so I’m eager to see you. And there’s something I wanted to talk with you about.”

My mind went crazy with what that might be, but I let it go since I needed to talk to him about finding that piece of torn paper. I never got the chance to show him it. Somebody at the lodge knew something and Ian needed to be made aware of it.

“I need to talk with you too,” I said and spotted the time on the stove clock. “I’ve got to go, meeting my mom and Amy for breakfast at the diner and I’m still in my PJs.”

“Everything all right, Pep?” he asked.

The concern in his voice worried me. “What do you mean?”

“You said you need to talk with me. Is something wrong?”

He thought there was something wrong between us and I smiled that he cared enough to ask. “No, not at all. I found a piece of torn paper at your place last night with one word on it that relates to Robert Struthers, and I wanted to discuss it with you.”

“Ah cannae wait. Another piece to the puzzle that could help us solve this mystery.”

The enthusiasm in his voice, not to mention his enthusiasm for solving mysteries had me eager to see him.

“Enjoy breakfast with the lassies.”

My smile remained as I got dressed. Ian seemed to do that to me, make me smile often. Not that I had any trouble smiling before I met him. It was just that these smiles were different. The thought wiped the smile from my face. As soon as my mom saw me smiling, I knew what she’d say.

“You’re in love, Pepper.”

I didn’t even get to sit down before it spewed from my mom’s mouth.

“Nonsense, I just met him,” I protested and grabbed the menu, holding it up in front of my face since my mom often told me that my face was an open book.

“You order the same thing all the time, so hiding behind that menu won’t help,” my mom said, tapping the menu.

“What’s she hiding from?”

No! No! Don’t say anything to Zelda, I pleaded silently, knowing it was a useless plea.

“She’s in love,” my mom said.

“I knew it! I knew!” Zelda said with a laugh. “Saw it on both of them the first time I saw them together. Hot damn, Pepper and the cover model.”

“What’s this?” Lara asked.

“Pepper and that cover model are in love,” Zelda said.

I rolled my eyes and discarded the menu. It was useless. The news would spread through town by nightfall. I had to do something to stop it.

“I’m not in love,” I protested.

“Sure, you are. You just don’t know it yet.”

“Zelda’s right, sweetie,” my mom said. “Grandma knew I was in love with your dad before I did. You’ll realize soon enough.”

“What will she realize?”

I shook my head at Amy, but it was too late.

“Pepper is in love,” my mom, Zelda, and Lara said simultaneously.

“I thought so too,” Amy said as she scooted in next to me in the booth.

“Traitor,” I whispered, and she paid not a bit of attention to me.