Keeping Guard (8 page)

K
ylie couldn't get the man's face out of her mind as she finished the rest of her lunch. Nate, who would normally have disappeared into his office, since the dining room was so slow, instead cleaned the already clean kitchen. Kylie knew he purposely stayed close.

From where Kylie sat, she could hear the two men outside chatting, though she couldn't make out their words. If Larry found out that she'd run into Arnold and didn't make an effort to be noticed, he would be angry. Oh, well. She'd learned long ago not to let Larry get to her. He was just doing his job as producer. Meanwhile, she had to look out for herself.

She took another bite of her chef salad and chewed slowly.

Arnold Stephens's face flashed in her mind. The fact that the man had shown up here was just a coincidence. It had to be. But was the world really this small? And did coincidences like this really happen?

“Excuse me,” a deep voice said from the distance.

Kylie's head snapped up and she saw Arnold peering in from the doorway. She wiped her mouth and stood quickly, her chair tumbling behind her with the action. In a flash, Nate was by her side.

“Can I help you?” Nate said.

“This soup is fabulous.”

Nate slapped his dish towel over his shoulder and stepped closer. “Thanks. I appreciate that.”

Arnold's gaze went back to Kylie. He slowly nodded to her and then smiled. “You are Kylie Summers. I've watched videos of your shows for the past several weeks. I remember your face. And I know you're on vacation this week because I called your producer last Friday.”

Kylie had only a minute to decide on her reaction. Own up to his declaration or deny it. Tell the truth or lie. She'd never believed that lying was the best option—an option at all, for that matter. But would the truth put her in danger? Nate looked over at her, clearly showing that he'd left the ball in her court.

She drew in a deep breath. “I am Kylie, Mr. Stephens. I'm simply trying not to draw any attention to myself while I'm here in Yorktown.”

“I see. That's admirable, I suppose. But I have a proposition for you.”

Kylie braced herself, placing her hands palm down on the table. “A proposition?”

“I love the look and location of this restaurant. I love the crab soup. And I love
Kylie's Kitchen
. What do you say we do a pilot episode of your show, right here at the Revolutionary Grill? I can't think of a more winning combination. We're looking to film right away.”

Kylie opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. A national debut? Giving the restaurant a chance at a free advertisement to a huge audience?

“You want to give me a chance? Go national?”

Mr. Stephens smiled, his teeth practically sparkling. “I believe in fate, and I think fate is why I ended up here today. Yes, we are interested in taking your show national.”

“That sounds great.”

Nate stepped forward. “Kylie…I don't know if that's a good idea right now.”

What was he talking about? Of course this was a good idea. For both her and Nate's restaurant. “It sounds like a good idea to me.”

He leaned close, so close that she could feel his breath on her cheek. “Remember why you're here.”

Reality settled in. Of course she couldn't film now. Not until everything with the stalker was resolved. She couldn't assume that the sting would go as planned and that she would be back home by next week at this time.

“Think about it.” Arnold handed her a business card. “I'll be in town until the end of the week. I really think this could be a win-win situation for all of us.”

He offered a clipped nod, one that spoke confidence and determination. Then he dropped some money at the register and left.

Kylie turned to Nate after the door clicked shut.

“I think I was blinded by ambition there for a moment.”

“It would have been a great opportunity. If it's meant to be, Mr. Stephens will come around again—at a better time.”

Kylie nodded. Nate was right. She had to wait on the right timing. Her first priority was to catch her stalker. But if this was the right decision, why did her heart feel so heavy?

The bell chimed above the door, signaling the arrival of another patron. Kylie sucked in a deep breath. “I'll go seat them.”

 

Nate got back to his apartment exhausted yet revitalized. He and Kylie had made a decent team and they'd somehow survived the frantic day. It was both a blessing and a curse that business had been slow. They probably wouldn't have been able to handle many more customers, though it would have been nice for the restaurant's bottom line.

Out of curiosity, he plopped down at his computer desk and typed “Kylie's Kitchen” into his search engine. Pages of results came up. He clicked on the official site for the show.
A moment later, Kylie's glowing face filled the screen. He examined her photo. Her pert nose, big eyes, tiny chin. Her long, dark hair flowing halfway down her back. Her smooth skin and easy smile. No doubt she was easy on the eyes. That didn't always translate into being a good TV personality, however.

He clicked on a link to one of her show's episodes.

A cheery song introduced the show before the camera zoomed in on a bright, clean kitchen, equipped with all the modern necessities and perfect lighting. Kylie stood behind an enlarged kitchen island with a variety of fruits and vegetables in front of her, along with a chopping board and butcher knife. Her warm smile greeted viewers and invited them into her haven.

Nate leaned back in his chair as she began sharing a simple recipe for chicken cordon bleu with garlic mashed potatoes. She had a way of engaging her audience by sharing stories about growing up and restaurants she'd visited that inspired her and local markets where she'd found a treasure of fresh foods. By the end of the show, she nearly had Nate convinced.

If only Nate shared her passion for food.

He glanced at the wall where he'd hung up a picture of himself shaking hands with the President of the United States when he'd been awarded a Medal of Honor. He'd saved somewhere around a dozen passengers on a tour boat that almost sank off the coast of North Carolina and he'd nearly lost his own life in the process.

The boat should have never been out with the storm approaching. But his job hadn't been to judge, but to help. At thirty-eight-years old, as a decorated master chief petty officer, he'd been given the choice to advance or to retire. Against his better judgment, he'd chosen early retirement so he could honor his father's dying wish to keep the restaurant going. If it wasn't for the pension he received each month, he would have had to close down months ago.

A quiet knock sounded at his door. Since the outside doors were locked, the only person it could be at this hour was Kylie, and Nate had assumed she would have fallen right to sleep after working so hard today. He yanked the door open, concerned that something might be wrong.

Kylie stood on the other side, her eyes red-rimmed as if she'd been crying. Her shoulders appeared hunched, her breaths labored.

“Kylie,” he mumbled. “Come in. Please.”

As she shuffled inside, Nate's gut lurched. He took her arm and led her across the room to the couch. “Do you want something to drink? Coffee?”

She sank into the couch and brought her hands up under her chin. “No, thanks. I'm sorry to bother you.”

He lowered himself into a chair across from her. “You're not bothering me.”

She wiped her eyes with a tissue that had been balled in her hand. “My brother just called. They've canceled the sting. They don't know when they'll be able to do it now. The cop who was supposed to double for me took a spill while chasing a suspect during a robbery. She fractured her wrists, which will make it hard for her to chop up food.”

“When do they think this cop will be able to do the demonstration still, even if it's rescheduled?”

Kylie shrugged. “It depends on how long it takes her to recover. The longer we wait, the more likely my stalker will figure out the person at the demonstration isn't me. Time isn't on our side in this case.”

“I'm sorry, Kylie.” He looked at her sitting alone on the couch. What would it would be like to sit beside her and pull her into his arms, to comfort her? No, soon she'd be leaving. Besides, she despised Nate's efforts to protect her. No doubt she'd feel the same if he tried to comfort her.

“Me, too.” She looked in the distance, tension still present around her eyes and mouth. “I'm going to have to call my
producer and let him know I'm extending my ‘vacation' for a bit longer. He won't be happy, especially not now that Arnold Stephens has called again.”

“He'll get over it.”

Kylie remained silent, pensive.

“Do you want a national cooking show, Kylie?”

Kylie's lips pulled into a tight line before she finally spoke. “I do. I mean, there are some things I'm still unsure about.” She paused and shook her head. “I know I sound crazy, but I'll probably have to move to New York, and I've never been a big city type of girl. Those types of things cause some uncertainty. But do you know how many people dream about having a nationally syndicated show? I'd be crazy to pass the opportunity up.” And maybe it would finally show her family that she was truly a “grown-up” and that they didn't need to treat her like a child anymore. Of course, the measures of success she'd already achieved hadn't done the trick.

“It does sound like a great opportunity.”

“When I was diagnosed with cancer, I realized how short life was. I want to take advantage of each opportunity and live life to the fullest. But it's like I've told you, I haven't taken a vacation in years, so I haven't mastered the whole ‘living life to the fullest' yet either.”

“Life is a journey. We learn as we go.”

She stood and sighed, almost as if she didn't want to leave. “I know you're probably anxious for me to go so you can resume your life.”

Nate stood and reached for her arm. “Kylie, I don't know what I would have done today without you. You can stay here for as long as you need to stay. Understand?”

Her cheeks flushed before she looked away. “Thanks, Nate. I appreciate all you've done.”

He squeezed her arm, realizing he didn't want to let go—right now or ever.

 

Back in her apartment, Kylie sank into the couch, replaying her conversation with Nate. He was a surprisingly good listener. His encouragement to follow her own heart had warmed her in surprising ways.

She'd expected Nate to react more like Colin would have, telling her what she
should
be feeling and how she
should
be handling the situation. Strangely, she hadn't even realized how controlling he'd been until many months into their relationship. How could she have been so blind? Why would she ever even try to be someone she wasn't just to please a boyfriend?

The thought shamed her.

Colin had wanted someone who'd do whatever he said, who would be a quiet, compliant wife who always stood by his side and never talked back. Kylie wasn't that person. She dreamed of a balanced marriage that was built on mutual respect, where listening to each other's opinions was a priority. She'd hold out until she found that.

In the meantime, she'd vowed to never let a man control her again. Yet that was exactly what the Man in Black was doing. His very presence sent her into a nervous scurry, even being this far away

He couldn't find her here.

But could he?

Crazier things had happened in life. For instance, Arnold Stephens, of all people, coming into the Grill today. She'd known the world was small, but was it really this small?

Mr. Stephens couldn't be her stalker…could he?

She shook her head. No, that idea was crazy. He was a successful producer living in New York City. No way he could be behind the threats on her life.

Finally, her muscles began relaxing from the busy day. With a sigh, she rose and decided it was time for bed. After checking the closet and under the bed, plus going back to
double-check the locks on her door again, she finally crawled under the covers. She wished for a good night's rest, but a good night's rest was something she hadn't experienced in months.

C
arrie was out again on Thursday because of the flu. It looked like she'd be out for several days, for that matter.

Suzy did come in on Thursday, which was a help, but they were still at least one person short. Kylie only hoped that Nate had a plan for the weekend, which was always busier. Being short-staffed on Friday night would be a nightmare.

Thursday, so far, had passed by fairly quickly. Kylie needed to keep her mind occupied, and being in the kitchen did just that. She tried to keep it to where she was cooking and Nate worked on the management side.

She couldn't resist throwing in a few personal touches to the food while Nate was in the office. Just a little parsley here and lemon juice or zest there. The additions helped to brighten up the flavors. She had some ideas for new menu items she thought Nate should try—and other ideas for menu items that he should do away with. At the right time, maybe she would suggest them.

“What did you do to this soup?” Suzy walked into the kitchen and held up an empty bowl.

Kylie drew in a quick breath, hoping she didn't do something wrong. “I just added a couple of extra ingredients.”

“It's fabulous.”

Kylie smiled. “Thanks. It just needed a little extra something to take it to the next level.”

“The customers have been raving about it all afternoon.”

“Glad to hear that.”

Suzy leaned against the sink, adjusting the purple bandanna with little skull imprints that she wore around her head like a pirate—not in trying to keep with any theme, just because she seemed to like standing out in the crowd. “You're not new at this, are you?”

Kylie tensed. “What do you mean?”

“Nate said you came here to get experience, but you seem pretty experienced to me.”

Kylie shrugged, trying to look casual. “I'm trying to get restaurant experience. I've had some training as a chef.”

“Why'd you pick this restaurant of all places to get experience?” She lowered her voice as her eyes darted from side to side. “There are some fabulous places up in Williamsburg. I'd hardly call this place inspirational.”

Kylie swallowed, her throat dry. A customer right now would be nice, before Suzy had a chance to ask too many questions. Kylie shoved a lock of hair behind her ear and put on her best game face. “You sound like you know quite a bit about the restaurant industry yourself.”

Suzy shrugged, seeming more than eager to switch the subject to herself. “I don't know. I've been waitressing for six years now, ever since I was seventeen. I'm taking some college classes in between, you know. I've worked nearly every place from here to Jamestown.”

“How'd you end up here, then?”

“My dad goes to church with Nate and knew he needed some help.” She shrugged again and pursed her lips in nonchalance. “This place is closer to home anyway, so it saves me some gas money. The tips aren't nearly as good, though.”

“It's nice of you to help Nate out. You don't go to church with your dad?”

“I gave up on church a long time ago.” She waved her hand
in the air as if to show the question was invalid. “I believe in God and everything. But I don't need church to show it.”

Kylie nodded, guilt pooling in her gut. Hearing Suzy say the words out loud made her realize how feeble her own arguments against going to church sounded. She needed to get back in the habit. Yet, at the same time, she didn't want to go to church simply out of habit.

Instead of talking about it further, Kylie changed the subject. “So, what are you studying and taking classes for?”

Suzy shrugged again. “I can't decide, so I'm trying a little bit of everything. I just want something that will take me away from this place. I've been praying a rich man would come along and sweep me off my feet, take me off to a better life. Hasn't happened yet.” She frowned dramatically.

“You don't like Yorktown?”

“I've lived here since I was born, and there's nothing left for me here except my family, I guess. All this historical stuff is spooky to me anyway. It seems like every place around here is supposedly haunted, my house included. In fact, they even talk about it on the ghost tour. I'm so proud.”

Kylie smiled. “What about this place? Does it have a story, too?”

Suzy leaned toward her. “The only thing haunting this place is Nate. You'd think his father was still here. He needs to just sell the place. He's miserable. I hate to see him like that. He used to actually have some life in him.”

“Doing something you don't love can do that to you, I suppose.”

The bell jangled on the front door and Suzy straightened. “I gotta go. Good talking to you. You're good for this place, Kylie. I don't know why you chose to come here, but I'm glad you did.”

Kylie watched her walk away before turning back to her work area and preparing for her next order. But her mind was on Nate. If there was one thing she'd learned from having
lymphoma, it was that life was too short to do something you didn't love doing. What would it take for Nate to realize that?

 

The day had gone fairly smoothly, all things considered. But the weekend was nearly upon them and business always picked up on the weekends. Nate wasn't sure what he'd do without Carrie here to help out.

He sighed and leaned back in his desk chair in his cramped little office. His ex-girlfriend Deanna used to help him in the restaurant, but she'd been unreliable. She always had some kind of emergency come up where she'd need his help right then. And of course he'd always dropped everything to help her. He hadn't minded helping; in fact, he'd wanted to help.

But he'd realized that she'd been using him. Their relationship had been one-sided, with her doing all the taking and Nate doing all the giving.

She'd needed rescuing, and Nate had been more than happy to do the job. What he hadn't realized at the time was that she was one of those people who clung to their rescuer and nearly pulled them underwater also.

The two had met when Nate accidentally clipped her car while parking. The scrape was minor, but she'd been in tears. Nate had offered to fix her car, since she didn't have insurance and Nate didn't want to get his insurance company involved.

A week later, when her car had broken down on the side of the road, she'd called Nate for help. That evening, they had coffee and she explained that she was new in town and looking for a job. Said she'd been running from a hopeless situation back home and needed a new start. Nate had fallen for it all. He'd even stuck with her when he discovered that the hopeless situation was that her boss had fired her from the department store for embezzling money. The money she'd needed for a
dying grandma back home had simply been pocketed. Her grandmother had passed away years ago.

He hadn't found any of this out until Deanna had disappeared one day and he went looking for her, worried that something was wrong. That's when all the ugly truths had been discovered. He hadn't actually found Deanna, but he'd found people from her past who'd filled him in. He'd eventually heard through the grapevine that she'd taken up with a wealthy businessman she'd met at the Revolutionary Grill. She'd moved up to Richmond with him and was now enjoying the indulgent lifestyle she'd always desired.

Never again would he be taken for a fool. He didn't mind helping out the occasional damsel in distress, but never again would he date one. Never again would he trust one, for that matter.

Kylie stuck her head in the door. “Have you given any thought to what you'll do tomorrow? Carrie probably won't be up for coming in.”

“Yeah, I've thought about that. Haven't come up with any great ideas, though.”

“There's always Harvey…”

“Harvey knows nothing about working in a restaurant.”

“But he's great with people. That's all you need for someone who's greeting patrons, seating them and bringing them water. I think he'd be a great choice.”

Nate scowled. “He's too old to be on his feet all day.”

“He'd disagree. He has more energy than any twenty-year-old I know.” She stepped back. “Think about it.”

She started to walk away when Nate called to her. She turned in his direction.

Nate had to ask a question that had been on his mind. He leaned back in his chair, trying to appear casual. “Kylie, have you been changing my recipes?”

The guilt he saw in her frown gave him his answer.

His chin jutted out. “I appreciate your eagerness to help, but our customers like our dishes the way they are.”

Kylie's frown disappeared and fire ignited in her eyes. “Your customers are mostly tourists who come here once on vacation and never come back.”

Tension pinched his back. “That's not true. I have regulars. And they've noticed some changes lately. I appreciate your enthusiasm and your help, but I didn't bring you here to improve my menu or give me advice. I brought you here to…to keep you safe.”

Kylie scowled. “I was just trying to help. You know, if you just made a few simple changes, it could make a big difference.”

He held up a hand. “Save it, Kylie. I've got enough on my plate now as it is. The last thing I need is to mix up things here.”

She held up her hands in what appeared to be surrender. “I think you're making a mistake, but fine. This isn't my restaurant, so I shouldn't care one way or another. Besides, with any luck, I'll be leaving soon.”

Why did her last statement feel like a slap in the face? Nate didn't have time to figure it out now.

“I'd like to take my dinner break now. Is it okay if I use your computer?”

He reached into his pocket. “You can use the one in my apartment.”

Kylie didn't smile when she took his keys. “Thanks.”

When she was out of sight, Nate let his head drop back onto the chair. Women. Why did they have to be so complicated?

 

Kylie stomped upstairs. Why couldn't Nate simply appreciate her opinions? Listen to her suggestions? Taste the improvements she'd made to his soups and salads? Why did he have to be so hardheaded?

She jammed the key into the lock and opened the door
to Nate's apartment. Standing in the doorway, Kylie's gaze wandered the place freely. Typical bachelor pad, she decided. Coast Guard memorabilia hanging on the wall by the computer caught her eye. Crossing the room, Kylie examined it. The light in Nate's eyes was different in these pictures. He should still be in the Coast Guard instead of making himself miserable trying to run a restaurant that he despised.

She shook her head and plopped down in a rickety computer chair. It wasn't like Nate would ever listen to her opinion anyway. She turned the computer on, and a moment later it had booted up. The Web page for
Kylie's Kitchen
appeared on the screen. Kylie raised her eyebrows.

So, Nate had been checking out her show? She shouldn't care and scolded herself for the joy she'd quickly felt.

Shaking her head, she navigated to the show's message board. A string of messages from FAN756 popped up. Kylie sucked in a breath as her gaze scanned them.

“We need some new episodes of
Kylie's Kitchen
. I heard she's not taping right now and wonder why. Anyone know?”

Someone replied that Kylie was on vacation.

FAN756 replied, “I wonder where she went. The Caribbean? The mountains? New York City?”

Others speculated various other places, based on restaurants and travels she'd mentioned on air. Thankfully, they were all wrong.

The next thread was about the cooking demonstration scheduled for today.

Someone wrote, “Kylie's cooking demonstration canceled for today. Too bad. I miss seeing her beautiful face. Anyone know if she's appearing anywhere else instead?”

Kylie mouth dropped open when her home address flashed across the screen. “You can find her here, although she might not appreciate you dropping by unexpectedly. LOL.”

How had they found her home address? And why in the world would someone post it online? Were they insane?

Her brother knew about FAN756. Whoever this person was, he remained at the top of the police's suspect list. If only they could trace this person's identity. The person posted from different locations and never from a computer that required logging in.

Kylie shuddered. She'd tell her brother about the messages and have him call Larry to remove her home address from the site. What else could she do at this point?

She glanced at her watch. She had to get back down to the restaurant in a few minutes. Quickly, she logged on to her email account and braced herself for whatever she might find.

Most of the messages were from FAN756 and stated the same things as had been written in the forum. She forwarded them all to her brother.

Kylie focused on the rest of her emails. Larry, her producer, had sent her several emails claiming they needed to talk. Nothing but his normal “Larry” diatribe. Where was she? He needed her back. New opportunities had popped up. Blah, blah, blah. She shot him an email back reminding him that she was on a well-deserved vacation and everything could wait until she returned.

There was one final email from an unknown sender. She hesitated before clicking on it. A video popped onto the screen of Kylie cooking on her set. She recognized it as an old episode of
Kylie's Kitchen
. Except this time, the oven exploded and Kylie's face melted like wax down the screen as flames ate away at her.

Kylie gasped. At the end of the video, the words “Come out, come out, wherever you are” scrolled across the screen.

Fear clenched her spine. She squeezed her eyes shut as the taunt replayed in her mind. Would this nightmare ever end?