Above the Bridge Read Online Free PDF

she thought about moving to the cabin the next day.  But the first thing on the agenda was getting a good night’s sleep.
     
    *   *   *   *
     
    Morning arrived with the sound of raindrops pattering on the walkway and tapping against the windows, bringing with it a whistling of wind.  Paige peeked out of the curtains of her room at the dark, gray sky and debated the idea of adding one more night at the inn.  The idea of staying inside all day, hunkered down in a warm room, was appealing.  However, the urge for a hot mug of something caffeinated gave her enough incentive to dress and venture out.  She tossed on the clothes she had laid out the night before and twisted her hair up into a loose, haphazard bun.  She pulled the hood of her jacket up over her head and broke into a cautious run, watching puddles on the ground and slick sections of wooden boarding that might cause her to slip and fall.
    Maddie was behind the counter of the café when Paige walked in, serving a double espresso and blueberry scone to an Italian tourist in line.  Old Man Thompson was bent over his coffee at the end of the small counter, just as he had been the last time.  Several high school girls were sharing a hot cinnamon roll and sipping chai teas at a round table by the window, repeated episodes of giggles exploding between whispers.
    Paige took her place in line, picking up the morning paper while waiting.  The front page was dotted with a mix of national and regional news, along with an impressive picture of fighting elk centered just below the Jackson Hole Daily title.  The second page held news of the last city council meeting, several small articles about local citizens, an ad for a boot sale and dates and times for upcoming entertainment at local venues.  Continuing through the next few pages, Paige found coupons for off-season restaurant specials, classified ads for everything from firewood to hay and a multitude of real estate listings, most of them astonishingly pricey.  She was still flipping through the paper when she realized someone was talking to her.
    “What can I get for you today,” Maddie was saying, likely for the second time, by the look on her face, both patient and slightly annoyed.  Paige knew she still had a tourist look about her, something almost beyond definition but clear nonetheless to local residents.
    “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Paige offered, realizing she’d been lost in the morning paper and not paying attention.  “I’ll take a vanilla latte and one of those raspberry-orange muffins.”  She pointed to a basket of fresh bakery items that had just been placed inside a glass display to the right of the counter.
    “I noticed you in here the other morning,” Maddie said while starting the whirl of the coffee machine.  “You must be new to Jackson?”  Her voice had an inquisitive, yet friendly tone to it.
    “Yes, very new,” Paige responded, pulling a few dollar bills out of her purse.  “I’m working on an article for a paper back east and came out here to do a little research - historical information, local perspective, that type of thing.”
    Maddie pushed back the lever on the coffee machine and poured a stream of steaming milk into a thick paper cup, already filled with a shot of espresso.
    “Whipped cream?” she asked, with a playful look in her eyes.
    “Sounds good, but no thanks,” Paige smiled, taking the cup from her and sliding the money across the counter.  She leaned to her left and grabbed a plastic lid from a stack of many, pressing it securely against the top of the cup.  Reaching back into her purse, she tossed a dollar into a jar marked “Tipping is not just for cows.”
    “Enjoy your stay,” Maddie said casually, her eyes moving to the next customer in line.
    Paige thanked her and moved away from the counter, finding a place at a small table in the corner, just behind the front door.  She leaned back in her chair, took a sip from the opening in her