What I didn’t know was that life had other plans waiting just a few weeks ahead, because two months later I met a man named Robert Hayes.
And that meeting changed everything.
I met Robert Hayes on a Tuesday afternoon that started like any other. It was early April, and Cedar Rapids had that muddy gray look it gets right after winter finally lets go. The snow was gone, but the trees were still bare, and the wind had that damp chill that sneaks through your jacket.
I was at work finishing up payroll when my boss, Walter Hayes, leaned into my office doorway.
Walter was in his early 50s, built like a guy who had spent most of his life on rooftops.
“Laura,” he said, holding up his truck keys. “You eaten yet?”
I shook my head. “Not yet.”
“Good,” he said. “Come with me. I’m meeting my brother for lunch.”
Normally, I would have said no. After everything with Daniel, I’d been keeping to myself. Work, home, repeat. But something about the way Walter said it made it feel less like an invitation and more like a friendly order.
So I grabbed my coat.
Ten minutes later, we were pulling into the parking lot of Perkins Restaurant and Bakery on Collins Road. If you’ve ever been to a Perkins, you know the smell the moment you walk in. Coffee, pancakes, syrup, and something buttery coming from the kitchen.
It was busy, but not crowded.
A man sitting in a booth near the window stood when we approached.
“Laura, this is my brother, Robert Hayes,” Walter said.
Robert looked to be in his mid-40s. Taller than Walter, broader shoulders, with a calm, steady face that reminded me of someone used to dealing with emergencies without panicking.
“Nice to meet you,” he said, offering his hand.
read more in next page
