“Cookies too?”
“Montes was disappointed that he couldn’t come to dinner. I figured I’d send some back with Atlas.” I laughed as my phone vibrated in my pocket, stealing my attention away.
Atlas: Hey beautiful. What time should I be there?
Ellie: Whenever is good for you. I’m starting to cook now. It will take at least an hour.
Atlas: Should I bring anything?
Ellie: Just yourself. If you’re looking for brownie points the boss drinks Heineken.
Atlas: You’re an angel. I’ll be there in twenty.
Ellie: Be careful, please.
I tucked my phone back into my pocket and turned on the oven. Between rolling enchiladas, mixing up my sauce and queso, and baking cookies I was a mess. Trying to do a dozen things at once didn’t really give me time to make sure I looked cute.
The last batch of cookies was out of the oven when I heard Atlas’ bike getting closer. My heart started racing as his boots thumped against the stairs. “Act casual, weirdo.” I repeated to myself as I unloaded the cookies onto the cooling rack.
I was shoving the enchiladas into the oven when he knocked on the door. “I’ll get it.” Dad called from the living room. I tried my best to eavesdrop on their conversation from the kitchen.
“Master Gunny.” Atlas’ voice showed no sign of his admitted intimidation.
“Call me Ben in my home, Atlas.”
“Yes, sir.”
“She’s in the kitchen, thanks for the beer.”
“No problem, sir.” Atlas walked into the kitchen as I leaned against the counter. “I got these for you.” He held out a small bouquet of bright colored daisies. “I... um.. I didn’t know your favorite but my Mom loves daisies so I thought you might like them too.”
“They’re perfect, thank you.” I stood on my tiptoes, kissing his cheek. I pulled the only vase in the house from under the sink and filled it with water and my new flowers.
“It smells amazing in here.”
“Let’s hope it tastes as good as it smells.”
“I’m sure it will. I appreciate this; you cooking for me. It’s not something I get treated to often. Between Thornbriar, well Adam is his first name, and I we do okay but it’s mostly burnt grilled cheese and macaroni and cheese that looks like a brick. Nothing like this.” Atlas laughed as he slid onto a barstool. I could feel his eyes on me, watching my every movement.
“Well you’ll have to bring him over sometime. We can go to the beach and have a cookout or something.” I smiled over at him noticing how muscular his arms and shoulders were in his fitted black tee.
“I’ll have to tell him.”
“Enough about him. Tell me more about you. What are your favorites?”
“My favorites?” Atlas arched his eyebrow.
“Yeah, your favorites. Book, movie, TV show, music...”
“Oh! I like horror movies, Hitchcock made all my favorites. Book is... I can’t name one but I like classics along with Dean Koontz and Neil Gaiman. We don’t watch a lot of TV but when we do it’s Sport Center. Music is the big one. I’m a big Metallica fan; mostly rock and metal. Color is red.” He grinned. “You?”
I turned the burners down, waiting for the timer to go off on the oven. “Movie is Breakfast At Tiffany’s, I know every single word. I’m not sure on books either, I’m a reader so it changes constantly. I do love Neil Gaiman though. TV usually bores me but I do watch sports or any food related show. Music is all over the place. I’m pretty eclectic. It changes as often as my favorite book. Although I listened to Ride The Lightning for a few weeks straight once.” I laughed, catching the buzzer as it started.
“You know Metallica?” Atlas looked surprised as I pulled our food out of the oven.
“Of course.”
“I am impressed.”
“I am an impressive girl.” I smirked, pulling out a step stool to take down plates from the cabinet. “I also like Pantera, Black Label Society, Iron Maiden, Sabbath, My Misery Muse, and so on.”
“You’re the girl I’m going to marry.”
“Don’t let my father hear you say that.” Smiling, I nodded toward the stove. “Come fix your plate. I know you can eat enough for the entire 0317 platoon.” I led Atlas out of the french doors in the dining room onto the wrap around porch. “One of those great views I was telling you about.” I said as we sat at the glass top table.
“I have an even better one.” I looked away from the setting sun painting the ocean in shades of orange to see Atlas looking directly at me. I blushed as he gave me that heart stopping smile.
“Eat.” I pointed at his loaded plate with my fork.
“Yes ma’am.”
We made small talk, the get to know you kind of talk while we ate. Atlas turned out to be a lot funnier than I originally gave him credit for. The more he relaxed the more his personality shined through. He told me all about his younger brother who he obviously adored. How his Dad ran off when Ares was little and Atlas decided then to start hating everyone. He told me about the years he ran wild and was constantly in trouble. His run ins with the police, being kicked out of bars, and being suspended from school for fighting more than once.
In turn I told him about moving around when my Dad would be stationed somewhere new. The edited version of my mother and brothers. I told him about my obsession with old movie stars and how I wanted more tattoos. The story of how Darcy and I met and that I am deathly allergic to pineapple and how we figured that out the hard way when I was seven and spent three days in the hospital for it.
“That was so good,” Atlas pushed his plate away, “Thank you.”
“Good, take the rest of it with you. There’s also pie but Dad will fight you for leftover pie. Actually I’m betting he’s already got into it.”
“You made me a pie?” He asked with a little boy grin.
“And cookies to bring home with you but only if you share with Montes.”
“You are amazing and I can’t agree to that.”
“Oh I try,” I picked up our plates and carried them to the sink. “Dad I’m cutting into the pie!” I laughed as he shot up off the couch.
“It was good Ellie Belle.”
“Thanks,” I handed him a plate and took two more outside for us, sliding one across the table top to Atlas.
“Mmm...” Atlas groaned appreciatively.
“Like it?”
“It might be worth the fight to have the rest.”
“I’ll make you another one, one day.”
“That sounds promising.”
“Oh?” I asked taking a bite of my own slice.
“It means you still want to see me.” Atlas smiled.
“Was there any reason to doubt that?”
“I never know.”
“I want to see you Atlas; over and over again.” I caught my bottom lip between my teeth, thankful for the darkness concealing my reddened cheeks.
“I was hoping you would say that.” He reached across the table taking my hand in his. “Let’s go for a walk.” He nodded toward the beach.
Hand in hand we walked down to the water. I tossed my flip flops back up on the beach, allowing the waves to run over my feet. Waiting patiently as Atlas stripped off his boots and socks, lining them up carefully next to each other.
“Can I ask you something?” Atlas broke our comfortable silence a few minutes after we began to walk together through the water..
“Of course,” I nodded, bumping his shoulder as I looked up at him with pursed lips.
Atlas pulled me to a stop, staring out at the moon reflecting off the ocean. He looked out as if he was thinking about what to say next. His chin was working side to side as if he was chewing up the words and getting ready to spit them out. I started to worry if maybe he didn’t want to go out with me again after all. If he was trying to figure out how to say it nicely.
“Do you want to be with me? I mean be mine? Be my girlfriend? Exclusive or whatever the word is for it?” He ran his
hand over his face, laughing nervously. “What I’m trying to say is I don’t want you bringing another man over here to ask your father’s permission to take you on a date. I want to be that man. I want to be the one you’re thinking about, that makes you smile, that takes care of you when you’re hurt. I want to be the one that you call when you’re upset, mad, happy, or just need someone to talk to. I don’t know why I feel so connected to you, but I do. I just know I need you to be with me. I need to know that you’re mine.”
“Atlas...” I said his name softly. .
“Just don’t say no, please. Not after I just poured my heart out to you.”
“Atlas...”
“Just think about it if you need to.”
“Atlas, shut up and kiss me already!” I grabbed the front of his shirt as he gasped, a smile splitting across his face. His hands tangled into my curls as he wasted no time lowering his mouth to mine. It was one of those picture perfect movie moments that never actually happens to anyone in real life just Disney princesses.
Chapter Five
It was around three in the afternoon when I woke up on Thursday. I was just laying in bed, staring at the beams across the ceiling. Mostly it was contemplating on whether or not I wanted to get up and started on cleaning the house. It wasn’t often I laid in bed just to be lazy.
A couple of weeks had gone by since I had seen Atlas for longer than him stopping in the diner on his way to or from work. He always made a point to stop by even if it was for a minute to say hi and kiss me. But the truth was I really missed just getting to hang out with him.
My phone started buzzing, jumping around on the nightstand next to me. I felt around blindly not wanting to open my eyes just yet.
“Hello?” I mumbled, answering without checking the screen.
“I’m sorry, did I wake you up, Ginger?” Atlas voice made me smile.
“No, I just woke up actually, just being lazy.”
“You busy?”
“Not at all.”
“Good, get dressed, I’m taking you out to lunch. I miss your beautiful face.” I could hear a collective “Aw!” in the background.
“Just my face?”
“Lets keep this G rated there are others around. I’ll tell you what else I miss later.”
“I was referring to my winning personality, thank you very much.”
“In that case, yes.”
“Do we get to ride on the bike?” I asked hopefully. I had been asking to go on the bike for a week now and was continuously denied.
“Will your father allow me to keep my limbs if I say yes?” Atlas laughed.
“Yeah, probably not. Want to drive my car?”
“Hell yes I do! Get dressed, I’m on my way.”
“Yes sir! Demanding Atlas is kind of hot.”
“Behave, Ginger. I’ll see you soon.”
“Be careful, please.” I hung up, jumping out of bed and ran to my closet. I threw shirt after shirt over my head, pouting. Finally I found a green long sleeved knit dress with a small yellow flower print. I tugged on a pair of cream tights and brown Doc Martens.
“Oh that’s a mess,” I ran my hand through a cluster of red waves, “Ponytail,” I decided, talking outloud to myself and quickly throwing it up. I put on a little makeup, and was brushing my teeth when I heard him pull up. I rinsed and wiped my mouth, grabbing my phone and bag. Taking the stairs two at a time, sliding across the wood floor as he knocked. I took a deep breath, smoothing out my dress and opened the door.
“Whoa, hey beautiful.” Atlas face lit up when he saw me. I leaned up on my toes, pressing my hands flat against his Service uniform, kissing him.
“Hey handsome. I need to leave Dad a note but then we can go.”
“Sure thing,” He followed me inside as I scrawled a note on the chalkboard hanging in the kitchen. “How’s seafood sound?”
“Sounds great,” I tossed the chalk down and wiped my hands together knocking off the dust. “Ready?”
“Yes ma’am.” I locked the door behind us holding the keys up to him. Just as he reached for them I snatched them away.
“This car is my baby. Don’t you hurt my baby, Atlas... I would call you by your middle name but I don’t know it. If you hurt my baby I will hurt your baby maker, got it?” I handed him the keys while he held open the door for me.
“Yes ma’am,” he grinned running around and climbing into the drivers side. I rolled down the window as he pulled away, singing off key with the radio.
“Quinn.” Atlas said when the song I was singing ended.
“Excuse me?”
“My middle name, it’s Quinn.”
“Atlas Quinn Ryker, I like that.” I smiled, lacing my fingers between his on the gear shift.
“Yours?”
“Noelle, it’s where they get Ellie. My first name is Penelope, which I guess you already knew. They could have got Ellie from Penelope as well but my mother always said it was from Noelle. Whatever, rambling.”
“I have a cousin named Penelope.”
“No kidding?”
“No kidding.”
“That seems like destiny to me.” I leaned my head back in the seat staring out the window.
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
“Well I’m certainly not one to mess with destiny.” Atlas laughed as he pulled into the waterfront cafe parking lot.
“Exactly, she’s related to karma and that could screw up everyones positive energy flow or something.”
“I didn’t realize they were related.”
“Oh, cousins at least.”
“Is this place okay? The guys suggested it.” Atlas opened the door for me, helping me out.
“They have good taste in food at least. Darcy is the manager here.”
“Unfortunately that’s where it ends for most of them.” We walked through the open doors and to the hostess table. “Inside or outside?”
“Outside, it’s nice out.”
“You’re an outdoors kinda girl aren’t you?”
“Most definitely,” I nodded as the bubbly brunette waitress walked up, beaming at Atlas.
“Hey guys, two?” She asked in a nasally high pitched voice.
“Yeah, just the two of us.” Atlas answered.
“Inside or out?”
“Out.”
“Right this way then.” Bubbly led us outside, seating us against the railing. “Molly will be your waitress. She’ll be with you shortly. Enjoy your meal.”
“Thank you.” Atlas nodded, his eyes never leaving mine.
“You got that poor lady all in a fluster there, Cowboy.” I laughed loudly.
“It’s the base bunny tracking device, it’s like a sixth sense for some girls. I tend not to notice anymore but the guys like to point it out for me.”
“Well all the incredibly handsome men I know wear uniforms.” Atlas shook his head, smiling behind the cover of his menu.
Molly was a short round girl with a platinum blonde pixie haircut. She obsessed over Atlas’ every need. He was growing frustrated with her continuous questions and I’m not sure which amused me more. His being annoyed with the poor girl or her admiration.
She took our orders, waddling away with a longing sigh. “I do believe she’s quite caught up with you as well Sergeant Ryker.”
“That one was unavoidably noticeable. She reminds me of Charlotte.” He shuddered.
“Who is Charlotte?” I asked toying with the straw in my glass of water.
“My ex, that’s what she looked like. She was usually sweet as she could be, too sweet really. Turned out in the end it was a cover up of the massive bitch she actually was.” Atlas snorted in disgust.
“What happened?” I asked curiously.
“She wanted to stay in Granbury. She thought she could change me, I guess. Fascination of making the bad boy change for her or whatever. She wanted to make me into her pastor father.” He scoffed running his hands along the table top. “She wanted to get marr
ied, have kids right after she graduated high school. I wanted to join the Marine Corp, have a career, see the world, live a little. That wasn’t anything she was interested in. So instead of making a clean break she spread nasty rumors that had everyone thinking she broke up with me because I cheated on her. I didn’t, I never did. No matter how many opportunities I had, I stayed faithful.” He sighed, running his hand over his growing hair. “I damn sure didn’t love her but I didn’t cheat on her either. I’d rather tell someone I’m miserable than cheat. I saw what it did to my Ma and I just can’t do that to another person. Anyway, what about your ex?” He was clearly trying to change the subject.
I felt my throat close up, stomach turn as I looked over his shoulder at the water. “Spencer.” I choked out his name. “He’s the reason my dad is the way he is.”
“Break your heart?” He asked half amused.
“My heart, all the ribs on my right side, my wrist, orbital bone, cracked my pelvis, dislocated my shoulder, three fingers on my left hand, and my self respect.” I admitted under my breath. Atlas choked on his water, hearing what he wasn’t supposed to necessarily hear, he spat it onto the deck.
“Excuse me?” He coughed, hitting his chest with his fist.
“This really isn’t the place to talk about him. I shouldn’t have said any of that.”
“Please tell me you’re not serious.” Atlas’ voice dropped an octave as Molly came back to the table with our food.
“Yeah, that’s about half of it.”
“Christ,” he leaned back, putting his hands behind his neck.
“Here you two go.” Molly sat my plate down. “It is just so sweet that your big brother brought you out to lunch.” She patted my hand as Atlas burst into laughter. I glared at her, clenching my jaw, mentally calculating how much effort it would take to push her over.
“She’s my girlfriend.” Atlas corrected her.
“Oh I’m so sorry.” Her face fell as she gave Atlas his food. I tried my best to give her the semblance of a smile but it turned out to be more of a sneer.
“You look like you want to dismember her.” Atlas grinned proudly as she walked away.
“The thought crossed my mind.”
Something Worth Fighting For Page 5