“How’s your drink?” Liam asked, when he caught her staring at him.
Her eyes met his and her interest piqued. She reached for her glass and took a long drink while she took him in. His well-worn t-shirt was tight against his chest, and she could see the outline of his well-defined chest and ab muscles. Her gaze fell naturally to his hands as she set the glass on the counter. She swallowed hard and tried not to choke as she forced the drink out of her windpipe.
“It was good,” she said, as she tapped the glass on the counter.
He reached for her glass before her hand could move. The touch of his hand against hers sent a spark through her body. Her eyes danced and her head spun. It definitely wasn’t the alcohol that had caused this reaction.
Her reaction didn’t go unnoticed, as she could see Liam’s grin. He grabbed the glass and held it up. “Would you like another?”
Leah sat up straight. She ran a hand through her hair and cleared her mind of all thoughts. One touch—that’s all it had taken. She focused on Liam, who was now at the other end of the counter with her next drink in progress. He smiled as he gave the cocktail shaker a few good shakes. She wondered if he had sensed the same spark she had just felt.
She turned her attention to Rachel, who was no longer sitting next to her. Instead, she had taken a challenge from Wes at a game of pool.
Liam brought her drink over and placed it in front of her. “I’m glad you decided to come see me.”
His smile was hard to resist. She wanted to reach across the bar and kiss those lips of his—so much for taking it slow. Instead she said, “I didn’t even want to drink today. I had enough last night to satisfy my thirst for the rest of the year.”
Liam raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think you drank that much last night.”
“I’m pretty sure I did,” Leah argued. “I feel like hell today.”
“Well, you don’t have to drink. I can dump it out,” he said, reaching for her glass, but she snatched it out of his reach.
“I’ll be fine with just a couple.”
“If it makes any difference, you don’t look like hell,” he said, with his charming smile, and his blue eyes aimed at her. He was going to be a hard one to take it slow with—damn.
She needed a drink or two, or ten, to calm her nerves. She felt like a school girl—all giddy and giggly on the inside. What the hell was wrong with her? She barely even knew this man and she was acting like a complete idiot.
Clearing his throat, Liam leaned on the counter across from her. “You never told me where you’re from.”
“I didn’t?” Of course she hadn’t—she barely knew him.
“There’s only one thing, well, two things I know about you… well, maybe three.”
Leah raised an eyebrow. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a man so interested in her, or so dedicated to remembering anything about her. She hid the smile that crept onto her face by taking another drink. “What do you think you know about me?”
Liam cracked his knuckles and rubbed his hands together. “Where do I start? This may take a while.”
A laugh escaped Leah as she set her glass down. She leaned in closer to the counter. “Well, I have all day,” she whispered softly.
He raised an eyebrow and pushed himself away from the counter. “Oh, do you?”
Her face flushed with heat at the thought that crossed her mind. She wasn’t lying when she said she had all day—it was Saturday and she had weekends off.
“Well, then, is that a good thing or a bad thing?” He asked, wiping the counter with a rag.
“I have weekends off, but you might get tired of me hanging around.”
He tossed his rag into the nearby sink and shook his head. “Get tired of you? I don’t think that’ll happen.”
Who was this guy? A modern day Romeo? She was going to need a lot of drinks to keep herself together. She wasn’t used to this. Men usually ran away from her, not toward her. A prime example was Jake. Jake. She shook the thoughts away.
“So, tell me what you know about me,” she said, as she lifted her glass to take a drink. She set it back down and said, “I’ll tell you if you’re wrong.”
“Challenge accepted.”
That smile of his could charm anyone. She focused on him and listened contentedly as he talked. His deep voice was even mesmerizing. If she had to guess his age, she’d guess him at least thirty-five. There were enough characteristics about him to help back up her guess—like his scruffy goatee, which had a couple of shiny hairs mixed in. She wouldn’t call them gray, because that’d make him old. He wasn’t that old.
“For starters,” he said. The sexy grin returned. “I know your number.”
He certainly thought he was cute. No lie, he definitely was. Leah pinched her lips tight. She could’ve sworn her eyes had sparkled while watching him. The way his lips curved into a smile had her mesmerized. She watched as he reached for an empty glass from across the counter. His muscles bulged underneath his tight shirt. Leah ran a tongue over her dry lips.
“Uh-hem.” Someone cleared their throat. Trapped in focus with this handsome man she had met just the night before, she ignored it. “Uh-hem.” The throat-clearer was a bit louder this time. “You should keep your tongue in your mouth.”
Leah straightened herself against the back of her chair. Rachel swiped the stool next to her and sat down. “My tongue…”
“Was hanging out,” Rachel teased.
Leah slapped her on the arm and said, “Shh… You’re loud.”
Rachel laughed and waved Liam over. She leaned in close to Leah and whispered, “I’m sure I’m not the only one who noticed.”
Rachel pointed to her right. The group of men watched happily. Leah caught her jaw before it dropped to the counter. She reached for her drink and tossed it back.
“Would you like another?” Liam asked. His lips curved in that sexy smirk he was so good at.
Leah nodded. “One for her, too,” Leah said as she pointed at Rachel.
Liam walked away and she couldn’t help but focus on his tight jeans and back pockets. He wore them well. She was damned sure there wasn’t a single thing this man wasn’t great at.
“Earth to Lee,” Rachel said, waving a hand in front of Leah’s face. “You should probably just get it over with already.”
Leah sat straight up, with her full attention on Rachel. Her face warmed at the hint Rachel had offered. “What are you talking about?”
Rachel tossed back her drink and tapped the glass onto the counter. Liam hurried over with a refill. “Thanks.”
Liam did a cool head nod and walked back to the crowd of older gentlemen at the other end of the bar. The guys hooted and hollered at the television. A football game between whatever teams were playing, Leah had no idea, filled the 42-inch screen behind the bar. “Who wants another round?” Liam’s voice boomed over the noise of the crowd.
Leah watched the crowd of men acknowledge him with a chorus of “Hell yeahs.” She reverted her attention to Rachel and to the topic of discussion. “So, what are you talking about? Are you suggesting I bang a guy I’ve literally just met?”
Leah couldn’t believe her friend would suggest or even think she’d do such a ridiculous thing. Without an answer from Rachel, Leah asked, “Who do you think I am?”
Rachel shrugged her shoulders and said, “After what I saw last night—”
Leah cut her off. Holding up a finger, she said, “Don’t finish that sentence.”
She reached for her drink and tipped it back, only to continue the conversation once she slammed the glass on the counter. With a hard gulp and a quick shake, Leah said, “What you saw last night was me having fun. Being friendly isn’t a crime.”
Rachel chuckled while she shook her head. “And neither is sex,” she said, with a wink. She took a sip of her drink through the straw and said, “Unless, of course, you were to get paid for the sex you offer.”
Leah slapped Rachel’s shoulder and laughe
d loud enough for everyone at the other end of the bar to take notice. “I can’t believe you’re suggesting I screw him,” she loudly whispered. She fanned her face. It had to be bright red. Her body temp had gone up a few degrees too.
“You can’t say you haven’t thought about it,” Rachel said, nudging her with an elbow.
Leah fanned her face as she rested her head against her other hand. “I’ve drunk too much already.”
“Everything okay down here?” Liam asked, his tone soft, but deep. “You need me to get you some water? You’re a bit red in the face.”
Leah smiled. “Sure, a glass of water sounds great. Thank you.”
He returned with an ice cold water and set it in front of her. “Here you go.”
She reached for the water. Her hand grazed gently over his. Chills ran their course through her body, leaving goosebumps along the way. He must have felt it, too, as she watched his eyes light up and a smile appear on his face. She was speechless, so she sat dumbfounded in a stare, with a shy smile on her face.
“Do you have anything planned for the rest of the day?” Liam asked. He kept an eye on Leah as she drank her water. She could feel his eyes on her. His stare was so much more now. Desire, need, and longing burned deep in his eyes.
“Are you kidding? She never has anything planned.” Rachel said, reaching for a glass of water.
Liam chuckled, but kept his focus on Leah. “That sounds good to me.”
Leah tightened the lid on her water and grabbed her wallet. A million memories of Jake rattled through her as she tried desperately to shake them away. The night before had been a complete disaster, and here she was having—whatever people would call this—with a guy she had just met. The same night she had seen the love of her life. Or at least the guy who had once been.
“I gotta get going,” Leah managed to slur from her mouth.
Rachel turned in her chair, confused. “Lee, wait.” Rachel was now chasing after her. “What’s wrong?”
Leah gripped her wallet tighter in her hand and fanned her face. She needed to get out of here. “I just don’t feel so great.”
She only hoped Rachel would stop with the questions and just leave with her. She’d explain later.
“Leah, are you okay?” Liam asked, following them out into the parking lot. Concern filled his voice, and his eyes followed her with eagerness. “Let me help you,” he said, opening the car door for her.
Leah nodded and accepted his help into Rachel’s car. He gently guided her into the passenger seat and attempted to buckle her in. He was such a nice guy. “I got it,” Leah said, clicking her seatbelt. “Thank you for everything.”
Rachel plopped into the driver’s seat and started the car. She leaned forward and said, “I’m sure we’ll see you again, soon.”
Leah wasn’t so sure about that. She wasn’t sure about anything. The alcohol, seeing Jake, everything, seemed to spin in her thoughts, and it overwhelmed her. She needed to get back to their apartment before she puked in front of Liam.
“Leah, call me later, please,” Liam said, gently shutting her door and stepping back, allowing Rachel to drive off. Leah watched him standing in the distance with a look of concern etched on his face. She was stupid for assuming she was ready for this.
“What was that all about?” Rachel asked when the car turned onto the highway. “Are you really sick?”
Leah rested her head against the window. The coolness felt good against her hot face. “Rach, I have no idea what I’m doing, or what I did.”
“Are you having a stroke?” Rachel asked, as she yanked Leah’s arm. “Look at me. Can you smile?”
Leah jerked her arm out of Rachel’s strong grip and said, “No, I’m not having a stroke. I’m having something, but it’s definitely not a stroke.”
Rachel lit a cigarette and blew smoke out the window. “You’ve caught something, all right.”
Leah raised an eyebrow. She had no idea what Rachel was referring to. What the hell could she have caught? A hangover from hell? No doubt about that.
“You’ve caught some hard feelings for him,” Rachel said, taking a long drag off her cigarette. “And now you’re scared. Now you’re wanting to run back into your apartment instead of getting hit by a bus, am I right?”
Leah leaned her face against the window. It’s not that she wanted to run from these feelings, but getting hit by a bus wasn’t something she was looking forward to.
6
With a stack of yearbooks in front of her, Leah grabbed the top one and opened it. She flipped through the pages, and a rush of memories flashed through her mind. Each page was crowded with pictures of their homecoming dance and prom. It had been ten long years ago, but the memories were fresh. She had seen almost everyone from her class at Levy’s on Friday night. Even though she had not been in the mood to have conversations with most of them, it was still good to see everyone—even Jake.
Jake. The one who got away. The one she had once thought would be by her side for the rest of her life. They had made it through high school—when so many people had said their relationship wouldn’t last. They had proved them all wrong. Well, until…
“Hey, what are you doing in here?” Rachel asked. She pushed the door open and walked into Leah’s bedroom. “I knocked, but you must not have heard me… Are you okay?”
Leah hadn’t noticed she had been crying until Rachel’s hand brushed away her tears. She quietly looked up at her friend and wiped her face with her sleeve.
They had been best friends since grade school. They’d had their share of fights, like most friends did, but their friendship had only grown stronger throughout the last fifteen years. Rachel had been there for Leah when Jake walked away, announcing he was done with her. Leah was forever thankful for Rachel.
“It’s been five years,” Leah said, wiping away tears from her face. “I haven’t seen him in five years.”
Rachel wrapped an arm around Leah, bringing her in close. “I know.”
“I thought I was over him! I thought I had moved on.” Leah shouted; her voice cracked with emotion. She covered her face with her hands, trying to hide the raw emotion that had resurfaced.
“I know how you’re feeling,” Rachel said, handing her a box of Kleenex. “I felt the same way when I ran into Dickhead at the store, awhile back.”
“Five years. I think I’m over him and boom, he’s at the bar and all of those feelings…” Leah said, dabbing her eyes with a Kleenex. “I tried to be a bitch, but…”
Rachel wrapped her in her arms. “You’re hurt. You want him to hurt, too, or at least for him to see how much pain he’s caused you.”
Leah nodded and blew her nose, tossing the used Kleenex in the trash can. “I just… I don’t want to have these feelings for him all over again.”
“Lee,” Rachel said, turning towards Leah. “You’ll always have feelings for him. You two were in love. And he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t hurting, or if he ever hurt at all.”
“Love was so simple back then,” Leah stated.
“It still is,” Rachel said, gathering another handful of Kleenex and handing them to Leah. “The truth is... love should always be simple. It should come from the heart and not be forced. It should be welcomed and unjudged. When you’re truly in love, it’s hard to walk away.”
“After last night, I think I’ll always love him. I don’t think there’s any chance of getting over him and moving on.” Leah said. “I know it sounds ridiculous, but I feel guilty for talking to Liam.”
Rachel patted Leah’s knee. Leah felt so confused. Why was this so difficult? For a twenty-eight year old, life should be easy. She should be engaged, having kids, buying a house—not living single and dwelling on her past.
“What’re you talking about?” Rachel asked, standing up from the edge of Leah’s bed. She motioned for Leah to follow her out to the living room.
“After seeing Jake last night…” She moved a pillow from the couch and sat down, sitting Indian s
tyle across from Rachel, she said, “I saw the hurt on his face last night.”
Rachel grabbed her pack of cigarettes and lit one up. “I don’t think you need to feel guilty about it,” she said, exhaling a cloud of smoke. “You need to think about what’s best for you.”
“I’m not sure what that really is, anymore,” Leah said, hugging a pillow close to her chest.
“Ok, stop it. You know exactly what you want in life,” Rachel said, jabbing the butt of her cigarette into an empty pop can. “Your life wasn’t complicated before Friday night. Yes, seeing him has brought some unkind, unfinished feelings to the surface, but this will pass.”
“So, do you think he still loves me?” Leah asked, hiding behind the pillow in her lap from Rachel’s you’ve-got-to-be-kidding look.
“Well, I don’t know,” Rachel said, tossing her pop can in the trash. “All I know is he wasn’t on your mind until Friday night. Why should you care if he still loves you?”
Rachel was right, she shouldn’t care. There wasn’t a single reason why she should care, except for the fact that she did, and now she just didn’t know what to do about it.
“He was trying to be nice, you know,” Leah said, squeezing the pillow and her knees closer to her chest.
“You did nothing wrong, hon. It was a natural reaction. Anyone who has a past with someone that ended without closure instantly puts up a wall and guards their heart. That’s all you were doing.”
Leah nodded. She had to believe that’s all she had wanted to do, but she knew she had done more than that—she’d made a fool out of herself in front of her high school class, Jake, and Liam. She could’ve possibly stopped him from telling her how much he missed her, or loved her, and wanted her back…
“Let’s talk about something else,” Rachel suggested.
“Like what?” Leah asked. She straightened her legs out in front of her, across the couch.
“How about Liam?” Rachel winked.
“What about him?”
“Have you texted or called him since we left?” Rachel asked, eyeing Leah’s phone. “He’s probably worried about you.”
All She Ever Wanted (Cedar Valley Novel Book 1) Page 4