Chasing her Curves

by Kelli Callahan

  One year ago

  I hadn’t seen American soil in years. I lived the nomadic lifestyle for a while, picking up odd jobs, never staying long enough to make friends. When an opportunity came to head down to South America, I took it. It was great money and all I had to do was handle security for various celebrities that visited the country. I came home after five years in self-imposed exile with a lot of money in my pocket and my attention on the future. South America was a great place to visit and while I had certainly went through my fair share of women, it wasn’t somewhere that I could build the kind of life I craved.

  A beautiful woman. A white picket fence. Maybe a few babies that look like the two of us. That’s the life I want now.

  I never really thought I would have any of those things. I had succumbed to lust while I was in South America because it was easy. I wasn’t looking for anything serious. One morning, I woke up and questioned what my life had become. It was a life of my own creation and it was fun, but I had my fill of it. I needed so much more than random flings with sluts and one night stands with tourists. I needed something with substance. I returned to America, spent some of the money I saved on a new motorcycle, and decided to start over in New York City. It was a far cry from the small town life I left behind, and even more chaotic than the brief time I spent in Chicago, but it was a starting point.

  “Well, my specialty is security. That’s what I did down in South America.” I nodded and looked at my future employer across the table.

  “Do you know how to handle a gun—not that we anticipate it will be necessary.” He flipped through the resume I had put together.

  “Yeah, I’ve had a lot of training with firearms.” I shrugged nonchalantly. “And I’ve had to use them more than once.”

  “We might have a job for you, then. There’s a club that has been looking to beef up their security detail. I think you’d be a good fit.” He put my resume down. “Can you start tonight?”

  “Absolutely!” I nodded quickly.

  The company set me up with a gig as a security guard for a place called Club Infinite Fantasy. My job was to watch the parking lot, walk people to the door, and walk them to their cars when they had their fun. I didn’t know what exactly happened behind the large wooden doors, but I had a pretty good idea. The club seemed to cater to a rather upscale members only crowd. I didn’t really care what they were doing inside—my job was to keep them safe. It was quiet most of the time, and I didn’t even have to brandish my weapon. We had a little trouble with a group of Hispanic bikers, but they didn’t seem to do much more than stare and ask for admission. I settled into my job and things seemed to be going great. That’s when all hell broke loose.

  I always worked at night and wasn’t part of the small crew that worked during the day. That turned out to be a good thing when the bikers that had been hanging around the club decided that they were coming in one way or another. I showed up as soon as I heard the story on the news, and was greeted by police tape covering the door of the club. The dried blood on the steps confirmed that what the news said was true. It appeared that I was out of a job, but the door was ajar, so I pushed it open and walked inside. The club was deserted except for a few people sitting at the bar.

  “You’re one of the security guys, right?” The woman that owned the club, a ravishing blonde named Angelina, looked over at me.

  “Yes.” I nodded. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help earlier.”

  “You’d probably be in the morgue if you were.” She sighed and picked up her drink. “Join me, I’m just drowning my misery in alcohol.”

  “Sure.” I nodded and walked over. “It doesn’t look like my services will be needed tonight.”

  “No.” She shook her head back and forth. “The city didn’t waste any time letting us know they were shutting down the club. It’s probably for the best, anyway. We thrived on anonymity. Now we’re on the news.”

  “Sorry to hear that.” I took a seat and ordered a beer. “I guess they can only turn a blind eye to prostitution for so long.”

  “Prostitution?” Angelina scoffed and glared at me. “That isn’t what we offer—offered.”

  “I apologize. I didn’t mean to offend you.” I took my beer and sipped it. “I honestly had no idea what you were doing in here, I just made assumptions based on what I saw.”

  “Do you want to see? I might as well try to make one more dream come true before I shut this place down.” She tilted her head to the side.

  “Um, sure.” I shrugged. “Why the fuck not?”

  Angelina took me to her office and told me what Club Infinite Fantasy was really about. It wasn’t a fancy brothel or a high-end prostitution service. She helped people find what they truly desired, regardless of what direction it took them in. She spent some time with me, and we went over my life. She admitted that finding the right match for me might be difficult since I had lived off the grid most of my adult life. She asked a lot of questions, punched details into her tablet, and when then leaned back in her chair.

  “Have you ever been in love?” She lifted her gin and tonic and swirled it for a moment before taking a drink.

  “No.” I shook my head back and forth. “That’s kind of why I came back to the States. I wasn’t going to find what I really wanted in South America.”

  “So, never?” She narrowed her eyes. “No girl has ever made you feel excited about anything but fucking her?”

  “Well…” I sighed and sipped my beer. “There was one girl, but it was a lifetime ago.”

  “Tell me about her.” She leaned forward and smiled. “Tell me everything.”

  “Her name was Harmony Carmichael. She was amazing…” I put my beer down on the table and felt my eyes spacing out.

  I haven’t thought about her since high school.

  3

  Harmony

  Nate. I had completely forgotten that he even existed until Angelina pointed him out.

  Nate sat beside me in Anthropology class. We kept each other entertained when the teacher was boring. Our brief friendship was unusual. I don’t think he would have even talked to me if we didn’t end up across the row from each other in class. He was a perpetual bad boy that had tempted more than one girl at the school out of her panties. One day he disappeared and left a few broken hearts in his wake. There were a lot of rumors, but I didn’t pay much attention to them. I missed him after he was gone, but he never showed any interest in me, so I assumed I wasn’t his type. I couldn’t even remember the last conversation we had.

  He probably just remembers me from high school and wants to say hello.

  After Angelina pointed him out, I decided that I would at least go over and find out what he had been up to since he dropped out of high school. There was no harm in it. Talking to him was a lot more enticing than returning to the table that was surrounded by relatives. Gina had done something I hadn’t ever been able to do—she seemed to be charming them. I gave her a glance and she gave me a slight smile-shrug that no longer screamed come save me. I walked across the room, and as I approached, Nate stood. He had a smile on his face and kindness in his eyes. He was bigger than I remembered, with broad shoulders and muscles pressed tight against his white cotton dress shirt. That was a strange look on him since all I remembered were heavy metal t-shirts and blue jeans.

  “Harmony Carmichael.” His smile got wider. “I never thought I would see that beautiful face again.”

  Beautiful? Me?

  “Um, well, you did come to my sister’s wedding, so…” I let my words trail off for a second.

  “Yes.” He nodded. “It wasn’t easy to get an invitation, but I couldn’t pass up a chance to see you after all these years.”

  Again—me?

  “Did I borrow money and forget to repay you or something?” I tilted my head to the side. “I don’t remember having anything more than a friendly conversation with you in high school and it’s been six years since then.”

  “No.” He shook his head b
ack and forth. “Let’s dance. I’ll explain everything.”

  “Okay…” I awkwardly took his hand and let him lead me out on the dance floor.

  It was a slow dance and Nate held me close as we started to move across the dance floor. He was a very good dancer and I was average. Somewhere in the middle we actually managed to not look completely ridiculous. It was strange to be in his arms. He didn’t seem like the guy I remembered. Here was a fire in his eyes that I couldn’t understand. The way he looked at me was almost primal. The majesty of my sister’s moment just faded away and we lingered on our own stage. I felt odd—like a butterfly was trying to escape its cocoon in my stomach. I stared at Nate as the song ended and another one began.

  “So, you said you would explain everything. We’ve already finished one dance.” I tilted my head to the side.

  “Why don’t you tell me about Jimmy Adams?” He smirked and turned on his toes, pulling me along with the rhythm of the song.

  “Jimmy Adams? The guy I went to homecoming with?” I raised an eyebrow and shook my head.

  “You were so happy when you told me he asked you out.” He nodded and his eyes seemed to space out. “That was the last time I saw you.”

  “Was it?” I tried to focus on the memory. “Wait, that was the day before you disappeared.”

  “I had no reason to stay.” He turned on his toes as the music hit a high note. “The girl I was in love with found someone else.”

  In—love with?

  “Seriously? You barely even spoke to me. You never asked me out.” I felt the butterfly forming wings, flapping them furiously inside me.

  “I wanted to.” He shrugged. “I finally worked up the nerve and then you leveled me with your admiration for Jimmy Adams.”

  “You’re not about to tell me that you disappeared because I told you I was going to homecoming with him.” I shook my head in disbelief.

  “No, I was always going to leave.” He sighed as the music came to a stop. “You just gave me the last bit of motivation I needed.”

  “You’re serious.” I stared into his eyes.

  “I am.” He nodded quickly. “If you’re not doing anything tomorrow night, I’d love to get the chance I missed out on back then. Provided that Jimmy Adams is no longer in the picture.”

  “He’s long gone.” I blinked a couple of times and exhaled sharply. “But I’m only staying in Chicago for the wedding. I’m heading back home tomorrow morning.”

  “Where’s home these days?” He smiled and tilted his head.

  “Don’t laugh, but I still live with my parents. I mean, I went away for college, but I moved back in after graduation.” I sighed. “I don’t suppose you’ll be in Bakersfield tomorrow night?”

  “If you’re there, that’s where I’ll be.” He nodded. “I’ve wait too long to let a few miles keep me away from you.”

  Jimmy Adams was nothing more than a memory in photographs. We went to homecoming together, right after an awesome dinner, and that was the end of it. His interest began and ended with a date for homecoming. A few days after the dance, I found out that I was the fourth or fifth girl he asked. The others had turned him down and I was the next one on the list. I wasn’t surprised. I was never the first choice. I was the consolation prize when other girls said no. I never knew there was a guy sitting beside me in Anthropology class that was interested. I thought he was just being nice because of proximity. Finding out there was more it than that left me feeling confused.

  I was excited when I started getting ready for my date the next day. Nate was an incredibly attractive boy in high school, but the man he had become was hot-as-sin. He didn’t date girls like me. He dated the bad girls that only went to the football games so they could hide behind the bleachers and smoke cigarettes. Sometimes he dipped into the goth-girl group that wore all black and hated their dads. Occasionally, he even hooked up with cheerleaders, but those brief relationships were only talked about in whispers. He wasn’t the kind of guy girls bragged about being with, and it seemed to be more of a badge of honor than anything. None of the band geeks I hung out with ever got to wear it.

  I hope this isn’t some cruel joke.

  “I can’t believe you’re going on a date with Nate Connors.” Gina held up a couple of dresses and then passed one to me. “I didn’t even recognize him!”

  “This is crazy, right?” I started putting the dress on in front of the mirror.

  “You must have lit one hell of a candle if it’s still burning after all these years. He really came to your sister’s wedding because he wanted to see you again?” She shook her head in disbelief. “Most of the guys I dated in high school don’t even recognize me when I pass them on the street.”

  “That’s what he said.” I dropped my arms so she could zip up the back of the dress. “I mean, why else would he be there? My sister was too busy with football players to ever date someone like Nate. Her new husband is from California, so he definitely wouldn’t have known him.”

  “There’s certainly no harm in going out with him.” Gina finished zipping the dress and took a step back. “Maybe you’ll even get your cherry popped.”

  “It’s a little early for that.” I giggled and shook my head.

  “You never know.” Gina winked at me in the mirror. “I’d struggle saying no if he wanted to take me to bed.”

  “You’ve got a little more experience than me.” I turned to face her. “I just want to successfully make it through our first date.”

  “Well, you better be ready.” Gina turned towards the window and I heard a roar outside. “I believe Prince Charming just pulled up on his Harley.”

  “Oh god!” I blinked in surprise. “How am I going to get on the back of a motorcycle in this dress?”

  “Yeah, let’s go with something shorter.” Gina rushed to the closet and returned with one that barely went past the middle of my thighs.

  “I should have went shopping.” I held up the dress and looked at it. “I guess it’s too late for that now.”

  I changed into a shorter dress and waved to my parents when I got to the bottom of the stairs. I was glad they didn’t ask any questions, and the fact my father didn’t go out to meet Nate was a blessing. I walked outside and he handed me a helmet when I approached. I took it and regretted teasing my hair into a stylish frizz along my bangs. The helmet crushed every strand that my hairspray had carefully secured. I was concerned about riding on the back of a motorcycle, but I did want to go out with Nate, so I swallowed my concerns and climbed on the back.

  Holy shit, I can’t believe I’m actually going to get on the back of this thing.

  The first step was the only fancy restaurant in Bakersfield. Nate already had a table reserved. We went through a few drinks and a couple of appetizers as we talked. The conversation continued when our entrees were served. Nate had lived one hell of a life after he dropped out of high school. I told him about college and my job, but they seemed fairly mediocre compared to the things he had experienced. I might have been a little unsure about him at my sister’s wedding, but after talking for a couple of hours, I felt my concerns slipping away. Nate really did seem to like me. Everything he said sounded authentic—from leaving Bakersfield to finding his way to New York after he left his old life behind.

  “So what was it that made you decide to finally coming back to Bakersfield?” I sliced off a piece of my chicken and took a bite.

  “You met her.” He chuckled and nodded. “Angelina.”

  “The blonde woman at my sister’s wedding?” I narrowed my eyes in confusion. “Wait, is she your girlfriend or something?”

  “No.” He quickly shook his head back and forth. “It’s hard to explain what Angelina is exactly. She’s an enigma, a saint, and probably a little crazy, but she knows how to dig into your soul. She tears you apart and then she rebuilds you. In my case, she helped me realize that the reason I never found what I was looking for once I left Bakersfield was because I never addressed the part of my past
that mattered most—you.”

  4

  Nate

  Six months ago

  “So you really think this is the answer?” I stared at a picture of Harmony on Angelina’s tablet. “She’s even more beautiful now than she was back then.”

  “I’ve been researching her, just like we discussed. She’s never gotten married. She’s dated a few people, but she’s never really been serious with anyone. Her social media status has never changed from single.” Angelina nodded and put the tablet down.

  “She’s going to think I’m a stalker or something.” I chuckled and reached for my beer.

  “Not if you’re honest. We’ve spent the last six months digging into who you are and why you’ve always held back when you were at the cusp of taking a relationship to the next level. Harmony is the reason.” Angelina reached for her gin and tonic and took a sip.

  “It’s so crazy though.” I sighed. “She was a blip on my radar. I mean, I obviously liked her, but once I left Bakersfield, I didn’t look back. I might as well have torn the rearview mirror off my motorcycle.”

  “We are strange creatures.” Angelina took a second sip before putting her glass back on the table. “Whether you believe in religion or science, we all have something inside of us that focuses our need to love, marry and procreate.”

  “Heart? Soul? Biological clock?” I shrugged my shoulders and let a mouthful of beer slide into my throat before swallowing. “Yeah, I get that.”