I made a horrible face and shook my head. “Absolutely not. I’m a Denver Bronco fan all the way; although, if the Seahawks are playing I’ll root for them by default, unless of course, they’re playing the Broncos. Do you like football?”
“Yeah, I enjoy football. And yes, I’m a Seahawks fan. I’m probably a bigger soccer fan though. I like the Seattle Sounders and have been to a few games.”
“They’ve had some close and exciting matches,” I agreed, swirling two fries in ketchup. “Kasey Keller is an awesome goalkeeper. My older brother played goalie in high school, and I always enjoyed his games. Looks like we agree on the Sounders. Now I’ll have to convert you into a Bronco fan.”
He dunked his fish in tartar sauce and took a bite. “We’ll see about that.” After swallowing, he asked, “So, why are you a Bronco fan? Did you grow up in Denver or something?”
“I wish, but no,” I laughed. “I was watching a football game between the Broncos and the Raiders with my dad when I was like eight years old. He was trying to explain the rules when a Bronco player ran up to a Raider receiver and snatched the ball out of his hands. Seconds later, he was in the end zone celebrating a Denver touchdown. I remember being so shocked. I thought it was going to a penalty or something, but my dad assured me it was good. I’ve been a devoted Bronco fan ever since.”
“Good story.” He wiped his face with a napkin.
“And you know what?” He simply shook his head and raised his shoulders, because he’d just shoved several fries in his mouth. “The Broncos won the Super Bowl that year.”
He swallowed. “No wonder you’re such a die-hard. Have you ever been to Denver?”
“No,” I said wistfully, “but I always wanted to watch a game from Mile High. It was on my list of things to do.” I paused and took a bite. Glancing up, I caught him studying me. “What?” I asked.
“You said it was on your list of things to do.”
“I mean is,” I said and busied myself with my fish basket.
He scratched his head. “Tell me about your pinky ring, the ankh.” He pointed at my hand.
I finished chewing and looked at him in surprise. “Not many people even know what this is,” I said, holding my hand up.
“Oh, I’m an expert in Egyptian hieroglyphics,” he said earnestly, his eyes twinkling.
“Right,” I said with a smirk. Fiddling with my gold ring, I explained, “My dad made it for me a few years ago. It’s the only ring I ever wear. Well, that’s because it’s the only ring I own. Probably,” I took a deep breath and smiled guiltily, “because I spend all my money on books and jeans.”
“So you have a fetish for jeans and your dad’s a jeweler?”
Coughing, I tapped my chest. “Yes, I have a weakness for jeans, and no,” I corrected him, “my dad is not a jeweler; he’s a dentist. Well, actually he’s a dental implantologist.”
“A what?” He lifted a brow.
“People who need a tooth replaced or even a full set of upper or lower teeth can choose to have implants instead of dentures. The implants are small metal rods that are placed through the gums and into the jaw bone. Then strong porcelain-like teeth are placed on the rods. They’re permanent.”
“Interesting. Metal rods with permanent teeth and a dentist who makes jewelry. So, why did he make you an ankh?”
“Oh I don’t know,” I said thoughtfully. “I guess because it always symbolized that whole ‘zest’ for life thing. You know that whole idea that every moment should be lived to the fullest, and you should take no regrets with you.” I could feel my cheeks flushing. It sounded funny saying such a thing when it had been so long since I felt that way.
He’d stopped chewing and was looking at me incisively. “You say that like you don’t believe it anymore.”
I licked my lips. “I don’t know how I feel…”
“Well, you should. You’re right you know. Life is meant to be lived, because every day is a miracle. You shouldn’t let a single day go by wasted. Actually,” he paused, “that brings one of my favorite quotes to mind.”
“Yeah?” I said, slightly shaken. It seemed like every few minutes he surprised me and even had me re-examining my attitude towards…well, towards living.
Looking straight at me, he said, “Live your life each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance towards the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point.” Absently, he tapped his water cup. “It’s so true, too. I love hiking the trails and mountains around Bellingham.” He stopped. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I’m impressed,” I said.
“Good, you like to hike then.” He said it more as a statement than a question.
I nodded, happy to be off on a new tangent. “Growing up we did some hiking and camping around Mt. Rainier, but not entirely enough. For vacations my parents sought R+R on the beaches of Maui.”
“Sandy beaches are nice, but I’d rather hike Mt. Baker any day. After hiking all day, I like to find a nice spot next to a river and make my own campsite. Nothing beats a day in the mountains.” He talked about different places he’d hiked, and I shared a few of my own experiences.
“So, what’s your favorite --------?” he asked, opening more ketchup packets.
“My what – huh? Sorry, I didn’t catch that.” Mmm-hmm, I’d been focusing on his lips and totally missed his last word.
He looked at me strangely, repeating each word slowly, “What’s…your…favorite…book?”
“Oh right, sorry.” I smiled. “That’s a loaded question, because I have several.” Good, my voice was strong, indicating I was clearly back in the game.
“Your top three or four then,” he prompted.
“Inquisitive aren’t you?” I squinted, and he nodded. “Okay,” I began, “Pride and Prejudice well, anything by Jane Austen, The Odyssey, Lord of the Rings, and…probably Les Miserables. But I only stop there, because otherwise we’d be here all day.”
He laughed, appearing completely at ease. “I’d listen, but of course I’d be prepared to make excuses for a quick getaway if things got too dull,” he said.
“Very funny.” I tossed a French fry at him. He caught it and popped it in his mouth. “How about your favorite book?” I asked.
“Like you, I have several.” Scanning the courtyard, he appeared to be giving some thought to his answer. We both watched as three guys pounced on the table next to us even before the two teen lovebirds could clear out of the way. Jason laughed and looked at me. “I’d have to say The Great Gatsby, The Call of the Wild, 1984, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. And like you, I could go on and on and on…” He winked.
My heart melted. Well-read, literate men were scarce. Well-read, literate men that were also wickedly sexy were a rarity, indeed. Add in a wink, and we’re talking a field goal from 50 yards out. For the first time in a long, long time I found myself completely taken in. He was intriguing and intelligent, and he made my pulse race. This relaxed and conversational side of his was enjoyable.
“You mentioned you’re new to Bellingham. Here to attend Western?”When I nodded in affirmation, he said, “Have you been here long or chosen a major yet?” He pushed his empty basket aside and rested his elbows on the table.
“I moved from Tacoma more than a month ago with my best friend Ally and her fiancé Ben. Ally always wanted to be a teacher like her mom, and we’ve both been accepted into the Education program but…”
“Wait,” he interrupted, “you didn’t say that you always wanted to be a teacher.”
I looked at him with a frown. “Yes. No. Oh, I don’t know,” I said with exasperation and pressed my hands against my cheeks. “I guess Ally has always been the driving force. Once she knows what she wants, she goes after it. Her future is all mapped out, and while I do admire her tenacity, I’m more indecisive. When she insisted we fill out applications together for Woodring College of Education, I figured I’d let fate decide. S
he was ecstatic when we got the news.”
“But you weren’t?
“I wouldn’t say that exactly. I just…now that I’ve had more time to think about it, I’m not certain of anything anymore.”
“Hmm. Sounds like maybe you need to have this discussion with Ally. If she’s your best friend like you say, I’m sure she’ll understand that you might want to consider other career options. Like maybe you should be a doctor; you’re good at saving people.” He reached for my basket. “Are you gonna share these, or what?”
My eyes widened but I nodded. What was it with this guy? It was like he’d suddenly appeared in my life to remind me of my ability to help people. He grabbed a couple fries and dipped them in my ketchup before swirling them around in my tartar sauce – just the way I did. Weird; he had personal space issues but wasn’t afraid of double dipping from my plate? “Why don’t you tell me about you since I’ve divulged more than enough about myself,” I suggested and shoved the basket towards him.
“Fine, I’ll be fair and share.” Drumming his fingers on the table, he launched into a couple stories about growing up in Bellingham and discussed his last couple years attending Western. He’d decided to focus on a dual major of Environmental Studies and Business Science.
When I noticed he’d stopped talking, I said, “Tell me about your family.”
“Well, I have an older sister and brother. My sister works for the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office. She and her husband are expecting their first baby in a few months. She had to take an early leave from work due to a few complications, but thank goodness she’s fine now. They live out in the islands. Last year my brother moved to Bangor, Maine where he’s attending Husson University. And, my mom and dad still live here in Bellingham. Dad’s a firefighter and mom works for the Bellingham PD.” A strange expression crossed his face, and he shook his head slightly.
“Wow! Quite the family. Sounds like they’re all in the business of saving people – for real.” He offered a winning smile and nodded, quickly prompting me to ask another question before I lost my train of thought.“Are you working and going to school?”
“Yes…” He closed his eyes and rubbed them. “I’m working…” He stopped and started blinking his eyes. “I’m working right up the street at the grocery store…”
“What?” I said, totally surprised. The store down the street was part of the local chain I worked for.Noticing that he was massaging his temples, I asked him if he was okay, but he didn’t seem to hear me.
His cell phone started ringing, and he grabbed it out of his pocket. “Hello?” he said gruffly. After listening for a few seconds he said impatiently, “Fine, fine. I’m coming. Give me five.” He stood up, his eyes darting nervously between me and the street like he was expecting something big to happen. “Alex, I need to go. I need to go right now.” His tone was solemn, and he winced again. “I’m sorry. I’m not…I’m always on the go and not very reliable…”
“Is everything okay?”
“We probably shouldn’t have…” he started to say, but cringed and jerked his head again.“Goodbye Alex.” He bit his lower lip, and after one last pensive glance, he dashed out to the sidewalk and raced down the street.
I sat there in stunned silence for several minutes. I couldn’t believe it. Just when he was showing his potential as a first rate receiver he’d fumbled the ball in the final seconds and lost the game. When I noticed a family searching for a table, I offered mine and walked up to the bus to throw away my trash.
“Thank you sweetie,” the lady behind the counter said and motioned me towards her.
“You’re welcome,” I said, as I approached the empty counter.
“Now darlin’,” she drawled, “I want you to know that Jason is a really nice young man. He’s been a regular here for a long time. Nevertheless,” she tapped her cheek, “he is peculiar at times. Anyways, I couldn’t help but notice how he up and disappeared on you. Well, truth be told, I’m kinda nosy, but I just thought you should know I think he’s a great catch.” She laughed at her own joke. “You might be interested in knowing you’re the first girl he’s ever brought here. In my opinion, I think that says a lot.” She gave me one big nod and tapped my hand.
I didn’t feel any heat from her touch, and she didn’t act like I had some kind of disease, so I automatically warmed to her. “Thank you,” I said as someone inside the kitchen called her away.
As I walked home, I wondered about Jason’s abrupt departure. Then I scolded myself for getting involved in the first place. There was something infectious about him, though.
More than that, he had me rethinking why I’d surrendered so easily – why I was willing to give up on life and just let go. He believed every day was a miracle, and at one time I’d thought the same thing. Could I again?
The only thing I was certain about was that I wanted to see him again.
CHAPTER 8 – ASH
Pulling into my parking spot alongside Ally’s car, I slammed on the brakes just in time to avoid hitting the florescent green motorcycle parked horizontally across the front of my spot. “What the heck?” I muttered to myself. Backing up a bit, I left the tail end of my car hanging in the street. Not overly happy, I cursed under my breath.
We had company, and by the looks of the tricked out bike, this company had a flashy ego to match. The word Ninja jumped out at me in bold black letters. This machine had male testosterone written all over it and all but screamed, “I am a speed demon.” I shook my head, half with disgust and half with admiration.
I grabbed the bouquets of flowers out of my front passenger seat and carefully made my way to the front door. I jiggled the handle, but my hands were so full I couldn’t get enough leverage to open it. Suddenly, it flew open, and I tumbled across the threshold right into a guy I’d never seen before.
He peered at me through all the flowers and greenery and laughed loudly. “Great entrance,” he said. “I’ve been looking for a cute girl, and here one just falls into my arms like this. Coincidence or fate? What do ya think?” Beneath arched eyebrows, a pair of strangely iridescent, greenish eyes danced with amusement.
“I…um,” I was speechless.
Ben came to my rescue. Sort of. From over on the couch he called out, “Hey Lexi, meet Ash. Ash, that’s Lexi.”
“Hmm…Lexi. That should do; although, since you’re easy on the eyes, your name doesn’t really matter,” he teased.
“Ash?” I repeated, rolling it around on my tongue like a bitter taste. I couldn’t believe his audacity and found myself responding rather snidely, “What kind of name is that?”
“A damn good one,” he replied arrogantly. “And Lexi would be short for…?” He cocked his head sideways.
“Alexandria,” I shot back. Tilting my nose in the air, I added, “Literally, it means defender of mankind. Back in ancient times Alexandria was a famous city in Egypt founded by Alexander the Great. It was also home to the Great Library, thus making Alexandria an intellectual capital of the world. A bit more interesting than being named after a tree, wouldn’t you say?”
“Ouch! Break it up already. The sparks are likely to catch the carpet on fire.” Ben laughed.
Grabbing a bouquet of flowers from my hands, Ally said pleasantly to Ash, “Don’t let her scare you. She’ll use big words and historical knowledge to make you feel inferior. It’s not intentional. It’s just a social skill she needs to work on.”
“Excuse me, I happen to…” I retorted but was drowned out by Ash’s laughter.
“Oh, I’m not scared,” he said haughtily. “I’m amused.”
Burying her face in the red roses, Ally said, “Wow, what’s the deal with all the bouquets? And what are those flowers you’re carrying?” she asked on her way to the kitchen.
“Calla Lilies,” I said. Stepping back from Ash, I found myself unable to look away from his strange eyes. An abundance of hazel spots clustered around the center, and the hues of green seemed to change depending on the angle I vi
ewed them from.
With a look of pure mischief, he smiled at Ally and had the effrontery to say, “She’s obviously smart, buts what’s even better is the way she can’t seem to take her eyes off me.” Turning towards me, he winked playfully. My mouth fell open and I stomped around him, ignoring him altogether. Ben and another guy, who looked vaguely familiar, were actively engaged with the PS3 in the living room.
Ben said, “Hey Lexi, do you remember Kai? He graduated a couple years before us.”
Kai put his controller on the coffee table and walked towards me with a friendly smile before politely shaking my hand. “Hi Lexi. I think we met at one of Ben’s famous parties back in high school.” His tone was a good deal more respectful then his friend’s.
“That’s right I remember now, but it’s been a long time.” I shook his hand warmly. His hazel eyes stood out against his darker skin and crew-cut, jet black hair. Now it was coming back…he was Hawaiian, just like Ben, and some where back in the day their grandmothers had known each other or something.
“You’ll have to ignore my roommate’s obnoxious behavior,” Kai said, scowling at Ash who’d just walked up to us. “He’s rather blunt and tends to speak before thinking…”
“Yeah, yeah,” Ash said. “I call it like it is, and I’m honest to a fault, but I’m a good guy.”
I rolled my eyes, as Kai added, “True. Once you get used to his outright frankness, he’s not so bad. I keep him around for the entertainment value.” Ash blew on his knuckles and rubbed them on his chest. I couldn’t help but grunt. Kai continued, “Lexi, it’s good to see ya or meet ya again.” He glanced over at Ben and pointed. “I was surprised when I ran into Ben tossin’ apples around in the produce department. I hear you’re working at the store, too?” When I nodded, he added, “That’s cool. I work at the Starbucks in that same center.”
I smiled and shifted the flowers to my other hand. “Are you up here going to Western?”
He nodded and sighed. “Yeah. Two years now, and I still haven’t picked a major, but…”
Amethyst - Book One of the Guardian Series Page 9