“I think we’re going to get a good few people in tonight,” Rachel said as she opened up the bi-fold doors wide at the back side of the café to let in the glow of the sun and the evening breeze. “The weather is so beautiful, I think everyone is going to be out and about and loving it.”
“I think you’re right,” Melissa said as she took herself to a table with her bag, work diary, and laptop. She was near to the bi-fold doors that were opening out onto Main Street, and she figured this would give her a good view of the outside world, the rest of the store and who was coming in and out of it, and also of the stage. But, of course, her main concern was Nate and whether he would show up.
She was confident that he would, but still at the back of her mind she had a niggling doubt, and now she had started to contemplate all kinds of scenarios.
What if he has a girlfriend?
What if he’s met someone else here?
What has he actually been doing for the past few days?
After her experience with Dylan, it was the kind of thought process that could sabotage the relationship before it had even had a chance to develop.
Luckily, Melissa knew this, and she was determined not to succumb to it.
She opened her laptop and began to fill in some of the accounts for the days takings and updated the store’s social media. If anyone in town didn’t know there was a slam on tonight, then they were about to get a big fat reminder all over their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
“And post,” she said as she clicked send on the pre-prepared image and text she had worked on earlier, and it was only a matter of minutes before the likes on it began to creep up and the comments came flooding in.
“Yeah I think you’re right, Rach,” she called across the room. “It seems like our little town is alive and ready for action tonight.”
“Oh Jesus,” Rachel breathed. “I better get myself prepared.”
Melissa twirled her cellphone around in her hand and she looked at the shift schedule she had stored on there. Another girl was coming on to work in a matter of minutes to help with the even, and she was sure she would be able to slip away and head on into the sunset with Nate. They really didn’t need so many people for these events. It would just depend how early he got to her.
She hurriedly worked down her list and completed all of the admin she needed to do on the laptop, before she turned it off, slipped it into its case and packed up her diary.
She had finished.
She was technically supposed to stay, but she figured Rachel and the chefs were just as competent as she was, and she wasn’t exactly going to be doing anything except staying to support the people who were participating.
Melissa had never missed a slam. But on this night, she knew that she had to follow her heart. She wanted to experience something new and exciting. She wanted to climb onto the back of that motorcycle and head out into the wilderness with a man who made her heart race.
She smiled as she thought of the prospect and laughed a little to herself at how much of a girly fantasy it all was.
The store and café were packed and each little table had been filled with people of the town either out to have a relaxing and entertaining night, or with aspiring poets who were sitting nervously in their seats practicing their work.
Melissa had moved from her table and she was standing in the doorway that joined onto the bookstore. She was becoming more nervous by the minute and she felt the anticipation creeping higher within her as each new person stepped into the store.
“Someone thinks it actually is him, you know…” a girl said as they walked past her and went into the café side.
“Don’t be so ridiculous, I saw that guy earlier and went on Google, it doesn’t even look like him…”
“Well, the media seems to be wondering where he is, you never know…”
The conversation filtered around her, and although Melissa heard it, she didn’t pay it too much attention.
She was too busy looking over her shoulder and expecting Nate to appear at any given moment.
The lights suddenly dipped in the café and the music on the piano quietened down as Rachel took to the stage and grabbed hold of the microphone.
“Hello all!” she said and there was a little cheer and mumbles back of hello from the crowd. “Welcome to this month’s slam, I’m sure we have a night of incredible talent lined up for you all. The bar will be open until ten so feel free to order drinks and have them delivered to your tables. Let’s get this show on the road!”
The crowd cheered and the first poet got to his feet and moved to the front of the stage. Melissa recognized him and knew he had been to these nights before, and for that reason, he didn’t look as nervous as the rest of the aspiring artists in the room. She smiled as she watched him take hold of the microphone in his hand, and then he pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his back pocket and began.
Melissa had no idea how these people had the confidence to get up there and pour out their heart and soul, but each one was powerful in its own way and she found it incredibly inspiring to watch. She was so engrossed in the moment, and savoring every last word and emotion, she momentarily forget that she was waiting for Nate, and it wasn’t until she felt a pair of strong hands on her shoulders that her heart dipped again and she reached up to rest her hand on top of his, turning her head to the side and smiled at him over her shoulder.
“This is all very…” he whispered in her ear. “Intense… you were right.”
She laughed silently and turned to face him properly.
“I’m glad you made it,” she smiled. “In fact, if you want, we don’t even have to stay anymore, I’m done for the day and my cover is here…”
His eyes glinted a little and he looked behind her to the crowd. She could tell that he was intrigued as to what was happening, but at the same time, he had a shifty look about him, and it was clear he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be there or not.
Melissa turned and followed his gaze and she realized why he was looking so uncomfortable. A few people in the crowd were staring at them, whispering to each other and pointing in Nate’s direction.
“Yeah,” he said. “I mean, you are my hired guide, after all.”
He turned and began to walk back toward the main door of the store and away from the wandering eyes, and Melissa looked back at the people who had been watching them and saw them furiously discussing something, pulling out their cellphones and looking at something on there too.
She felt a rush of confusion, but she wasn’t sure if she was just seeing things that weren’t there. Maybe she had assumed they were looking at her and Nate, but when she turned around and looked at the wall behind her, there were quite a few posters for upcoming book releases and future events.
Nate was waiting by the door for her, and she shrugged her shoulders and walked toward him, not thinking much more of it.
As they stepped out into the cooling night, she caught sight of his gleaming motorcycle and felt a wave of excitement. He stood by it and looked at her cheekily, and then she approached him and put her hands on her hips.
“This looks dangerous,” she said.
“It is,” he winked. “But that’s why you’re going to love it.”
He held out his hand and she slipped hers in to it, she let him help her onto the back and secured her in place, before he climbed on in front of her and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Now you have to hold on,” he said. “Don’t let go, not for one second.”
“Yes Sir,” she smirked as he revved the engine and it came roaring to life.
She clutched him between her thighs and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and tried not to shiver as he powered the engine again and pulled out quickly into the street. The machine was so powerful, even traveling at a slower speed felt as if they were racing at a million miles an hour, weaving in and out of cars as Melissa shrieked with delight and gripped hold of him harder.
“So then,”
he said to her over his shoulder as they slowed at a red light. “I’m hurtling out of town and I don’t even know where we’re going.”
“Let’s go back to the beach,” she said as she breathed in his delicious scent. “If you haven’t walked along it yet, then this is the perfect night for it.”
He revved the engine again, and as the light went green they hurtled forward and she found herself laughing and shrieking again. She had always been so intimidated by bikes, but this was wonderful. She felt free and liberated, and holding onto Nate made her feel even closer to him. She felt herself relaxing against him in spite of the danger. She wanted to open up to him more and more.
They had both been guarded back at The Boathouse. It was as if they were trying to figure each other out, as if they were sizing each other up and seeing if their personalities were a good fit. Now that they knew that they were, and there was clearly an attraction there, it felt as if the time was right to take it to the next level.
She even had the feeling that if she asked him what he was doing there in town, he may actually tell her.
She smiled as she gripped him tighter and he floored the bike up even faster and headed out onto Ocean Road. Flying down there with the wind in her hair and the view of the white sand and the breaking waves was incredible. The sky was blue and pink, and the sun was slowly getting lower and lower. If they parked up at The Boathouse and went for a walk along the dunes, they would have front row seats to the most incredible sunset.
Nate slowed and weaved into the parking lot of The Boathouse. The place was certainly much quieter than it had been on Friday, but it was still bustling and plenty of people were sitting out on the terrace watching the ocean, drinking beers, and eating their dinner. Children and dogs ran up and down the dunes, and parents called to them from the terrace as they splashed around on the shoreline and got their clothes wet.
“Come on,” he said as he helped her down from the bike and reached for her hand.
When she wrapped her fingers up in his, her heart skipped a beat. He was so strong and confident, and he clearly knew what he wanted. If she hadn’t been so drawn to him, she may have felt intimidated by him, but there was something about him that put her at ease and it all just felt so right.
They walked down onto the sand and Melissa kicked off her shoes. Nate watched her with amusement as he pulled off his leather jacket and slipped it around her shoulders.
“It’s getting cold,” he said as he brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes that was being whipped around by the wind.
She looked up into his eyes and her whole world was rocked. This man had come out of nowhere, and yet already she was not able to imagine her life without him. He was such a mystery to her still, but there was something so very calming and safe about him, that she knew she would already follow him to the ends of the earth.
They held hands and Melissa gripped the jacket at her neckline as they walked along the beach. In his free hand, Nate carried her shoes and he stopped halfway along the shore and started to pick up flat stones to skim out across the water.
“I don’t get out in nature anywhere near enough,” he said as he spun one out and it bobbed up and down several times, ricocheting off the water, before it stopped and disappeared into the deep blue below.
“It really is beautiful out here,” he said and then he looked back toward Melissa and smiled. “In more ways than one.”
She felt a smile creep across her face and she tried not to blush.
“I think I must be immune to it,” she said. “For me, this is just every day, so I can be guilty of taking it all for granted. But I know deep down this is a stunning place, and I am really proud to know it’s my home town.”
“Have you ever lived anywhere else?” he asked her as he took hold of her hand again and they continued to walk along the shore.
“No, never,” she said, almost embarrassed.
“There’s a whole world out there,” he said. “I think you’d do well in it.”
She felt a swell of pride and she wanted to kiss him right there and then but knew she had to control herself. He was the man. And she could tell he wanted to lead.
“I always dreamed one day that maybe I would leave,” she admitted. “But the more time that passed, the more I kind of just forgot about it and concentrated on my here and now.”
“Well, there is nothing wrong with that,” he said. “I mean, what is more important than the present?”
She smiled and nodded her head and looked at him coyly.
“You still haven’t told me anything about you…” she said. “A girl could start to get paranoid if you keep too much hidden away.”
He stopped and turned to face her. He took hold of her shoulders and held her tightly there in one spot. He looked deep into her eyes, and to the side of them, over the ocean, the sun kept creeping lower and a ray of golden light burst and shone out over the waves and at them brightly.
He looked stern but passionate, and she knew he was about to say something profound. Her ears were trilling with nerves and the more she looked into his eyes, the more she wanted to kiss him.
She wanted to kiss him so fucking bad.
He ran his fingers through her hair and then cupped her face with his hand.
The sun was setting and getting lower, and it was just the two of them out there on that incredible beach, their destinies further intertwining with each moment they spent together.
“I will tell you everything, I promise,” he said as he pulled her face to his and his lips skimmed hers. “But, for now, this is just so perfect, I don’t want to ruin a damned thing.”
He pressed his mouth against hers and opened it as he kissed her deeply and passionately. She felt tiny in his arms, and as she reached up and wrapped her fingers in his hair she was an aching mess of desire. She pushed herself close to him and she could feel how rock solid his abs were, and how completely well formed he was. He was like some sort of god among men. And he had chosen her. He wanted her.
He had come for her, and now she knew big things were about to happen.
When their lips broke apart, the sun had just disappeared over the horizon, and he smiled at her and held her tight.
“Come with me,” he said as he wrapped his arm around her. “I want to show you something.”
6.
The motorcycle pulled off Ocean Road and disappeared down a tree lined track that was bumpy and rural, but that was taking them even closer to the sea. Melissa gripped his waist and held him close, and she looked up to see the lush green branches flashing by overhead. The road was working its way down on an incline, and it was bendy and thin. She could tell it was only meant for one car, and it wasn’t even an official road. In fact, it felt more like a long driveway for a hidden oceanside home.
When the trees began to part, and a clearing appeared up ahead, she gasped when she realized that she was right.
The house was old and wooden, but it didn’t look in any way dilapidated, it was almost as if it had been recently refurbished to accentuate its rustic charm.
Nate slowed the bike to a stop and he turned off the engine. They were sitting in front of the house and she had never felt more isolated in her own town. She had no idea that this place was even there, hidden away amongst the trees and nestled on the far end of that stretch of beach, before the rocks and other rough terrain broke up the shoreline for a mile or so.
“This is so beautiful,” she said as he wrapped his arms around her and helped her down and onto the muddy ground underfoot. “And, I take it this is your bolt hole?” she asked with amusement. “It’s so well hidden, even I didn’t know it was here and I thought I knew everywhere in this town.”
“It’s another one of those best kept secrets,” he said with a wink. “But yes, it’s pretty special here.”
He reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out a single key as he approached the door. When he unlocked it and opened it up, the darkness edged out to meet th
em and Melissa hung back as she waited for him to turn on some lights.
The lamps were low and let off a welcoming glow, and he beckoned her inside with a smile.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “The view at the back of the house is worth walking in to all of this darkness.”
She put her trust in him and followed behind. They weaved straight down a staircase directly there in the hallway, and when they came out on the floor below, her jaw sagged and all she could say was, “Wow…”
The room that opened out in front of her was completely open plan and the whole of the back wall was glass doors. The view that was coming in was purely beach and ocean, and the remaining pink glow from the sunset.
She walked past him and crossed over to the window and looked out, and it wasn’t long before he was right there beside her and he breathed in deep.
“Yeah,” he said. “When the time comes, I’ll be sad to leave this place.”
She shot her eyes up to meet him and she felt the pang of disappointment that she had been dreading.
“When the time comes?” she asked him.
He shrugged and nodded.
“Well as you know I’m not from here,” he began, but then he stopped and let the sentence hang in the air between them without any other kind of explanation.
“Well, where are you from?” She was starting to feel as if he wasn’t going to tell her, then she was going to have to call time on this whole thing. She was beginning to worry that he was hiding something dreadful.
“I’m from just south of San Francisco,” he said reluctantly, and then he looked at her almost nervously as if he was waiting for her next question.
“Was that really so hard?” she asked with bemusement, and he managed to crack a smile and he leaned against the glass and looked at her warmly.
“I like you a lot, Melissa,” he said genuinely. “You’re innocent and funny, and you’re different to anyone I’ve met in a long, long time…”
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