This Side of the Sun (The Sun Trilogy)

by M. Lauryl Lewis

  “I’m not hungry.”

  People were starting to crowd into the room for the evening and the volume of the music had increased.

  “How about I put together a sample platter of appetizers?” suggested the waitress, who I already liked a lot more than I had Ginger.

  “That’d be great,” said Everett. “Thank you. Oh and one more bottle of champagne.”

  Britnee nodded and then took her leave back to the bar to submit the order.

  “Everett…I’ve had enough to drink. And I’m not hungry.”

  He sighed heavily, obviously irritated with me. “Ok, I get it. You’re not attracted to me. Let’s just hang out as friends?”

  “Come on, Ev. That’s not fair. You’re hot and you know it. But, you’re just a friend. Anything more would be too weird.”

  “Okay, okay. Let’s just eat and then I’ll take you home?”

  I looked at him for a moment and nodded.

  Britnee had brought us a platter of chicken fingers, celery, hot wings, fries, and potato boats. I knew I needed to eat, so picked at a few things. I wasn't really hungry and just wished I was at home in bed. Alone. Feeling sorry for myself, I drank one more glass of champagne. The room was soon spinning and the music was pounding. Everett stood and pulled me out of the booth, dragging me onto the dance floor. I tried to pull away from him, but risked falling over.

  He held me close to him in stark contrast to other couples who were moving in a fast rhythm to the music. I never had understood these kinds of places or why people liked to fling their bodies around. I also knew I was the quiet wallflower who would never fit in with people like those who surrounded me. I wondered how many of them had faced death before. I closed my eyes as Everett put a hand on my back and pressed himself closer to me, slow-dancing to a very loud and fast song. I knew I needed to back away from him, as to not give him the wrong idea, but for a moment I felt grounded and almost able to forget about the sights, sounds, and smells from the day before. Soon I felt his cheek close to my own and his warm breath on my neck.

  The song ended, and in the brief moment of silence before the next began, he whispered into my ear.

  “Hat, please. Give me a chance.”

  As his lips brushed against my own, I placed my palms against his chest and attempted to push him away.

  “Stop, Everett. You’re drunk.”

  He pulled me back to him and attempted to resume the kiss that had not really even begun. I tried to push him away a second time, but he was too strong. He held me so tightly that it hurt, causing me to wince. As his tongue began to force its way into my mouth, we were suddenly separated. Everett was pushed backward, a couple of feet away from me. A man stood with his back to me, facing Everett. He was tall with dark hair, blue jeans, and a tight white t-shirt.

  “I believe the lady said no,” said a deep voice that was somewhat familiar.

  “Fuck off,” said Everett, who was taking a step toward the man who had just addressed him. “It’s between me and her.”

  “Not tonight, man. Hattie said no.”

  I wondered how he knew my name. My question was answered when he turned to face me. My heart skipped a beat, seeing the one face I had longed to see since the day prior.

  “Saul…”

  “You know this asshole, Hattie?” asked Everett.

  “Yes she does,” answered Saul. “We go way back. Hattie, you ready to leave?”

  I just nodded at him.

  “Do you have a jacket?”

  I shook my head no.

  “Hattie, I promised your brother I’d take you home,” mumbled Everett.

  Saul enveloped my hand in his. He gently led me toward the stairs, and I went willingly.

  “You can explain later,” he whispered. “Let’s just get you out of here.”

  CHAPTER 6 ~ COMING UP FOR AIR

  I felt Everett’s eyes on me the entire walk up the stairway. I knew he was pissed, but he had no right to try to force a relationship. Saul kept my hand in his. We walked through the pig-decorated upper portion of the pub and finally slipped outside into the cool night air.

  “It’s dark out,” I muttered. I had lost track of time.

  “Hattie, who was that?”

  “Everett. A friend of my brother’s. Well, a friend of ours. We all went to school together.”

  “He looked like he was getting a bit too friendly with you.”

  “Yeah. He thinks we should fall in love. What are you doing here?” I asked, changing the subject.

  “I was meeting a friend for a drink. He canceled at the last minute.”

  “A boyfriend?”

  Saul laughed deeply. “No, Hattie. A potential business partner.”

  “Oh.”

  “I’m not gay,” he said in a very serious voice.

  “Me either.”

  “How much have you had to drink?”

  I shrugged. “Maybe four or five?”

  “I’ll take you home if that’s okay?”

  “I don’t want to go home.”

  “You should sleep it off.”

  I shook my head side to side. “Every time I close my eyes, I see the fire. I hear all those people screaming.”

  Saul rubbed at his chin with his fingers. His five-o-clock shadow was rugged looking, and quite sexy. “You can come home with me if you want. I’ll make you some coffee. We can talk about what happened yesterday.”

  I looked down, realizing we were still holding hands. “You sure you don’t mind?”

  “I’m sure. But didn’t your mother tell you not to talk to strangers, or go to their homes?”

  “She died when I was born.”

  “Crap. I’m sorry, Hattie.”

  I shrugged. “It’s ok. I don’t remember her. Besides, you’re not a stranger. You saved my life.”

  “Let’s get you out of here and sobered up.”

  “Wait…Everett…he shouldn’t drive.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll call the staff. They’ll call him a cab.”

  “You sure?”

  “Positive. C’mon, let’s get out of here.”

  He kept my hand in his and walked me down the sidewalk toward his truck.

  “Hattie!” I heard Everett yelling from behind us. “Hattie, you can’t just go off with some dude!”

  I felt Saul squeeze my hand as he slowed to a stop and turned to face my long-time-friend-turned-jerk-for-the-night.

  “Leave it be, man” said Saul in his husky voice.

  “No way, Dude. I don’t know you and Hattie’s not going off with some fucking guy I don’t know.”

  Everett was slowly approaching us. By his facial expression I could tell he was really pissed. Saul must have sensed it too, because he put an arm out in front of me to keep himself between me and Everett.

  “Back off, man,” said Saul. “I really don’t want to hurt you, but I will.”

  I had a feeling this might end badly. I stepped to the side so that I was still behind Saul, but so that Everett could see me.

  “Everett. Take a cab home, ok? I’ll see you tomorrow and I promise we’ll talk.”

  “This is horseshit, Hat. If this fucker hurts a single hair on your head Joe and I will both kill him.”

  “Go home, Ev. Just go home,” I said as I found Saul’s hand again and slowly pulled him toward his truck. I didn’t look back at Everett.

  ***

  I sat quietly beside Saul, trying to not shiver. It was a cold night and even though he’d turned the heater on, it hadn’t warmed the cab yet.

  “I’d offer you a jacket, but you took it home with you,” he said quietly.

  “I’ll be okay.”

  “It’ll warm up soon.”

  The drive to Saul’s cabin only took about twenty minutes. He was kind enough to not ask any questions about me and Everett. Once we were there, we were greeted with a welcome quietness; the gentle lapping of waves nearby, the barking of a sea lion in the distance, but otherwise just quiet.

  A
s Saul unlocked the ivy-draped front door, he looked at me sideways.

  “You ever go fishing, Hattie?”

  “Nope.”

  “Maybe I’ll take you.”

  He held the door open for me and I stepped into a dimly lit living room. He had left a single lamp on beside a big overstuffed couch that was covered in dark plaid fabric. Despite the ambient temperature being cool, the room was warm and inviting.

  “Go ahead and sit down. I’ll light a fire and get it warmed up in here.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Sorry the fireplace is the only way to get heat around here.”

  There was a split-log chair with similar fabric as the couch, but it didn’t look very comfortable. I opted to occupy one end of the sofa. I sat back and slumped against the armrest, making myself comfortable.

  Saul knelt down in front of an older-looking wood stove and began crinkling newspaper and inserting small pieces of kindling. Before long the fire was crackling and he added a couple of larger logs. Once it was burning on its own, he turned and walked toward me.

  “Alright, Hattie. You ready to talk?”

  I looked at him with dread. “About what?”

  “Anything you want. How about I make some coffee?”

  “Do you have any tea?”

  He grinned at me, the gesture lighting up his whole face. “Yes, I have tea. Herbal or black?”

  “Black, with two sugars?”

  “Hang tight and I’ll be right back with it.”

  I watched as he left the room through an open archway that I assumed led to a kitchen. I only saw two other doorways, which I imagined were a bedroom and bathroom. The walls were all made of logs. I had never been in a real log cabin before. I stared at an animal head mounted on the wall, wondering if it was a deer or an elk. My feet were aching, so I slipped my sandals off and curled my feet under my butt. I allowed myself to sink into the couch, curling up in an attempt to get warm. My stomach was sour and my head was starting to ache from too much alcohol.

  After several minutes, Saul walked back through the archway, carrying two steaming mugs. I sat up straighter and took the mug he held out for me.

  “Careful, it’s hot.”

  “Thanks,” I whispered.

  “It’s just Lipton. I hope that’s ok?”

  “It’s perfect.”

  I sipped on it carefully, avoiding burning my lips.

  “Is it sweet enough?”

  I nodded.

  Saul sat beside me, in the middle seat. My heart skipped a little beat at him opting for such a close position. I noticed he had taken his shoes and socks off, too. He had big feet with long toes. Like the rest of him, they looked strong.

  “Did you want to talk about what happened tonight?” he asked me.

  “My brother got married,” I explained. “They wanted to go out for drinks afterward.”

  “So you know that guy well?”

  “Everett?” I asked, immediately taking another sip of tea.

  Saul nodded.

  “Yeah. I’ve known him since my brother Joe and I were in kindergarten.”

  “You guys went to kindergarten together, all three of you?”

  I nodded. “Joe’s my twin. We grew up doing pretty much everything together. The Fidalgo Bay elementary school was small enough to force us to be in the same classes all the way till middle school.”

  “Ok, so this friend of yours, Everett, all of a sudden he wants to date you? Or has this been going on for a while?”

  I shook my head. “He’s kind of always had a thing for me, but we’ve never dated. He’s more like an older brother. We even talked about it after you dropped me off at home last night. He and his mom stayed over and I couldn’t sleep. I explained that I just didn’t feel that way about him. Then he pulled this crap tonight.”

  “Well, I suppose I can’t fault him for being attracted to a pretty girl, but no means no. He crossed a line.”

  I felt my face flush at the compliment he had snuck in.

  “So, tell me about you,” I suggested.

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Well, anything I suppose. What are you doing living here?”

  “My grandfather passed away about a year ago. The rest of the family fought over his estate, but he left everything, including this place, to me and my little sister. It’s not much, but I used to stay here with him a few weeks every summer. It was pretty special to us.”

  “I’m sorry he passed.”

  He bowed his head for a moment. Looking up again, he quietly said “thanks.”

  “Do you think you’ll stay here?”

  “I imagine so. I left my job back in the city. Came here with a little savings. I imagine I’ll look for a job soon.”

  “What kind of work?”

  “Probably construction. Maybe dock work or fishing. I like to be outside.”

  I yawned.

  “Am I boring you?”

  I shook my head no and chuckled. “No. Sorry.”

  “So, why were you drinking so much tonight?”

  I leaned my head back, resting it on the back of the couch. “I just wanted to feel numb for a while. Try to forget about the explosions.”

  “It’s gonna take time.”

  “I feel like a freak. It’s hard to sleep, eat…think. All those people who died. Their screams. Bodies in the street. That baby…and its mother…”

  I could feel a hot tear fall down my cheek. The last thing I wanted to do was cry in front of this man that I barely knew. Before I had a chance to wipe it away, I felt the heat of his hand doing it for me. Before I knew it, I was in his arms, crying into his chest.

  “It’s ok, let it out. Just let it out,” he soothed.

  I had never been comfortable with people seeing me cry, and I had never really been close enough to anyone to cry against them before.

  “I’m sorry,” I mumbled.

  He rubbed at my back gently with one hand, the other smoothing my hair. “Shhh, it’s fine.”

  I forced myself to stop crying and moved back from him enough to wipe my eyes. Again, Saul took over with his thumbs and gently wiped the tears away from beneath my eyes. He was looking at me with a softness that warmed me.

  “It’s pretty incredible,” he whispered.

  I looked at him questioningly.

  “How beautiful you are, even when you’re crying,” he said softly.

  I wiped a stray tear from my neck. “I am not.”

  “I’m glad I saved you, Hattie.”

  I felt my face warm under his stare.

  “I think you have a lot to offer this world,” he continued.

  “You’re embarrassing me,” I admitted.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” He paused. “Come fishing with me tomorrow?”

  I looked at him, unsure. “Okay.”

  He smiled, showing off his straight white teeth. They were almost too perfect. “Good.”

  “Did you have braces when you were younger?” I asked.

  He laughed at the question. “Yup, sure did. Let’s go to bed.”

  My eyes must have widened because he laughed again.

  “I’m not that kind of guy. I think you’re gorgeous, Hattie. And I love your personality. Maybe someday I’ll get a chance with you, but tonight you can have my bed. I’ll take the couch.”

  I smiled awkwardly.

  “You’re not used to compliments, are you?”

  I shook my head back and forth.

  Saul stood, offering me his hand. I took it, a bit unsure. I knew so little about this man yet trusted him with my life. He led me through one of the closed doors, into a small bedroom with a bed covered in a heavy wool blanket in shades of blue, green, and yellow. There was a dresser next to the door and a simple wood night stand beside the bed. Saul walked to the dresser and pulled out a t-shirt.

  “Here. You can borrow this.”

  “Thanks. It’ll be a lot more comfortable than my dress.”

  He op
ened a different drawer and pulled out a pair of sweat-pant shorts. “These’ll be too big for you but they have a drawstring.”

  “Is there anything else you need?”

  “Maybe just the bathroom?”

  “Yes, I have one of those,” he said with a wink. It made me smile.

  CHAPTER 7 ~ NIGHTMARES

  After a quick shower and change of clothes, I emerged from the bathroom to find Saul arranging his makeshift bed on the couch.

  “Feel better?” he asked.

  I nodded. “Yes. Thanks for the shower and clothes.”

  He walked over to me and ran a hand over my hair.

  “Your hair’s wet.”

  “I didn’t see a hair drier. Don’t worry, it’ll dry.”

  Something about the way he was looking into my eyes made my stomach flip-flop and tingle. His hand was still on the side of my head, cupping it gently. He was standing so close that I could feel his body heat radiating. Without realizing what I was doing, I closed my eyes and leaned into his palm. I could hear his breathing slow and deepen and sensed his face close to my own. Surreally, the heat of his soft lips set me on fire as he kissed me tenderly. His fingers wound through my damp hair as he deepened the kiss, tasting me sweetly. I returned his advance, opening my mouth to accept his affection. I wasn’t even sure if I was doing it right since I had only ever kissed one boy on the lips before: Fred Malloy in ninth grade. I felt weak in the knees as if the world had fallen away from me. I breathed in through my nose, inhaling his manly scent while tasting his mouth. Saul groaned into my mouth, and suddenly broke the kiss.

  “Slow down, girl.” He was slightly out of breath.

  “I’m sorry,” I muttered, not sure what else to say.

  He laughed, making my face darken to what must have been seven shades of red.

  “Hattie, I kissed you. You have nothing to apologize for. I just know you’ve been drinking, and I don’t want to move too fast.” He sighed heavily. “Ok, so I want to, but I won’t. You need to know I have genuine respect for you.”

  I must have pouted, because he took one hand and cupped my chin, forcing me to look at him. If you want to explore things between us once you’re sober, we can. But there’s no rush. Really.”

  I thought for a moment. “Well, was it any good?”