A Reason to Leave

by Melissa Ellen

  I had seriously contemplated quitting my job at Sweet Beans. It wasn’t as if I needed it, and it would make it easier for me to make my auditions. Regardless, I couldn’t bring myself to actually do it. I loved working there and cherished the friendships I had made. Sweet Beans had been a place of growth for me, both emotionally and professionally. It taught me what it meant to work for something I wanted and gave me a sense of accomplishment. I would just have to figure out a way to balance my work life and new found love life.

  To top it off, surprisingly, I had already gotten a response from a new agent last week. She had picked me up as a client, despite the warnings she’d heard from Donna. I thanked her a million times over for taking the chance on me and promised her I would do everything I could to prove Donna’s less than stellar recommendation of me wrong.

  I stepped out of the shower, drying off and throwing on my robe. I leisurely got ready for work, before cracking open the door to my dark bedroom. I could see the silhouette of Liam’s body sound asleep in the bed. I stumbled in the dark towards my bed, trying my best to be quiet. I reached for my phone on the nightstand. Strong hands grabbed me by the waist. I squealed through my laughter as Liam pulled me back onto the bed with him.

  “What time is it?” he mumbled in the back of my neck.

  “Too early,” I said, breathing him in. “I have to go to work.”

  “Call in sick,” he demanded. He leaned forward, running the tip of his nose along my jawline. “Stay with me, princess,” he whispered. His hand ghosted along the side of my body, spreading tingles in its wake.

  “I can’t,” my brain said as my body fought to stay. “It’s Friday, and we’ll be ridiculously busy this morning.” Breathy words left my mouth. “I can’t leave Ethan to fight that crowd by himself….,” I gasped, holding in a whimper as his unrelenting manipulations of my body continued. “Besides, you have to go to work also.” I was struggling to find reasons not to give into Liam’s seductive tactics.

  “Frankie won’t care.”

  I laughed, knowing that was true. “As tempting as that sounds, I really can’t.” I sat up, finding an unknown inner strength, breaking free of Liam’s hypnotic hands that had a hold of my body. He groaned.

  “Give me a few minutes, and I’ll be ready to go.”

  “No. Stay. Sleep,” I brushed my hand along the side of his face. “Leave whenever you’re ready. Lexie stayed at Jake’s last night, so just lock up when you leave.”

  I leaned down to give him a kiss good-bye. He took advantage, cradling my head, pulling me back to him as he plunged his tongue into my mouth, causing me to release the whimper I had been holding in. I broke our kiss before I was lost for good.

  “Calm down, rocks star,” I laughed while trying to hold him at arm’s length. “We’ll finish this later.”

  He slapped my butt as I stood. “I’m going to make you beg for it tonight,” he threatened.

  “I have no doubt you will.”

  I smiled as I sauntered out of the room, loving the way it felt to have his eyes follow my every move. I was pretty much always begging for it after one of his concerts. Every time I watched him sing, I became an impatient needy mess. But after tonight, I would have all his time and attention for the next few days.

  Tomorrow we would be celebrating his Uncle Frankie’s birthday. Neither one of us had to work. Plus, it was the first Saturday that Derailed didn’t have a concert. Sunday was Fourth of July where we would be spending the night on the beach, watching fireworks. Knowing all that, made it a little less painful to walk away from the beautiful, half-naked man lying in my bed, begging for me to stay. Only a little, though. A very miniscule amount, actually. Why was I walking away again?

  I turned around at the door frame, taking one more look at his grinning face before blowing him a little kiss and forcing myself to leave for work.

  “Knock, knock,” I hollered as I opened the screen door to Frankie’s house, balancing his birthday cake in one hand.

  “Come on in, darlin’!” Frankie hollered from the kitchen. I walked through the old, cluttered living room toward the back of the house where the kitchen was located. Frankie was at the stove, turning a pot on his ancient gas burning stove to simmer.

  “He’s making you cook on your own birthday?” I joked, giving him a one armed hug before placing his cake on the worn metal and teal retro table in the corner of the eat-in kitchen.

  Everything about Frankie’s made me feel like I was stepping back into time. Most of his belongings were things he’d had for years and probably never planned to replace, even if they broke. Frankie was one of those guys who would make every effort to fix or rig something so that it still functioned well enough before he would dream of replacing it. He was your “they don’t make them like they used to” kind of guy.

  His home had all kinds of interesting memorabilia and clutter. It was organized chaos at its best. I would never be able to find anything, but he always knew exactly where something was hiding below a pile of papers. It reminded me a lot of the shop’s customer service area.

  “Nah, he’s out back grillin’ up some burgers. I’m just mannin’ the beans. That cake looks tasty,” Frankie nodded towards the cake I had placed on the table. “Chocolate’s my favorite. Did you bake that just for me?”

  I laughed. “As much as I wish I could take credit for this, I can’t bake to save my life. This one is from the bakery near my house. I can make you a mean cup of coffee to go with it, though,” I winked at him.

  “It’s the thought that counts, sugar.” He chuckled, putting his arm around my shoulders, “Come on…Liam’s out back.” Frankie led me outside to the backyard.

  The smell of grease and charcoal burning, the sound of hamburgers sizzling on the grill and the heat of the summer sun all hit my senses at once, creating a euphoric comfort I hadn’t felt before. Liam was at the grill with the lid open, flipping the patties with his back to me. Frankie took a seat at the patio table on the back porch, popping open a fresh beer.

  I watched Liam’s taut back muscle’s ripple through the tight, white t-shirt he was wearing. There was something so sexy about watching him at the grill. It was a masculine act that I didn’t realize could turn me on. I snuck up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist while placing a kiss on his shoulder.

  “Hey there, rock star,” I greeted him with a seductive tone.

  Between the delicious smells coming from the grill and the smell and vision of Liam, my body was in overdrive. He closed the lid of the grill, setting the long spatula aside. He swiveled in my arms, enclosing me with his own.

  “Hi, princess.” He flashed that dimple at me, and my already overheated body melted some more. “It’s about time you got here.”

  “Were you missing me?” He had only left my place a couple hours ago to get a head start on grilling.

  “Every minute.” He placed a kiss on my lips, before dropping his arms from me. He grabbed his bottle of beer that was resting on the side apron of the grill before taking my hand to lead me to the table where Frankie sat.

  I took a seat with the two men who were growing on me faster than I could have ever imagined. Frankie had a natural ability to make me feel like a part of the family. The same way Ava had when I first met her. He had an infectious positive outlook on life. Even though, from the things he had told me, his life hadn’t been easy or full of happiness with losing his wife early on and never remarrying.

  And then there was Liam. I couldn’t begin to understand the connection I felt with him. It was instantaneous and beyond explanation. I felt bound to him. A hold I couldn’t break free of even if I tried. I would never try, though. I knew if I cut that tie, I wouldn’t be setting myself free. I would be losing the one person that made me feel like there was a purpose for my life. He was my purpose, my strength, my everything. And I wanted to be that for him.

  The sun began to set and we relaxed into the evening, talking and laughing as we ate burgers and chocolate
cake topped with vanilla bean ice cream. The string of patio lights lit up the dark sky above our heads as a comfortable silence fell over us. I smiled at Liam. He gave me a light squeeze with his hand that rested just above my knee. He glanced over at me with an adorable smirk as his hand began to trail up my inner thigh.

  Frankie sat forward, clearing his throat. “I guess I should start cleaning all this up,” he said, making an excuse to give us some privacy. He slid to the edge of his seat, bracing his hands on the armrest of the chair as he slowly stood with a slight struggle.

  “Let me help,” I stood to gather some of the paper plates and trash from the table. Liam stood with me.

  “You don’t have to do that, darlin’. I got it covered,” Frankie said feebly with a weary look in his eyes. It was obvious he was feeling worn out.

  “I insist. It’s your birthday.”

  “We got it,” Liam added firmly, staring at Frankie with a determined expression, not allowing him to argue any further. Frankie nodded with a weak smile, patting Liam fondly on his arm as he walked past him to go inside.

  I turned to Liam, once Frankie had disappeared into the house, “Is he okay?”

  “He’s fine.” Liam busied himself, gathering the empty beer bottles on the table.

  “Liam?”

  He didn’t respond.

  “Please, tell me what’s going on.”

  “Nothing. I told you he’s fine.” His harsh and dismissive tone caused my back to straighten.

  His avoidance of the conversation infuriated me. I turned away frustrated, aggressively clearing the table. I was tired of him always deflecting my questions and not opening up to me.

  “Shit,” he huffed under his breath, “…Val, I’m sorry.”

  “Why won’t you talk to me?” I clipped. The anger still coursing through me. He grabbed my arm, stopping my movements.

  “I just don’t want you to worry.”

  “Well whether you tell me or not, I’m going to worry,” I yanked my arm from his hand. “I can tell you’re worried, so just knowing that, is going to make me worry.”

  “You’re right….” He hugged me to him, trying to calm us both. He breathed me in, taking a moment before he continued. “He had a heart attack a little over a month ago. Just before you and I met. It was a small one. And he is on medication now, but I still worry about him working too much.”

  “I’m sorry… I know how much he means to you.”

  He smiled affectionately at me. “He’ll be fine. He’s a tough, old bastard.”

  I nodded my agreement. I stood on my tip toes, planting a kiss of support and comfort on his lips. “Thank you for telling me. I’ll take care of the dishes inside. You take care of finishing up out here.”

  “Thanks, princess.” He kissed me on my forehead before releasing me.

  I walked through the back door into the kitchen. I searched through the cabinets, looking for containers to store the leftover food before working on the dirty dishes. After scrubbing the third pot of lacquered on baked beans, I made a mental note to look at purchasing Frankie a dishwasher. And maybe a maid.

  After the last dish was washed, I drained the sink and hung the damp towel I had been using to dry. Liam hadn’t come back inside, yet, so I walked into the living room to check on Frankie. He was lying back with his feet up in his old, tan recliner. The room was dim with only a lamp and the glow of the TV illuminating the room.

  He was morbidly still. A tiny wave of panic got caught in my throat. His chest finally rose and fell slowly. He was breathing. I laid my hand over my chest, exhaling my relief. I walked further into the room, taking a seat on the end of the couch closest to him.

  His eyes flitted open. I flinched guiltily.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you,” I apologized.

  “Nah. You didn’t wake me, sugar. Just restin’ my eyes for a moment,” he lied. He focused his eyes on the TV, watching the animated weather man forecast the temperatures for the holiday weekend.

  I let my eyes wander around the living room, cataloging all the details of the space. The TV sat on a stand directly across from the couch, blocking a large window that looked towards the front yard. Perpendicular to the TV was a red brick fire place that was flanked with wooden bookshelves that rose from floor to ceiling. They appeared to be original to the house and were covered with books, random veteran paraphernalia and photos.

  There was one particular photo my eyes focused on. It was a picture of Liam and Frankie, standing outside his shop with smiles that stretched the full width of their faces. The photo looked recent, like maybe it was taken in the last year. I scanned the other photos, expecting to find some from an earlier time frame. The only other ones displayed were of Frankie and what I assumed to be his deceased wife, Evelyn.

  I swiveled my head a fraction to Frankie unable to completely remove my gaze from the photo, “How long has Liam lived with you?”

  “I believe it’s been about three years,” he turned, looking at me with curious eyes.

  Three years? I had just assumed that Liam had moved in after his parents passed. Frankie continued to watch me closely as I processed the tiny bit of information he gave me.

  “He didn’t move in with you after his parents passed away?”

  Frankie shifted uncomfortably in his chair, looking away from me. He didn’t respond immediately. I watched as he thought hard about how to answer my question. His gaze fell back on me with an expression of regret, “I didn’t know him at the time. We first met when he started working for me at the shop.”

  “I don’t understand. I thought….I mean…how did you not know your nephew?”

  He tilted his head down, his chin pressed to his chest, giving me a look that told me I already knew the answer to that.

  “You’re not his uncle,” I said under my breath to myself, remembering his words to me the first evening we met. He nodded once, confirming my response.

  The realization of this fact only stirred up more questions. They swirled in my head directionless, causing my brain to desperately crave more information about Liam. There was so much in his past I had no idea about. So much I wanted to know. Needed to know.

  “Who raised him after his parents passed away? Does he have other family?” The questions came flying out of my mouth uncontrollably. I gave Frankie a look of plea, desperate to know more.

  “That’s not my story to tell, darlin’.”

  I could see the sadness and remorse in his eyes. He wasn’t going to tell me. His loyalty was with Liam. As much as I hated that I wouldn’t get any answers from him, I respected his decision to not divulge the details.

  We both turned back to the TV, letting the silence fill the room. Liam walked in through the kitchen with a joyous expression that clashed with everything I was feeling.

  “Hey, old man. You up for seein’ your birthday present?”

  Frankie turned his head to look at Liam with a teasing expression, “You makin’ me get out of my chair?”

  Liam laughed. “Get up you lazy bastard. It’s outside.”

  Frankie lowered his legs as he sat up in the recliner, grunting and mumbling under his breath but held a hint of smile as he moved to stand. I stood to help him out of his chair. The three of us walked through the kitchen out the back door, following Liam to the garage.

  Liam gripped the handle of the single garage door, yanking it upward, rolling the door open. There in the middle of the garage was a motorcycle with a big red bow. Liam turned back towards us with a contagious grin on his face as he watched for Frankie’s reaction. I turned my own head to do the same. I didn’t know much about motorcycles – okay, I knew nothing at all – but from the expression on Frankie’s face, I could tell this one was special.

  “Liam…son…Well, shit,” Frankie said lost for words, throwing his hands on his hips, shaking his head slowly in disbelief. “Does it work?”

  Liam laughed, crossing his arms firmly over his chest. “You think I’d give you a
broke down motorcycle?”

  Frankie chuckled, “I wouldn’t put it past ya.”

  He stepped forward to stand beside Liam and admire the cruiser a little closer. Watching the two of them silently bond over the bike, shortly after finding out the information I had, made me view their whole relationship differently. I admired it more. The two of them were so close that I would have never guessed they weren’t family or at least hadn’t known each other for many long years.

  “I did have to replace a few parts. Don’t get me started on what a pain in the ass it was to find them either.”

  “Thanks, kid.” Frankie gripped Liam’s shoulder. He moved to stand next to the bike, running his hand over the body of the bike, before squatting to admire the chassis.

  Liam and Frankie boisterously discussed the bike and what Liam had to replace to get it running. I listened to the two of them. Beyond understanding that it was a 1977 Harley Davidson lowrider, I was lost throughout the whole conversation as if they were speaking another language.

  It was a nice looking bike with black trim and a black leather seat that scooped upwards, connecting to a seat for a second rider. The motorcycle had been shined and polished to look brand new with a bright, reflective, silver frame.

  Liam looked over at me as Frankie continued to gaze at the bike. I moved to stand beside him. His arm clutched me into his side. I splayed my hand across his abs, cuddling against him. The garage fell silent as we watched Frankie who seemed lost in his reverie.

  “Reminds me of Evelyn,” he said with a quiet fondness and a hint of sadness in his eyes.

  “Do you want to take it for a ride?” Liam asked Frankie. He looked up at Liam, shaking the sadness off that had momentarily possessed him.

  “Nah. Not tonight. Why don’t you take Val for a ride? Evelyn always loved ridin’ at night.” Frankie stared over at me with an encouraging smile.

  “What’d ya say, princess?” Liam gave me his own coy smile. “You want me to take you for a ride?” He danced his eyebrows up and down playfully.