Ride It Out

by Lowe, Aden

  Those tears kill me. I can’t stand to see her crying. It makes me feel helpless, and I don't like helpless. On instinct I pull her into a little hug, patting her shoulder. “Shhh, Anne, it's okay. Please stop crying, you’re killing me.” Her armrest is crushing my ribs, keeping me in an awkward position. Needing to comfort her better, I flip it up.

  To my surprise she doesn’t pull away, she grabs on to me tighter, acting like she doesn’t want me to let go. “I’m sorry. I know I should think more. Everyone is always saying that I shouldn’t be alone, and I can’t do this or that. Maybe they're right.” Her breathing has calmed back down a little and a stray tear falls down her cheek.

  I lightly brush my thumb to catch it. “Look Anne, you can do whatever you want to do. You just have to be more careful, take extra precautions. Too many things happen to people today. Just some simple steps could make the difference for you. Please keep the doors locked. If it were someone besides me, it could give you those extra seconds to call for help.”

  “You sound like you know about this type of thing.”.

  I'd rather not get into the details. “I work in security, private sector. It’s what I do.” Time for a change of subject. “I’m getting hungry, you want to go grab a bite to eat?” Safer to avoid the club discussion at this point, since she’s probably not ready to know about that.

  Her stomach rumbles and she blushes a little and smiles up at me. “I could eat, I guess.” She leans back, situating herself and pulls the armrest back. “Let me go grab a sweater in case it's cold wherever we end up.”

  As she rolls away, I look around the room and spot some framed photos. In one, some guy has his arm around Anne and she’s smiling and looking happily up at him.

  A flash of angry jealousy runs through me. She said she was alone, so who the hell is this? I guess alone at the beach doesn't have to mean not in a relationship. I pace the living room, telling myself to let it go. Hell, I don't even have a right to be jealous of her. But I can’t help it, I need to ask her about him, but how to do that without coming off like possessive asshole, I don’t know. The click of her chair indicates she’s heading back my way.

  I turn to face her. “Who’s the guy holding you in that picture over there?" Well, shit. This chick is getting under my skin. Hopefully she doesn’t catch my tone and get pissed.

  Anne looks at me, smiling. That smile is different, like she knows a secret. She doesn’t say anything, just grabs her keys off the counter. “All set to go.” Her cheerful tone gets on my nerves.

  “Anne, who is he?” Now I'm getting irritated.

  “A guy I grew up with. Where are we headed Blake?" She's still smiling.

  “What? I don’t know, how about Grillers on the main strip.” She’s trying to change the subject. That isn’t going to happen. “Anne, what’s the deal? I don’t share, babe.” The words just spill out as she reaches for the door.

  All of a sudden, she ducks her head and starts shaking, dropping her keys. Concerned, I roll up to her, and touch her shoulder. What the hell do I do if something's wrong?

  She's kind of bent over, holding her stomach and shaking. Cautious, I brush her hair back so I can see what's wrong. Her face is flushed with laughter, green eyes sparkling. Lust hits like a brick wall. She's fucking gorgeous with all that pale ivory skin and masses of dark hair.

  I catch my breath. “What’s so funny?” I'm more than a little pissed, thinking something was wrong and instead she’s laughing her ass off. But I'm glad she's okay, too.

  “That guy…He’s…He’s my brother.” She barely gets it all out, still laughing hard.

  “You’re kidding right?” I start to laugh myself. Still giggling, all she could do is shake her head.

  Keys in hand. “Alright, sweet Anne move your ass, let’s get some lunch.” Closing the door behind us, I let her lead down the ramp. Something about her, makes me think about the future. Makes me want to think about the future.

  Chapter Three: Blake

  We round the corner and head for the street, me following her lead. It looks like she’s decided to roll to Grillers. The sun is high and bright, but the breeze coming off the beach it makes the heat bearable, so I don’t really mind the trip. Not like there's much choice since I don't have a lift on my truck. It just seems like a lot of damn trouble for a burger when I have a perfectly good grill on my back patio.

  Anne smiles at me over her shoulder, like she's checking to be sure I'm behind her. What the hell, it’s not that far. We’ll be there in a few minutes with the speed she’s going, if I can keep up. Wonder what she’d think of me grabbing on to the back of her chair?

  There's a small hill coming up, so I grab her armrest, wanting both to be closer and not have to push so hard. “I take it, we’re taking our chairs there instead of your van.” Her surprised expression makes me laugh a little.

  “Oh, I don’t have a van.” Her turn to laugh at my shock.

  “You don’t? How do you get around then? Shit, how’d you even get here in the first place?” Who would just leave her without a way to get around? Fucking idiots.

  “Adam dropped me off, he’s great. Love him to death for getting me out here, love being here without having to ask someone if I can do something. I mean darn it, I am twenty-two years old.”

  I know I'm staring at her, completely confused and probably looking like a fool. How does she not see the issue here? And did she really just say darn it?

  She lifted one shoulder a little and smiled. "I wanted to get away, prove that I could live on my own. Be independent you know? Adam knew this, so he helped me figure out how I could do it. My parents think I’m with him at his house. He dropped me off here the day before you arrived. He calls twice a day to check on me, making sure I’m still okay. Hopefully he’ll quit that soon, once he also realizes everything is going good.

  Just at that moment her cell phone rings, playing Fall Out Boy's My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark. “That’s Adam now. Excuse me a minute, if I don't talk to him, he’ll call backed worried.” She reached for her phone. “Adam, hey!”

  “Hey Sis, how are you? Everything going okay?” And that must be Adam. I really hope her putting him on speaker doesn't mean she expects me to talk to him. At the moment, I'm just not his biggest fan. Why the hell did he just drop her off out here and then leave?

  “I’m doing good. No issues since I spoke with you last night. Danced to some Swifty. You still have to take me to see her in concert you know.” Her words make me choke with laughter and I try to cover it with a cough and end up making it worse..

  “Where are you Anne? I swear I just heard someone laugh, sounded like a guy.” The brother sounds half-panicked and over-protective as hell, and I can't blame him for that.

  “Hold on Adam, I’m crossing the street.”

  “Shit, Anne! The street! Where the fuck are you?”

  “Stop cussing at me. I’m fine, just rolling to a bar with Blake. We met on the beach, last night.” The way her eyes sparkled with mischief made me think Adam must live a rough life. Little minx probably tortured him non-stop with harebrained schemes.

  “Anne, goddammit! A BAR! A GUY!! You said nothing about a guy last night. Anne, turn your little ass around right now. I swear, don’t make me come take you back home. You’re supposed to be enjoying being on your own. That didn’t include some JACKASS wanting in to get in your pants.”

  The sparkle fades as he scolds her, and that pisses me off. Bastard shouldn't talk to her like that.

  “Seriously, Adam. I’m okay. Don’t forget I am twenty-two, and watch how you talk to me. I’m not one of your buddies, you know?” All of a sudden, she looks like she might cry. “Adam, it's just lunch. Up the street at Grillers okay? I’ll be fine. We’ll talk later when you’re calmer. Love you.” She hangs up and tucks her phone back into her bag with trembling fingers.

  What can I say to get her mind off her brother and back here with me? “Hmph. Fall Out Boy, didn’t see you as a rocker chick,
Anne. You’re full of surprises.”

  She laughs, giving me a shy glance. “Yeah, I like some rock. But that song has a special meaning to Adam and me, it’s our song. Someone hurt me once, still bothers me at times but I’m much better now. Music helped put it into perspective though. Adam has been by my side as much as he can since then. It’s a little harder since he’s moved out but he calls all the time. Maybe one day I’ll tell you about it, but not today.”

  Well, now I know why the brother is an asshole worried about guys getting into her pants, at least. Not why he's dumb enough to leave her here alone, though. “As long as you’re doing better and they aren’t hurting you anymore, that’s all I need to know, Anne.” If she wants to tell me, she will. No need to push.

  As for her brother’s outlook on guys, I won't be letting that get in my way. True, I can’t deny guys being jackasses for the most part, and who the fuck knows what I’m doing here with Anne, but doing anything to hurt her is the furthest thing from my mind. I’ll just have to play nice while I figure it out. Adam being important to her means I have to get along with him, so I will..

  We arrive a few minutes later at Grillers. The hostess looks at us with something that blends disgust and pity into one expression. I’m getting pissed off, and about to tell the bitch we’re here to eat just like everyone else. Just at that moment, Anne goes ahead of me.

  “Hi! We’d like a table for two, please.” Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth and the sweet smile she's giving the hostess makes it seem like she hasn't noticed. Except she's tapping the nail of her index finger against her armrest, something I've noticed she does when she's stressed or not happy.

  I’m not used to having someone take the lead, and it makes me feel like a punk that can’t take care of his date. Wait, is this a date? No, it's just lunch. Damn it, these wheels are a hazard to my manhood. Never would have hesitated before the accident when taking a chick out to lunch, date or not. Get ahold of yourself Hound, you’re still you. Enough of this inner pep talk bullshit, Anne’s already heading for the table.

  The hostess pulls the chairs away and adds them to another table, and Anne gracefully rolls perfectly up to the table. How the hell did she do that? I'm still way uncomfortable with lining up just right. Takes me two times to get situated. The hostess gives us a smirk with the menus and leaves.

  What are the chances of that bitch telling the waiter to spit in our food? That's one of my private little nightmares, but I won't share that with Anne. That brother of hers is already giving her enough to worry about.

  We both look over the menus and talk about what we’d like. Anne decides on a Plain Jane hot dog and fries. For some reason I’m feeling extra hungry so I choose a loaded double decker cheese burger. She lifts one dark brow when I give my order but doesn't say anything.

  Our drinks arrive and though the skinny waiter keeps giving me nasty looks, there are no issues. The little bastard leaves and I turn my attention to Anne and getting to know more about her.

  “So, what do you like to do for fun, other than picking up strange guys that bust into your summer cottage?” I'm trying to hide my smirk but don't quite make it.

  “Haha. Funny. Mostly, I read and listen to music.” The words come out soft and shy. The napkin holder seems to have sprouted a head or something and she's staring at it, running her finger along the edge.

  Impulses usually don't overcome me, but I reached for her hand, needing to feel those delicate fingers in mine. “Music is something I like too. Calms me, you know?” The time in the rehab hospital comes back to grab me. Some days, that little MP3 player was the only thing that brought me through those hours of agonizing therapy. Shit, she said something and I missed it with my little trip down memory lane.

  “Blake? Are you okay?" A worried frown marred her smooth forehead.

  "I'm ok, sorry. Just remembered something." I stroked the pad of her index finger. "What did you say?"

  She turned her hand a little, unconsciously giving me better access. "I asked have you ever been to a concert? It’s a dream of mine. I know it’s silly, but I still want to go.”

  “I’ve been to few concerts, the energy is unbelievable. And no dream is ever silly, Anne.” I lean in and my free hand goes to her cheek, fingers tracing along the contour to the strand of hair that caught my attention. I tuck the hair behind her ear as her eyes flutter closed. It seems I’m affecting her as much as she's getting to me.

  The waiter shoves our food between us. Bastard. I give him the dirty look he deserves.

  Watching Anne eat is something like torture but I can't look away. We talk and eat and I learn more about the music she likes. By the time my huge burger is half gone, I'm stuffed, and she has long since pushed her plate away. I could just sit there and talk about stupid shit with her forever.

  A cough interrupts not so subtly. Grunting, I turn and notice the waiter just standing there, watching us. What the hell? “Something you need, man? Because you staring at us is really starting to piss me off.”

  Affronted, the waiter adjusts his arms, crossing them over his narrow chest. “Yeah, you’ve been here for over an hour. You need anything else, sir?”

  I take a look around. The place is not even full. “Look fucker, we’ve ordered food. Didn’t know there was a time limit on how long we could be here. Just bring the check and we’ll pay when we’re ready to leave.”

  Anne looks around, and I can tell she’s getting upset. Her posture is tense and she’s pulled away from me altogether.

  “You, got it Sir.”

  “Blake, calm down he’s just a high school kid. He’s not worth the headache. Let’s just pay and leave.” She sounds quiet, almost urgent.

  Just at the moment the waiter comes back. “Here’s the check, you can leave it here with cash or pay at the front. Soon.” He turns to leave and I hear him whisper. “Dude’s faking a handicap to get in her pants.”

  Furious, I push away and wheel faster than he can see me coming, and trip him just right for him to land flat on his face.

  “Damn it, I didn’t mean it!”

  I reach down to him, pull him up by the back of his shirt and bring him up close. “You little fucker, you need to learn some respect. These wheels aren’t for decoration. A drunk driver hit me while I was riding my bike, and no, not your ma’ams bike.”

  “Let me go!”

  “You’ve ruined lunch for my girl. I think you’ll be covering our bill, isn’t that right?”

  “Whatever dude. Just let me go!”

  I push him back down hard onto the floor. “Anne, let’s go. Our friend here is paying our bill. Isn’t that nice?”

  Wheeling slowly around him, she looks down and shakes her head. “Sorry, Blake has a little bit of a temper. His accident wasn’t that long ago. Please learn from this, hun. Oh and thanks for lunch.”

  Did she really just call him hun? I have to get out of here before I lose it further. Out the door I take a deep breath and try to calm down. Anne slides her hand slowly up my arm, it instantly soothes me.

  “Blake, let’s go back to the cottage. I’m getting tired.”

  Chapter Four: Blake

  The roll back is quiet, but that's okay, because I’m lost in my thoughts. What am I doing here with Anne? The same question bothered me earlier and I came up with no answers then either. I came here to get away from everything, not hook up with some chick. Yet, something about Anne draws me in. She's not like anyone I've met before and I need to know more about her. Hell, who am I kidding? I need to know every damn thing about her.

  Huh, the roll back didn’t take as long as getting there did. Before I know it, we reach her front door. Anne searches for her keys while I watch. She turns to look at me shyly. “Would you like to come in?”

  I hesitate for an instant. “Sure.” Coming in for a few minutes doesn't mean anything. Polite. She's just being polite.

  Her hands shake and she drops her keys before I can catch them. Picking them up, I unlock the door for
her, and move back a little to let her go in first. Damn, she's fast—rather, her chair is.

  The living room is arranged to accommodate her, with plenty of open space, and she turns and stops right in the middle, watching me roll in more slowly. She’s nervous, tapping her fingers again, and I can't tell what she's thinking.

  I decide to focus on something else. Being there in her personal space provides an opportunity to learn more about her and I’m not above taking advantage. Every available surface hold framed photos to give me a little glimpse of her life. Her brother was always at her side, watchful, protective. I can't find fault with that.

  My shoulder aches from the longer than usual roll so I make my way to the couch. She's still watching me with those big eyes, like she's half afraid of me. Only a minute has passed, but I realize I'd better put her at ease quickly and take her mind off that fear or she'll ask me to leave.

  "Is it okay if I sit?"

  The question seems to flip a switch in her and bright color flushes her cheeks. "Of course. What was I thinking? Have a seat, please."

  The intensity of her gaze as she watches me transfer makes me a little uneasy. Since I came back from rehab, everyone looks away. I fumble a little and finally manage to get my wheels out of the way and stashed at the end of the couch.

  The big TV across the room catches my attention. “What about watching a movie? Come sit with me.”

  “Oh!" She's flustered, hands nervously tucking her hair back. "Yes, okay." She moves toward me a few inches then stops. "You know what? I’m thirsty. You thirsty? I’ll go get us something to drink.” Her voice is high-pitched and she’s talking a mile a minute. She rushes out like the room is on fire, leaving me to sit and wonder if she has coke and rum.

  After a few minutes she brings back a tray with two drinks and a bowl of chips and salsa. “Here, fruit punch and a snack.” She sits it down on the coffee table off to the end of the couch.