by Kara Jimenez
He opened his eyes.
His father leaned over him, tears running down his cheeks. His hands cradled his head. “Oh, God! Don’t take both my sons.”
Peter groaned. The scorching pain disappeared, but achiness now engulfed his body. He lifted a shaky hand and placed it on his chest. A thick red stain covered his waistcoat and a hole had been torn through the gray material. He sat up and ripped his clothes open. The skin across his ribcage looked completely normal. There was no hole. He had healed.
Peter replaced the Bible and closed the drawer, clenching his teeth. Levi knew what had caused their loved ones illness, and then their immortality and he knew how to make it happen again. The selfish ass had made his friend immortal in the nineteen-forties. What gave him the right to keep it hidden from them?
His gaze swept across the room and landed on the bookcase. A laptop sat on the top shelf. He pulled it down, carried it to the kitchen table and opened the screen. A photo of Aldo came into view. That stupid dog again.
The sound of a vehicle crunching down the gravel driveway caught his attention. He glanced out the window. Levi was home.
Levi turned the corner of his driveway and groaned when he saw Peter’s car parked outside. Did he really have to deal with this again? He glanced around the front of the house. When he didn’t see Peter anywhere, his heart rate spiked. Was he wandering around the property?
He parked his truck just as the house door swung open and Peter sauntered out onto the covered porch.
Levi gritted his teeth at the realization that Peter had been inside his home.
“I guess you caught me.” Peter held up his hands. “I was digging around in your stuff.” He raised his eyebrows, a smug grin on his face.
Levi walked up the steps and narrowed his eyes, then pulled back his arm and punched Peter in the nose.
Peter stumbled back with a grunt, clutching his face. “Dammit, Levi. That hurt!” When he stood, his nose was crooked and blood dripped from one nostril. He stepped forward. “I came by to tell you I met Bianca,” he said, enunciating every syllable of her name.
Levi dropped his arms. “What did you say?”
“You heard me. I met Bianca. Actually, I took her out. We got close.” He winked.
“She has nothing to do with this.” Levi’s voice shook.
“Oh, but she does.” Peter’s nose snapped itself into a perfectly straight line again. “I suggest you take the money my father’s offering you.”
Levi took another step forward, pointing at Peter. “If I tell you about the curse, people will die. Do you understand that?”
Peter sighed and lifted his hands. “He just wants to study it. My father has access to the best scientists in the world. If he can separate the illness and leave just the healing powers, lives will be saved.”
“And how will he study it? With tests. Tests where people die. Think of Clara. Someone else’s Clara could die.”
Peter took a long slow breath and his eyes narrowed. “I haven’t told my father about Bianca yet, but I suggest you reconsider our offer. Because I will soon.” He stomped down the steps to his car, climbed inside and revved the engine.
Levi clutched the wooden porch beam as Peter sped down the driveway. If Peter was talking to Bianca, he couldn’t let his past insecurities get in the way. He needed to apologize to her so he could stay close, to keep her safe.
“Why didn’t you kiss him?!” Kate shrieked. They stood in the kitchen at Papa’s, spreading toppings on an order. “I would have jumped him the minute he knocked on my door.”
Bianca sighed. She wouldn’t have to explain this to Stephanie. Stephanie had been her friend since kindergarten. She only met Kate a few months ago when she’d been hired. Finally she answered. “I have trust issues.”
“Don’t we all.”
Bianca circled her hand over the pizza she worked on, dropping mushrooms as she went. “After my dad left, I was seventeen and hungry for love. So I jumped into bed with a guy who never called me back. The rejection so soon after my dad, I just stopped trusting guys.” Her voice sounded flat and emotionless. “I mean, I know there are good ones out there.” She shrugged. “I just like to move slowly.”
Kate scooped up a handful of pineapple. “That sucks, but I guess I get it.”
Bianca bit her lip. “Besides, doesn’t Peter seem sort of… intimidating? I mean, he’s sexy and suave but, it’s like he’s so charming… he’s trouble.”
“Um, yeah. The good kind of trouble.” Kate nudged her with an elbow.
Bianca turned and leaned against the peach colored countertop. “There’s a good kind?”
Kate rolled her eyes. “Of course, there’s a good kind.” She glanced out the window. “Speaking of hot guys who are totally into you.” Her finger pointed at a blue truck in the parking lot. Levi climbed out and walked toward the door.
Bianca gasped. “I… I don’t want to see him. I have to go to the back.” She threw the pepperoni she held back into the container.
“What? Why?” asked Kate.
“I never told you. I caught him sitting outside my apartment, spying on me.”
Kate held out her hands. “Maybe he just likes you?”
“No. It was more than that. He wore sunglasses and a hat like he’d planned the whole thing and was gathering intel. Plus, I meet him in the woods, the next day he shows up at work and then he’s also outside my home. It’s creepy.”
“Okay, you’re right. Go in back. I’ll cover for you.” Kate waved her hand toward the door.
Bianca disappeared just as Levi entered the restaurant. She stood in back, peeking through the crack of the kitchen door and listening.
He stepped up to the front counter with a smile. Kate greeted him.
“I’ll have a small pepperoni and green pepper.” He looked around the restaurant. “Is Bianca here?”
“Nope, she’s not working today.” Kate almost sounded sincere.
“Oh really? Her bike is parked out front.” He pointed through the window to the bike rack.
Kate avoided his eyes, concentrating instead on pushing the buttons on the beige cash register. “She left it here last night. Someone gave her a ride home, I think.”
“Okay.” He paid for his order and then walked to his regular table.
Bianca cursed under her breath. Now she was stuck back here for however long it took him to eat. She leaned against the wall.
Jeremy came out of the dough room, cardboard boxes stuck on his feet.
“Bianca, check it out. I’m a Pterodactyl.” He raised his arms in the air, spreading his fingers like claws while taking huge steps with his box shoes. “Roaaar! Roaaar!”
A polite smile forced its way across her face. What did Kate see in him? Sure, he was entertaining, but he acted like a ten year old.
She walked to the silver prep table and pretended to study the stock list when Faustino appeared.
He gave Jeremy a look and then turned to Bianca. “The stock is done. I need you to hang out in front.”
So much for staying out of sight. She took a deep breath and shoved the swinging door open. Shaking her head at Kate who stared at her in astonishment, she continued out to the seating area. It’d been a mistake to have Kate lie for her. She hadn’t thought it through. And it was cowardly to involve others in her problem instead of handling it herself.
Levi smiled when he saw her. “I knew you were here. Were you hiding from me?” He looked like he suppressed a nervous laugh.
Why did he have to be wearing such a tight shirt? It showed off every hard muscle in his chest and made her wonder what it would be like to run her hand across it. She ignored his question. “So, are you going to give me some sort of excuse for spying?”
He looked down at his palms. “I tried to think of one, but I couldn’t come up with anything plausible. I don’t want to lie to you anyway, so I’ll just tell you the truth.” He looked straight at her. “I thought you were in danger and I wanted to keep you safe.�
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She huffed and threw up her hands. “Danger from what?”
His gaze dropped again. “I can’t tell you. I’m sorry.”
This made no sense. She rolled her eyes. “I’m supposed to just say it’s okay? I still have no idea why you were sitting outside my apartment except that you’re probably a huge creep.”
He flinched at her words and then took her hand. “Bianca.”
Her stomach flipped. He made her nervous in a good way, but also because she wasn’t sure about his motives.
“I know you have no reason to believe me, but please.” His gray eyes locked with hers. “I would never hurt you, and I will never, ever spy on you again.”
She tore her hand away, avoiding his eyes and instead looked up at the gold lamps hanging above. “I liked you when we talked over lunch, but I don’t know how I feel now… after finding you watching me and then the way you acted the first time we met. I can’t figure you out and I’m not sure it’s worth trying.” She turned and walked back into the kitchen.
Traffic on Bianca’s blog continued to spike and it set her into a frenzy, trying to come up with recipes to keep the new readers around. Friday morning, she hopped downstairs, eager to work on a recipe for gluten-free pumpkin pancakes when she stopped short in the kitchen entrance. An unfamiliar, gray-haired man sat in her chair at the table, casually drinking a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper as if he lived there. Her mother’s red bathrobe hung around his thin shoulders. Bianca cleared her throat, irritated that she didn’t have the kitchen to herself.
He looked up from his paper. “Oh, hi… I’m David.” His hand reached out for her to shake.
She ignored it. “You’re a friend of my mom’s?”
Dropping his hand, he sipped from her favorite blue mug, the one that said, Corvallis High Class of 2008. “Is your mom Lisa? She didn’t tell me she had a daughter.”
“I’m her daughter.” Could this get any more awkward?
David smiled and looked back at his paper.
She set to work mixing her pancakes and trying to ignore him, but he kept sniffing and clearing his throat. She moved her mixing bowl well away from him and whatever germs he may have and then carefully recorded each ingredient as they were dumped into the bowl. One cup of pureed cooked pumpkin. Three eggs. Two teaspoons of cinnamon. No one would praise her recipes if the measurements were off.
While the griddle warmed, she pulled the bowl with her sourdough starter toward her, peeking in. Still no bubbles. She added a bit more flour, stirring until it was a gooey mess again and replaced it in the warm spot next to the stove.
Just as the first cakes were flipped, her mother strolled into the room. She walked up behind David, ran her hands over his shoulders and leaned down to give him a kiss.
Bianca turned her head. Not something she wanted to watch.
Everyone raved about the pancakes. Owen ate three and he was a picky eater, but Bianca thought she needed to add one less egg. She whipped up another batch just to be sure. That fixed the problem. They were perfect. Sweet, fluffy, gluten-free goodness. She didn’t follow a gluten-free diet herself, but she knew lots of people did and they were on the web looking for recipes.
Her neon-pink camera stood on the windowsill. She grabbed it and took a photo of her creation, but the focus captured more detail of the plate than the actual pancakes. It didn’t come close to one of those fancy pictures on the more popular blogs. Maybe Peter would be willing to help with her photographs? Money was short so she couldn’t pay him, but he seemed like a nice guy. Perhaps he’d give her a few tips so she could take better photos herself.
She set the camera down and surveyed the kitchen. Egg shells and an assortment of gluten-free flours littered the pale beige countertop and dishes filled the sink. Somehow, she’d even managed to splatter batter on the striped green curtains. She groaned and then got to work cleaning up the mess. Cooking and creating food would be a perfect way to spend the day, if it weren’t for the cleanup afterward. But that was life after all, unless you lived in a castle with a hundred servants, which was laughable. She was no princess.
When the kitchen sparkled, she sat down at her computer to write up the recipe, trying to inject just the right amount of humor into the explanation. Which was better? Pancake-tastic or Pancakarific? Although, she wasn’t sure if it was actually funny or if she’d just made a fool of herself, but either way, it was out there for the world to see.
As soon as she hit the post button, Stephanie called.
“My mom came over this morning and she totally stuffed my freezer with tamales. Do you want some? I’ll never eat all these.”
“Yeah, I love your mom’s tamales,” Bianca answered. “I’m still waiting for her to show me how she makes them.”
“I’ll remind her for you. Now listen, I know you’re going to fight me on this, but I’m taking you out dancing tonight.”
Bianca groaned. “Let’s just hang out and watch a movie. Stuff ourselves with ice cream.”
“No. I thought about it after you called last night and you need to get out. Forget about that creepy stalker guy.”
“How is dancing going to help?”
“Because it’s freeing! We’ll get our buzz on and maybe you’ll meet a nice guy who doesn’t spend his spare time sitting outside your apartment. It’ll be fun, I promise.”
“What about Owen? I think my mom’s working tonight.”
“Then I’ll pay for his babysitter.”
Obviously, she wasn’t getting out of this. But she had to admit, Stephanie knew how to have a good time. “Okay, fine. I’ll go.”
Loud, pulsing music greeted them as they stepped into the downtown club, La Cantina. The room was dark, except for the flashing strobe and colored lights moving across the sea of dancers. They squeezed their way through sweating, jumping bodies, to get their drinks at the bar, and then sat down at a nearby table.
“Drink up.” Stephanie handed her a shot and a huge lime wedge covered with salt. “Because we’re about to get our groove on.”
Bianca rolled her eyes and flung back the tiny glass. The liquid burned her throat, but she’d need the buzz if she was going to dance. “Why are you so into this anyway?” she shouted over the noise.
A woman walked by, stumbling into their table before straightening herself and continuing on her way. This place was crazy.
“Because it’s fun, and because you need to forget about that stalker guy,” said Stephanie.
Bianca took a sip of her cocktail. “I have forgotten about him.”
This time Stephanie rolled her eyes. “You talked about him the entire drive here. And about how you think Peter is sexy trouble.” She laughed. “I agree with that one.”
Stephanie dragged her out onto the dance floor. Bianca swayed to the music, feeling awkward at first, but loosening up after a few songs. By the third, she jumped and pulsed to the beat, truly enjoying herself.
A guy wearing a sleeveless Abercrombie t-shirt and too much cologne inched closer. “Hey,” he shouted, nodding at her and moving his hips so close that she kept knocking into him.
“I’m going to take a break,” she shouted to Stephanie, a few feet away. Making her way through the crowd, she found their table, sat down and sipped at what was left of her drink.
She scanned the room, stopping when she noticed a pair of eyes staring back at her, familiar brilliant blue eyes, framed by strands of black hair falling over his forehead.
Peter.
A bead of sweat slid down her forehead. She grabbed a napkin, turned and dabbed her face, hoping he wouldn’t notice her sweaty mess.
When she faced him again, he nodded and started squeezing through the crowd to get to her table. Her stomach fizzled like she’d just eaten a bunch of pop rocks. He looked amazingly sexy, in a crisp white button down shirt, the first several buttons open and the sleeves folded past his elbows.
“Hey, I saw you on the dance floor,” he said when he reached her. “Hot move
s.”
Stephanie plopped down in the seat across from her, much to Bianca’s relief. She didn’t know how to respond to his comment.
“Ay, look who it is!” Stephanie said. “This is quite a coincidence. Are you sure you’re not following us?”
He laughed. “Following you? I come here all the time.”
“Well that’s a relief. She doesn’t need another stalker.” Stephanie sucked back the last of her drink.
“Another one?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Bianca waved her hand. “It’s nothing.”
“She caught this guy sitting in front of her apartment, spying on her.” Stephanie said.
He chuckled. “That’s creepy. What’d you do?”
“I just asked him to leave.” She didn’t want to talk about this with him.
“Well, I’m most definitely not spying on you.” He grinned and sat down in the empty seat next to her.
“So, do you really come here all the time?” Bianca asked.
He shrugged. “Not all the time. Sometimes. I’ve never seen you here though.”
“I only came because Stephanie made me.” She shot a look her direction.
Stephanie huffed. “You know you’re having fun.”
Peter took her hand and nodded toward the dance floor. “Dance with me.”
No way could she refuse him. His charming smile and smoldering eyes rendered her useless. “Okay, but I’m sorry if I step on your foot. I’m a clumsy dancer.”
His body froze, like she’d said something wrong. But, he recovered quickly and winked. “You can step on my foot anytime, baby.”
Taking her hand, he led her through the maze of slippery bodies until they arrived at the center of the floor. He turned, facing her, and smiled as he slid his arms around her hips. Lights flashed around them, creating a dizzying dream-like effect. They began to sway to the beat, stiffly at first, then finding the rhythm. The sea of people around them pulsed and moved to the throbbing sounds.
A pleasant fuzziness filled her head from the drinks and she closed her eyes, letting the music flow through her. It invaded her head and pulsed through her limbs. She moved her body against his. The touch of his hands made her hips swing wider. Her heart pounded, thumping with the beat of the music. She lifted her arms and swung her shoulders in conjunction with her hips.