Shifting Lines

by Abigail Lee

  “Hey, losers.” Adam walked in and fell onto the couch on the opposite end from Trey. “What’d I miss?”

  “I’m not sure.” Trey tilted his head and watched me. “This one is acting like an idiot.”

  “That’s not new.” Adam laughed.

  “Fuck you both.” I turned back toward my computer. “Get out of my office so I can get some work done.”

  I heard shuffling as they stood up and made their way to the door.

  “Who was the hot chick with the girl you went home with the other night?” My entire body tensed up as soon as those words left Adam’s mouth.

  “Riley?” Trey asked. “She’s roommates with Hannah.”

  “Try and keep Hannah around then.” The door shut before I could hear the rest of their conversation.

  Fuck. Of course, he would notice her, too. Why did I even care? I need to get this out of my system. Surely, that was just what this was. I needed to get laid.

  My hands ran down my face before I stood and headed for the door. It was Monday night, and the bar was closed. The guys still came in, though. I would guess for the free beer.

  Adam, Trey, and I had been roommates for most of college after we had met in the dorms freshman year. They had decided to go on to graduate school, and I was here managing a bar I had never intended on owning.

  “Yeah, Hannah mentioned she had just broken up with her boyfriend, so I really don’t know her deal.” They were still talking about it when I pulled up a barstool next to them. I twisted the bottle of water in my hand and pretended not to be interested in the conversation.

  “So, she’s on the rebound.” Adam smiled. “Perfect.”

  “You can’t fuck Hannah’s best friend.” Trey was shaking his head. “I actually like this girl, so at least let me screw it up for myself.”

  Yes, Trey. Forbid him to date her.

  “Whatever, dude.”

  “Seriously,” he continued but turned his gaze on me. “For now, Adam. She’s off-limits for you.”

  “Why are you looking at him but talking to me?” Adam turned his head between the two of us. “Is there something I don’t know?”

  We had lived together and been friends long enough to know more than we should about each other.

  “I don’t know.” Trey shrugged. “Is there, Luke?”

  “Not that I know of,” I lied. This conversation needed to end.

  They both stared at me, waiting for me to talk.

  “I’m not having a chick fest with you two, if that’s what you’re waiting on.” I took a long drink of water. “Now, either drink your beer, or get the hell out.”

  They both laughed and exchanged a look that told me my act was no good. They knew I liked her, too.

  The next few days were back to our normal routine, which consisted mainly of schoolwork and only two text messages from Chris, the ex-boyfriend. I didn’t reply to either. Hannah and I had the exact same school schedule and were in our final semester of our senior year. We both had internships with local advertising agencies and hoped they would bring us on as actual employees once we had our degrees.

  “I got my first actual assignment at work,” I said as I threw my backpack on the couch.

  “Oh yeah.” Hannah barely moved from her spot on the black, overstuffed recliner.

  “Yeah,” I went on. “I have to get five local businesses to sign up for our quarterly mailer. They don’t have to provide a coupon or anything. Just their logo and business information.”

  “Have you gone anywhere yet?” she asked, finally turning her attention to me.

  “I was about to,” I replied. “Want to go with me?”

  “Sure,” she answered and turned off the TV. “It’ll be good experience for both of us.”

  We drove down to College Street in Hannah’s red Camaro. During the daytime, this street was known for its restaurants and shops, so it would be a good place to start. Since it was still early, the bar scene was almost nonexistent. After talking to about fifteen store owners, we got four to sign up. One agreed to a ten percent off coupon, but the others just liked the advertising option.

  “Let’s get a drink,” she said as we looked down the street to see what stores we hadn’t solicited yet. “Trey sent me a text message. He and some friends are at that bar we met at on Saturday.”

  “Okay, fine,” I replied. “We actually got a lot more done than I thought we would.”

  “You could ask the bar and see what they say.”

  “Or I could just drink.” I laughed. “Trey, huh? You like him?”

  “I don’t know.” Her cheeks turned bright pink. “I don’t really do the whole ‘like’ thing.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” I nudged her as we walked into the bar.

  I noticed the sign above the door this time that read The Green Room. The place was nearly empty since it was three o’clock on a Wednesday afternoon, and we found Trey and the few guys he was with easily. Hannah began shaking hands, and I slipped away up to the bar so I could talk to the owner about the ad before I had a drink.

  Looking around in the daylight hours, I could see the dark walls were lined with black leather booths, and tables were placed all around the room. University of Texas memorabilia cluttered the walls, and signed dollar bills hung from the ceiling. The dance floor area seemed much smaller than it had the other night. I was sitting at the main bar in the center of the room, but there was a smaller bar closer to the entrance that I hadn’t noticed the other night.

  I opened my folder on the bar when a deep voice caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand up.

  “Can I get you something?” I looked up to see Luke standing behind the bar.

  “Oh, um… I.” Of course, I would forget how to talk when I saw him.

  “Oh yeah?” He smiled.

  I shook my head and gathered my thoughts. “Sorry, I was hoping to talk to the owner of this bar. Do you know if they are around?”

  “Yeah, they’re around.” He took two steps and stood in front of me on the other side of the bar. “I own this bar.”

  “You what?” I couldn’t hide the surprise in my voice if I was paid to. “You own The Green Room?”

  “Surprised?”

  “Well…” I might as well be honest. “Yeah, a little.”

  When he stared at me, I found it hard to breathe. His arms flexed underneath his white t-shirt, and my eyes immediately went to the ink that snaked across his skin. I knew my face was redder than the sweater I was wearing, and I desperately wanted to start fanning myself with the papers spread out before me. He pulled my attention back in by tapping his finger on the bar.

  “Okay, sorry.” I shook my head, and he let out a quiet chuckle. “I work for Linx Advertising, and we are asking local companies if they would like a spot in our quarterly mailer. It can be a coupon or just your business information. There are several options to choose from.”

  I handed him the paper that listed the prices and watched as he slowly took it in his hand. He rubbed the thin paper between his fingers.

  “Just so I understand.” He looked up and the same venom was back in his glare. “You walk into my bar, barge into a private conversation that I was having with an employee, and now you come back asking for money.”

  Once the shock filtered through my system, anger set in. “Fine, be a dick. Whatever. There are plenty of businesses that will benefit from this. And you should learn to respect your sister. No one deserves to get yelled at like that.”

  I quickly gathered my papers without looking up and made my way back to Hannah. She handed me a cup of beer as soon as I sat on the stool next to her.

  “Did they sign up?” she asked.

  “Nope.” I tipped the cup back and took a huge drink.

  I snuck a glance at the bar to see Luke was gone. I had never met anyone with so much anger. Even when Chris was mad, it was a controlled kind of anger. Luke seemed like he could explode at any minute, and I had no idea why I seemed to piss him off so much.r />
  After two cups of beer that still didn’t taste good to me, Luke still hadn’t shown back up. What was he doing? Did he leave? Why did I care?

  “Trey and I were going to head to dinner,” Hannah leaned over and whispered in my ear. “Can you make it home alone?”

  “A date in the middle of the week?” I teased. “Yes, I can make it home. I’m actually about to leave.”

  “Hey, Riley.” Trey walked back up to the table and handed me a piece of paper. “Luke wanted me to give this to you.”

  I looked down at the paper and it was filled out with his company information, a free drink coupon logo and a check for the advertising space. You have got to be kidding me.

  “He gave this to you?” I questioned.

  “Yep.”

  “To give to me?” I asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “As a joke?”

  “No, he looked serious about it.” He tipped back his cup and took a long drink. “I was talking to him back in his office, and he handed it to me before I walked back out here.”

  What a confusing jerk. I put the paperwork into the folder and tucked it under my arm.

  “Okay, well thanks.” I stood up and hugged Hannah. “I’m out of here. You guys have fun tonight.”

  I walked out into the evening air and suddenly realized we had been sitting in Luke’s bar for three hours. The bus stop was only two blocks from here and was a much cheaper option than a cab. I turned the corner and looked down to put the folder into my large blue purse.

  “Oh, sorry.” My shoulder knocked into someone in front of me.

  “Can’t stay away from me, huh.” The familiar green eyes bored into mine again. “Are you driving home?”

  I squared my shoulders and began walking again when he grabbed my wrist.

  “Seriously, are you driving? Weren’t you just drinking?”

  I tried a few times but failed to pull my wrist from his grip.

  “I’m taking the bus,” I finally answered.

  “No, you’re not. I’ll give you a ride,” he stated as if there were no other choice.

  “No, I’m riding the bus.” I stood up straighter. “Thanks for the advertisement space, but you didn’t have to do that. I can take care of myself.”

  “And what if I want to take care of you?” He took a step closer and tightened his fingers around my arm.

  My tongue went dry, and my palms began to sweat. The closer he got to me, the harder it was for me to breathe. The scent from the black leather jacket he was now wearing invaded my senses. The overwhelming feeling that I should turn and run away took over, but a stronger force kept my legs in place. We stared at each other, waiting for the other to talk.

  “You’re coming with me.” He slowly moved his hand down and interlocked his fingers with mine. I found myself following after him as soon as he started walking. Like a damn puppet. I was starting to get concerned with the amount of idiot I became around him.

  “Here,” he said handing me a helmet.

  “Wait, you drive that?” I gaped at the huge chunk of black and metal in front of me. Of course, he rode a motorcycle.

  “You scared?” A smirk spread across his face.

  “Yeah, a little bit.” I wasn’t even sure if I was talking about the bike or of him.

  “Good.” He climbed on and motioned for me to get behind him. “You should be.”

  I pulled the helmet over my blond hair and climbed on behind him. He grabbed both of my hands and wrapped them tightly around his waist. Before I could decide how much I liked this and hated it at the same time, he took off down the road.

  “That’s it,” I shouted over the engine.

  He pulled the bike into my apartment complex and came to a stop in front of the building I had pointed at. I felt his chest rumble beneath my arms. They were wrapped tightly around him, and I couldn’t bring myself to loosen the grip.

  “You’re safe.” He laughed. “The only thing injured here will be my ribs.”

  “Sorry.” I released my hold and took the helmet off my head.

  He stepped off the bike and turned to help me down. I stumbled once my feet hit the ground and landed further into his arms. His chest inhaled sharply, and his muscles tightened around me.

  “Thanks.” I stepped back and glanced down at my hands, suddenly feeling shy.

  “If you ever need a ride, just ask.”

  I looked up to see him smirking and instantly my face was the color of a cardinal.

  “Okay, thanks.” I turned and quickly made my way to my apartment. I wouldn’t allow myself to turn back. He was watching me. I could feel it. Once the door to my apartment was closed, I heard the bike’s engine come back to life and roar down the street. I let out the breath I had been holding since I landed in his arms. Who was this guy who already had so much power over me?

  I turned the bike around the corner and immediately felt the absence from the arms that were no longer around me. I’ve owned this bike for four years, and no one has ridden it but me. Girls have asked more times than I can count, and I’d always refused. This was something that was mine. Only mine. And yet, I had just basically begged her to ride it with me.

  It’d been less than a week since she stormed into my life, and I couldn’t shake this feeling that I wanted more of whatever she was willing to give.

  My bike pulled up next to the bar, and I made my way through the crowd that was now starting to gather. Most nights I could be found in the office. There was a never-ending stack of bills and paperwork and a constant stream of information that I knew I should learn. My degree was in business management, but when you’re actually managing a business, there are very few textbooks that could help you.

  “Hey, you’re here.” A familiar voice broke into my thoughts. “I’m here early tonight. Hope that’s okay.”

  I turned to see Lindy standing in the doorway to my office. We had met a few months ago, and she understood what I wanted from her. Sex. We had somehow gotten into the rhythm that she would show up on Wednesdays, we would have about an hour together, and then she would leave.

  No talking. No cuddling. Just sex.

  It was how I had always been, and anyone who wanted more than that was dismissed before anything happened. Lindy only wanted what I wanted, so it worked out for the both of us. She whipped her long red hair behind her shoulder, and my eyes traveled down her body as she sauntered toward me. She was exactly the distraction that I needed right now.

  “I don’t have a lot of time tonight, hon.” She spread her legs and sat down on my lap facing me. “But I didn’t want to miss our weekly visit.”

  Without replying, I grabbed the back of her neck and slammed my mouth into hers. I was desperate to clear my head, and this was the only thing that would do that for me. My hands ran up her thighs and pushed her short skirt up around her waist. Without much effort, I lifted her long frame in my arms and carried her over to the brown leather couch. Laying us down, my lips ran down her neck before finding her breast.

  “That feels good,” she moaned as she ran her fingernails down my back.

  As soon as her words touched my ears, I knew I couldn’t do this. I wanted the distraction. I needed the distraction, but the reality was, the only thing I wanted was to have blond hair spread out below me. Not red. I let out a long breath and let my head fall onto her chest.

  “What?” She sounded confused. “Why did you stop?”

  “Fuck,” I growled and leaned back onto the couch. I couldn’t believe what I was about to say. “I can’t do this tonight.”

  She sat up and glared at me. “Are you serious?”

  “I just have a lot of shit going on.” I had no idea how to explain this to her. Not that I needed to.

  She watched me for a few more seconds before she stood up and adjusted her clothes.

  “Screw you, Luke.” She turned toward the door. “Don’t waste my time. Let me know next week if you still have a lot of shit going on.”

  With th
at, she was gone, and my lungs felt like they were about to collapse. What in the hell was wrong with me?

  “That was quick.” Mel was shaking her head and laughing when I looked up.

  “Don’t start.” I stood and made my way back to the desk.

  “Don’t start what?” She had a shit-eating grin on her face. “Why did she run out of here so fast?”

  “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” She knew exactly what she was talking about. She had always known me way better than I knew myself.

  She stood silent for a few more seconds before she spoke again. “I almost forgot why I came in here. We have a fight up front and need your help.”

  “You could have shared that information sooner.” I rushed past her and into the crowd of people. Pushing through the sweaty bodies, I quickly found the small group that was circled around the two men. My bouncers were already in the middle, grabbing onto each of the men and pulling them apart. By the time I was within arm’s reach, one of the men broke free and lunged toward the other. My hands immediately found the collar on his shirt and lifted him slightly before slamming him to the ground.

  “No fights in my bar, fucker,” I growled.

  “Fuck off, man.”

  Before I could stop myself, my fist found his jaw. The tension that left my body with the one punch was freeing. So, I hit him again. And again.

  “Luke, what the hell.” Two strong arms grabbed me and pulled me up from the floor. “He’s not even fighting back.”

  I looked down to the guy who was now wiping blood from his mouth then turned and saw the confused expression on the bouncer’s face. My hands were still balled into fists, and my chest was shaking from being so tense.

  “Tell Mel I took a ride.”

  I pushed my way to the exit and pulled my bike onto the street as soon the engine was on. I couldn’t get a grip on the feelings that were overtaking my body. I had always been on my own. I had never wanted someone else, much less needed someone else. Even when I was younger, the word girlfriend never crossed my mind, and the thought of a relationship was a joke. Fuck me, why was she getting to me.