“You’re new and I wanna help,” he says, shrugging his shoulders innocently.
“Do you do that with everyone?” I ask, eyeing him closely. He shakes his head. I roll my eyes and blow the fallen hair from my face. He shoves his fists in his ripped jeans. He tosses me a sheepish grin as he walks back to the bar. I look around the bar, finding new groups to wait on.
“Got it, Tay?” Shea asks.
I nod my head as I wipe down a table. A group of guy’s stager to the clean table. I sigh when I see Corey is among the group. He loops his arm over my shoulder, spilling his drink on me. I laugh without humor, pull his arm over my head and shove it to him.
“What will it be guys?” I ask, forcing a smile. I won’t let this guy ruin my night.
“Well, that depends on when you get off.” Corey says. The table hoots with laughter, the guy leans back on a stool.
I hold my hands in front of me, stopping him. “Okay, listen dude, if the jokes stop, I’ll wait on you. If you can’t help yourself, one the guys at the bar can help you. Now, what can I get you to drink?” I raise my brows, waiting for a response. They all look at me as if I grew two heads.
“Ouch,” the guy in the back says.
They laugh, and give me their orders. I walk in the direction of the bar, ripping the old pages from my pad. When I bump into someone, I jolt, looking up. Hayze stands, arms crossed.
“Are they giving you problems?” He asks. I follow his gaze to the rowdy guys. I laugh at him, but he doesn’t look amused.
“Nah, I handled it,” I say.
“Lea dated one of the douchebags. If they give you any problems, come find me.”
I laugh, feeling weird that he’s offering so much help. “You don’t have to protect me. I have two older brothers that do that.”
“Yeah, well, they are not here right now. I mean it,” he says.
I walk by him, brushing his shoulder. I find Eric working the bar top. Shea and Jace pace the room, retrieving empty glasses. Eric strides the bar, handing a beer to a waiting hand before grabbing my ticket.
He pops the tops off the beer and hands them to me. “Thanks,” I say.
“Let me take these. Check on the table next to them,” Hayze says. He grabs the drinks from my hands and walks off before I can protest.
“Hayze!”
He strides to the table as he sets the drinks down. He leans in to speak with them. I seethe, balling my fist at my sides. I walk to my second table.
“You guys okay?” I ask the table close to mine. They answer yes in unison. I turn, stomping toward Hayze, but Shea steps in front of me.
“You look pissed, everything okay?” She asks,
“Peachy,” I say, glancing around her at Hayze. She turns, sees him and smiles. Her eyes dance between us. I’m sure she can feel the tension growing between us.
“I need details later,” she says and walks away.
Last call booms over the speaker, the crowd groans in protest. They shout over one another, searching for a party. As everyone pays their tabs, the last straggler walks out. Randy locks the door behind him. I find a clean table and collapse in the booth. I lay my tips out and start to count.
“Wahoo, three-hundred-dollar night,” Shea yells.
“How’d you do?” Hayze asks, sitting next to me.
“You should know! You watched me all night,” I fire back.
“I won’t apologize,” he says.
Shea walks up and sits on the opposite side of us. She looks to Hayze, then back to me. “You did so good, Tay!”
“Thanks,” I murmur.
Hayze stands, shoves the chair under the table and walks off. My shoulders slump as I let out a long, shaky breath. I prop my elbows on the table, letting my face fall into my hands. I fight sleep, knowing I have an hour of cleaning up.
“So, what’s this?” She asks and jerks her finger to me and in the direction Hayze walked in. Her eyes light with excitement.
“Uhh, nothing, he’s insane,” I say, waving her off.
She laughs, pushing herself from the table. “That’s too bad. I thought for once he might be with a good girl.”
“No, no, no,” I say, shaking my head. “We are friends. Well…We were, but he’s acting so crazy I don’t even know if I want to be his friend at this point,” I laugh.
“That boy doesn’t do friends, not with females anyway. They’re either fucking him or getting on his nerves.” She laughs, grabbing a rag from a bucket. “I thought maybe you would break that cycle.”
“We are just friends,” I repeat.
She smiles, arching her eyebrow as she wipes down the bar top. Hayze walks in, glancing between our exchange, brows furrowed. In a rush to leave the conversation, I turn and pick up the broom. The faster I clean, the faster I can get out of here.
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FOUR
Lea drops her tray in front of me. I twist my mouth in disgust at her greasy food. She insisted on one of the many fast food places on campus. Two tables over Hayze sits by a Spanish guy who is surrounded by a sea of girls.
“Who’s that by Hayze?” I ask, realizing it’s the guy from the pool.
Lea looks back, dips a fry in ketchup and speaks with her mouth full of food.
“Joel, his roommate, if you are talking about the guy…I don’t know the girls. They probably followed them out of bed this morning.”
I glance in their direction, this time Hayze sees me. His arm rises and waves once as he smiles. I wave quickly and focus my attention on my table. I squeeze dressing from the package, spreading it on my salad. A chair slides next to me, my eyes snap up.
“What are we doing tonight?” Hayze asks, sitting next to me. My face falls when he asks. I’ve been trying to keep my plans at the back of my mind all day. After my mom conversation with my mom last night, I texted her this morning and said I would come for dinner tonight.
“Did you just ‘we’ us?” Lea asks, laughing between bites.
He ignores her, looking to me. “I promised my mom I would go to dinner tonight,” I tell them. I frown as I say it. The last thing I want to do is spend my night explaining my new life to my dad. He won’t approve of anything, especially my job. Not that I need his approval, but I know he makes it hard on my mom, he thinks I tell her everything.
“Damn, you’re driving back tonight?” Hayze asks, concerned.
“Yeah, it’s not that far. I drove it all the time when I actually got out. Nothing’s in that small town,” I complain.
Lea watches me, something flashes in her eyes. “Want me to come with?”
“You would do that?” I ask and cock my eyebrow.
“Uh, yeah,” she says.
“That’d be awesome. I’m leaving after my next class. Is that okay?” I bite my lip, hoping she doesn’t back out. I know my dad will have negative things to say about her but I could use a friend there for support.
“Yup, we will meet at the dorm and leave from there,” she says and I smile at her.
“Well, I’m glad I could help you guys plan your night,” Hayze laughs, stealing a fry from Lea’s plate. She slaps his hand away.
“Go back to your fan club,” she says.
“That’s actually not a bad idea.”
He chuckles, steals another fry, moving quickly from her reach. He walks away without another word. I look over, finding his groupies watching Lea and me. Their hard stares switch to whispers and giggles. Lea flips them off and I watch her, horrified. I dump my food and leave her to get to my last class on time.
My last class ends in a rush, and I regret agreeing to see my family. Lea waits in front of the dorms, I find her on the phone, kicking rocks around as she talks. When she senses me, her jagged bob snaps up, revealing her smiling face. Her nose ring glimmers in the sunlight, her wrist tattoos show themselves as she holds up her finger.
“Ready?” She asks, walking to my side, she tucks her phone in her pocket.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I mur
mur. We walk to the parking garage and I hang behind her, thinking of an excuse to get out of this.
“Why did you agree to it?” She asks as we slide into my Jetta.
“For my mom,” I sigh, cranking my car to life. “It’s always for her.”
“Well, what’s the occasion?” She yanks her seatbelt on as we turn on the narrow road leading me home.
“We usually have family dinner every Sunday after church, but I can’t do that anymore. My mom called last night to tell me Sean is bringing a girl to meet us.” I roll my eyes. I leave out the fact that I’ll be shredded in front of her. My dad will lose his shit when he finds out where I’m working and what I’m doing. I have no intention of holding anything from him tonight.
“Sean’s your dad’s spawn, right?”
“Yes,” I say, knowing where she’s going with this. I cut my eyes at her, but I already warned her about Scott. The rest is up to her.
“So, Scott’s the one I’m asking out tonight?”
“Lea!” I shoot her a quick, displeased look before returning my eyes to the road.
“Okay, Okay, I’ll wait ‘til the second meeting.” She laughs.
“My dad’s kind of an asshole…” I finally tell her. I’m terrified to take her home with me but at the same time I’m happy she’s here. I know my dad will be rude to her and he’ll embarrass me. I don’t know why he insists that we meet up every week. Maybe it’s to remind us that he’s in control, and no matter how hard we try, he always will be. Even if we never talk to him again, he’ll know deep down that he ruined each of us. And I think that’s satisfying to him.
“I know. So is mine,” she says. She looks at me, a sad expression on her face.
“Whatever happens, whatever he says, he’s wrong. What’s up with Hayze is he like a man whore or something?” I ask, changing the subject. I’ve been dying to know what’s going on and now that we’re locked in my car for a while, it’s the perfect time to drag information from her.
She laughs, “No more than any other college guy.” She chews on her bottom lip, thinking. “Well, maybe. He’s a good lookin’ guy and has the whole bad boy thing going for him. Girls get all hot and bothered by that, put out and then he’s bored with them.” She shrugs her shoulders as if that’s normal.
I nod, soaking in the words. She cuts her eyes at me, amused, “Why do you ask?”
“No reason,” I say, shaking my head. I feel her eyes glued to my face but I refuse to look at her. The long drive shifts as she cranks up the radio. She lifts my sprits with dance impersonations and lip synching. With the city limits sign in my rearview, I let out a long shaky breath.
“This is it,” I tell her.
“Slug Bug!”
Her fist connects to my arm, making me jerk the wheel. My jaw drops, she doubles over in laughter, holding her stomach as she looks to me. “You have never heard of that game?”
“Yes, I have! But I didn’t expect you to punch me with all your strength. You hit like a full grown man,” I complain, rubbing my arm. She continues to laugh. As the oil top comes to an end, I switch on my blinker, turning into the driveway.
“As I was saying, we are here.” I glare at her.
We look ahead. The log house appears as we top the hill. It’s exactly how I left it weeks ago, the porch wraps around the bottom floor, the rickety swing moves in the wind. The cozy, worn house looks inviting from the outside, but I know what waits for me once I step through the doors. Rugby, my one and only childhood friend, shoots through the yard and jumps on me, nearly knocking me over. His soft brown face is covered in grey fur, making me frown. He’s aging fast and I know it won’t be long, but the dorms won’t welcome a chocolate lab.
“Cute,” Lea says as she slams the car door.
The wooden front door creaks as it opens. My mom pops out with her arms raised, she walks toward me. “Tater Bug, I have missed you!” She wraps her arms around me, then drops them, holding me at arm’s length to get a look. “Who’s your friend?”
“Lea, she’s my roommate,” I say, leaving Rugby to introduce my mom and Lea.
“Nice to meet you Mrs. Thompson,” she says, holding her hand out.
“Please, call me Carol. Is my daughter behaving herself?”
She smiles, watching Lea. The way she regards her is surreal, in this town everyone is the same. Tattoo’s and piercings are not included in that package. And, well, if you are going to drink you better do it in the privacy of your own home.
“Unfortunately,” Lea teases.
“What about boys?” My mom pries, my eyes widen and I look at Lea with horror. She smirks at me; she wouldn’t.
“She seems to be taken by Hayze.” She did.
“Oh my gosh, Lea! Mom, no, that’s just a guy I work with.” I glare at Lea, she laughs innocently and holds her hands up.
“How’s the new job?” My mom asks, ignoring the comment about Hayze. I know she’ll ask me a million and one questions when we’re alone, but she’s restraining herself right now. She leads us inside. Scott stampedes down the stairs pulling me into hug, when he lifts me off the ground I squeal until he sets me down.
“Taylor’s here!” He yells.
The wooden house is the same as I left it. The exposed wooden beams shine in the small living room; red plaid sofas fill the space. To my left, the dining room hosts a large wooden table. A bench sets on the backside, and five chairs are pushed under it. Beyond the dining room the white kitchen is scattered with food.
Sean stands from the couch, holding out his hand to his girlfriend. My dad walks in with a scowl hanging just below his mustache. Sean and the shy brunette walk to my side, he pulls me in a safe, awkward hug and looks at her with a smile.
“Taylor, this is Mandy,” Sean tells me.
“I have heard so much about you,” she greets. Her voice is so soft; she leans into Sean, looking up to him with a smile. She seems timid, which is perfect for him. He’s my dad’s spawn and I’m sure he’s looking for someone to control. Like father, like son.
“Likewise,” I lie.
“Lea, this is my husband, Robert,” my mom informs Lea. She stands to the side, smiling but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She tugs on her shirt while her eyes shift around the room uncomfortably. It’s obvious to me, and maybe everyone else in the room, there’s something going on between my parents.
“You can call me Mr. Thompson,” my dad says. My mom smiles sweetly, apologizing for this asshole again. Scott shakes his head at me when he sees my scowl.
“We can all get acquainted at the table,” my dad says. He turns and storms into the small dining room.
Lea and I steal glances; her eyes are wide. I sit next to my mom, Lea takes the space to my left and Scott grabs the seat by her.
“Taylor, I see you brought a friend,” my dad says with a gruff tone.
With a sigh, I hold down a sarcastic response. His judgmental stare doesn’t help me. I watch his eyes take in Lea’s tattoos and land on her nose rings. He disregards the fact that she’s been nice since she walked into the house. “Yeah, this is Lea, she’s my roommate,” I say.
She waves at everyone. All, excluding my dad, murmur their names and what a pleasure it is to have her. My dad chews his steak, looking down at the table. “I understand you got a job,” he says.
“You understand correctly, I’m waitressing,” I say, stressing sarcasm. I look to Scott then to Lea, she shakes her head with encouragement. “At a bar named Mystic.”
I have no control over my shit eating grin as his face turns twelve shades of red. His fork crashes to the table, inaudible murmurs break out around the table. Sean crosses his arms; a look of displeasure fills his face.
“No daughter of mine will work at a bar!” His voice booms, Lea sucks in a breath out of fright.
“Do they still have karaoke Fridays?” Scott leans over, smiling. I cough, disguising my laugh and I shake my head no.
“It won’t be so funny when you are walking everywhere,” my
dad threatens.
“Nana gave me that car before she died. It’s in my name,” I remind him. He slams his fists on the table and then grabs his plate. Before he leaves the room he turns, with his face beet red.
“Taylor, next time you come in my house you better have a different job. Lea, it was good to meet you, but you need to take that ring out of your nose before you step through those doors. And cover up those marks on your arms,” he says in disgust before storming from the room.
Scott leans back in his chair, folding his hands behind his head. “Thank fuck.”
“Scott, language,” my mom warns. She looks behind her, seeing that my dad didn’t come back, she throws a small grin his way.
“It’s not the same when you are gone. No one knows how to piss off that man quite like you, Tater.” Scott laughs.
“Believe me, it’s unintentional,” I say with a hint of sarcasm.
“I have to agree with dad. We are men of the church and it doesn’t look good to have my sister, his daughter, working at a bar,” Sean tells us.
“Yeah, well, no one asked you Sean,” Scott says as he throws his middle finger up.
“Unless your church people go to bars, they’ll never know. Are you afraid they’ll go to the bar?” Lea looks to Sean, a smile plastered on her face.
“BURN!” Scott booms, exploding with laughter.
“It’s just a job with good tips, relax guys,” I say.
I glance around the room. Sean is flushed red with anger. Mandy avoids my gaze, she rubs his arm in comfort and it takes everything I have to not shake sense into her. Scott and Lea are chuckling. My mom stuffs a bite into her mouth to cover her smile.
“How are classes?” My mom asks, turning the conversation around.
“Fine so far, everything’s easy.”
“What about you, Lea? What’s your major?” My mom asks.
“Early childhood development; it’s great so far, I just started my second year. I took classes in high school. Hopefully I’ll finish in four semesters,” she says, dabbing the corners of her mouth with a napkin. I hear something shuffle in the kitchen and I look up, hoping that my dad won’t come in and ruin our dinner.
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