“Hello.”
“Hey, it’s me.”
His voice sounded so good to hear. So not Carter. So new. Hopeful. Handsome. “Is everything okay?”
“Well, not exactly. June caught her date with his ex at the dance, or afterward. Something like that. She’s not the most coherent right now. Basically they were talking, but she thinks he used her to make his ex jealous. It’s a massacre. Can we raincheck tonight? I need to be with her.”
“Absolutely. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow. And please tell June I hope she feels better. Love, or lust—whatever it is—sucks.” I stopped at the red light and thought about that one for a second. Who I was saying it to. “Better yet, just tell her this too shall pass.”
“Will do. And hey, I’m really sorry. I was looking forward to spending time with you.”
“Yep. Me, too.”
I threw my phone on the seat and banged my head on the steering wheel. Really? This was my night? A school dance, stood up, and now starving? I looked to the right and saw Benny’s sign waving in red. It was a pub and had pretty decent hamburgers from what I could remember. When I became older, Dad would stop in and have a beer after work and bring me home one. I pulled over to the curb and parked to go inside to drown my sorrows and fill my hungry belly.
“Hey.” I parked myself at the bar, the far end where no one would bother me.
The bartender was wiping the area in front of me and with his other hand, dove under the counter and pulled up a bowl of peanuts. I grabbed one and gave my order of one hamburger, with everything, and fries. Oh, and a whiskey sour. Yeah, that would almost fix my evening.
The place smelled like cherries, tobacco, and a splash of beer. Benny must still allow the cigar smokers a place of rest. There was a cloud settling over the table by the window. A few older men, hair receding so far back you wonder why keep it at all, were talking while drawing air on the fat brown cigars. The table one over from them were probably in their mid-forties, getting a bit louder and throwing back some frosted mugs. I noticed a few couples at the bar give me the once-over before I sat down. Not enough to make me go home and scrounge up something myself. And the bartender was obliging and friendly, with his large smile and friendly words like welcome and coming right up.
My meal came out fifteen to twenty minutes after ordering it. The lettuce looked fresh enough poking out from the bread, and the fries looked as though they were just pulled from the oil—a good sheen and a layer of salt glistening on top. I poured some ketchup on the side and took a giant bite into the Kaiser roll. It was as good as I remembered. The juice from the pickle almost choked me. I grabbed the whisky sour and washed down the cough. It wasn’t half bad either. I made some conversation with the bartender, dragged the last fry through the ketchup before relinquishing my plate and toyed with paying the bill and going out to my cold car to drive home. Upon closer inspection of the bill, I noticed the bartender only charged for the mixed drink. The Coke I ordered to get the rest of the meal down was on the house. I tipped him generously and dreamed about the bath that was going to finish up the debacle of a night. There was a new lavender and chamomile bath oil underneath my sink I’d finally get to try. I would make this better than what life was throwing at me if it killed me.
I got in my car and looked up to see the mirror on my visor was still pulled down. I moaned. So I really needed to see how I looked before I went inside? Doesn’t everyone? Just as I figured, the battery was dead when I turned the key. Nothing. I hit the steering wheel. Curse you, dreams of lavender and chamomile. That’s what I get for stopping off and getting a bite to eat. My subconscious had told me to make a grilled cheese. I shut it out of my mind and parallel-parked anyway. Oh well, the hamburger and fries were worth it.
I should know better. This battery thing happened last month, too, when Rose didn’t shut the back door all the way after we got home from school. The next morning, we were both late. I hit the steering wheel again and said a few choice words. As if that was going to help. Then I remembered Uncle Pete got me a battery starter. He said if it ever happened again it would save him a trip over to my house. I loved Uncle Pete at this moment. I jumped out and flipped open the back to get my little lucky charm out. I tilted the box so the light from the street pole could illuminate the instructions.
Charge the unit at least twenty-four hours before engaging a battery.
What? I looked closer, trying to decipher whether that’s really what I was reading. After deciding that was exactly what it was saying, I threw the box back in the car. Un-freaking-believable. Who thinks to get this out of the box before they have a problem! Charge the unit? If I was that responsible, I wouldn’t leave things on to have the battery die. Great! I looked around. Then I checked my watch. Eleven o’clock. How long was I in there? Yeah, that is right. That bartender did ask my advice about his girlfriend. Bad thing to do to a therapist. Especially one who had time to kill, no child at home, and needing an escape from my own little jar of problems. He was divorced and torn between loving his own children and wanting to spend time with the new woman and her children. It was rather a complicated situation that needed some exploration. Before long, I had noticed the place was thinning out. But I had no idea I’d talked to him for that long. Now it was too late to call Uncle Pete. I’d just call Liz. Yeah, she deserved to be called out of bed for what she put me through tonight. I walked around to the passenger seat and grabbed my phone. I scrolled till I found her number. That’s when I saw what I didn’t want to see. It was Carter. Again. This time with Mitzy. Why was God doing this to me? He was slowing down to the yellow light at the intersection. I quickly turned away, praying silently he didn’t see me. Hoping I could turn into a shape shifter, slither underneath my car and down the drain system. Like an animated character on one of Rose’s cartoons.
“Hey, Sarah.”
I swallowed hard and turned around. There were no other cars, no other traffic this late at night. I had to. “Hey.”
He looked forward at the traffic light before continuing to call out of his rolled down window. “Everything okay?”
“Yep.” I waved with my phone, hopefully assuring him it was peachy.
The light turned green. Relief swept over me. I’d walk home all five miles before I’d ask him for help. On second thought, these shoes were killing me just standing still.
“You’re sure?” His car idled, waiting for me to finally fess up.
I rolled my eyes. “Actually, my car won’t start. Do you have jumper cables?” I raised my voice so he could hear.
“No, but I’ll take you home. I can borrow some and come back tomorrow if you want.”
“I can get it tomorrow.”
He checked his rearview mirror. A car was approaching. “Come on and get in. You can’t do anymore here tonight.”
I wavered, thinking about my options. Yep, I had none. I slammed the door and crossed the street and jumped in his backseat. Mitzy turned and smiled that fake smile she doesn’t leave home without.
I saw him look at me in his mirror. “I thought you were going to dinner? Did you end up at Benny’s?”
“Yeah.”
“He didn’t wait till you started your car?”
Right; he thought I was with Alex. I did tell him that’s where I’d be. I played it off. Nothing like being picked up stranded on the side of the road and having Mitzy and Carter come to your rescue.
“Not exactly.”
Mitzy turned around halfway—to gloat, no doubt. “We’re on our way back from my sister’s. She had a late dinner for us since Carter was dragged to the dance. It’s lucky we drove this way. You would’ve been waiting there for someone to get out of bed probably.”
Kill me now. “I was about to call Liz. She would’ve come.”
“Oh right, you were on a date. What was I thinking? He would’ve come back for you.” She pushed Carter’s arm. “Honey, she would’ve been fine.”
Oh my. Nice to know she would’ve rather left me.
Just to see if someone else would’ve shown.
“Oh look, we’re here.” Could I jump out while traveling at fifteen miles per hour? I’d hit the asphalt, but it could be worse. Like now, sitting in the backseat of Mitzy and Carter’s date night.
Carter put the car in park and got out to open my door. I stood and looked in his eyes. We were almost nose to nose. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“Sure.” He moved so I could walk away. “Have a good night, Sarah.”
I turned around. “You too.”
I sprinted as fast as my little challenged ankles and squished toes could take me to the back door. I grasped the things in my bag, searching for my keys. Carter’s car lights drove off. I began pulling everything out, setting them on the ground. Crouching over this little mess of a wallet, three pieces of gum, a Barbie brush, and a half-eaten Hershey bar, I realized my keys must be back at the car. I slowly tucked everything back in my purse and let out a small scream. No, really? This is really my life at this moment?
I looked next door. Alex had his outside light on out back. I weighed my options yet again at this point. Freeze to death or go knock on his door? My naked legs opted for walking next door and pleading pity. June would understand. She was probably texting friends anyway. How much could Alex offer her? Just knowing he was down the hall ready to give her moral support was enough. From experience being a teenager, this was what I needed from my dad. He really couldn’t do much more.
I stepped up on the step and did a sad little knock. I hoped he wasn’t asleep. It was late, after all. Nothing. Not a creature stirring. Not even a mouse. I waited and knocked just a smidge harder. That’s when I saw the light come on in the stairway. Great, he was asleep.
He came down and turned facing to where I stood. His neck jutted, trying to focus. I tried not to get caught looking at his naked chest. His pajama pants were green plaid—the strings were untied. I grabbed my neck, hoping there was a piece of jewelry to give my hands something to do.
He opened the door and stepped back to welcome me inside. I noticed his hair was messed up on the side.
“Oh my gosh. You’re asleep, aren’t you?”
He rubbed his eyes. “Kind of. What’s up? What time is it?” He searched the kitchen for the answer. The digital clock on his stove blinked 11:20.
“I’m locked out of my house. And I’m so sorry to have to knock on your door. I just couldn’t bear getting frostbite tonight.”
“Oh no, don’t worry about it. You’re locked out?”
“Yeah, seems my car battery stopped working at the restaurant I was eating at.”
“Oh, Sarah. I feel so badly. You ate by yourself?”
Who did he think I’d eat with? “Yeah, but it’s all good. I do it occasionally. And the food was really good.”
He squinted from the overhead light. “June finally went to sleep. Seems it was nothing. Dean called and apologized.”
“Oh, I’m glad it worked out.” Thankfully for someone. Not this girl. In fact, fate was still sticking up its dirty finger at me. When would this nightmare be over?
“So do you want to stay here tonight?”
“Well, actually, I have a window that doesn’t lock. If you could hoist me up to it, I could climb through and get in that way.”
“Okay…if you’d like. Or you could stay here. It’d be no problem. I can stay on the couch. You could have my bed.”
“I appreciate it. But I just want to get out of this dress and get into my own bed.”
“Okay, sure. Let me go and get on some clothes. I’ll be right down.”
I waited, looking around at his kitchen. It had a faint smell of onion. If only I’d been there to eat whatever else it had sautéed. Liz could forget that puke story. It’d lived its life. She actually owed me for this banner evening.
Alex grabbed a coat from the peg and motioned me to go first. I braced for the cold and scurried back home, my hands pulling closed my thin coat and him right behind me. We got to the side window where my laundry room was. It looked higher outside than when I look out while drying clothes.
“That’s the window?” He pointed up to the single-paned entry. “And you think you can open it?”
“Yeah.” A brisk breeze blew and made my teeth chatter.
“Okay, how do you want to do this?”
“Um, can I stand on your hand? You know, you cup it like this?” I made the gesture.
“My hand?”
“Right, you operate with that, don’t you? I don’t want to do anything that will damage it.”
“Why don’t you stand on my back? I’ll bend over and you crawl up on it and lift the window?” He paused. “Sarah, this is crazy. Just stay at my house. You’re never going to get in that window. It’s too high.”
“I can. I know it. Let me take off my shoes.”
He bent over and helped me out of them. The cold, crunchy earth sent a chill right through me. I steadied myself, placing my hands on his back and slowly climbing with my knees. He was firm and solid. Although I did doubt my ability to climb on top of him without falling off the side. Then to shimmy open the window? I put weight on my arms as I began the trick. I checked on him with each small movement to the window. He assured me with a tensed and out-of-breath tone that he was fine.
With shaky legs and trying to balance on his back, I fumbled with the ground floor window. Finally it gave way and pushed open an inch. With supernatural strength and wobbly legs, I pushed it higher. Grabbing the frame for support, I pulled myself up high enough to lean in and fall forward. I didn’t figure my hand would take the brunt of my weight. It went numb almost immediately and all I could do was laugh hysterically. I was inside! Victory never felt so good. Regardless of my hand throbbing.
“Are you in?” Alex yelled from the ground outside.
“I am. Thanks, I’ll come around the back door and let you in,” I said while pulling shut the window.
Cradling my hand, I walked through to the back door. He was waiting on the other side. I smiled when I opened it. He held my bag and shoes.
“I believe these are yours.”
I took them with my good hand.
“What’s wrong? Did you hurt yourself?” He reached out and touched my cradled hand.
“Nah, it’s nothing.”
“Let me see.”
He gently took it and touched it with great care. “Does this hurt?” He rotated my wrist.
“Just a little.”
He closed my fingers and looked in my eyes. We were standing very close. “I think it might be a small sprain. Put some ice on it tonight and I’ll check it tomorrow.”
“Thanks,” I said, taking it back.
“I was disappointed about tonight. I really wanted to see you.”
“You got your wish! I just wish it wasn’t from me standing on your back, breaking into my house.” I tried to laugh it off, but he was standing really close.
“Can we pretend we did have that dinner and this is me walking you home?”
I was confused.
He took my hand again. “I guess what I’m asking is can I give you a kiss goodnight? I’ve sort of wanted to since that first night I stood here acting like a dork, not knowing how to leave.”
As cold as it was with the door open, I could feel my underarms get tingly. I tried to swallow any extra junk I may’ve had in my mouth before answering. Just in case I said yes. “Sure. I guess.”
He leaned in slowly. I watched as his eyes closed. That’s when mine did and my lips felt his warm mouth. It was a semi-open-mouth kiss. Certainly no tongue, just the effervescence of the heat from his mouth. We broke when the bright lights hit us. I looked to see where the light was coming from. It was car lights. I couldn’t make out who it was, but heard a door open. Carter’s silhouette stepped in front of the bright beams.
I stepped back from Alex and withdrew my hand. Stepping out to the porch to see what he wanted, I felt the cold hit my feet.
“I went back with a set of ju
mper cables to start your car,” he said loudly.
“You didn’t have to do that tonight. I was going tomorrow.”
He held out a dangling set of keys. “I thought you might be locked out when I found these on the ground by your door.”
I took them from him. “I can’t believe I dropped them.”
He looked around me, at Alex standing behind me. “I see you got inside.”
“Yeah, Alex helped me climb through a window.” I looked back at Alex. He was rubbing the back of his neck—his jacket undone and his pajama pants still untied.
Carter didn’t move. Had he seen us? He seemed odd. Displaced.
“Well, I was worried you were stuck outside. I see I didn’t need to be.”
I bit my lip. “Thanks.”
He turned and walked away, saying what he had to say while going back to his car. “Anytime. I’ll talk to you later.”
I blindly watched as his car lights lit the trees on the way out of my street. When I couldn’t see him anymore, I walked back into the house. Alex was still standing near the entryway. Conflicted, I walked past him. “I can’t thank you enough for getting out of bed and doing this for me. I hope all the vertebrae in your back recover from my gymnastics.”
“It’s all good. I’m glad you came over.”
I threw my coat on the chair and stared at him. I heard him take a deep breath. Right, I forgot for a moment what I was wearing. That would explain his staring.
“Well, thanks, again.” I hovered by the chair. The kiss was really good. Had it not been interrupted by Carter. I know he saw us. Why else would he leave so weirdly? And why should I care if he saw me? I’m sure he’d gotten a peck from Mitzy after he dropped her off.
Alex took a few steps in my direction. My stomach clenched. Half of me was nervous, half was hopeful. Having someone touch you, kiss you, was so sublime. It made my body twinkle like the lights tonight at the homecoming dance.
He got within a few steps of me and reached out. Softly he caressed my shoulder, looking at it intently while he did so. Then he traced my collarbone and placed his fingertips on my chin. Moving with much thought and dexterity, he stepped closer and drew me in with a hand on my back. This time his mouth was open when he devoured another kiss from me. I felt one hand on my naked shoulder, gently rubbing it while making my insides go floppy.
Falling For Sarah (Sarah Series Book 3) Page 12