by AJ Alexander
Rachael’s brother is dead, on her twenty-first birthday, and it’s all my fault. The realization of what I’ve done to the woman I love will stay with me for the rest of my life, but for now I need to make sure that my brother will never hurt another living soul again.
I pull the battery out of my phone and throw it in the trash as they announce boarding for our flight. I head back over to Carter, my heart shattering into pieces as I go.
“Did you get a hold of your precious Rachael?” He asks, unaware of what he has done.
“I said goodbye.” I choke out as I help him out of the chair and head toward the boarding entrance.
Fortunately, we make it to our seats and get settled with no issues. “Can I get you gentleman anything before takeoff? A pillow or a blanket?” the flight attendant asks as she walks by.
“I’d like a stiff drink,” Carter mumbles as he leans back, attempting to get comfortable.
“It’s your drinking that got us into this mess.” I growl at him before turning toward the attendant, “We’re good, thank you.” She gives me a shy smile before continuing down the aisle.
“No need to be grumpy. I’m the one that has to go into rehab for months. You’ll be home in a few weeks with your girl.”
“I no longer have a home. Rachael is my home and because of your stupidity she’s gone.” I respond, but my words go unheard as Carter is sound asleep.
I want to be angry with my brother, but none of this would have happened if it wasn’t for me. If I’d paid closer attention to what I was doing, I never would have called Carter. It’s ironic how the smallest of choices can affect the course of a person’s life.
“If you would please shut off all electronic devices, we will depart shortly.” A flight attendant announces over the speaker.
I reach into Carter’s pocket, wanting one final connection to Rachael. Opening up a text message, I leave her one parting message.
Carter: I love you to the moon and back, Roo. Liam
I stare at the phone until my eyes burn, but nothing comes back in return.
3
Rachael
THREE YEARS LATER
What the actual fuck just happened! I thought once he turned tail and ran, I’d never have to set eyes on Liam Murphy as long as I lived. Fate had different ideas. Who would have thought my next door neighbor, Wyatt would work with the devil incarnate?
“What is he even doing here?” I scream at the top of my lungs. I’m ruining today for Addison and Cole, but I can’t stop the ache that’s returned to my heart. Addison is one of the first friends I made when I moved here, well I wouldn’t say friend, but I grew on her.
Today is supposed to be their engagement party, the day to celebrate their union to one another, but instead I’m standing outside Noble pacing back and forth like a lunatic.
Addison and Heather, Wyatt’s girlfriend and Addison’s cousin, come busting out the door, “Fuck! This can’t get any worse. Please Addy just go back inside and enjoy your party.” I plead with her.
“No can do, darlin’. Wyatt and Cole are trying to stop your dad from ripping Liam’s head off.”
“Shit, well he promised to rip his head off the next time he saw him,” I mumble to no one in particular.
“Why don’t you try and explain to us what the hell is going on right now. How do you and Liam know each other, Rachael?” Heather inquires with a concerned on her face.
Tears spill down my cheeks, but I’ve spent more than enough time crying over this asshole.
“This… I can’t even come up with words for what he has done to me. He isn’t someone I ever planned on seeing again.” Suddenly the front door to Noble comes slamming open again, I turn and lock eyes with Liam, even after all these years he still makes my heart skip a beat.
“Rachael, what are you doing here? Last I heard you were still going to school in Shawnee?” Liam takes a step toward me, but both Heather and Addison step between us.
The sight of him brings my cold dead heart back to life. I love him, but I hate him. It’s a tricky situation that even I can’t explain without copious amounts of alcohol and years worth of therapy. Neither of which I have time for right now.
“Why does it fucking matter where I am!” I step out from behind Addison and Heather, “News flash, asshole. You thought you could hide from the mess you made when you ran from Shawnee,” without a thought I pull my arm back and give him a right hook, “It’s time to pay the price.”
“Shit, Dorothy! We never knew you had such aggression in you! Remind us to never piss you off.” Paul and Michael shout from the doorway a few yards away.
“Stop fucking calling me Dorothy! Just because I’m from Kansas doesn’t make me want to wear ruby slippers or desire to click my heels three times to go home.”
“It seems you need a getaway car; I suggest you cut the attitude.” Paul gives me the bitch brow.
I turn and place a kiss on Addison’s shocked face. “I’m so sorry for ruining your day. Tell Cole I said congratulations. Although I haven’t known you two for long, I can tell you will be happy together.”
I grab Heather’s hand and squeeze, “Ask Wyatt to make sure my dad gets home please, I just can’t.”
“You got it.” She gives me a sympathetic smile before I jog behind the boys toward their car.
“Get me the fuck out of here as fast as possible.” Without a word Paul puts the car in drive and takes off.
We eventually end up at Paul and Michael’s condo in Pacific Beach. I’ve been spending a lot of time with these two since Wyatt moved in with Heather. I guess you can call them my Fairy Godfather’s, they saved me from myself more times than I can count in the last few months.
“Dorothy, are you planning on telling us why you punched that fine piece of man meat back at the party,” Michael asks
“I asked you to stop calling me that,” I growl
“And we will continue to ignore you, now answer the questions. Why did you punch him?”
“He got in the way of my fist,” I say as I sip my beer.
“How about telling us how you met,” Paul questions
“Don’t plan on answering that question either.”
“Are you going to tell us anything?” They both respond in unison.
“That I love you both dearly.”
“That will do, for now.” Paul gives me a sweet smile before they both take a seat on either side of me.
What will I do now that Liam and I are in the same general vicinity of each other and seem to have the same friends, but one thing is for sure. I at least have two people to watch my back no matter what.
LIAM
“It’s not broken,” Wyatt says as he feels around my nose. Rachael got me good when she hit me earlier.
“Thanks for that, man. You saved my ass,” I respond before throwing the bloody towel into the trash.
“If she had that kind of reaction to just seeing you, I have a feeling I should have let her father kick your ass.”
I flinch as I remember Bruce’s reaction to seeing me again after all these years. I couldn’t even get a word in before he squared up and clocked me and Rachael took off running out of Noble.
“I swore I would beat the fuck out of you if you ever made my baby girl cry again,” Bruce growls as he lunges for me, ready to do as promised. I didn’t even make a move to dodge his attacks. I have deserved what is coming to me. Bruce gets in a few licks in before Wyatt and Cole pull him off.
“Obviously, we all can’t be in the same room together,” Wyatt pauses. More than likely trying to figure out a diplomatic way of telling me to leave.
“No need man, you only needed me to tend the bar. I can call one of the other guys in,” I grumble before I hear Rachael screaming in the front and take off out the front door.
Liam and Wyatt grabbed onto Bruce so I could make it outside. “You took your time getting him off me, so I say we are even.”
We sit in the back in silence, “I texted Ben to co
me in. He should be here in thirty minutes to tend the bar. Please tell Cole and Addison I didn’t intend to ruin their engagement party.”
“I will give them the message, but one question.”
“Shoot,” I respond as I reach for my stuff.
“Why would you leave Rachael with no explanation and no contact for three years?”
“No matter what she may think, leaving was for the best.” I throw my backpack over one shoulder, grab my helmet and head out the back door.
“Hey, Liam,” Wyatt calls out causing me to stop, I turn and wait for him to continue. “If you could do it all again, would you do anything differently?”
I stop and pause for a moment to think about my answer before responding, “I would be fifteen minutes early.”
He has a confused expression on his face as the back door slams shut behind me.
4
Rachael
“I’m calling it a night, Dad. I have to be in early to start work on the 72’ CB750. It’s a full carburetor rebuild,” I shout across the shop toward my dad.
“Don’t wait up sweets. A club is coming in tomorrow afternoon for oil changes and tune ups. I want to get finished up with this time chain tensioner and oil change before I close up shop.”
I shake my head in response as I head in his direction. “Dad, you need to slow down. If you don’t, you’ll put yourself in an early grave,” I respond as I place a kiss on his forehead.
He stops what he’s doing and gives me a huge smile, “I could say the same to you, Rach. You and I are two peas in a pod. Wrenching on bikes is all we know.”
“Fair enough. I’ll leave something in the oven for you to heat when you get home. Do you want the bike or the truck?” I turn and head toward the office. My mom died when I was young, so my dad raised me the only way he knew how – fixing motorcycles. I learned all the parts of an engine while learning my ABCs, I learned to read by reading motorcycle mechanic manuals. It wasn’t a usual upbringing, but he did the best he could – for both of us.
“The truck, not sure what time I’ll be getting out of here. I may just end up sleeping on the cot in the break room,” he mumbles as he goes back to fighting with that Harley.
“I brought some left-over stew from dinner last night just in case we were here late, it’s in the fridge. Promise me you’ll eat it.”
All I get is a wave over his shoulder in response. I will not get any better, “I’m going out through the front to lock up. Love you.”
“Love you too, sweetie.”
I head out the front door, locking it behind me. As I climb onto my dad’s 97’ Harley Fat Boy and try not to throw up in my mouth as I start the engine. I think he made me ride the damn thing home as a punishment for leaving him in the shop alone tonight, but fuck if I’m not sleeping in my bed tonight.
The engine rumbles to life as soon as I turn the key. I put his helmet on, kick up the stand, and take off down the road toward our little apartment building. Try once again on the short ride home not to let my mind wander back to Liam Murphy.
Just thinking of him, sends a shiver of red-hot rage and pleasure pulsing down my spine. I either want to beat the shit out of him or let him fuck my brains out the next time I see him. Ever since my twenty-first birthday, I’ve wondered where Liam ran off too, why he disappeared without a trace, and what happened to loving me forever.
On the worst day of my life, the one person who should have been there for me wasn’t. Morgan told me some bullshit about him taking care of a family issue but when weeks turned into months with my calls going right to voice mail, and no one in his house even answering the door when I came by, I gave up.
Shortly after Jeremiah was killed, they raised the rent on my dad’s shop. Lucky for us, he had a friend in San Diego who had space for rent. It was perfect, we both needed a fresh start. A place to be away from all the memories and the sympathetic looks from everyone in town every time we passed by.
I attended college and get a degree for business management. Nowhere fancy, just the community college but Dad insisted that I stay in until I graduated. Once I finished, I came here to San Diego and worked at the business right alongside him, working is the only thing I do. It keeps my mind from wandering.
We made a new life here, away from the pain and heartache in Shawnee. Lucky for me I still have Morgan, she is only a few hours away in Los Angeles getting her graphic design degree. I don’t get to see her as much as I would like, but we’re still think as thieves.
As I pull into the parking garage, I feel my cell vibrate in my pocket. I pull into a spot and park my dad’s bike, not even bothering to cover it. That’ll show him for making me ride it home. I don’t even check the caller ID before answering, only one of two people call me this late.
“Now which one of my fairy godfather’s is gracing me with their presence this evening?”
“Aren’t we in a fine mood today?” Paul slurs across the line.
Shit that means they are wasted, hopefully they are home and not Noble. I don’t want to take have to get their drunk asses.
“Have you decided to give that fine piece of single man meat a ride yet?” Michael shout into the line.
Just great they have me on speaker phone, “What are we celebrating this time ladies?” They love it when I play to their inner goddesses, maybe we can make this phone call quick and I can get to bed before the sun comes up.
“Oh, she is up to something love. Dorothy, you’re in need of a Spa day,” Michael says, “Before you open your mouth and complain, no one has seen you since the incident at Noble. We just want to make sure you are alright.”
“Can’t she just give me a gift certificate or something and call it a day?” I head toward the elevator; I will need a drink for the rest of this conversation.
It’s not that I don’t want to spend time with my friends, but everyone has questions. Besides they are also nothing but happy couples. They make me want to throw up in my mouth every time I’m within a hundred feet of them, probably because they remind me of Liam and I before he decided I wasn’t good enough.
“Dorothy get over your shit! Just because your vagina is dryer than the Sahara doesn’t mean you need to be a bitch.”
I don’t even have a chance to respond before he hangs up the phone. “I don’t have the patience to deal with any of this tonight. I’ll call Michael and Paul later and invite them to breakfast or something on my day off. They need to get over their shit too, I already do not understand how to deal with Liam and I being in the same city. I don’t want to be fighting with all of my friends.
As I wait for the elevator, my mind drifts right back to Liam and the last message I ever received from him. He sent it from Carter’s phone that night, I didn’t get it ‘til a few days later when I remembered to plug my phone in.
I love you to the moon and back. Liam
I’ve saved it for all these years, hoping that somewhere in the world he was out there thinking about me, wanting desperately to come back to me, but not knowing how to find me.
Now here we are, in the same city and I have no idea if I want to be found.
5
Liam
There’s been an ache in my heart ever since I left Shawnee, Kansas and Rachael. Though she might not believe me, it was for the best. I turned my back on the one person who has always seen me for me, not a pawn in their games.
I made sure that Carter made it through rehab in one piece, emptied my bank account and made a life for myself, or at least attempted to. Being a pampered rich boy from the middle of nowhere Kansas doesn’t leave you with many life skills. Thankfully I paid attention to Jeremiah when he explained to me the parts of an engine, so I could work in a couple of mechanic shops in the area to make some money to keep afloat.
Rachel was always too good for me, although my father saw it differently. I imagine he would have a heart attack if he could see me now, tending bar and living in a one-bedroom apartment. No, he had plans for my brother and m
e. We were supposed to marry some political princess to help my father continue with his aspirations.
Carter drinking and fucking up never helped, but he thought he could manipulate me to do his bidding by threatening Rachael and her family. I was almost free, until the night Carter…
“Hey, man, how about another beer?” Wyatt shouts from the other end of the bar.
“Damn it, Wyatt. You didn’t use to be this demanding,” I chuckle as I head over to the tap and grab him a pint of his favorite beer.
“I also never used to work almost ninety hours a week and spending a few hours with your ugly mug was the highlight of my week.”
Wyatt and I used to work together here at Noble, but he got his dream job as a fancy architect downtown. I’m happy for him.
“Aww, do you miss me?” I place his beer on the bar top and grab myself a bottle of Newcastle from the cooler. It’s almost closing time here anyway, if it was anyone other than Wyatt, I’d be kicking them out on their asses.
“Fuck no.” He takes a huge swig of his beer before continuing, “I miss the freedom though. Having a strict nine to five, sometimes longer, hours suck ass, but I love my job.”
We sit in silence for a few minutes, just drinking our beers and enjoying each other’s company, but Wyatt isn’t here for a social call. Heather sent him for dirt.
“Which one of the ladies sent you for details? Addison or Heather?” I ask as I take the last swig from my beer, tossing it in the trash.
“Heather, but I think Addison put her up to it.” Wyatt rubs the back of his neck, the perfect tell that he has no desire to have this conversation. That makes two of us.