by Kylie Parker
“I could,” Jake admitted, unable to deny to himself that she had a point. “It will be strictly professional, though. No more flirting, no more personal questions. Are we clear?”
“Yes, sir!” she shouted at him and saluted him, “When can I start?”
“I’d say ‘tonight’, but it’s pretty late already,” he remarked, glancing at the clock on the wall to the left. “When’s your next day off?”
“Friday,” her response was sharp.
“I’ll see you on Friday, then,” Jake smiled, and then gave her marching orders. “ Be here at six p.m. Don’t be late. Go get some rest. Goodnight.”
3
Friday came and Jake was delighted that, for the first time ever, he would have someone to rely on at work. Fridays and Saturdays were the busiest days of the week. The locals would swarm Allison’s bar and wouldn’t leave until the early morning. He hardly had time to catch his breath. Still, he wasn’t convinced that Holly would stay true to her word. She had been flirting with him for months and had not given up despite his continuous rejections. In his mind, this could well be just another way for her to get closer to him. Jake also had no idea whether she could handle all of the pressure. At some point, Holly could very well snap and quit. At any rate, he would have to wait until the night to find out.
In spite of his doubts, Holly did not fail him. She showed up fifteen minutes early and did not even try to start a flirtatious conversation with him. Instead, she asked a few questions about work, first, and then did everything Jake told her to do. And, as the bar became more and more crowded, she appeared to cope with the pressure much better than he expected. Holly didn’t complain at all, and actually seemed to be having fun at her new job, smiling at him and at the customers as well. Of course, a few of her acquaintances were somewhat surprised to see her pouring drinks, and even went so far as to laugh at her, but she paid no attention to them whatsoever. By the end of the night, Jake was starting to admire the strength of her character and her tirelessness alike.
After the last customer had left, he excused himself and went to the terrace, in dire need of some fresh air.
“Well done, deputy,” he thought to himself, as the numerous town lights came into view. “It got crazy in here tonight, and yet, you kept your mouth shut and kept on working without complaint. I’m impressed.”
A loud crack of thunder ripped through the night as he gazed out at the view. The sound triggered the memory of the night of Allison’s fatal injury, and the events began to replay in his mind again, as a few raindrops landed on his face. Jake felt tears rising up in his eyes as he found himself still asking if he would ever stop thinking about the few moments that had been haunting his mind all this time.
“Always the same questions; always the same answer; how can I forget what happened? How can I stop thinking about you, Allie? I was there, baby. And I didn’t even get the chance to say ‘goodbye’…”
Two tears streamed down his cheeks, as the rain became stronger. Jake took a deep breath, feeling more and more raindrops on his head, as happy memories of his life with Allison flashed before his eyes.
“High School Graduation; military school; walks by the beach… Your hugs, your kisses… God, I miss you so much, Allie. Where are you, honey? Where are…”
“Jake!” Holly’s feminine voice interrupted his thoughts. “What are you doing up here? Come back inside.”
He couldn’t force another word out of his throat. By that time, Jake was so overwhelmed with emotion that he couldn’t even turn to her. Looking down at the concrete, he closed his eyes, trying to work up the courage to speak to her, to no avail. Just when he opened them, the most amazing thing happened: Holly’s high heels came into view, as she stepped in front of him.
“Earth to Jake,” she waved her hand in front of him, still smiling. “Are you there?” Jake brought his gaze up to meet hers. Suddenly, her smile was wiped off her face. His eyes were reddened and more tears were running down his cheeks, as his body shook. “Oh, no…” Holly whispered. “What’s wrong? Was it something I said?”
“No,” Jake shook his head sideways. “It’s not you.”
“I’d like to meet her someday, you know,” she softly spoke as the wind blew through her hair, “this Allison girl. She must be very special to you.”
A bitter smile formed on his face, upon hearing her wish.
“You can’t,” he sniffled, wiping the tears from his face. “She’s dead: killed in action.”
“Oh, my God…” a sad whisper left her lips. “Is that why you…?”
“Quit?” he finished her sentence. “Yeah, I just couldn’t do it anymore.”
“I’m sorry. You…” she faltered, cupping his face in her hands. “You named this bar after her?” A simple nod served as her answer. “I’m so sorry, Jake,” One more, even lower, whisper left her lips. “You’ve been hurting and I kept asking you questions all this time.”
“It’s okay,” he muttered, heaving a long, heavy sigh. “You couldn’t have known.”
Holly ran her thumbs across his cheekbones; gazed deeply into his eyes. Then, she tilted her head up. Shivers went down his spine, as he felt her soft kiss on his cheek.
“If you ever need a friend…” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion, as she caressed his face, “you know where to find me.”
Jake chose to remain silent as the night sky lit up with a bright flash of lightning. Holly dropped her arms and moved around him, as he ran both hands through his soaking wet hair. Another bolt tore through the sky, as his body trembled even more violently.
“No need to be sorry, Holly. You had no idea. “If I need a friend?” you say. I don’t know. What am I supposed to do, talk to you about her? You’re still a woman, darling. It’s just not right. Besides, your hands felt so good on my face…”
Jake had not finished his thought, when he spotted her in the paved parking lot, heading towards her small, red Ford. He had no time to waste. He spun around, sprinted across the terrace, and ran down the stairs. His long strides brought him closer to the glass door of his bar in seconds. He pulled it open and hurtled towards her. Holly was about to enter her car when he grabbed her by the wrist. Jake spun her around to face him, feeling his blood pumping through his veins.
“Holly?” he whispered her name, the vapor from his breath clouding his vision, his hand shaking as her gaze shot up to meet his. “I need more than just a friend.”
Holly gave him no verbal answer. Instead, she raised her free hand to his face, looking up deeply into his eyes. Her gentle caress made his heart flutter. Jake held her closer, tilting his head down to meet her lips. He loosened his grip on her hand and wrapped both arms around her back, as their mouths joined in a long, passionate kiss. Holly put her other hand on his face, pressing herself into him, as their kiss grew in intensity. Jakes’ left hand traveled up her back, as he took his right one off of her. That one he drove into her hair, as one more flash of lightning lit up the night sky. The feel of her drenched hair in his hand sent shivers of delight through him, as her hands crept around his neck. Jake recalled his own words about keeping their relationship “professional,” but he could not stop what he was doing. Holly’s kiss soothed him; the warmth of her breath comforted him. He had not felt like this in a long time. His grip around her back became tighter as she stroked his skin. Jake laid a tender kiss on her chin and slowly leaned back, opening his eyes. The sight that greeted him amused him. Holly’s lips were still quivering and her eyes were still closed, as raindrops flowed down her forehead and her cheeks. A faint smile formed on his face; yet, he did not say anything. Leaning over her, he slid his hand down her hair and whispered in her ear:
“Goodnight, Holly.”
4
“Damn, what have I done…? Good job, Jake. You kept saying you wanted to keep it professional between you two. Now, she’s going to think you were full of crap. But I couldn’t help it. Her hands just felt too good. And they felt even better when we
kissed. Let’s hope she can understand…”
For all his fatigue, Jake could not sleep that night. Not only did he keep thinking about the kiss, but he had also forgotten to ask Holly about when she would be available for work. Whenever that would be though, he knew that things between them would be awkward. Very soon, he was in a dilemma: call her and fire her over the phone, or pretend like nothing ever happened between them. Jake rejected both ideas. Firing people for no cause (or for something he had done) felt very cruel, and he was not a good actor.
In his confusion, he found something to be happy about: Holly’s reaction. She had not discouraged him or stopped him. On the contrary, she had enjoyed the kiss, maybe even more than he had. That fact alone was enough to take his mind off any complications – at least for a while. Still, before he could jump into a relationship with her, he had to consult a friend with a very extensive knowledge of the local law enforcement agents. Clay Marshall was an Adams native and was sure to know much more about her than Jake did. He found the motorcycle club president under the shed of his workshop, working, with two more of his men, on a silver Harley Davidson motorcycle.
“Holy shit,” Clay shouted, surprise and joy written all over his face, as he tossed a wrench across the floor. “Big Jake: here in my workshop?”
“How are you doing, Clay?” Jake winked at him. “I haven’t seen you guys in a while.”
“We only come to your bar to celebrate things, man,” Clay spoke, a hint of sadness in his voice. “We haven’t had much to celebrate lately. We’ve had some problems.”
“What’s wrong?” Jake squinted at him.
“Come with me,” Clay urged, before starting towards the front door of the aging building. Within seconds, Jake found himself staring at poster-lined walls. There were more than twenty Harley Davidson posters on each wall of the narrow corridor and things were not different in the rather luxurious hall.
“Strike three,” Clay remarked, stepping into his office.
“What are you talking about?” Jake asked curiously.
“You’ve been here three times,” Clay smirked, taking a seat behind his office desk. “And I’ve caught you staring at bikes all three of them.”
“They’re really striking,” Jake remarked. “I like them a lot.”
“Are you sure?” Clay insisted, putting his feet up on his desk. “I see that look in your eyes. It says: ‘I want to be a biker. Ride the streets like I own them.’”
“Nah,” Jake waved his hand in front of his face. “Maybe I’ll buy one someday. But that’s about it. Anyway, you said you had problems.”
“We’ll get to that later,” Clay said in a calm and steady tone. “Now, tell me, to what do I owe the honor of your presence?”
“Holly Hutchinson,” Jake responded in a raised tone. “What do you know about her?”
“Why?” Clay’s smirk reappeared. “Are you banging her?”
“Just answer the question, Clay,” Jake grumbled.
“You seem a little too tense, brother,” Clay laughed. “Why don’t you take a seat?”
“Fine,” Jake reluctantly agreed and sat in front of Clay’s desk. “I’m listening.”
“Nice girl,” Clay assumed a serious tone. “Born and raised here. Her parents own the grocery store down the street. She kind of…” he paused, “pissed me off a few years ago. She was a rookie officer back then. She didn’t know the understanding between the club and the Sheriff’s Department.”
“You mean she wasn’t on the take yet?” Jake stiffly inquired.
“Nope,” Clay replied. “She’s still not. In fact, she’s the only cop in town who doesn’t take bribes.”
“Good for her,” Jake commented, his eyes sparkling with admiration.
“Good?” Clay’s voice went up an octave. “If she was on our payroll, she’d be driving a Benz just like the Sheriff.”
“Is that all?” Jake asked.
“Pretty much,” Clay shook his head. “About our problem: we’ve been having some problems with some gun shipments lately. Some of the weapons are defective. It makes us look bad, you know? A Mexican gangbanger shot himself in the leg the other day. Do a favor for me, will you? If any Mexicans show up at the bar asking questions about us, give me a call.”
“I thought you guys were just a bunch of Harley enthusiasts,” Jake teased, with a big grin on his face.
“We’re a lot more than that, baby,” Clay returned the grin. “Are you sure about that ‘biker’ thing? I mean, can I do anything to change your mind?”
“Why do you insist so much?” Jake wondered aloud, a touch of frustration in his rich baritone.
“Because, you’d be the perfect front, pretty boy,” Clay replied in an emphatic tone. “Young, big, strong jaw… with you, no waitress would deny us service. Most of them would just…” he faltered, “spread their legs for you.”
Jake burst into loud laughter, upon hearing his friend’s remark. He banged his hand to his forehead, clutching his stomach.
“Spread their legs?” He chuckled.
“I’m serious, man,” Clay stated. “Last summer, Tom’s girlfriend Jennifer saw you at the bar. You know what she said?”
“What?”
“Why can’t you look like that hot bartender? You lazy son of a bitch,” Clay made his voice high-pitched, impersonating her, “I swear to God, if you don’t start working out right now, I’m going to fuck him, you hear?”
“Oh, man,” Jake laughed even harder, banging his hand on his friend’s desk.
“Yeah, that chick’s crazy,” Clay laughed. “Remember what I said to you, brother. If you want in, all you got to do is ask, all right?”
“Thanks a lot, Clay,” Jake smiled. “I appreciate it.”
5
Jake left his friend’s workshop in high spirits. The woman that Clay had just described fit his moral standards perfectly. At the same time, however, it occurred to him that he had not found a way to approach her again. A phone call would be awkward, and a visit to the police station could embarrass her. On the way to his car, Jake racked his brain, in an attempt to find the right words to say to her. It was Saturday; she would very likely visit his bar tonight. However, fate stepped in, and he quickly realized an encounter with each other would be happening very much sooner than he anticipated. A patrol car had been parked just outside the grocery store Clay had mentioned. In a matter of seconds, Holly emerged, talking to a middle-aged woman.
“Oh, shit… Now, what do I do? Run like hell? No. She’ll think I’m a coward. You’d better pray she doesn’t notice you, Jake; because if she’s mad at you, you’ll be humiliated.”
She turned her head to the left and looked down the road. He felt a cold sweat down his back, as their gazes met. Sadly for him, there was no turning back now. Holly had noticed him and she was heading towards him. Jake took a few furtive glances around him, as she closed the gap between them. The serious look on her face was not a good sign.
“Good morning,” she spoke in a businesslike tone. “Um… What are you doing here?”
“Morning,” he muttered. “I was visiting a friend.”
“I… um… I’ve been meaning to talk to you,” she stated in a voice filled with tension, “about last night.”
“I’m sorry about that, Holly,” He attempted a mellow tone. “I screwed up. I shouldn’t have done…”
“Screwed up?” She leaned forward, her voice squeaky as she narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m a big girl, Jake. You didn’t force me into anything.” She lowered her voice, taking a short step closer to him. “You really broke my heart last night, you know that?”
“There are a few things you just can’t escape,” Jake spoke, his face ridden with sorrow. “I didn’t mean to break down like that. It just…” he paused, “…happens.”
“I know the feeling,” Holly agreed with a nod. “I’ve lost a few loved ones, too. I just wanted you to know that you shouldn’t feel bad about what happened in the parking lot. If I didn’t w
ant you to kiss me, I would have said ‘no.’ Okay?”
“That’s nice to hear,” he replied as a small smile spread across his face. “That kiss was really something. I’ve been thinking about it since last night.”
“Damn it, I’m on duty,” Holly replied in frustration. “There are some people watching.”
“What would you do if you were not on duty, deputy?” He asked, bending his head down towards her.
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that,” she grumbled, dropping her gaze to the pavement. “So, who’s this friend of yours?”
“Clay,” Jake responded. “I needed some information.”
“On what,” Holly asked abruptly while looking up at him sternly; “dealing drugs?”
“No,” Jake’s eyes glinted with amusement. “I wanted to know more about this sexy cop I’m looking at right now.”
“Oh, crap,” Holly hummed, biting her lower lip.
“What, you’re going to pretend you didn’t hear that, either?” Jake teased her even more.
“Stop doing that,” she said, in a wobbly voice. “Do you really trust that guy?”
“He’s been my best friend since I moved here,” he responded, as his smile fled his face; “we have a few things in common.”
“I know,” Holly assured, “But still, he’s an outlaw.”
“I won’t discuss this on the street, Holly,” Jake responded in a low, deceptive tone. “Besides, you and I can talk about a lot more interesting things than my friendship with Clay. Maybe we can talk if you come over to the bar tonight.”
“We can’t have this conversation at the bar, Jake,” Holly objected. “You’re always running around like a chicken with its head cut off. How does a late-night dinner sound?”
“Are you asking me out on a date, deputy?” He teased, putting his hands on his waist.
“You have a problem with that, Captain?” She returned the tease, but Jake was not at all amused. The mere mention of his past made him look away from her. “I’m sorry. I…”