Strolling back outside after eating, Kaylee intended to explore just a few more shops, maybe get some ice cream, but it had already started to get dark. The cloud cover had been dreary and had hidden the sun all day, but now, it looked like someone had flipped the light switch off. She pulled her phone out. Five-thirty. She clicked on the ride-share app and was dismayed to see that the only available car was miles away from her location. She booked it and decided to explore a little more while she waited the estimated thirty minutes for it to arrive.
Streetlights lit the way, and the sky darkened to a deep black. Kaylee waited outside the Japanese deli for her ride. She looked at the app, her stomach churning as she saw that her ride was running late and wouldn’t be there for another fifteen minutes. She stomped her feet and shoved her gloved hands into her pockets, tucking her chin down into her scarf. The temperature had dropped along with the sun. “I hope this driver has his heater turned up full blast,” she mumbled.
Finally, the car pulled up to the sidewalk, Kaylee verified the license plate and driver’s information, and climbed in. She buckled her seatbelt then pulled her scarf from around her mouth.
“Sorry I was late,” the male driver said. “Traffic is bad at this time of day, but was even worse than expected tonight.”
“That’s okay,” Kaylee said. “I’m just glad your car is warm.” Her thoughts flitted back to the homeless people she’d fed earlier. They must be freezing.
“It’s going to take longer to get to your hotel than usual, too. I hope you aren’t in a hurry.”
“No. I don’t have any plans other than sleeping,” on filthy sheets, she thought.
The driver pulled out into the street and turned his music up without bothering to ask her if this genre was okay with her. He was definitely not as customer aware as her driver from the airport. He was right about traffic though. The streets were slow-moving and packed. It was after eight by the time they reached the neighborhood where the hotel was.
“Mind if I drop you off here?” he said. “I have another gig I need to get to, and I need to turn here.”
She drew in a breath to protest, they were still two blocks away from the hotel. And it was dark. And the streets were not well lit. But he’d pulled to the side and stopped the car, double parking, and the cab behind them had already started to honk.
Two blocks. She’d be fine. Kaylee had barely stepped out of the car, one foot between two parked cars, and the bad-mannered driver pulled away, squealing his tires as he sped around the corner. Kaylee shoved her hands in her pockets, glad that her bag hung around her shoulder, hidden underneath her coat.
Despite her aching feet, she walked fast, her heart rate speeding up and her instincts telling her to go faster. But she looked straight ahead and forced herself not to break into a run. Half a block from where she’d been dropped off, a man stepped out of the shadows of an overhang and matched her steps beside her.
“Why you in such a big hurry?” His raspy voice reminded her of all the boogie-men in all the scary movies she’d ever watched.
She ignored him and sped up.
“Hey sweetheart, no need to be rude. I just want to talk. Don’t often see a pretty young thing like you on this street after dark.”
“I’m sorry.” Why did she say that? She swallowed. “I am in a hurry and don’t have time to talk.” She moved sideways, now walking on the curb next to the street. Her eyes darted up ahead and to the sides, finding no lights or open businesses for at least another block. She silently cursed the driver who had dropped her off on such a dark street.
The guy grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him, his face close enough to hers that she could smell his fetid breath. “Now, be nice. Smile. I ain’t gonna hurt you.” The glint in his eyes and sneer on his lips spoke otherwise.
Kaylee tried to jerk her arm out of his grasp, but his hold on her was tight. “Let go!”
“How about we go back here in this little alley so we can have some privacy. Get to know each other.” He winked as he pulled her closer to a narrow space between two buildings.
She dug her feet in and pulled toward the street, yelling, “Let go! Someone help!”
Headlights flooded the road up ahead and Kaylee waved her free arm and continued to fight to loosen the man’s grip. The car stopped alongside them, blue and red lights lighting up on top of it. The man let go and took off, and Kaylee fell into the side of the police car, slamming her shoulder into it.
The officer stepped out on the other side. “You okay, ma’am?”
All the adrenaline that had built up over the last few minutes released all at once and tore out of her in the form of tears. Her throat closed up and all she could do was nod as she pushed off the car to stand up.
“You really shouldn’t be out here alone after dark. Or even when it’s light out. This is a bad neighborhood.” He walked around the front of his car and stood in front of her. “Where are you headed?”
Tears froze to her cheeks as she sniffed. Her voice came out shaky and shrill as she pointed down the street. “The hotel down there. The driver, he dropped me off back there.” She gestured down the street in the opposite direction.
The officer narrowed his eyes angrily. “Damn ride-share drivers! He should have known better.” He looked her over and asked, “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Kaylee held to her right shoulder with her left hand. It still throbbed where she’d smacked into his car. “I’m okay. I just want to get to the hotel and go to sleep. My flight leaves early tomorrow.” Thank goodness.
“Alright. Get in.” He held the door open for her. “You can sit in the front seat. No way I’m letting you walk the rest of the way.”
“Thank you.” A sudden, profound weakness hit her like a brick. “I don’t think I could walk right now.”
Once inside the room, she locked and rechecked every lock on the door before collapsing onto the bed. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, a call this time, not a text, and she pulled it out and answered before thinking. “Hello?” She cringed as her voice came out high-pitched and tremulous.
“Kaylee,” Blayne’s deep voice both calmed her and brought back the terror she’d just experienced. “What’s wrong?”
Words flooded from her mouth like a burst dam, all jumbled and incoherent like her thoughts. “The driver, he was late. It got dark and he…he dropped me off. I had to walk. It was dark. So dark. A man grabbed me. He tried to…to pull me into the alley. A cop stopped. My shoulder hurts. I’m okay. I’m okay.” She covered her mouth to stifle a sob.
Blayne’s voice deepened to a near growl. “Are you okay? Which ride-share did you use? What was the driver’s name?”
Kaylee took a shuddering breath. “I…I think I’m okay. I hit my shoulder on the cop car.” She paused to gain some semblance of control of her shaking voice. “I’ll screenshot the info to you. I…I can’t remember right now.”
“Where are you?”
“In my hotel room. I’m okay. Just shaken.”
In the background she heard who she thought was Hannah and Demarcus arguing over whose turn it was to go find wood for the fire, and a hacking cough that could only be Mama C. Blayne’s voice softened as his footsteps crunched away from the sounds at the viaduct. “Kaylee. I’m so sorry this happened to you.” She heard a whistle as he sucked air in through what was probably clenched teeth. “I…”
“You don’t have to say ‘I told you so’,” she sighed. “I know, I should have listened to you. I should have checked out this area before booking this stupid, cheap hotel.” She swiped angrily at the tears that refused to stop falling. In a quieter, still trembling voice, she said, “I just want to go home.”
“I wasn’t going to say ‘I told you so.’ I was maybe going to say ‘you should have listened to me’ but not ‘I told you so.’”
Kaylee’s voice cracked in a half-laugh, half-cry.
“But seriously,” Blayne said, “you’re coming home tomorrow, right? What can I do
right now to help you?”
She nodded before realizing he couldn’t see her. “I leave for the airport at five a.m.”
“What can I do?” he repeated.
“Stay on the phone with me.”
“All night if you want.”
A relieved sigh blew through her lips. “Okay. Good. Good. But you sound cold, so please go back by the fire. I’m going to go brush my teeth, so hold on.”
She set the phone on the bed and rushed through the tooth brushing process. “Are you still there?” She hated the fear that still touched her voice like a broken bow against a violin.
“I’m here. Try to get some sleep. I’ll stay on the line as long as my battery lasts. It’s fully charged now, so it should last a while.”
Kaylee settled down on top of the covers, wincing as her head touched the pillow, thinking of lice and bed bugs. “I’ll try. Talk to me. Please. Your voice is calming.” Why did she say that? He probably thought she was so weak. And weird.
“Okay. Anything in particular you want me to talk about?” She heard no judgment in his voice.
“Anything. Your childhood. Your job. Your dreams and aspirations.”
Blayne snorted. “I didn’t have any dreams or aspirations until a month and a half ago. You brought hope back into my life.”
“How romantic,” Hannah sounded in the distance.
“Leave him alone, Hannah,” Mama C warned, before her words were lost in a fit of coughing.
“Privacy is a problem on the streets,” Blayne said, annoyed. “But, seriously. I owe you a lot, Kaylee.”
“I didn’t do anything for you that you couldn’t have done on your own,” she protested.
“Ahh, but there’s the core of it. I could have done it on my own, but I wouldn’t have. You gave me hope. And your belief in me gave me the confidence to move forward. I owe my life to you and Mama C.”
She didn’t know what to say. She decided she’d let him have this one. “I’m glad I stumbled into your life when I did then. And don’t forget—you literally saved my life the first night we met.”
“Oh, yeah, college girl,” he growled in imitation of how he’d spoken to her the first couple of times they’d met.
Yawning, Kaylee rolled over and tucked the phone between her ear and the pillow.
“You sound exhausted. Try to go to sleep while I talk.” Blayne’s smooth voice calmed her like the slap of ocean waves against the shore. “I’ve been looking around for a place to rent. I almost gave up, I need to stay downtown and the rent there is outrageous. But a guy I work with has been combing the internet for me and he found a couple of places within my price range. Mostly just single rooms for rent or small—very small—studio apartments. But, you know, beggars can’t be choosers.” He laughed.
“Mmm hmm.” Kaylee’s eyes grew heavy, and she closed them. The adrenaline had finally worked its way out of her system.
“I’m going to go look at a couple tomorrow. I should have enough cash for a deposit and first month’s rent with tomorrow’s paycheck.”
Kaylee drifted off to sleep with the sound of his voice in her ear.
She fumbled to find her phone in the mess of pillows as the alarm sounded at 4:30 a.m. Groaning, she punched the screen with her thumb to shut the blasted thing off. She sat up abruptly, a pain shooting through her shoulder, and opened her eyes wider. Putting the phone to her ear, she whispered, “Blayne?”
“Still here,” he answered. He sounded wide awake.
“Did you get any sleep at all?”
“No. I wanted to be here in case you woke up.”
Kaylee’s heart stuttered, and she whispered, “Thank you.”
“I’d do anything for you, Kaylee.” And she knew he meant it.
Kaylee watched from the airport window as the sky lightened with the rising sun. Her thoughts had run wild on the ride there, dark thoughts of what could have happened in the alley last night, to tender thoughts of Blayne. Now her mind was firmly settled on Blayne. He’d stayed on the phone all night. And he’d stayed awake just in case she woke up. Oh no! Had she snored? Did he hear her snore? Or worse, fart in her sleep? A rush of heat blossomed up her neck and face and she lowered her head so the other airport patrons wouldn’t see the embarrassed blush.
But he’d stayed on the phone all night. Her throat tightened, and she pressed a hand to her chest. He’d stayed awake in case she needed him. His voice—just the sound of his voice—had calmed her terror.
She texted him when she got seated on the plane, even though he should still be sleeping. On the plane. Thank you for last night. It meant so much to me. See you tonight.
The phone buzzed in her hand before she had a chance to switch it to airplane mode.
Blayne: You’re welcome have a safe flight
It would be a long day, with a four-hour layover in Chicago, she wouldn’t be home until early evening. Kaylee smiled as she tucked her phone away in her pocket. She started to watch a movie on the seat-screen in front of her, but fell asleep shortly after the plane took off.
The landing was a little rough; Kaylee gripped the armrests and squeezed her eyes shut. She texted Allie with slightly shaking hands: Just landed. I hope you remembered to come pick me up.
Her heart rate had slowed to normal by the time the huge airplane pulled up to the gate, but she bit her lip in worry that Allie hadn’t texted her back yet. Kaylee grabbed her purse and carry-on and stood in the aisle, waiting for the line to move. Her phone buzzed as she disembarked and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was from Allie. Of course I remembered! I just pulled in, let me know when you get to the pick-up area.
Okay, Kaylee sent back.
She rushed to the train that would take her to the pick-up area, thoughts of seeing Blayne later causing a warmth to erupt in her chest, and what she was sure was a cheesy smile to spread across her face.
Going with the flow of the pushing and shoving passengers leaving the train, Kaylee fumbled with her phone to text Allie. She pushed send on her message, pocketed her phone, zipped up her coat, and headed for the exit to meet her friend—glad to be back in Denver.
The fading sunlight made the chill air feel even colder as it touched the bare skin of her face. She wished she’d pulled her scarf out of her suitcase before stepping outside. She looked up and down the row of vehicles waiting to pick people up and relaxed her shoulders when she spotted Allie standing next to her car, waving both hands above her head.
Hurrying to reach the warmth of the car while smiling and waving at Allie, Kaylee didn’t see the man who stepped in front of her until she smashed into him and dropped the handle of her rolling suitcase.
“Oh, I’m so sorry!” She took a step back and her foot landed on the handle. She stumbled, letting out a little yelp as she fell toward the curb. A strong hand grabbed her arm and hauled her up, steadying her as she regained her balance. She looked up, preparing to spit an embarrassed thank you at the stranger before scurrying to the safety of Allie’s car. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized the “stranger” was a smirking, breathtakingly handsome man. “Blayne! What are…”
With a deep chuckle he embraced her, cutting off her question. She stiffened at first, still confused at seeing him there, but as she breathed in his scent—a combination of campfire smoke and cheap laundry detergent—she relaxed into him and returned his hug.
Blayne laid his cheek on the top of her head and said in a low, husky voice, “I wanted to surprise you. Guess it worked, huh?”
She nodded against his chest and squeezed tighter as she remembered how he’d stayed on the phone with her all night.
“All right lovebirds! It’s freezing out here and this parking attendant is giving me the evil eye. How about you get in the car?” Allie’s loud voice seemed to echo all around them.
Kaylee didn’t even care. And, for the first time since she could remember, she didn’t feel the warm flush of an embarrassed blush creeping up her neck as the object of st
rangers’ attention. The warmth she was feeling had nothing to do with embarrassment.
Blayne’s biceps tightened around her arms for another couple of seconds before he released her. Still close enough to feel his warm breath on her face, she looked up and smiled at his one raised eyebrow.
He said, “I guess we’d better do as we’re told before your friend decides to use her loud voice again.”
Kaylee laughed, wanting nothing more than to kiss those lips quirked into a mischievous grin. Before she could act on this strong impulse, Blayne pulled away. He grabbed her hand as they walked the few yards to Allie’s car.
“You two ride in the back,” Allie said. “I’ll pretend like I’m chauffeuring a celebrity couple around.” She got in the driver’s seat and turned to look at them as they buckled up. “And, bonus for both of us, I can’t hear what you two lovebirds are talking about back there.”
“She makes a good point.” Blayne reached to hold her hand again as soon as both of their seatbelts were buckled.
The callouses on his palm rubbed against her ‘college girl’ skin and she thought how nothing had ever felt quite so good. “How is work going?” she asked.
“Great. I love my job and my coworkers. It’s so good to be doing something productive with my life.” His smile of moments before turned to a look of concern, his eyes tight as he gazed at her. “I’m so glad you’re back. Safe.” He pursed his lips like he had more to say, but held it back.
Kaylee looked down at their entwined fingers. “Me too. I’ll never travel by myself again.”
“I was so worried about you.” A small hitch in his voice made her look up at him. His eyes bore into hers before he turned to look out the window. He rubbed the back of his neck. “That driver that dropped you off won’t be doing that to anyone else. At least not with the same drive-share company.”
Kaylee became acutely aware of every inch of her hand that touched his. His leg pressed up against hers in the crowded back seat of Allie’s compact car. His breath blowing against the window, fogging the view. His shoulders, so broad they took up more than his share of the backrest, the arm next to her rubbing against her coat with each bump in the road. Her heart fluttered like a rose petal floating on a breeze. She squeezed his hand, staring at the back of his head, waiting for him to turn his face to her again.
Under the Viaduct Page 13