Jolted (Conflicted Encounters #1) (3 page)

"Coffee?" he finally asked with an amused smile.

"A large mocha latte, please," I answered as I dug for my wallet.
 

I watched him work on making my drink. At Georgetown, students were proper and clean. I haven't had many conversations with people covered in tattoos and piercings. I tried not to judge people and be accepting of all, but the contrast in his hard appearance and the soft look in his eyes completely threw me off. It went against all the stereotypes your mind makes up from television and movies.

"Passing through?" he asked as he handed me my drink and took my card to swipe.

"Kind of," I muttered while looking down at my outfit. I stuck out like a sore thumb in my formal dress and white high heels, which were now covered in dirt. It was obvious I shouldn't be here. I took my drink and card from him and found a table near the windows to sit. I watched as people walked in and out of the other stores and talked to each other on the street.

I took out my phone and turned it back on. Notifications of text messages, voicemails, and missed calls filled my screen. I debated turning the phone back off, not wanting to deal with home just yet. Navigating to the last voicemail, I listened to my mother's voice. She was tense and her voice was clipped as she accused me of being selfish and embarrassing our family. I almost laughed at the irony. I simply refused to play along with the facade. I would not pretend to be okay just to make ease everyone’s mind and make them think I was alright.

My stomach rumbled and I was reminded I had barely eaten in weeks and my body was running on empty. The sky was turning a light purple color as the sun dipped behind the trees. A long drive home was not what I wanted, or needed, right now. I had no plan on what to do after I saw the tree Carter hit. This wasn’t typical of me. I always have a plan, never setting out without one.
 

Pushing the worry to the back of my mind, I stood and made my way over to the counter. "Any good places to eat in this town?" I asked as I leaned over the counter to get Brown Eyes' attention.

Wiping his hands on his black apron, he came over to the counter. "Minnie's Diner is down Main Street a little bit. They have the best meatloaf."

Of course they would have a Main Street.
 

"But, she's actually closed for a few days. Staying with her daughter in Florida for her grandkid's graduation," he said, looking thoughtful. "There's Hank's, though. Great burgers."

I sighed in relief that Minnie's wasn't the only place for food in the town. I was amazed Brown Eyes knew this Minnie's personal business, though. He hardly seemed like the type to hang out with the diner owner-slash-grandmother. I guess everybody knew each other around here.

"Thanks," I said as I slung my heavy Coach bag over my shoulder.

"No problem. Hank's is on the corner to your right when you head out of here."

I nodded and made my way outside. The air was cool, and I scolded myself for not bringing any extra clothes, or at least a shawl. This is why I plan everything. I hate being stuck and without any control over the situation. I drove the short distance to the corner just so I wouldn't be without my car there. I glanced at the intersection, spotting a large painted sign with the name “Hank's” on it.

The one story building was brick and had no windows. A neon “open” sign hung in the glass door. This must be a bar, but I had no other option and was not about to start driving aimlessly in an attempt to find a more family-friendly place to eat alone. I parked my car and entered the building.

The smell of smoke and beer hit me. A long bar lined the wall with bottles of liquor filling the shelves behind it. Low hung lights with green shades gave the place little lighting. Several guys played pool in the back corner. Several other men stopped to look at me from the tables scattered around the room.

I took a deep breath and made my way to the bartender, who was watching me from the bar. The older man had graying hair and looked slightly overweight. I tried to ignore the fact that I looked like an alien in here with my stark white dress, expensive purse, jewelry, and high heels clicking on the weathered tile. I took the barstool directly in front of the bartender, feeling eyes watch me the whole way there.

"Lost?" he asked bluntly.

"And very hungry, sir," I said meekly and embarrassed.

He gave me a sad smile and handed me a sheet of laminated paper they called a menu. After quickly scanning it through, I ordered a burger and fries. I anxiously played with the charms on my bracelet while waiting for my food to come. I could feel the many pairs of eyes burning into my back, but soon the voices picked back up as I no longer was the center of attention.

I couldn't tell if it was dark out yet from inside the dark and dingy bar. I almost laughed when I thought of my mother's reaction if she knew where I was instead of her well-planned party. I never went out to bars or partied like my classmates did. I stayed in, concentrated on my studies, and watched as Chloe and the girls got ready to head out for nights of fun and drinking. I didn't imagine this would be the kind of bar they would go to, though.

My food arrived and I slowly ate the burger to stall from having to start the drive home. Driving in the dark on the winding country roads was the last thing I wanted to do. After all, I knew how dangerous they could be. Maybe Carter would be sitting on my patio with me right now if it had been daylight during his drive home. Maybe I wouldn't be in this smoke hazed bar alone.

I slid my card to the bartender once he took my empty plate. "Do you want to start a tab?" he asked me.

"For drinks?" I asked, like I’d never been in a bar before. "Yes," I answered quickly to cover my embarrassment. I could at least try to act like I knew what I was doing and remotely blend in. I grabbed my ID from my purse and slid it across the bar.

"What can I get you then, sweetie?" He tucked my card under the register. 

"Scotch. On the rocks," rolled off my tongue before even thinking. I had no idea what I was thinking. I saw it in so many movies and commercials, it seemed like the right thing to say.

The bartender tried to hide his laughter and shook his head. Taking a bottle from the shelves behind him, he filled a glass and slid it in front of me. The smell burned my nose as I lifted it to my lips. He watched me curiously as I inhaled a deep breath. I took a long sip from the glass to keep up my rouse.

The liquid burned my throat and it felt as though I had swallowed flames. I instantly started coughing and shaking my head to clear the burn. I kept my eyes down on the ice cubes in my glass to avoid looking at the bartender. Surely, he must know how far over my head I am by now.

"Hey, Hank," came from a voice from next to me, drawing the worried man away from me.

"Ryder," he said back to the voice while popping the top off a beer bottle and sliding it across the bar. I didn't even hear the stranger ask for one.

I rolled the glass around in my hands and kept my gaze down. I just wanted to crawl up in a hole and hide from here, this bar, and from home and my family. But, I currently had no where to hide that wasn’t any of those places.

"You're not from around here, are you?" I heard a deep voice say near my ear.

I looked up quickly to see the guy, apparently named Ryder, sliding over to the stool next to me. His eyes traveled from my high heels, up my bare legs, and over the rest of my body before landing on my face. I wanted to cringe away from his look, but my body made no moves. I could almost feel his eyes moving up my skin.

Even with an empty and broken heart, my mind could not ignore the fact that the face in front of mine was striking. Black hair spiked in every direction with a pointed jaw and high cheekbones that brought all your attention to piercing, dark brown eyes. Some stubble on his chin made him look older, but his broad shoulders and wide chest showed a body of someone younger. He raised one eyebrow at me, reminding me that he asked a question.

"Um... no. I'm not," I stuttered, turning away from his handsome face. He was the opposite of Carter in almost every way. I could see him watching me from the corner of my eye, so I took another drink to break the tension. My body shuddered as the Scotch burned it's way down.

"Hank, Mojito," he called out, slamming his hand on the bar.

Hank slid a tall glass with mint leaves and a clear liquid inside. I turned to look at Ryder in shock as he slid the Scotch away from me and downed the rest.

"This is better. Trust me," he said, sliding the glass closer to me.

In utter curiosity, I took a small sniff. The smell of citrus and mint was a delightful contrast to the previous drink.
 

"Thank you," I said, bringing the drink to my lips. I was instantly hit with the freshness of mint, lime, and bubbles from the mojito.

"Ryder," the stranger said, sticking out his hand. His eyes shined bright with amusement and something that looked almost daring, like he was challenging me.
 

"Kallie," I answered, putting my hand in his. His large hand covered mine. It was rough and instantly warmed my whole body.

Kallie

"So, what brings you here?" Ryder asked after several minutes of silence as I downed the drink he ordered me.

The question caught me off guard. "Visiting." That wasn't really a lie. I was visiting, just not necessarily in the way he would take it. "Am I that obviously out of place?" I blurted as I reached for the new drink Hank slid to me.

"Yes," he admitted in all seriousness. I could only nod at his response. "Why are you alone? In a bar? A pretty girl like you should have someone to keep her company," he said, leaning in closer to look at my face.

The words stung me. I had no one. I was used to being surrounded by friends and family. And Carter. Now, when I needed them the most, I was alone. Granted, I just ran from everyone I knew as they gathered in my backyard and inside my home to celebrate. I couldn't celebrate and shouldn't have been expected to. I felt betrayed that no one seemed to agree. Even in my house, full of people, I felt alone.

"Nope," I spat out when I realized he was watching me closely, waiting for my answer. 

His eyes roamed my face, like they were looking for the real answer. When I looked away and took another long drink, he gave up and drank his beer as well. The minty drink felt like heaven going down my throat. My stomach was warm and my cheeks were heating up. I quickly finished the drink so I could wait for my new one.

Patrons filtered in and out of the bar and were getting louder as time passed. Feeling a little bold, probably from the alcohol, I finally turned on my stool to glance around. The bar was more crowded than when I had entered. People mingled with drinks in their hands and laughed loudly at each other. The men at the pool table in the back were arguing. The two men stood toe to toe, glaring at each other. Just when I thought a fight would break out, they started laughing and patting each other on the back. 

I shook my head and spun back around to find Ryder watching me curiously. He had one elbow leaning on the bar, while his other arm was casually resting on his faded dark jeans. His black t-shirt clung to his chest and hugged his biceps tightly. Colorful tattoos ran up his toned arms. I never thought Carter to be skinny, but he was not quite built like this. When I finally made my way back up to his face, Ryder wore a knowing smile.

Embarrassed, I distracted myself with my drink again. My head felt light and my thoughts weren't so loud anymore. I tapped my fingers on the bar to a song I didn't know and stopped to check out a chip in my nail. I hadn't gotten them done since I had been home. I should probably schedule an appointment.

"Darts?" Ryder asked as he stood, and then waited for me to follow.

He was taller than I expected. I stared up at him, wondering if that was the best idea. I was a young, pretty girl in an old, dirty bar. I was alone with some stranger asking to take my hand and lead me to a dark corner. His dark eyes were glued to mine while he waited patiently for my answer. I couldn't determine if he looked safe or dangerous, or a mixture of both. 

Because I always do what's expected of me, I stood and grabbed the fresh drink Hank replaced. I let Ryder lead me to the dart board in the back of the bar. I should be going home, but the thought of home made me want to cry, while also feeling sick to my stomach. Here, I felt nothing but curiosity and calmness. I had nothing to do but throw a pointy object at a target on the wall. This would be the easiest thing I did all summer.

I was quickly proven wrong how easy it really was. I watched as Ryder picked up my darts from the floor… again. He laughed while pulling some of his darts out of the target. I couldn't begin to tell you how the scoring worked, but judging that he even made it on the board meant he was beating me. 

I couldn't help but notice how completely opposite Ryder was from Carter. While Carter was blonde haired and fair-skinned, Ryder had black hair and a nice tan. Ryder was more built in the chest and arms than Carter was. Carter was athletic, but not busting out of his clothes. Ryder's eyes held mystery and more that I couldn't yet decipher. Carter's eyes were clear blue, like the sky, a window to his love and trust.
 

I tried to ignore the unease his intense looks were causing me. I just needed to be someone else tonight. He didn't remind me of Carter and send me into despair and heart break. For right now, that was exactly what I needed. Maybe, just for now, I could forget.

"Come on, you got to a least make one," Ryder teased as he came back to me and stood at the taped line on the floor. 

I couldn't help the hysterical laugh that bubbled out of my mouth. Nobody else would have found it funny that I was failing at something. I succeed and I won and nothing less than that was acceptable. Ryder came up behind me, placed his hands on my hips, and started to move me forward. My skin under his hands burned. I tensed at his touch, but relaxed when I realized he was just letting me cheat. I’d never cheated before, and I laughed at myself again.