Jolted (Conflicted Encounters #1) (33 page)

Kallie came bouncing back to me with Scarlett attached to her arm. My sister eyed me with question, and I nodded, telling her it was okay. She smiled and I knew she was proud of me for doing the right thing. It's times like these I love being able to read her like a book. We barely need to speak about the hard stuff; we talk without words.

"Okay!" Kallie slurred. "It's my turn." She closed one eye and threw the dart straight ahead. We all laughed as it bounced off the wall below and fell to the ground. "I suck."

I watched as she tried again and again. She laughed with us as we made fun of her pitiful attempts. I remembered watching her the first night I met her. The look of determination on her face intrigued me. She wanted so badly to get it right. I never wanted anything that badly, and I was fascinated watching her.

She cheered spun around quickly after a dart stuck into the board. I caught her right before she fell over. I saw Scarlett holding back a laugh as she stood directly behind where Kallie was standing. She put her fingers to her lips and I noticed the darts in her hands. She threw the dart, not Kallie.

I winked at her and realized it was time to get home. I wrapped my arms around both my girls and escorted them out of Hank's. I looked back once more as we walked home, looking back at the place where it all began.
 

Kallie

"You have everything?" Ryder asked me, eyeing the duffle bag I borrowed from Scarlett.
 

"I think so," I answered with a strange sense of deja vu washing over me. I swallowed and tried to force down the dread.

"Hey," Ryder said softly as he tilted my chin so I would look up at him. "Don't be sad."

"I'll miss you," I choked out.

His chocolate eyes softened and he smiled. "Well, you have this really fancy invention. It's called a phone. You see, I have your number, and you have mine. We can do this really cool thing called texting and calling," he said with fake enthusiasm, and I laughed at him. He shoved my phone in my hands and closed my fingers around it.
 

"You're right. I'll text you all the time. And as soon as my dad is up and ready, I'm coming back," I told him.
 

"Moment?" Scarlett asked from behind me.

"Of course," I said, rushing to her and wrapping my arms around her. "I'll miss you more," I whispered in her ear.
 

"Sure you will," she laughed as she pulled away and went into her bedroom. "I wanted you to have this."

She handed me a large, black wooden frame. I looked at the framed canvas and saw her painting that inspired my tattoo. The watercolor feather meant so much to me. It meant everything to me. I teared up and held the picture against my chest. "I really hate this," I whimpered.
 

"I know, babe," she said with a sad smile. "You need this, though. Go home, regroup, and help your dad. We aren't going anywhere. Plus, you need to find out who you are and what you want from life."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.
 

"You lost yourself when your boyfriend died, Kallie. You need to learn your way by yourself. I love my brother, and I love him with you. I really do. But, I think that you should stand on your own without him, too. Don't make the same mistake."

I nodded, barely taking in what she was saying. All I knew now was how bad it hurt to leave him. I hugged her again and went back out to the living room. Ryder was waiting by the door for me, holding my bag. He walked me down to my car and tossed the bag into the backseat before pulling me into a hug. I ran my hands along the muscles in his back and inhaled his scent, committing it to memory. I fought back the tears and pulled away. He grabbed my face and kissed me.

The kiss was full of promise, love, and fear. It was a torturous mixture of the feelings raging around inside both of us. I kissed him back with conviction. We would make it through this. We could stay in touch, and soon I would be back in his arms. When I tasted my silent tears in the kiss, I broke away.
 

"This sucks," I sniffled.
 

He wiped the tears off my cheeks. "I know, Princess. This is something you need to do. You can't abandon your family. Not for me. I would never forgive myself, and I have enough of that to do already." He kissed my forehead. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I made sure your tires have plenty of air and gave it an oil change. Drive carefully," he insisted.
 

"Yes, sir. Thank you," I stood up on my tiptoes and kissed him one last time before climbing behind the wheel and starting the car.
 

I was slightly disappointed when it started right up. I was secretly hoping it would die and I would be stuck here. I pulled out my phone and shot out a quick text to my mother that I was on the way. Her anger started to subside when I finally called her. She was just relieved to finally hear from me and knowing that I was going to come home.
 

I waved and drove out of the parking lot, keeping Ryder in my rearview mirror as long as possible. I made the turn at the only stop light and drove down the now familiar roads. I stopped when I came up to the tree. I whispered a "goodbye" and an "I love you" before I pulled away again.
 

After a few hours, I pulled off the highway and stopped at a Starbucks. The drive seemed longer than it did on the way down here. Probably because I didn't want to leave this time. I sat back down in my car, inhaling the heavenly scent of coffee. I leaned my head back and enjoyed the rest. I pulled out my phone and smiled when I saw his name on the screen.

I love you. - R

I love you too
I sent back. I let out a deep breath before I reluctantly started my journey again.
 

I could do this, I told myself. I would go home, make my parents happy, and then I would be free to do as I wanted. Scarlett's words ran through my mind again. She told me to figure out who I was and what I wanted in my life. She wanted me to do it on my own and not for Ryder, like I had with Carter.
 

I pulled up in the driveway just before the sun started to set. I got out of the car, stretched and then shivered in the cool air. Fall was coming and the nights were getting cooler. I took my time gathering my things, enjoying the cast of light as the day started turning into dusk.
 

I'm home. I miss you
I texted Ryder.

Good. I miss you too. Call me when you can so I can hear your sweet voice again. - R

This was always my favorite time of day. When the sun wasn't so bright and the sky would turn purple, grays and deeper blues. The air would cool and it would feel like the world around you was starting to settle. I took a deep breath and walked in the front door.

"Kallie?" my mother called anxiously.

"Yes, mother," I answered.

She flew around the corner and slid into me on the hardwood floors, pulling me tightly against her. I smiled and hugged her back, taking in the familiar scent of home. She pulled away and her eyes were glistening. "I'm so glad you're home, baby."

"Me too," I lied as I put my bag down.

"This is beautiful," she gasped as she took the framed painting from my full hands.
 

"Yes. A friend made it for me," I told her.
 

She smiled at me and set it gently down on the table in the entryway. I followed her back to the kitchen and was shocked at the lack of interrogation I was getting. She grabbed a bottle of wine and placed it on the table with an already half-drank glass. She poured another glass and slid it over to me as I sat down.
 

"I'm not going to yell at you. I'm not going to lecture you or press you for information. I just want to know, are you okay?" she asked me with a worried voice.
 

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm good actually," I assured her and took a sip of the wine. "I'm sorry I did that to you guys. It wasn't right of me. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, baby. We are just glad you're home," she said gently. I looked at my mother and saw a different woman before me. She was worried and slightly out of place. She wore bags under her eyes and her skin looked pale. She was never less than perfect and wasn't usually a very warm person. She reminded me of the mom I knew before the business took off and we became "higher class".

"Do you think that's why...?" I stopped, unable to ask if I was the reason my father had a heart attack.

'Oh, no," she said quickly. "Your dad isn't as young as he used to be. He took on too much at once. He rushed the opening of the store in Tower City and the stress became too much for him. Plus, he wouldn't listen to doctor's advice and stay on the medication and diet they suggested."

"Oh," I breathed out. I was glad she didn't blame me, but I wasn't sure I didn't blame myself yet. "The store is open in Tower City already? I thought that was next summer?"

"Well, it was, but your father had an opportunity to add another designer to the shelves, but they wanted a company with more reputation. So, he rushed the project and opened the store. He did land the account, though."

I yawned and rubbed my sore shoulders. "I'm gonna go up to bed and shower. Want to go with me to see dad in the morning?" I asked her as I stood.

"Sure, babe. Now, go rest. I'm sure you're exhausted."

I gave her a kiss on the cheek and took my things up to my bedroom. The room was exactly how I left it. My makeup, which I had been putting on the morning of the party, was still out on my vanity. The clothes I slept in were on the floor and my bed was unmade, which was not typical for the old me. I dropped on my bed and pulled out my phone.
 

Ryder answered on the first ring. I smiled hearing his voice. It was deep and comforting. I told him about my mother's strange behavior when I got home. He seemed glad she wasn't hard on me. I knew he had so much guilt eating away at him. I told Ryder about the odd things I saw on my drive home, and he told me about Scarlett sulking around the house.
 

"I miss you," I said into the phone, growing sleepy.

"I miss you, too. I love you. You should get some sleep, baby. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay. I love you, too. Good night," I said before I hit end.
 

I wondered how he would be when he woke up in the night from the memories, and I wasn't there to hold him. I ran my fingers along the bracelets on my arm. The polished gold, adorned with sparkling charms, and the rough, raw metal of the clamp I fashioned into jewelry. One night, I tore a piece of denim from a ratty pair of jeans that Ryder only wore when they rode the four-wheelers. I wove it between the slots on the clamp, adding more color and character.
 

Now, the hose clamp reminded me of Ryder and everything we went through together. It sat next to the charm bracelet that reminded me of Carter and everything we had. Both were big pieces of my heart, and I was forever changed because of the both of them.
 

The next morning, I dressed and ate a quick breakfast with my mom before heading to the Cleveland Clinic to see my dad. We got our visitors badges and made our way to the cardiac wing of the hospital. I paused just outside the private room he had. I wrung my hands as my mom gave me a reassuring smile. I had no idea why she was being so understanding, but my hopes were low that my dad would be so kind.

I followed her into the room, where my dad sat propped up in a hospital bed, talking to a young man taking notes. He stopped and brightened, seeing my mother float into the room and wrap her arms around him.
 

"Kallie," he said, sounding almost shocked.
 

"Hey, Daddy," I waved as I came to his side. "How you feeling?"

"I'm fine," he said, patting my hand. "I'm ready to get out here, actually."

"Dear, you will go home when the doctor says you are ready," my mother scolded him. He rolled his eyes at her, and I had a feeling this wasn't the first time they had this conversation.
 

Finally, the young man in the seat next to the bed stood and cleared his throat. He was tall with blonde hair and wore a nice suit. He looked too young to be one of my father's trusted assistants, but then again, I have been gone for a whole summer. He closed his leather binder and tucked the pen inside his jacket. "If that will be all, sir, I will leave you to be with your family," he said, all too politely.
 

"Oh, Kallie, this is Ivan Ward, my assistant," my father introduced, motioning to the man. "Ivan, this is my daughter, Kallie."

He stuck out his hand to me and smiled. "Nice to meet you. I've heard so much about you," he said as he shook my head. Typical thing to say.

"Thank you. Nice to meet you, too," I replied as nicely as I could.
 

Ivan nodded to my father and left the room while my mother nagged about how much my dad ate for breakfast. I sat in the chair while he complained that he wanted bacon and eggs, not the crap they fed him here. I ignored them while I texted Ryder.
 

"Kallie," he said, grabbing my attention. "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too," I smiled back at his warm face. I ignored the guilt I felt for not wanting to actually be here.
 

"Honey, I need your help at the downtown branch while I recover. Ivan is managing both branches right now, but the new store needs more attention. Can you do that?" he asked, his face daring me to say no.

"Of course," I relented. This is why I came home, wasn't it? To help the family business. To do as everyone needs or wants me to.
 

"Great," he beamed. "I can have Ivan deliver some materials you will need to look over. We have some new lines, new designers, and such. I can have him get you all the financials, too."

I suddenly felt overwhelmed. This was the moment I was trained for all my life. I had expensive schooling, every summer and weekend spent behind the counters, and constant talk about the store around the house, but I felt utterly over my head. I stared at him, wide eyed, while he ran through the employees and the new location.