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Chapter 12
Brooklynn
Savannah, GA April 24- Monday evening
Excitement pulses through my veins as I enjoy a drink called “Water of Life” with my friends. We decided to have dinner together to celebrate me returning to my actual job and Journee taking a day off. Our goal tonight is to get her as drunk as possible. She needs to be so drunk she won’t change her mind and go in to work tomorrow. Noelle is also saying this is her late birthday present to herself. She’s been wanting to go out with girlfriends for quite some time now.
Noelle wanted to go somewhere that didn’t serve food she could create in her kitchen.The Olde Pink Househas been on her list of places to come with her friends for a while now. Mine too. The dining room here is elegant. The rich colors of the walls, chandeliers, and drapery look as if they were snatched out of the past. The white tablecloths make me nervous. I worry every time I lift my glass. I just know I’m going to spill something.
My hand begins to tremble as that damn feeling rushes over me again.
“Do you know what you want?” Noelle asks as she continues to peruse the menu.
My eyes are on everything but the menu. He’s in the building. I know it. He’s within touching distance of me. It’s just a matter of where. Why do I keep seeing him everywhere? I decided to go for a walk, decided to stop in a local shop, flippin’ heated skin happens. Turn around and there he is with some woman. He looks up, like he knows I’m there too, and tosses a wave my way. A wave. I head over to Tybee Island to clear my head for a day. I’m walking along the beach and who do I see well before I feel his presence.
I’m enjoying the feel of the wind blowing around me. My hair is loose and catching every wind. It reminds me of the time I was here before. I love the peace and calm of the salty air that comes with standing on the beach. I recall standing here before, listening to the sounds of the birds as they enjoyed the morning sky as much as I did. Then, the darkhaired girl I wasn’t alone. She had the love of a boy. A boy who had big dreams.
Those dreams she once supported, even pushed him to pursue them. He nuzzled her neck and whispered words of love and affection.
I wiped away a stray tear as I thought back to that time. When I looked down beach, there he was. He must not have noticed I was on the beach yet. I thought of rushing off, back towards my car. The pearl-gray Hyundai Elantra doesn’t see the open road often. I felt like taking a drive. I’m not ready to go back to my life.
I square my shoulders and meet my fate. The instant I decide, he sees me.
The time on the beach was mostly pleasant. It was until I insulted him. Again. I think the most infuriating part is it doesn’t seem to faze him. I’m used to the man who fired back at me. No verbal warning shot or anything. Just guns blazing. It hurts like hell, but you know he responded. There’s a deadly reaction. This version of him freaks me out. He doesn’t act as if it bothers him at all. Some part of me must take it as a challenge.
My eyes meet his and I feel it. I’m locked and loaded. I’m ready for whatever he has for me. I watch as his mouth forms the same word mine does as his green eyes darken. The host nods then leads them into the dining room. They are walked right by our table. He nods to us then keeps walking.
My entire body deflates.
“I’ll catch up,” I hear a familiar voice state.
“I’m not waiting for him. We’re ordering whether or not he’s at the table,” the woman with them tells Daire.
If he responds, I can’t hear it because Graham “Tuck” Tucker is greeting me. He squats down between my chair and Noelle’s, so he’s eye-level with me.
“Hey Tuck, how’re you doing?”
I lean into him to give him a hug. He is nervous but happy to see me. I can feel it coming off him in waves.
“I can’t believe it’s you. When Daire said you were working at Hope House, I was shocked. I had no clue you were even in town. How long have you been here?”
I try to keep my eyes on Tuck’s handsome face. Epic Fail. My focus keeps shifting to where the waiter is taking Daire and the woman. It isn’t until Tuck asks me his last question that I return my eyes to his hazel browns. Graham’s eyes are Noelle before he looks back at me.
“I’m surprised you’re here. I thought you were a lifer.”
“Things changed. I work with Daire. I have been for a while now.” His expression changes and I wonder what’s wrong. “I heard ...”
He’s quiet for so long that I wonder what cause him to stop speaking. When I focus on his face, I see he’s looking at Noelle again. they are having some silent conversation I’ve missed. When I look at Journee, she’s too busy asking the waiter about an item on the menu to notice what’s happening.
“Did you want to sit in my seat? It looks like you two have more to say to each other.”
Both laugh but it’s off. Tuck leans his broad frame over to give me another hug.
