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Kayleigh was a little quiet for the rest of their shift, no doubt it was because she was worried about Taylor. At closing time she insisted on hanging around until Taylor was safely back in the cabin where she lived out back of the bar. When they watched Taylor close the door behind her, Kayleigh turned to Ben.
“See you tomorrow, I guess,” she said, heading over to a bike tied to the porch.
“You want me to give you a ride home?” he asked, needing to spend more time with her.
“I don’t think my bike will fit in your car.”
“I can fold the seats down,” he countered. She stared at him before shrugging again and he bit back a chuckle. She followed him wordlessly to his car and he folded down the back seats then proceeded to try and get her bike in the back. A lot of cursing and a few attempts later, his lateral brain had figured it out and finally the bike slotted in beautifully.
“I’m impressed,” she quipped, and he saw the first genuine smile from her all night and was struck dumb at the sight of it.
“Well, I’m not just a pretty face,” he joked, when he could speak again.
“So I see.” She raised a dark brow before she slid into the passenger seat. Was she…flirting with him?No, don’t be ridiculous, you’re seeing what you want to see.
“So, how come you moved here? Where did you move from?”
“New Y-Orleans. I came from New Orleans,” he said, trying to cover up the fact that he almost said where he was actually from. He was going to have to be careful with what he told her. He didn’t want to lie to her, but he also didn’t want her guessing who he was then being horrified that he had moved across the country in the hopes of starting life afresh, with her.
“Ooh, that sounds awesome. I would love to go to New Orleans. I’d love to explore the spiritual and voodoo culture, but don’t tell my parents that. I mean, uh, never mind.”
“You’re worried about what your parents think of you?” he asked, knowing this was a subject that would get her talking.
“No, not at all. Just because I live with them, doesn’t mean I care what they think,” she sulked. There was that bravado again. Why did she keep pretending to be someone he knew she wasn’t? Unless he didn’t know her at all?
“Just here on the left, thanks,” she said, and he pulled over in front of her parents’ house. They got out in silence, him extricating her bike from his back seat with a finesse even he was proud of.
“Thanks for the ride, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“You bet, already looking forward to it,” he replied, his voice gruff as the breeze blew her scent towards him. She smelled like spiced apples, the scent sweet and sinful. She gave him a delicate wave and then headed inside the small farmhouse. He stared at the building wondering which room was hers. If he waited long enough, would he see the light go on?Okay, time to go, creeper…
He headed back to the little house he was renting. He had moved most of his stuff in but was yet to finish unpacking and the garment bag full of glamorous outfits continued to be ignored. He couldn’t face looking at them just yet.
His phone rang and he pulled it out of his jeans pocket, frowning as he saw it wasTammycalling. Tammy had been his long-time girlfriend, now his ex. He canceled the call and a moment later a message came through.
Tammy: I’m sorry.
He scoffed. She was only sorry she was no longer in the Morgan family’s fold.
Ben was a romantic and had always wanted to find that one person he could bare his soul to. He thought Tammy could be it and had finally opened up to her, the first person since his grandma passed. He had shared his secret. Had shown her what he enjoyed doing in his spare time. Showed her the outfits, told her about the performances.
But Tammy had only been with him for the status his family name brought, using him to claw her way to the top of the social ladder. It turned out she didn’t care which Morgan brother was warming her bed, because she’d also been sleeping with Matt behind Ben’s back, and took the first opportunity to reveal what Ben secretly did in his spare time.
Matt had wasted no time in using the information to hurt him, announcing it in front of two hundred of their closest friends and family at the Morgans’ annual cookout.
Needless to say, their father hadn’t been thrilled at the idea that his youngest son spent his spare time performing as an Elvis Presley tribute act. A damn good one, if Ben did say so himself but his father didn’t care about that. It wasn’t medicine, it wasn’t academic, it was just entertainment. Therefore it wasn’t going to be tolerated. His grandma had been right, they would never understand it, never accept him. His father mocked him in front of everyone, humiliating him as Matt and Tammy joined in the ridiculing along with theiresteemedguests.
Ben had left the party, his family, and hadn’t looked back.
He would feel bad about leaving but there was nothing in New York for him. Since his grandma died, he’d felt so alone. She was the one who truly understood him, who shared his passion for music and introduced him to Elvis Presley. She was the one who encouraged him to perform and supported him. She even came to a few shows, had been right there in the front row, cheering him on. When she died suddenly, Ben was bereft, devastated that his partner in crime had left him all alone in a family that he was so disconnected from.
Since the party, Ben hadn’t performed. He had canceled upcoming shows, packed away all his outfits, guitars and ignored his socials. Every time he even thought about getting back on stage, he pictured the faces of those closest to him, laughing at him, mocking him and humiliation clenched his stomach tight.
Ben blocked Tammy’s number and put his phone away, then grabbed a beer, and chopped some vegetables for Geralt, hiding them all over Geralt’s cage so the little chonk would have to work for his treats. Ben ruffled his fluffy mane and Geralt did a little playful leap in the air.
He went back to his computer and settled himself down, ready to speak to the one person above all others who mattered to him. Although he had spent time with her tonight, she had been guarded and aloof, she wasn’thisKayleigh and he needed his fix.
GoodGirlKay:What’s a gamer’s favorite type of fish?
