From Lies to Promises Page 5

  “Just checking.” I walk back to my open car door but before I get in I yell, “Have fun!”

  ***

  Skeigh, Lexi and I make it to the restaurant about ten minutes early. So we go ahead and get a table and order some drinks. Between the three of us we almost finished off the first batch of chip and salsa they bring to your table before Ms. Bran finally arrives. She was a sight to behold. You could definitely tell she was from a bigger city the way she carried herself, but she was nothing if not nice company. We all listened to some of her adventures in other cities trying to find amazing women to put in her magazine. It was all fascinating, and the stories of some of these woman were unbelievable. After we finish our meals, Lexi takes the pause in conversation as her queue.

  “So, Ms. Bran, have you found the source of your next article?” Lexi ask.

  “I came here with a specific story I wanted to cover. I think this one will be my legacy. You know, when someone says my name, they will relate that story to it.” Ms. Bran sits forward as her eyes travel to me. “I know she is here in Chattanooga, but it seems that she doesn’t exist. I have come to the conclusion she has changed her last name.”

  There is no way in hell this woman could be referring to me. How would she know my story anyways, no one believed me. It would only make since that after I left that I was forgot about. Thrown out like yesterday’s dirty laundry. So why would anyone have a reason to talk about it.

  “Hmm. Why would she do that? If she has such a great story why would she want to hide?” Lexi’s interest peaked.

  “Well, you see Lexi, her story isn’t a happy one. Or one that you would really want people to know. I want to tell it to show the world how strong a woman or girl can be even when the world turns their back to you. Even when your own family damns you to hell.” Again, she glances at me. “I know the details, but I can’t publish it without her permission. Unless I do it nameless.”

  “That kind of beats the purpose of the whole magazine though doesn’t it?” Skeigh chimes in.

  Ms. Bran puts her hands together on top of the table and replies, “It does. However, since I mentioned to the story to my editor she wants it regardless. So I will have to write it with what facts I do have. I would just like her side of the story, whether she remain nameless or not.”

  I nearly tumble backwards in my chair when my phone rings. I turn it over on the table to see Jamie’s picture gracing the screen. I owe that girl big time and she doesn’t even know it.

  “Jamie, I thought your mom was picking you up from the dance.”

  “C-Could you come h-home.” She is crying. So help me god if that boy laid one unwanted finger on that girl, they will be throwing my ass in the pen tonight.

  “Jamie, what’s wrong? What’d he do?” I ask trying my best to restrain my voice from roaring over all the noise in the small restaurant.

  “Please, just...” She pauses to sniffle, “just come home.”

  I have never driven so fast in all my life. As I pull into the driveway, I can barely believe I didn’t get pulled over. Skeigh and Lexi screamed the whole way home.

  Slow down! Kat, that’s a stop sign! Oh My God! You are trying to kill us!

  If it wasn’t for that I would have forgot they were in the car at all. I rush through the front door where Jamie sits in a ball on the sofa, her dress pillowed out around her. Thank goodness I had shown her where that hide a key was a couple months ago.

  Once I get Jamie calmed down enough, and changed into some pajamas she had here, she tells us what happened. Her supposed date ended up coming with another girl. He said that his mother didn’t think that Jamie was proper enough and had then proceeded to set him up with the girl he brought. She was so mortified that she went outside and called a cab from her cell. On the way here she called her mom and told her that she was staying here tonight, to have a girls night.

  Which we ended up doing. We watched ever crappy movie ever made for TV in the history of crappy movies until around three in the morning. We all passed out like dominoes once Jamie finally closed her eyes.

  Waking up, after my neck had been twisted in the most God awful angle on the couch arm all night, well it sucked. I reach for my phone to look at the time. Shit. Noon. I have two hours to get Jamie up and home, then get ready for Ryder to come and get me.

  “Would you quit moving so much, shesh.” Jamie grumbles. Ha. That is one less task to accomplish.

  “Get up. I got to get you home so I can get ready.” I holler as I start shaking her.

  “I’m up. I’m up. Gah, what is your rush?” She ask as she stretches her arms above her head.

  Skeigh sits up from the cocoon of covers on the chase, “She has a hot date today.” She pushes the covers off. “I’ll take her home. Just go get ready. We won’t let you call and give him some lame excuse.”

  “Oh.My.God. Tell me it’s that hot guy from the river the other day. Did he call you?” Jamie is completely awake now.

  “So you’re the little sneak that gave him my number. I kept meaning to ask him how he got it.” I shoot her an evil eye.

  “Soo…rry.” She drags out. Dramatics that girl. “He is very convincing. Let me tell you, he has this pout face.” She shakes her head.

  “I know all too well about that face. How do you think he got me to say yes?”

  Jamie gets up and heads towards the bathroom, pauses, and turns back to me. “I think I may stay tonight too. I want to know how this goes.”

  I wait for Jamie to get done in the bathroom, so I can get a shower. Sometimes I wonder how the three of us survive off one bathroom. Our different schedules help. I finish my shower and blow dry my hair. I don’t have to do much to it other than that. It is naturally straight as a board, and if I dare try to curl it within the hour it’s back flat. Sill wearing my robe I go to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and something to snack on. I still have about another 30 minutes before he gets here. On my way from the kitchen someone knocks on the door.

  “I got it!” I tell the girls in the living room. My mind didn’t even contemplate that Ryder could be early, but there he was when I opened the door. And here I am, in my robe, nothing under it. “Hi.” I cross my arms over my practically exposed breast. “Your half an hour early.”

  “No, I think I am just on time.” He says in a deep husky tone, while his eyes take me in from head to toe. I need to get clothes on. Like now.

  “Come on in. The girls are all in the living room. I’ll be back once I change.” I turn to leave, but he catches my elbow before I get completely turned.

  “You could go in what you’re wearing.” He bends his head so that his mouth is right next to my ear. “But, you would never get to see the awesome date I have planned for us.” His breath tickles against my ear as he talks and makes me shiver.

  “W-We,” I stop to clear my throat, “We wouldn’t want that.”

  He pulls his head back. “No, we wouldn’t.” With that he lets my arm go, but I find it really hard to walk away from him and head to my room.

  Once in there I realize I don’t know where we are going, and in other words don’t know what I should wear. Crap. Thankfully, Lexi walks in before my panic attack could be set on full force. “I didn’t think to ask what to wear. What do I do? I don’t want to look like an idiot and walk back out there to ask him.” Deep breath.

  Lexi breaks out into hysterics. She is laughing so hard when she finally raises back up from being bent at the waste, and looks at me there are tears in her eyes. “You really like this Ryder fella, don’t you?”

  “No. I just don’t like looking stupid.”

  “Please, for once don’t treat me like I can’t read you like a book. I have never seen you freak out over something so trivial on a date before. That’s how I know you really like him. He is wearing casual clothes, so that’s what you wear.” She reaches in the closet and pulls out my black tank top that zips up the back. “I know a lot more about you than you give me credit for. Just like I
know that you think that Ms. Bran is looking into your past for a story.”

  “My past isn’t worthy for one of her stories.” I grab the shirt from her and pull it over my head. Then reach in my dresser drawer and grab my favorite pair of jeans.

  “Look, you want to leave it behind you. I get it. I may not have heard it from you, but me and Skeigh, we have been with you for too long not to have our own ideas what you have been through.” She almost whispers out. I zip up my shorts and turn to Lexi.

  “I know. It’s not that I want to keep you two in the dark, I have to. For my sake.” I explain.

  “We get it. When you’re ready, we are here for you, always.” She wraps her arms around my waist and squeezes. “Now, get out there to that hot man waiting on you. Go have fun.” She pushes me out of my own room, while I send a silent prayer to whatever greater being is out there, thanking them for sending me these girls. Lexi, Skeigh, and Jamie have been the ones keeping me sane.

  I walk up to Ryder and give him my best smile, because I am determined to exactly what Lexi said and have fun. “I’m ready if you are.” I tell him and hope I mean it.

  “Let’s get going then!” He reaches forward, grabs my hand while opening the door. “Have a good day ladies, I know we will.”

  Chapter 7

  Walking up to Ryder’s car, which was parked on the curb, he releases my hand and opens the passenger side door for me to climb in. Before I do however I give the car a once over. It was just one of those cars that deserved appreciation, vintage, solid black, and bench seats in the front and back. It was really nice. I had forgot he told me about him and Dave owning their own restoration shop. The girls and I took a trip to Gatlinburg one year on the weekend that they had Rod Run. Granted we did not know that when we went but ever since I have had a fascination with them. Not that I know a thing about them.

  “Should I be jealous that you are looking at my car like that?” He is standing behind me and his breath stirs the hair around my neck. I could’ve melt into him right here.

  “I figured with a car like that you were used to it getting all the attention.” I turn my head to look at him. Our noses nearly touching.

  “I am. You’re different though. I find myself wanting every ounce of your attention.” Ryder pulls back so he can examine my reaction. Oddly, I find myself wishing that he could have it all and more. “Does that make me selfish?”

  “Maybe.” I turn and take my seat in the car, “So where are you taking me?”

  “That is for me to know.” Before he shuts the door, he gives me that smile again. The one that swears he is up to no good. The one that gets my stomach fluttering out of control. It is still on his face when he flops into the driver seat and starts driving us to our destination. “And for you to find out.”

  We ride in comfortable silence, other than the radio playing softly. Before I know it we are coming to a stop. I look around to find where we are.

  “Do you know how to bowl?” He asks with excitement.

  “Honestly, I’ve only bowled once. I was nine. It was at my cousin’s birthday party and I had to use those things that come up in the gutters. Otherwise, I would have never knocked a single pin over.” I answer with laughter in my voice. It was actually a good memory from my childhood. My mom had dropped me off. It was fun, normal. That was before everything.

  Lies!

  You’re lying!

  I hadn’t even noticed that Ryder had gotten out of the car until he opens my door and reaches for me to get out. I put my hand in his and let him help me up.

  “Before we leave here then, my goal is to have you making strikes like a pro.” He declares. With my hand still in his he entwines our fingers and pulls me toward the bowling alley.

  Inside I let out the breath I had been holding. The place doesn’t really have anyone here, which was what I was hoping for. Less people to witness my ever present bowling catastrophe the better. This is not going to be good. Before we make it to the counter, the a little old lady that is standing behind it, turns and sees Ryder. She gives him a smile that lights up her being.

  “I’ll be damned! If it isn’t Ryder Hudson. Were in the sam hell have you been?” She hoots as she comes around the corner and gives him a hug. When she pulls away she hits him in the stomach with the back of her hand. “That is for making an old woman sick with worry.”

  I can’t help it, I start giggling. Her eyes turn to me and the scowl on her face disappears. “I know you were raised to be more polite than this, too. Are you going to introduce me to this lovely lady you got here? Or am I going to have to do it myself?”

  Ryder isn’t fazed a bit by the woman, he just lets out a laugh and says, “I would have already if you weren’t beating on me.”

  “Oh, hosh posh, that was no beat’n. Do I need to remind you what one of my whippin’s are really like?” I just stand there and watch them interact with each other. I assume they are family the way that they easily go about one another. She turns to face me again, “My name is Bethany. Everyone calls me Ol’ Beth.”

  “It is nice to meet you Bethany, My name is Katrina. Everyone calls me Kat.” I put my hand out for her to shake but she pushes it away. “Dear, there is no hand shakin’ here.” Then she pulls me down for a hug.

  When she lets go Ryder speaks up again. “We need a lane, please ma’am.”

  She sets the lane up and hands me my shoes. Ryder leads the way to the lane on the far end of the building. When I sit down to change my shoes Ryder tells me he will be right back, to go ahead and pick out a ball. I do as he says once my shoes are on, but I really don’t know what I am looking for. There is a wall full of bowling balls in every different color you can think of. I walk over to a bright orange, when I pick it up I nearly drop it on my toe because of how heavy it is. That one is out. Just above it there is a white ball, with swirls in it. I pick it up to notice that it isn’t too heavy and go to put it on the ball return, just in time for Ryder to come traipsing back with a huge black bag.

  “Had to go get my stuff out of the back.” He states as he sits down and opens the bag. It has two balls inside of it, and a pair of snazzy shoes.

  “You have your own bowling equipment?” I tease and raise my eyebrow at him.

  He changes his shoes and places his fancy balls on the rack before replying. “Yea. This used to be a big hobby of mine. Ol’ Beth was a friend of my moms. When she passed, my dad would bring us here and drop us off in the summer when he had to work. So, yea I have my own equipment.” The way he said it, I could just tell he was thinking back.

  “How old were you when your mother passed?” I ask.

  He turns and looks at me, sadness passes in his eyes before he speaks. “Seven. Dave was eight.” For a minute I think I should say something. Sorry doesn’t seem like it would help. I have never had to comfort anyone before, and nobody sure as hell comforted me when I needed it. I just didn’t know what to do, but before I could over analyze the situation his somber face sparks to life. “Off the sad subjects. It’s time to get on with the first phase of our date.” First phase? What the hell else did he have planned?

  He put our names on the screen, his first, then grabbed one of his bowling balls and stepped up to the line. Watching him place his fingers into the designated holes, but he doesn’t put his thumb in. Then he walks forward and releases the ball. That ball lines the edge of the gutter all the way to the end of the lane then curves out. Knocking every single pin down. That was crazy.

  “Didn’t expect that, considering I haven’t been down here in a while. I guess I still got it!” Ryder exclaims walking over to me and winks. “Your turn.” He points out.

  I stand and grab for the ball I picked out. “Don’t expect anything like what you just did.”

  I do as Ryder done, and place my fingers into the holes, but I use my thumb. Then I take the few steps to the line and roll the ball down the lane. I don’t back away until I see where the ball is headed. The gutter. Gah, I suck. I go back to s
it down when Ryder ask me what I am doing.

  “Um, sitting down. What does it look like? I threw and missed.” I sigh out.

  “Your turn isn’t over. I only got one turn because I knocked them all down the first time. It’s a called a strike and unless you pull off that kind of awesomeness each frame, you will go twice.” He laughs. Ryder comes to stand in front of me and helps me up. Then walks over, picks up my ball as soon as it comes back, and hands it to me. “You see those arrows out there in the lane. Aim for the middle one, keep your shoulders straight and you shouldn’t gutter this time.”

  I do as he says and watch the ball. It stays on the lane and knocks four of the pins down. I jump up while throwing my fist into the air. “Yes! I did it! I hit the pins!” When I turn around Ryder is looking at me with a big grin on his face. I don’t know what I am doing until I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his neck. What the hell. I let my arms fall to my sides and back away. “Thanks.”

  Ryder still has that smile on, but his eyes are smoldering. Before I can think about what is going on in that mind of his he takes his turn. We are having such good time we end up finishing this game and playing another. I can tell by watching Ryder, he loves bowling, this bowling alley, and everyone here. He has had several people stop by and talk to him and ask how he has been, and he does the same. I learn throughout the conversations that Bethany doesn’t have any children, and her husband must have died some time ago. When the second game is over, Ryder ends up with a score of 230 and I have a measly 98. While I change back into my shoes and put the marble white ball back where I found it, Ryder takes his bag to the back.

  I wait towards the door for him. He and Bethany come from the back room minutes later. They look like they are having a very serious conversation, and Ryder doesn’t seem to be happy with her. But he leans forward and gives her a big hug as she holds on to him saying something into his ear. Ryder pulls away looks at her, nods and walks over to where I stand waiting. I am taken back to see that his eyes aren’t their usual green, but a deep dark brown. He doesn’t say anything just grabs my hand and walks us out the door to his car. Again, he opens the door for me.