Expected publication: July 22nd
2014
“Sometimes, something jolts you out of everything
you have ever known, and it isn’t possible to go back to the way things
were.”
Kallie Adam’s life is turned upside down when she loses her
first love. When she can’t handle the pressure of her overbearing life anymore,
she runs away. Kallie has always been forced to live up to everyone’s
expectations. When Kallie meets Ryder, she sees an opportunity to break out of
the good girl life she always led.
Ryder Brooks has his own secrets and knows he is no good for
the girl that showed up out of nowhere. He will only ruin her, like he ruins
everything, but he can’t help wondering what she is running from. Ryder makes
Kallie feel things she thought she would never feel again. Will he help Kallie
heal or be her undoing? They will soon realize they have more in common than
they knew, enough to keep them apart.
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
options and was not about to start driving aimlessly looking for a more
family-friendly place to eat alone. I parked and entered the
building.
The smell of smoke and beer met 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 through, I ordered a burger
and fries. I anxiously played with the charms of my bracelet while waiting for
my food to come. I could feel the eyes burning into my back, but 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
and 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 know how dangerous that
could be. Maybe Carter would be sitting on my patio with me right now if it had
been daylight for his drive home. Maybe I wouldn’t be in this smokey bar
alone.
I slid my card to the bartender when he took my empty plate.
“Do you want to start a tab?” he asked me.
“For drinks?” I asked, like I have never been in a bar
before. “Yes,” I answered quickly to cover my embarrassment. I could at least
try to look like I know what I am 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 laugh 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 drink from the glass to
keep up my rouse.
The liquid burned my throat like I 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 deep 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 him 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 home and
my family. But, I currently have no where to hide that’s not any of those
places.
“You’re not from around here, are you?” I heard in a deep
voice near my ear.
I looked up quickly to see the guy, named Ryder, sliding
over to the stool next to me. His eyes traveled from my high heels, up my bare
legs and 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 that the face in front of mine was striking. Black hair spiked in every
direction. His pointed jaw and high cheekbones 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 he asked a question.
“Um…no. I’m not,” I stuttered, turning away from his
handsome face. He was opposite of Carter in almost every way. I could see him
still 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. The
drink burned when swallowed, but then was washed away with the freshness of
mint, lime and bubbles.
“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.I have an
obsession with owls.
Alyne lives in Ohio with her husband, dog and cat.
Working full time in an office all day, she spends her nights reading, writing
or watching TV marathons. She loves coffee, animals and country
music.
Author Central Amazon amazon.com/author/alyneroberts
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