CHAPTER THREE
Blitzy’s
Shelby—
“When are you moving out?”
My father’s question hits me the moment I walk in the door. He’s sitting in his recliner, watching the game show he never misses. I’m exhausted, and my feet hurt from standing all day in heels, so I snap without thinking.
“Geez, I’ve only had this job three weeks.”
It’s the wrong thing to say to my father. I know it the moment the words leave my mouth. No one corrects him. No one backtalks him. Ever.
The recliner claps shut as he surges to his feet and stalks toward me.
“What the hell did you just say to me?”
I scramble backward and hit the wall near the staircase. His fist flies toward my face, and I duck, but he lands it. My cheek and eye explode in pain, but I manage to dash up the steps, escaping him. My father is a big man, and he hates climbing these stairs. It’s probably the only thing that saves me. But his thundering words follow me up.
“You think you’re so high and mighty now you got a big job at the bank? You start paying rent on your next payday or you move your skinny ass out. You hear me?”
I don’t answer. I close my bedroom door and lock it, then move to the tiny bathroom and run cold water over a washcloth. I press it to the side of my face and look at my reflection. What has my life become?
Since my mother died almost two years ago, things have gotten progressively worse. She was the buffer. With her gone, Dad’s let his rage and general dissatisfaction with life loose on me. My father and I have never been close. Mostly, I’ve tried to stay out of his way. Now this small house seems to be closing in on us. I want out just as badly as he wants me out, but a bank teller, especially one who just graduated from high school, doesn’t make much money. Not nearly enough to pay rent on any of the decent apartments I’ve found.
I return to my bedroom and drop onto my bed. Digging out my phone, I text my BFF.
ME: I’ve got to find a place. I can’t take it here anymore
JENNY: You can come stay with us. I told you my mom said it’s okay
ME: I don’t want to impose
JENNY: Then chip in some money. Whatever you can afford. I know it’d help her make ends meet since my dad walked out on her
ME: Do you miss your dad?
JENNY: Fuck him. Mom says he’s already moved in with his girlfriend. The one he denied having all this time. What a dick. Men suck
I stare at the phone. I don’t want to think that all men suck. I still hang onto that little girl, Cinderella fantasy. I need to hang onto the hope that someday I’ll find a good man. One to swoop me up and take me away from this awful life in this stupid little town I’ve come to hate. Not that I know any different. I’ve never been out of the state. With that thought, an idea pops into my head.
ME: Maybe we could leave town together. We could go to California and see the ocean
JENNY: And live off what? All I’ve ever done is wait tables. I hear it’s really expensive out there
ME: It can’t be worse than here. I hate this town
JENNY: Me too. Don’t worry. We’ll think of something. Hey, we need to plan something for your birthday. You’ll be a big, cool eighteen-year-old. You’ll have two days off for the holiday weekend, right?
My birthday. It’ll be the second one without my mom. I’m sure my father won’t remember, and to tell the truth, I don’t want him to. I used to love my birthdays. Mom always made them special. Now the thought of it depresses me.
ME: Yes, the bank will be closed
JENNY: Maybe we can go to the mountains. It’ll be cooler up there. I have enough money for gas. It’ll be fun. They’re having an art festival this weekend. We can stay with my aunt
ME: Maybe
A moment later, my phone rings. It’s Jenny.
“Hey,” I say sullenly.
“You sound down-in-the-dumps. I know what you need. Ice cream. I’ll pick you up and take you to Blitzy’s. My treat since it’s your birthday week. You can get one of those shake-things with the mini peanut butter cups inside.”
“It’s not a shake, Jenny. You eat it with a spoon.”
“Whatever. You want one. You know you do. I’ll be in front of your house in ten minutes.”
The television blares from downstairs. I really don’t want to be here. “Okay. Fine.”
“See you in a few.”
After hanging up, I slip into a pair of cutoff shorts, a tank top, and sandals, then lean over the bathroom sink to dab some makeup over my bruising face. Returning to my room, I drop to the bed and watch out the window for Jenny’s car. I see her pull to the curb, and I grab my purse and dash down the stairs and out the door.
“Where are you going?” my father bellows, and I hear his recliner snap upright before the screen door slams behind me. I sprint across the lawn and jump in the front seat. Glancing back, I see my father at the door.
“Get back here!” he yells.
“Go. Go!” I tell Jenny, and she hits the gas, laughing and leaning across me to flip him off. I grab her hand and shove it down. “Have you lost your mind? I have to go home later.”
She twists her head and takes in my cheek. “That son-of-a-bitch. He hit you again, didn’t he?”
I don’t have to confirm it. She knows.
“You don’t have to go back there. Stay at my house.”
“I don’t have any of my clothes.”
“We can come back tomorrow when he goes to the tire store.” She looks over at me, suddenly all serious. “I mean it, Shelby. We can move all your stuff into my house. You’ll never have to deal with him again. I hate the way he treats you. You shouldn’t have to put up with it.”
I stare out my window and feel the familiar sting in my eyes. I blink, refusing to give into the tears. They don’t help.
Jenny squeezes my hand. Somehow, her showing me sympathy just makes it that much harder to hold it together. Jenny knows me to a tee, and she knows just what I need right now.
“Hey, guess what my little brother did today? He washed our dog in my baby sister’s kiddie pool.”
I give her a half smile. “That’s nice.”
She snorts. “He added two scoops of grape Kool-Aid to the pool. Our golden retriever is now purple.”
Her story works, and I can’t help grinning.
“Mom says he’s grounded for the entire summer.”
“She doesn’t mean that,” I say, knowing her mother well.
“Oh, I think she does this time. The dog ran into the house and jumped on the couch. Now it’s purple, too. My brother might never see daylight again.”
I snort. “Gee, you’re really talking me into coming over tonight.”
She giggles and turns into the lot of Blitzy’s. It’s one of those places where you can park and order at the little speaker next to your car, or you can get out and sit at the tables under a low hanging roof at the front.
Jenny and I always order at the walk-up window and sit at the tables. It’s easier to watch the cars drive past that way. This place has always been a hangout for the kids in our high school. Now that she and I have graduated, it seems like none of our group comes here anymore.
She parks, and we climb out.
It’s dusk now, and I haven’t eaten dinner, but all I can think about is that ice cream. When we get to the window, Jenny looks over at me.
“Do you want a burger or something? I didn’t even think about the fact that you just got off work. I bet you didn’t even eat, did you?”
“No, but all I want is the ice cream.”
“Well, I’m getting cheesy fries, too.” She turns and smiles at the waitress.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes, my friend wants a peanut butter cup blaster, and I’ll have a chocolate shake and an order of chili fries.” Jenny scopes out the menu over the waitress’s head. “Are you sure you don’t want anything else? It’s your birthday week. You should totally pig out.”
I feel a presence over my shoulder and turn my head, catching a glimpse of a tall man out of the corner of my eye. I can’t help twisting to catch a better look. He’s taller than me, and I’m not short. My eyes connect with a black t-shirt stretched tightly across his chest and muscled arms before climbing his tanned throat to his face. He’s gorgeous, with a dark beard, chiseled cheekbones, and light green eyes with crinkles around the corners.
He’s smiling at me. Then he speaks, and his voice is the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard.
“Happy birthday, pretty girl.”
I flush pink and give a half smile. “Thank you.”
His eyes drop to my cheek, and his smile disappears. I guess my makeup didn’t cover the bruising. That or the cold compress didn’t help the swelling. I duct my head and face forward. Maybe we should have ordered at the speaker. But at the same time a nervous thrill shoots through me that he spoke to me.
Jenny leans on the counter, but at his words, she twists her head and takes him in, then faces forward and gives me a big-eyed oh-my-God look and a sly grin, bumping my elbow with hers.
The sound of tires squealing draws all our attention, and a vehicle barrels into the lot. I recognize my father’s pickup truck immediately, and my eyes shut in mortification. He’s about to make a scene.
“I can’t believe he went out looking for us.”
“I can,” Jenny replies.
There are several customers over at the outdoor tables, and they’re all watching him as he stalks toward me.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Shelby?” He jerks his head in Jenny’s direction. “And you. I saw you flipping me off, you little bitch. I guess since your father ran off, your mother just lets you run wild, huh?”
“Leave Jenny out of this. It’s me you’re mad at,” I say in a whisper. “We’re just getting ice cream.”
He points toward his pickup. “Get in the truck.”
The hot guy who was waiting behind us steps between me and my father.
“Back off, old man.”
His words are said in a calm, low voice, but they’re deadly just the same—maybe even more so than if he’d yelled. The hairs on my arms rise. No one’s ever stepped up for me before. I’m terrified of what’s about to happen.
My father looks him up and down, but I see the shock on his face. As he takes in this stranger’s no-nonsense look—the one that says, “try me, asshole ”—my father suddenly licks his lips and takes a step back. To my disbelief, he looks at me and backs down for the first time in his life. “You be home before ten, young lady.”
With that, he returns to his vehicle.
My mouth drops open.
“Holy cow,” Jenny whispers. “Thanks, mister.”
“That your father?” the hot guy asks, ignoring Jenny. His pretty gray-green eyes look into mine like he can see straight into my soul.
I nod.
“He treat you like that often?”
Jenny perks up. “All the time. He’s a real dick.”
“He do that?” The stranger’s chin lifts to my face, and I slam my hand over my cheek, mortified all over again.
My father climbs his fat body behind the wheel, and the next thing I know, the hot guy is stalking toward his truck. He puts a hand on the roof and gestures with a circular motion of his hand for my father to roll his window down. It glides open, and the hot guy dips his head and says something, then he pauses. A second later, he pops his fist on the roof and everyone hears the bang. My father nods, and the hot guy jerks his chin up like he’s signaling him to pull out.
My father backs his truck out and peels off the lot.
“Holy shit,” Jenny hisses. “Did you see that? What do you think he said to him?”
“I don’t know.”
The waitress sets a tray on the counter, and Jenny turns to get it, but I can only stare at the man who’s walking back toward us. His eyes lock with mine, and I can’t look away.
I’m speechless. I can’t even find my voice to thank him.
When he gets to us, he reaches beyond me and grabs a pen off the counter. Then, stunning me further, he takes my hand gently in his, turns it palm up, and writes a phone number on it in blue ink.
“He ever touches you again, call me.”
I stare at my palm, my heart beating a mile a minute.
With the edge of his finger, he tips my chin up. “What’s your name?”
“Shelby,” I whisper.
“You don’t deserve that, Shelby. Understand?”
I nod, my eyes stinging.
“What’ll you have, sir?” the waitress asks, and Jenny and I move away.
The guy watches us, then turns and orders.
I sit at a table but keep my eyes on the stranger. I don’t even know his name. But he knows mine. I glance at the number on my hand, and a tingle shoots through my body.
He gets a bag of food and returns to a vehicle. It’s then I notice the guy in the driver’s seat, smoking a cigarette and watching us. They back out and drive away, and I feel a tug of sadness, wondering if I’ll never see him again.
Jenny draws my attention. “That guy was so hot. I can’t believe he told off your old man like that.”
Me, neither. Maybe there are some good guys in this world.