Dancing With A Stranger (Londyn Carter Book 1)

by A. L. Martin

  Gavin was trying his hardest to cheer me up, but I knew the battle hadn’t even begun with my dad yet. Right as they brought out our drinks and cakes, I heard a familiar laugh coming from behind me. I knew not to turn around and look to see who was behind me.

  “Well, look who it is? Londyn and Gavin. Neither one of them can get a man,” Jayde laughed hanging onto Lucas’s arm.

  “Excuse me?” Gavin said, crinkling his nose at her.

  “You heard me.”

  “What the hell do you want, Jayde?” I snapped, getting up from my seat to face her.

  “Just to admire your loneliness is all. I must say the look doesn’t suit you that well, but then again, whose fault is that?”

  “Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but I’m not alone. Hunter is at home and I’m out spending time with my best friend. Something you know nothing about. So if you don’t mind, I’m going to go back to my iced latte and cake.” I smiled, turning my back on her to sit down.

  Gavin was sitting there pressing his lips together to keep from laughing. I could hear her making snide remarks a few feet away. I leaped to my feet almost tumbling my chair over backwards. Rage was consuming every inch of my body to the point it frightened me. I turned around and found them in the middle of the sidewalk a few feet away kissing. I took a couple of steps towards them, when a chair from the table off to the left of me went hurling towards them. They turned and went into the pizza place that was located a few stores down from the café. I quickly unclenched my fists and the chair slammed down on the concrete inches from where they were standing.

  I looked down at my hands, then over to the chair still laying in the middle of the sidewalk. I turned my head to the right, looking over my right shoulder back at Gavin, expecting him to be sitting there with his mouth wide-open or something. Instead, I found no reaction to what had just happened. He had his face in his phone, texting. I assumed he was probably telling Sam about us running into Lucas and Jayde. I turned back around and slowly lowered myself back down into my chair. I sat there for a few minutes looking down at my cake, taking a few sips of my iced latte, trying to make sense of what just happened. I knew if I tried to tell him that I thought the chair moved because I was mad, he wouldn’t have believed me. The wind wasn’t blowing hard enough to knock over an iron chair, let alone move it a foot away from the table.

  ****

  We got back to my house a few hours later. I let out a huge sigh of relief when I noticed my Dad’s car was gone. Hopefully, he was on some kind of date. If he was on a date, he probably wouldn’t be home until late, and I would make sure to be in my room with the door closed by that time.

  “Do you want to stay for dinner if he’s gone for the night?” I asked, getting out of Gavin’s car.

  “I would love to. However, I promised my parents I would be home for dinner tonight. I got to do the family thing,” he said, making air quotations.

  I couldn’t help but laugh when he did that because I knew he was thinking of Sam and her always having to be home for family time. There is nothing wrong with spending time with your family, but you also need to have time away from them too.

  I gave Gavin a big hug and thanked him for getting me out of the house and away from Dad for a few hours. He told me he would see me tomorrow and to text him if I needed him later. I assured him that I would be okay, and that I would see him in the morning at my locker. I got to the top of the steps, turning around to wave by to Gavin as he turned the car around to head home. I was greeted with the wonderful aroma of whatever Valerie was cooking in the kitchen when I opened up the front door. I took a deep inhale, closing my eyes, then closed the door behind me.

  “Valerie, what smells so good in here?” I said, walking into the kitchen.

  “Hi, Londyn. I’m making Chicken Marsala for dinner. I hope you are hungry.”

  “Where is Dad?”

  “He’s out on a date, so he won’t be home until late tonight. Sine he’s gone and I’m making all this food, I thought maybe you could invite Hunter over for dinner.”

  “What if Dad comes home early?” I asked, leaning down on the island.

  “Well, why don’t you go pick him up, and if your dad happens to come home early, I can take him home. He can go out the back door and out to my car. There, problem solved!” She threw her hands up in the air in victory over solving the “Dad issue.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked, backing towards the doorway.

  “Yes. But first, don’t you think you should text him first to see if he wants to come over for dinner?” She laughed, turning back around toward the stove.

  “I guess that would help.” I went to go get my phone.

  It only took a few minutes to text me back, telling me to pick him up at his dad’s house and that he would be waiting for me. I ran back in the kitchen to let Valerie know that I was on my way to pick up Hunter and I would be back in about 40 minutes. I grabbed my keys and wristlet off the table in the hall by the front door, running out to my car. I sped down the drive

  toward the road, turning right to head towards Hunter’s.

  I could see Hunter sitting on the steps as I pulled in front of his house. He looked up from his phone, flashing me one of his perfect smiles. He motioned me to wait, then disappeared in the front door and was back out within a few minutes. I assumed he told his dad I was there and that he was leaving with me. He hopped in the passenger seat, leaning over to give me a kiss. His breath tasted like peppermint, and his skin smelled of ginger and leather. I took a deep breath in before leaning back in the seat.

  “I’m glad you texted me, Londyn.” He smiled. “I know I saw you earlier, but I’ve missed you already,” he said, caressing my cheek.

  “I missed you too. I hope you are hungry. Valerie made Chicken Marsala, mashed potatoes, and some kind of vegetable. Her cooking is amazing!” I smiled, pulling away from the front of his house. He placed his hand on my leg, as we drove back to the house to have dinner with Valerie and Jules.

  “Valerie, we are back!” I yelled, walking through the front door. “It smells so good,” I said, walking toward the kitchen. Hunter following close behind me.

  “It does smell good,” he said, taking my hand.

  “Valerie?”

  “She’s not here. I sent her home for the evening.” Dad walked out of the kitchen.

  “Dad…” I stopped so abruptly that Hunter bumped into me.

  “Now I see why Valerie didn’t want to go home. I’m Londyn’s father, Mr. Carter. You must be Hunter.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Sorry for my daughter’s careless behavior. She must have told you she has a boyfriend.” He raised his eyebrow.

  “Dad! I AM NOT WITH LUCAS!” I screamed.

  “Londyn! You are going to get back with him. You made a mistake.” He glared over at me.

  I looked over at Hunter, glancing back at me with his eyes narrowing. I could see he was rather confused by what was happening.

  “Again, I’m sorry for my daughter giving you the wrong impression.” He looked over Hunter’s shoulder out the window by the front door. “I don’t see your car out there. I take it she picked you up. I can call you a cab.” He glared at Hunter as if he was trying to kill him with his stare.

  “No, thank you, sir. I can get my own ride,” Hunter said, tuning toward the door.

  “How could you do that to me?” I hissed through gritted teeth.

  “It’s true. How could you be with someone like him when you can be with Lucas.”

  “Has the thought ever crossed your narrow mind that maybe I don’t want to be with Lucas anymore? He’s with Jayde! They are perfect for one another.” I turned to go outside with Hunter.

  “Hunter, I’m so sorry about that. My dad has some stupid idea that I want to be with Lucas. I hope you realize that’s not true.”

  “I know it’s not true, but he clearly doesn’t want me here. I don’t want to cause you any more problems for you. I called Skyler. He will
be here in about 20 minutes. You should probably go back inside before he comes out here,” he said, motioning toward the house.

  “I want to stay out here with you. Besides, he will wait until you are gone. He can’t stop me from waiting out here with you.” I moved closer to him. “Again, I’m really sorry.” I lowered my head.

  “Londyn, it’s okay.” He sat down on the step.

  I sat down beside him. “I hope you know I want to be with you. I can see you when I’m at my mom’s house. You know she doesn’t mind if you come over.” I smiled.

  He reached over, raising my hand up to his lips, his breath warmed my cool skin. All I knew was that I had to do everything in my power to keep him in my life. We sat there on the step talking while we waited for Skyler to come pick him up. Skyler pulled into the drive twenty minutes later. I walked Hunter over to Skyler’s car, not wanting him to go. I knew this could be the last time I would see Hunter after how my dad treated him. I couldn’t blame him for not wanting to see me again. Who’d want to date a girl with a “Control Freak” father?

  “Londyn, I’m not going anywhere. I promise.” He pulled me closer to him, my head laying against his chest. I closed my eyes, taking in the scent of his cologne. I wanted to stay in his arms forever. I opened my eyes glancing toward the house where I could see my dad standing close to the window. His glare was so intense, I could picture daggers flying through the window at Hunter. He kissed me on the forehead and squeezed me gently before getting in the car. I apologized to Skyler for having to drive out there to pick him up. He told me I didn’t have to apologize because he owed Hunter for all the times he had to pick him up in the past. I reached for Hunter’s hand, leaning in the car to give him a kiss, then told him I was sorry for how Dad had treated him. He assured me it was okay, and that he would get a hold of me tomorrow.

  I stood there, watching Hunter and Skyler leave the drive and down the road until I could no longer see the car. I stood there for a few more minutes in an attempt to prolong going back in the house. I didn’t want to be around my father, and I certainly didn’t want to hear one of his stupid-ass lectures. I closed my eyes, tilting my head back as I let out an exasperated sigh. I opened my eyes and went back in the house. I was happy to see Dad was nowhere in sight when I opened the front door. I peeked down the hall and saw his office door was closed. I didn’t hesitate to run upstairs, so I could be left alone. I closed my door, then flopped down on my bed tossing a pillow over my face to muffle my frustrated screams. I laid there like that for a few minutes before I heard my door ease open. I knew it was Jules without even taking the pillow off my face.

  “Are you okay, Londyn? I heard you when I was about to go in my room. What happened? I thought Hunter was coming over for dinner. Valerie told me after I asked her where you went earlier,” she said, closing the door behind her.

  “Dad!” I yelled through my pillow.

  “I kinda figured he was involved with it. What did you do, besides be himself?”

  “He apologized to Hunter that I wasn’t honest with him about getting back together with Lucas,” I said, flinging the pillow across my bed onto the floor.

  “He said what? He never lets up! Does he?” She sat down on the bed beside me.

  “I told him I was never getting back with Lucas, and that he needed to stop. He didn’t listen of course. He even offered to get Hunter a cab.”

  “Wow…”

  “Yeah.”

  “I know you aren’t hungry, but you should try to eat something. I can go down and warm up food and bring it back up to your room. Dad took his food to his office, which means he will be in there for the rest of the night.”

  Jules was back with our food about twenty minutes later. She was right, I wasn’t that hungry, but I knew I needed to eat something. I did love Valerie’s Chicken Marsala. Besides, eating in my room with Jules wasn’t the night I had in mind, but it was better than being around “Him”. We sat on my bed while we ate our dinners and she talked about Asher. I told her to be careful of him so that he doesn’t treat her the way Lucas treated me the past few years. She assured me that she wouldn’t let that happen. I told her I couldn’t believe I had bought into Lucas’s lies that let me think I was the only girl for him. I felt like a damn moron for believing him. I could tell she was trying hard not to bring up Hunter and what I was going to do about everything. I appreciated her thoughtfulness, but I also knew she was curious at the same time.

  A few hours later, she took our plates downstairs and left me alone with my thoughts. I didn’t feel like talking a lot, but then again, I didn’t want to sit alone in my room thinking about Hunter and how I may have last him thanks to my control-freak father.

  The next morning came ever so slowly, and my bed looked like war had broken out. Bed-one, Me-zero. I stumbled out of bed and over to my vanity, where I found this strange girl resembling a shell of me, staring back at me. Her hair was disheveled, and her clothes looked as if they had been wadded up in the bottom of the drawer before putting them on. There were dark circles under her eyes as well.

  I opened my door, tiptoeing out into the hall, straining to hear if my father was still home in the kitchen. After a few minutes of leaning over the railing, I took a deep breath and started walking down the stairs. I stood at the bottom of the stairs, listening to who was in the kitchen with Valerie. When I didn’t hear my father’s voice, I looked down the hall to find his office door open. I was a few feet away from the kitchen, stretching my neck to look around best I could from where I was standing in the hall.

  “Good morning, Valerie,” I said, taking a few steps into the kitchen.

  Valerie was standing in front of the stove in her jeans, tennis shoes, and a long, short-sleeved, knit maroon shirt with her apron tied around her waist. She set the spatula down next to the stove, then walked over to me, pulling me in for a hug. “I’m so sorry, Londyn. I tried to tell him I didn’t mind staying last night, but he was insistent that I go home as soon as dinner was done cooking.”

  “It’s okay, Valerie. It’s not your fault.

  “Didn’t you want me to make you something else for breakfast?” she asked, walking back over to the stove.

  “No. I’m not really hungry today. I didn’t sleep good last night.”

  “Didn’t sleep good? You look like total shit.” Jules said, walking past me.

  “Thank you for that observation,” I snapped.

  “Sorry, but have you looked at yourself in the mirror yet?”

  “Yes. I know I look bad.” I walked over to get a glass out of the cabinet.

  “Do you need help getting ready?” Jules asked, hopping up in the far-left stool.

  “No,” I said, walking out of the kitchen, taking my glass of juice with me.

  I closed my bedroom door behind me, then looked into the mirror and realized there was no way to fix the way I looked in the limited amount of time I had to get ready. I grabbed my phone, quickly dialing Mom to see if she would call me in sick.

  “Morning, Mom. I was hoping you could do me a favor this morning and call me in sick at school,” I asked my voice raspy.

  “You sound dreadful. Are you getting sick? Do I need to make you an appointment to see the doctor?” Mom asked, concern flying at me through the phone.

  “No, I’m not sick. I got zero sleep last night.”

  “I have a feeling your dad has something to do with no sleep. Sure, I will call you in to school. Promise me you will go back to bed and get a little sleep.”

  “I promise. First, I have to go down and see if Valerie can take Jules to school for me.”

  “I need to call the school and let them know you are sick. I will let you text me later when you wake up. Again, try to get some sleep. Love you.”

  “Thanks. Love you too, Mom.”

  I tossed my phone down on my bed and ran downstairs to see if Valerie could take Jules to school for me.

  “Valerie, is there any way you can drop Jules off at school today?
Mom is calling me in sick, so I can get some sleep since I got none last night.

  “Yes. I had a feeling you were going to stay home today. Do you want me to make you something real quick before I take Jules to school?” she asked, wiping down the far end of the island by the refrigerator.

  “No. I will fix me an English muffin with peanut butter and jelly. Thank you, Valerie.”

  “Anytime, Sweetie. I feel bad about what happened last night. I know I work for your father, but you girls are like my own kids and I love you.” She wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me gently.

  She walked around and gave Jules a hug too, then told her to grab her things so she could drop her off at school. They left the house ten minutes later, and I was left there alone in the kitchen, thinking about Hunter and if he would keep his promise about getting a hold of me today.

  I grabbed the English muffins out of the bread box, putting one in the toaster. I got the peanut butter and jelly out, then poured myself a small glass of milk. I didn’t know why I was fixing this English muffin because I wasn’t hungry, but I promised Valerie I would eat a little something before I went back to bed. Valerie was like a second mom to me and I couldn’t lie to her. She was away from her family to help take care of me and Jules, so that was the least I could do for all she was doing for us. I sat there at the island eating my breakfast, when I heard the front door open and close. I sat there frozen, holding my breath, listening for the clicking sound that dress shoes make when they hit the tile floor with each step that a person takes.

  “Londyn? Are you still up?” Valerie asked, walking into the kitchen.

  The air escaped my mouth in a rush as my shoulders slumped from their stiffened state.

  “Did I scare you? I’m sorry,” she said, walking around the other side of the island.

  “I thought you were Dad at first. I didn’t want him to find me in here, demanding why I’m not at school right now.”