by Lee Rose
Stella and Liz made Lacy try on all kinds of clothes and model them, and even though she only bought two pairs of jeans and two blouses, she had so much fun laughing and joking with the two women. She couldn’t remember the last time she had spent an hour just hanging out for fun. Even before her mom died they both worked long hours and spent their evenings at home resting in front of the TV. She promised Liz she would come back and shop again. She had been so caught up in her own grief that she had forgotten life could be fun, too.
She had always thought of herself as chubby but Stella told her she had a woman’s body. “I’ve always wanted more curves but I stay skinny,” Stella complained, looking at Lacy modeling a short, tight red dress. “You look hot in that. I wouldn’t.”
Once Lacy had her stuff picked out, Liz convinced Stella to buy a sexy negligee to surprise her husband with. “He’ll love it,” Liz assured her friend. “His eyes will pop out of his face for sure.”
Stella’s cheeks turned red but she bought the sexy nightgown with a smile.
Liz promised to stop by the diner on her breaks to have coffee and chat with Lacy and Stella, and Lacy was glad to have made another friend.
At the end of the week Ally told Lacy she could have the job permanently. “Everyone loves you, hun. Why, even Mr. Harris hasn’t complained about you, and believe me, he complains about every little thing. Just yesterday he told me my meatloaf was missing salt but he was going to eat it because he was hungry.” Ally laughed, shaking her head. “You’re good with people. You are so patient and kind and people respond to that. I hate to talk ill of people, but my last girl was kind of moody.”
Ally hugged Lacy, who thanked her warmly and went back to work.
For the first time in over a year, Lacy felt the fog of depression that had ruled her life lifting and fading away. She felt alive and she was making friends here. Mom would be proud, she thought and felt warm inside. Never again would she let life get her so down that she wanted to give up. Her mother had always taught her that life was a gift and to make the best of it no matter what, but those lessons had gotten lost when she let the grief and pain rule her life.
Ally was such a motherly type. Lacy loved that about her. She fussed over them and made sure they took breaks and ate. It reminded her of her own mom, who she could now remember with fondness and love instead of just pain. She still wished her mom was alive but she understood life had to go on.
Ryan, on the other hand, confused her and piqued her interest at the same time. He watched her every move and she wondered if he was afraid she’d rob them the minute he blinked. He was able to make her pulse speed up and her insides melt with just a smile. Her body was so attuned to his that she always knew when he came in the diner before she actually saw him. But she kept her guard up around him. Stella had already told her the whole story of how he dated Emma, the waitress that walked out. He dumped her when she got too serious. Emma had left heartbroken, Stella told her. Her life was already in enough of a mess. She didn’t need to complicate it more by getting involved with Sheriff Hotness.
He came in and sat in her section all week. She tried to get Stella to wait on him but Stella laughed and pushed Lacy toward Ryan’s table. She went up to his booth, ready for more questions. Every day he asked her a personal question, which she usually ignored or answered vaguely. She knew he didn’t like the fact that Ally hired her without references and also let her stay in the apartment upstairs. It was almost like a game they played. She even started looking forward to it. But today he shocked her by asking her out on a date.
“What?” she said, looking confused. Maybe she had heard wrong.
Ryan saw her confusion and smiled. She obviously hadn’t expected him to ask her out. He surprised himself; he hadn’t planned on asking her out. But over the last week his nights were filled with erotic dreams of Lacy and even during the day he would be sitting at his desk and suddenly he would think of her and catch himself smiling like a schoolboy over his first crush. He had tried to remind himself that he didn’t need to entangle himself in another romance, but he could no longer resist wanting to get to know her more. “I know you’re off tomorrow, so do you wanna see a movie with me? We’d have to drive over to the next town of St. Clair. It’s about thirty miles from here but it’s got more to do than Appledale.” Ryan knew if he took Lacy to Thorn’s Bar where Emma, his ex-girlfriend, liked to hang out, Emma would cause a huge scene. It was better to get away from Appledale and avoid the drama.
She didn’t know how to answer. “I thought your mom said you weren’t allowed to date the waitresses?”
Ryan grinned and stood up. When he looked down at her she felt so small and feminine. “I’ll handle my mom, darlin’. All you gotta do is say yes.”
Lacy just nodded and agreed, still feeling a little shocked. She hadn’t dated in such a long time. Maybe this wasn’t a wise move, but Ryan had invaded her dreams all week long and she couldn’t resist him anymore.
“Pick you up at six then.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek softly and she trembled. He smiled smugly and left.
* * * *
The following evening, Lacy felt anxious as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was hanging loose around her shoulders and she put mascara and lip gloss on. It was silly but she wanted to impress Ryan. She thought about her apartment and life in Detroit and felt guilty. She should’ve been brave and gone to the police. At least she’d know she had tried to report the murder even if they didn’t believe her. She had picked up the phone several times to call the Detroit Police Department, but she got too scared each time and hung up. Should she get a lawyer? What if she was the criminal now?
Today she had made up her mind to tell Ryan the whole story and hoped he would help her report it even if she did get in trouble for running away. She couldn’t live with this guilt anymore and someone had to put an end to Chico and his gang’s reign of terror. Her mom had always taught her to never run away from a problem and Lacy was determined to fix her big mistake.
A loud knock startled her out of her deep thoughts. “Lacy, it’s Ryan.” She heard his voice coming through the door and she eagerly went to open it.
He stood there in jeans and a blue T-shirt that fit snuggly over his muscular chest and trim waist. She hadn’t seen him out of uniform before. “Come in,” she said huskily with a smile. He looked mouthwateringly good.
He came in and looked her over. She had on her new jeans and a pale pink blouse with a hint of cleavage. Her hair was hanging loose on her shoulders and her kissable lips were pink and glossy. “We’d better go before I give in to temptation and march you to your bedroom, darlin’.”
Lacy’s cheeks turned pink but she smiled. “Sheriff, you are so bad.”
On the drive to St. Clair they decided on an action/adventure movie. Ryan had an easygoing personality and made her feel comfortable talking to him right away. There was none of the awkwardness she usually found on first dates.
Ryan was different than Lacy expected. He always looked so serious but tonight he was very relaxed and he made her blush by brazenly looking at her and telling her how sexy she looked. He didn’t interrogate her with questions. She was able to relax and enjoy the date. She had wondered at first if this was just another way to get answers from her. When they got to the theatre he held her hand and she felt a shiver run through her body just from that small touch. While they were waiting in line at the concession stand Ryan hugged her close to his side as if he didn’t want her far from him. Lacy loved the feel of his hard warm body next to her. “What do you want, darlin’?” Ryan said softly in her ear.
“Just a soda.” Lacy smiled looking into his eyes. They were so beautiful and it would be easy to get lost in them. Ryan kept his arm around Lacy’s shoulder and she felt so sheltered.
“Aww, come on, let’s share some M&Ms together. You can’t watch a movie without chocolate. It’s a law.” He looked like a little boy pleading to have some candy before dinner. Lacy
couldn’t help but laugh at the face he was making. She agreed with him and they went in to sit down.
Lacy enjoyed the movie but she would have enjoyed going anywhere with Ryan. Lacy leaned her head on Ryan’s shoulder during the movie. He kept his attention on her and made her feel special as if they were two people totally alone instead of in a crowded movie theatre. He was good-looking and she saw other women eyeing him but Ryan kept his attention solely on her.
They chatted on the drive back to Appledale. Lacy was enjoying his company so much that she didn’t want the date to end yet. Ryan seemed to be enjoying himself, too. She had never seen him smile so much. She found out he was thirty and was elected sheriff two years ago, and he couldn’t imagine doing anything else. The town was mostly quiet, he told her, but every once in a while they had small crimes. Mostly they were around to help people in trouble. She liked that he enjoyed helping others. It showed his honorable character and in her opinion that was hard to find. She had certainly never found it in any of her past boyfriends. She told him she was twenty-five and never lived anywhere but Detroit but she really liked Appledale and how different it was from city life. When they got to town it was still early, so Ryan asked her if she wanted to go by his place and get something to eat. Lacy hoped he was reluctant for their time together to end.
“My mom is at bingo with friends but she’ll be home soon so your virtue is safe—this time.” He winked playfully.
Lacy laughed and agreed. “Behave, Sheriff.”
He drove down a long winding road that led to a beautiful log-cabin-style house with a wraparound porch, surrounded by trees. There was a porch swing, which Lacy thought was romantic, and lots of flowers. Ally was quite the gardener.
Lacy gasped. “Oh, Ryan, I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. Did you grow up here?”
He nodded. “I was lucky. It holds good memories of my dad. He passed away three years ago and my mom refuses to sell it. I didn’t want my mom to be alone so I still live here, too.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. My mom died last year. I know it’s hard to lose a parent.” She frowned. He opened the door for her and led her up the porch stairs, keeping his hand at her back and guiding her inside his home.
Inside was a large living room filled with big but comfortable-looking furniture. A huge fireplace was a focal point of the room. It had a homey, lived-in feel and she loved it. She had always lived in small, affordable apartments since it had been just her and her mom, and this looked like something she had only seen on TV. The kitchen was open to the living room with big windows overlooking the backyard and woods behind the house. There was a long island with barstools in the middle of the kitchen. He took out all the fixings for roast beef sandwiches along with chips and iced tea. She couldn’t remember the last time she had enjoyed herself so much on a date. If she wasn’t careful, she could fall hard for Ryan Clark and end up another brokenhearted waitress.
She helped him clean up after they ate and knew the time had come to get serious and talk with him. Hopefully he wouldn’t hate her by the time she was done telling him her story because she really liked him and wanted to get to know him more. “Ryan, can we talk about something for a minute?” she asked nervously.
Ryan couldn’t imagine what she needed to talk about but he nodded and led her to the living room. He sat next to her on the couch and held her hands. Lacy’s hands were cold and she looked scared to death.
“Despite all the bad things I’m sure Stella and my mom told you about me, I promise not to ravish you.” He tried teasing her, rubbing her hands to warm them up.
“Oh, Ryan, you’re not a bad person, but I am.” With that she burst into tears which surprised him. He hadn’t been expecting that.
He gave her tissues and tried to comfort her. She took a deep breath to calm herself down. She told Ryan about Chico and what she had seen him do and how they chased her but she managed to get away. In her terrified state of mind she had panicked and hopped on a bus that ended up in Appledale. He listened to her story quietly, without interrupting or judging her.
When she finished her story, she looked at him, afraid to see his reaction. “Do you hate me now?” she whispered, drying up her eyes with the tissues.
He put his arms around her and pulled her shivering body close. “Never, Lacy! Who wouldn’t be terrified seeing someone shot like that? I’m so glad you got away from them.” He soothingly rubbed her back with his hands. She could easily have been caught and killed and he would never have met her. He thanked God she had gotten away and was here with him now. She felt so small and fragile in his arms. He could feel her body shaking from the fear of retelling the story. She brought out all his protective instincts. “Are you telling me this because you want to report it to the police?” He hoped so, because he had a duty to report it even if she didn’t want to.
Lacy sniffed and nodded. She was a little embarrassed at her breakdown, but Ryan’s arms around her felt so good. His body was so warm and hard. “I feel so guilty that I haven’t been able to sleep. I had no idea what to do or who to turn to so I ran in fear. I know it was the wrong thing to do. I should have gone straight to the police even if they didn’t believe me. The victim deserved that much at least,” she said, crying.
“Did you know the victim?” Ryan asked, his hands running through her soft hair soothingly.
Lacy shook her head. “Only Chico and his boys because I had to put up with them every day when I got home from work. I think he was from another gang but I’m not sure.”
When Lacy told him how they harassed her every day, he wanted to go over there and personally make sure they would never harass another person again. He hated bullies and Chico sounded like one.
“You’re not alone now, Lacy. You have me and I promise to help you.” He tilted her chin up and lowered his lips to hers. He had to taste her lips. He could taste her tears. Her lips were soft and warm. She opened her mouth to let his tongue in. She moaned when he explored her mouth softly with an aching tenderness that went right to her soul. Ryan didn’t want to scare her off by being aggressive. His hands lowered to her waist and went under her blouse and up her back, and he felt her body quiver. Her skin was silky and soft and he wanted to explore all of it. He felt her hands shyly reach to his hair and she pulled him closer to her. It felt so right to have Lacy in his arms. He had been attracted to her at first sight but tonight he also discovered he liked Lacy, too, and that was rare. He had been attracted to Emma but it didn’t take him long to discover her unpleasant personality.
They were so into each other they didn’t even hear the front door open or Ally loudly clearing her throat. They jumped apart guiltily and saw her standing there with a big grin on her face. Ally was happy to see Lacy there with her son. Ryan never brought his dates home.
Lacy could feel her cheeks heating up with embarrassment at seeing Ally standing there smiling at them. She was still breathing hard and didn’t know what to say at being caught making out on a couch like high school kids.
Ryan smiled at his mom, not embarrassed at all, then stood up and pulled Lacy up by her hand, then put his arms around her shoulders, squeezing them encouragingly. “The best date. I’m taking Lacy home, Mom, be back in a few minutes.”
He drove her home and walked her to her door. Lacy turned to say good night, but Ryan grabbed her shoulders, leaned down, and kissed her. He plunged his tongue right into her mouth this time. It wasn’t sweet and gentle. It was a hot, possessive kiss that went on and on. He explored her mouth with his tongue, and her body quivered. She kissed him back eagerly. Ryan let her go and she was left speechless, her eyes glazed over with passion. He grinned smugly. “We’ll talk tomorrow, darlin’.” He walked away, whistling.
Ryan arrived home in a good mood and went upstairs to his bedroom still smiling. His ringing cell phone startled him out of his blissful thoughts of Lacy. He answered it and groaned when he heard Emma’s voice.
“Where have you been all night?” she whined loudl
y. “I called the station and no one would tell me where you were.”
He was getting tired of these late night phone calls from her. She always sounded drunk. “Perhaps because it’s none of your business anymore, Emma. You need to move on with your life and leave me alone.”
“How can you tell me to move on when you know I still love you? I refuse to believe you don’t love me anymore!” she cried.
It would be cruel to say he had never told her he loved her in the first place, so he stayed silent. She had pursued him, not the other way around.
When he stayed silent she went on. “Were you on a date? I am suffering with a broken heart and you go out on a date? How could you be so cruel? I hate you, Ryan Clark, and you had better hope I don’t find out who this slut is.”
“Don’t be so dramatic, Emma. I hate talking to you when you are drunk.” He avoided the subject of a date. Emma would make Lacy’s life miserable if she knew of his interest in Lacy.
“You are an asshole, Ryan!” Emma said and hung up the phone. He sat on his bed feeling his earlier joyful mood disappear completely. He had dated Emma for a month and he had never made her any promises of a long-term relationship. He had gotten tired of her constantly pressing him for marriage so he broke it off nicely and politely. He couldn’t understand why she was having a hard time letting go. It wasn’t like they were together for months or years. Maybe she had an unstable personality. Whatever her problem was he regretted the day he had given in to her obvious come-ons.
Ryan got into bed but he couldn’t fall asleep thinking about Emma and Lacy. What if a month or two down the line things between him and Lacy didn’t work out? Would she react like Emma? Was it even fair to start something new with Lacy when Emma was determined to make his life so miserable?
