The Outlaw Next Door

by Lacey Legend

  He reached out and took her hand, and she smiled at him. He had a sudden thought of Charlie and how just two weeks ago he had held her hand, too. But this felt different. How would he define what was happening with Jasmine? Were they a couple? They hadn’t quite spoken about it. But she seemed fine with just letting things naturally fall into place. For that, he was grateful. Because he had no idea what he really wanted or whether he wanted anything at all. This thing with Jasmine, whatever it was, had not been part of his plan.

  “Lady. There it is. That restaurant over there. Wow, it looks lovely at night,” she said and pointed to the restaurant across the road. It was a smallish restaurant that looked to be lit completely by candlelight – the orange glow bursting through the darkened sky.

  “Why did they call it Lady? That doesn’t even sound like the name of a restaurant. Are you sure you haven’t just taken me on some late-night shopping spree to a place that only sells clothing for ladies?” he asked. It was the strangest name he’d ever heard for a restaurant.

  “Well, it’s part of this whole Lady and the Tramp theme that they have going. I guess they thought it would be a bit weird to have the word tramp in it. So they shortened it to Lady. You’ll see – there’s a big-framed poster inside of the dogs eating spaghetti, with their little mouths about to touch. It’s very cute. And the strange name is what seems to draw the people. They go there because they’re curious about the name, and then they go back because the food is so good. It’s authentic Italian, and it’s amazing.”

  Eric laughed. “Okay, fair enough. That’s a sweet name then, and quite a cool story. So, it’s Italian? Nice!”

  “Oh yes. You’ll see –Allie and I are not salad girls. We like our pasta.”

  “Good to hear it. I’m the same.”

  They were the first to arrive, and they settled themselves into a comfortable booth while the waiter lit the candle at their table and handed them each a wine menu. There was a nice vibe in the restaurant. The music was loud enough so they could talk without everyone overhearing their conversation, but it also wasn’t so loud that they had to shout at one another. Eric had just opened his wine menu when the others arrived. He took a deep breath and stood up to greet them.

  “Eric, this is my best friend Allie and her boyfriend Marc.”

  Eric reached out to shake both their hands. “Pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you, Allie.”

  Allie was absolutely stunning, just as Jasmine had said, and the two of them looked quite striking together. Allie had lily-white skin while Jasmine’s skin was dark and golden. They were an interesting pair, and Eric could imagine them turning heads wherever they went. Marc was a lot more conventional looking, yet it was obvious that Allie only had eyes for him.

  “Oh no. That’s never a good thing. I hope Jasmine has been telling you good things.”

  “Actually, Eric has big plans to ask you all about me once we’ve all had a bit of wine. I’m just pre-warning you so that you can keep your wits about you,” Jasmine interrupted.

  “Ha! My lips are sealed. No amount of wine can get in the way of that.” Then she and Jasmine burst out laughing to indicate that this wasn’t true at all. Eric instantly felt at ease around this group of people.

  While they all looked through the wine menu, Eric glanced up and looked at Allie and Marc They seemed nice enough upon first meeting them. They both had very kind and open faces. Sitting here, having dinner with these three, made him think about the stark contrast of his life before – when the only time he would see his friends was at a bar. He already knew more about Jasmine then he’d known about any of the guys that he’d seen almost daily. Marc looked very different than the guys he used to hang out with. He seemed a lot more clean cut and in control of his life. Eric had always felt uncomfortable around guys like that. They always made him look at his own life in a different way – and he always felt like a failure in comparison to them. And they normally felt uncomfortable around him. But Marc had just looked at him as if he were one of his friends and didn’t seem at all taken back by his tattooed and rather rough appearance. He was grateful because he’d worried that he’d feel self-conscious at this fancy restaurant. For the past few years, he’d been more of a bar-going guy than a restaurant-going guy. And there was a big difference to the way one would act at the one than how they would act at the other.

  “Do you guys want to just get a bottle for the table rather than get separate glasses?” Allie asked them all.

  “I’m good with that,” Eric said, and the others agreed. Eric was still feeling a little bit nervous and was desperate for a glass of wine to help ease his nerves.

  “Anything in particular that you want?” she asked.

  “I’m a fan of red, but I’m also just a fan of wine – so I’ll drink whatever you choose,” Eric admitted.

  He wasn’t all that fussy when it came to things that he drank, or ate for that matter. He had preferences over things, but he was always quite easy – especially when it came to alcohol.

  Allie seemed delighted by his response. “A fan of wine! That’s what I am. And you’re in luck – we’re all red wine drinkers here.”

  The waiter arrived with a bottle in hand, almost as if he’d overheard them. “I’d like to introduce you to our new range of merlots. This one, in particular, is a firm favorite. It’s a new addition, which is why it is not on the menu yet, and so far, the customers have been loving it. It’s a very easy drinking wine. Is this something you might be interested in, or would you like to order from the menu?”

  “That one looks gorgeous, although I am judging purely by the label, which I always do. I’m good with that,” Allie said.

  Eric was grateful that she was quite a talker – it meant that there would be no uncomfortable silences that evening.

  “Wonderful choice. Would you like to taste it first?” the waiter asked.

  “Nah, just pour! I’m sure we’ll love it.”

  When the waiter left, Jasmine leaned in. “You do realize that he probably just got you to buy the most expensive bottle of wine.”

  “Oh, no. I didn’t realize that. I really was just impressed by the label – although I shouldn’t admit things like that out loud. Oh no, you’re right – that’s probably going to cost more than our meal. Hey, aren’t you paying tonight?” Allie asked and looked up innocently at Jasmine.

  Jasmine laughed. “Cheeky! Oh well, we better enjoy this wine. Does it taste more expensive?” she asked.

  They all took a sip and considered it.

  “Tastes like any other wine really,” Eric finally said, and they all burst out laughing.

  “I’m so glad you’re not a wine snob,” Marc said, and the two of them clinked glasses with one another. “I went out for dinner a few months ago, and there was this couple there who were really into their wine. But I mean REALLY into it. Now, I’m all for knowing your stuff and all, but they made us feel like complete idiots the whole night. They kept asking me what I tasted and I kept saying ‘I taste wine’ – I thought I was being funny, but they took serious offense to it. And the more I drank, the more annoyed I got by them, and the more ignorant I wanted to act. I don’t think they ever want to see me again as much as I never want to see them.”

  “Well, I really do taste wine,” Eric said, and they all burst out laughing.

  They all held up their glasses and Allie announced, “Here’s to wine that tastes like wine!”

  “So, you’re the new neighbor, I hear. Much better than some of the previous neighbors that Jasmine has had. Well, except for Bob and Betty, of course. It’s hard to beat them,” Allie said.

  “Jasmine you’ve mentioned Bob and Betty before. What made them so special? Was Bob super-hot or something?”

  Jasmine burst out laughing. “Bob and Betty were old enough to be grandparents. They were just the loveliest couple in the world. Although I did see photos of Bob from when he was younger, and he was actually quite a hottie.”

  “They
used to bring her leftover food, and Betty used to bake her cookies. I used to go over all the time just to get some of those chocolate chip cookies that she made. They were amazing. And Betty used to knit as well – she made some amazing blankets. She loved Jasmine – she would do anything for her.” Allie said.

  “Well, I loved her, too.” Jasmine said, sadness creeping into her voice.

  “What happened to them? Please don’t tell me they passed away or something,” Eric asked, suddenly having a horrible thought that they had died in his new house.

  “Oh, no! Goodness. Not at all. They just moved closer to be with their children. Her daughter had a baby, and she wanted to be close to them. They write to me all the time. It’s so cool receiving letters again. Oh, Allie, I meant to tell you – in the last letter, she said she was going to come and visit me as they’ll be in the area soon. I’m so excited. She said her daughter was going to have another baby and that she was going to name it Jasmine. How amazing is that! Unless it’s a boy. Then they’re calling it Jasper. So let’s hope not. I cannot wait to see them again. Hey, maybe I should bake her cookies this time?”

  Allie laughed at that. “Ooh, are you sure about that? If I remember correctly, the last time you tried your hand at baking, it didn’t turn out so well.”

  “I’m not even going to sit here and defend myself. It’s true – I really do suck at baking. Maybe I should just buy some and pretend that I baked them.”

  “I think I’d stick to that. Although Betty will probably see right through that act.”

  “So she’s not the best baker in the world then?” Eric asked Allie.

  “Not at all! She’s horrible in the kitchen.”

  “Hey! Allie! You’re supposed to be sticking up for me, you know. You’re my best friend. Isn’t that one of your duties or something?”

  “Well, I’m not going to lie.”

  “It’s okay, Jasmine, Allie is pretty awful in the kitchen, too,” Marc said, and they all burst out laughing. “What did you guys do when you lived together for that short period in college? Who cooked?”

  “We ate out. A lot,” Jasmine admitted.

  “How about you, Eric? Can you cook?” Allie asked and then looked proudly at Marc. “Because Marc here is excellent.”

  Eric smiled at her. “I can, actually.”

  Jasmine looked at him open-mouthed. “You can?”

  “Hey, don’t act so surprised. Do I not look like the sort of guy that can cook?”

  Jasmine started giggling. “Not really. Hey, I think that you and Marc should cook for the two of us sometime.”

  “Great idea!” Allie agreed.

  “Well, I don’t know so much. I mean, you just laughed at the idea of me being good at cooking. I’m not sure if you deserve a good meal,” Eric said.

  “Yeah – look at us – we’re better in the kitchen than they are. Then, not only do they laugh at us, but they expect us to cook for them,” Marc agreed.

  “So, is that a yes then?” Allie asked.

  Eric laughed. “Sure, that’s a yes.”

  The waiter came, and they placed their order. Eric found himself having one of the best nights that he’d had in a long time. He couldn’t actually remember the last time he’d just gone out with a bunch of friends to talk and laugh. He’d gotten so used to being around men who just spent their lives drinking and complaining about their lives that he’d forgotten how good it felt to be around normal, happy people. And they had just accepted him into their little group so easily.

  “Having a good time?” Jasmine whispered while Allie and Marc were deep in conversation.

  He smiled at her. She looked so beautiful sitting next to him in her green dress, and the candlelight only made her look even more so.

  “I’m having a great time, actually.”

  “I’m glad you came. I told you they were cool.”

  “I’m glad I came, too. And you’re even cooler,” he said.

  She giggled and squeezed his hand. They were halfway through the second bottle of wine, and it was obvious that they were all started to feel a little tipsy. Especially Jasmine. He hadn’t seen her like that before. The wine had loosened her up, and she seemed to find everything hilarious. He liked seeing her so free. When she got up to go to the bathroom, Allie leaned in.

  “I’ve never seen Jasmine this happy before. I mean, she’s a little drunk – but she’s happy. So, thank you.”

  “Oh, it’s not me! Jasmine is always happy.”

  “No, trust me, Eric. She’s not. Did she tell you about her ex?”

  “Not so much. I mean, she’s mentioned him, but she hasn’t gone into details. Why?”

  “Let’s just say he didn’t treat her the way that she deserves to be treated. It’s taken her a full year to finally get over it all, and I cannot tell you how good it is to see her this way again. It’s like I have the old Jasmine back.”

  Jasmine came back, and they quickly changed the subject. Eric was desperate to know more, but he knew that he’d have to ask her another time. She’d mentioned something about her ex-boyfriend before. He knew that the guy didn’t like her couch and that they had broken up the previous year, but she hadn’t gone into details. Now he could feel his blood boil at the thought of someone not treating her in the right way. Why would anyone treat her badly? Jasmine was one of the most perfect women he had ever met in his life. He looked over at her as she spoke to Allie, and he smiled. She really did look carefree. But a part of him worried that the two of them had no future together. There was a chance that he would have to leave one day and that he’d have to do it in a hurry. If so, then he was going to be the one who hurt her. The thought was like a punch to his stomach. But perhaps not. Perhaps he wouldn’t have to hurt her. Maybe he’d be able to stay with her for the rest of their lives. He’d only just met her, but he suddenly realized that he never wanted to let her go. It had been a few weeks, and nobody had come to find him. Maybe he really was safe. But one day, he’d have to tell her the truth about his life. He couldn’t pretend forever. Eric quickly brushed all of those thoughts aside and concentrated on the night ahead.

  They spent the next few hours talking, eating, drinking, and laughing. His mouth actually started to hurt from all the laughing.

  “I think we’re the loudest table here,” Marc said at one stage after another bout of hysterical laughter had subsided.

  “Wait, we’re the only table here. Look! Where did all the people go?” Jasmine asked. Eric looked around – she was right. There was nobody else there.

  “Did we scare them away or something? Oh no, look at the waiters. They all look like they are just waiting for us to hurry up and leave.”

  “Look at the time! I had no idea it was that late. I think they want to close up.”

  “Oops. How did the time go so fast? And did we really drink all that wine?”

  They called the waiter over, apologized, and asked for the bill. The wine, as it turned out, wasn’t nearly as expensive as they’d thought it would be. To make up for their behavior, they made sure that the waiter was left with a good tip and then they quickly headed out.

  “It was great meeting you, Eric,” both Allie and Marc said to him.

  “It was great meeting you, too,” he said and meant it.

  They waved goodbye and then headed off in different directions. Marc and Allie had also walked to the restaurant, but they lived in the opposite direction. Eric took Jasmine’s hand as they walked home. He had given her his jacket to wear for the trip home, and she looked tiny in it.

  “Aren’t you cold, though?” she asked him.

  “Nah, I’m fine. I had enough wine to keep me warm. And luckily, it’s not too far. Anyway, as long as I’m with you, I’m happy.”

  “Ah, Eric, you’re so lovely. I’m really glad you came tonight. That was a lot of fun.”

  “You want to know something Jasmine?” he asked.

  “Yes… what?”

  “That was one of the best nights I’
ve had in a very long time. They’re such great people, Allie and Marc. And you’re the best person of all,” Eric said.

  He didn’t care that he was opening up so much to her. It was probably the effects of the wine or the afterglow of the great evening – but he suddenly never wanted to let her go.

  “Are you trying to beat Bob and Betty for the best neighbor award?” she giggled.

  “Yeah, that is exactly what I’m doing. And? How am I doing? Do I get the award?”

  “Oh Eric, you get the award, the framed certificate, and the medal.”

  “What? I beat Bob and Betty? I actually beat them?”

  “You beat them.”

  Chapter7

  “Hey, Allie.”

  “Hey, you. Last night was fun. How’s your head? Mine is not so great today. I cannot believe we were the last people to leave the restaurant.”

  “I know. It didn’t feel like we were there as long as that. My head is bad! But it was worth it for sure. I had a great time. You and Marc – you look perfect together. I’ve never seen Marc look that happy before. The boy could not stop staring at you.”

  “Thanks, Jasmine. It’s going well. I think this is it, you know.”

  “As in – he’s the one?”

  “Yeah. I really think so. I don’t want to jinx it just yet, but it really feels so different than anything I’ve ever felt before. And I think he thinks so, too. It’s getting serious very quickly.”

  “I always knew it would if the two of you got together. Ah, I’m looking forward to being bridesmaid. When are we going dress shopping?”

  Allie giggled. “Ooh, not so fast. Anyway, what I really phoned to talk to you about was your bad boy neighbor.”

  Jasmine felt nervous. She wasn’t sure why. They’d all gotten along well the night before, but she still wanted approval from Allie. It was just as important to her as getting approval from her mother. Allie was like her sister.

  “Yeah? Uh… what did you think?” Jasmine asked.

  “First off … he’s gorgeous. Like, seriously gorgeous. I know you told me that he was going to be good looking, but I hadn’t quite pictured that. And he’s so nice! He stops looking like a bad boy after talking to him for a while, don’t you think? Like the edges get softened or something. He’s such a nice guy. Marc and I loved him. He and Marc seem so different. If you had to show someone a picture of the two of them, you would never think that they would even get along. And yet they got on so well. Like, I could actually imagine him and Marc being friends.”