They waited for a few minutes at the bus stop, getting a few curious and appreciative looks from different people. Grace stared straight ahead, too embarrassed to meet anyone's eyes. The bus rolled to a stop in front of them and they slid their cards as they climbed on.
“In two stops we'll get off,” Christina told her as they sat down. Grace nodded, unable to speak.
The bus rumbled through town. They got off at the second stop, which was placed in front of a greasy little Mom and Pop diner called Flip's. Grace walked after her friend into the little dive. They sat down at the counter, carefully adjusting themselves on the swiveling red pleather seats. The diner looked to be from the fifties, a relic from another time with black and white tile flooring and a juke box in the corner.
Suddenly Grace was hungry. “I'm starving!”
Christina grinned. “I thought you might be. Who can refuse good diner food?” She pointed at the juke box. “Hey, got a quarter?”
Grace shook her head as she rummaged through her purse. “Nope, but I have a dollar.” As she pulled the bill from her purse, Christina snatched it with a grin.
“Let's crank up the tunes!” Christina exchanged the dollar for four quarters and hurried back to the juke box. A few seconds later the sound of a raucous rock tune filled the air and Christina began to dance.
Grace sat transfixed as her friend moved, swirling her hips through the air and her arms held high. The song was talking about taking it off, and Grace wondered if Christina would seriously strip in the joint. The waitress came to her and she ordered them both Cokes and fries to start. Christina was now singing into a ketchup bottle and had engaged an old man sitting in a booth in a very, very dirty dance.
He seemed to be really enjoying himself as Christina writhed against him and Grace couldn't help the giggles that escaped her lips. She watched as Christina kissed the man's cheek and danced back to the juke box. “You got a request, nun?”
Grace thought back to her limited music choices. Archie had only allowed Christian music in their home, but there was one song she had heard on MTV and had been mesmerized by until Archie had caught her watching the video. “Yeah. A song called 'Milkshake'.” The waitress brought their drinks and Grace was grateful to have something to occupy herself with.
Christina grinned as she slid a quarter into the slot and found the song. “Come on, nun, let's see your milkshake bring all the boys to the yard!”
Grace shook her head adamantly and fiddled with the straw in her glass. “I just want to listen.”
“What fun is music if you just listen?” Christina gyrated her hips to the funky beat and danced.
Grace watched her friend and sighed. One day I will be that free.
The beat continued to pulsate as the song played. Christina finally came back to the seat and hopped up on it. “I never would've pegged you to like this song.”
“I was flipping through the channels one day and came across MTV. This song was on. I mean, it was so raunchy and bad. I loved it. My dad freaked.” Grace grinned.
“So your parents are real straight-laced?” Christina asked as she sipped her soda.
Grace nodded. “Yeah, my dad is a pastor. My mom is a little more lenient. I know my dad worries.”
“Ever feel suffocated by it?”
Grace stared in shock at her friend. “Sometimes,” she finally admitted. “Dad has my life planned out after college. I think he'd die if he knew I was sitting here with you right now, about to go to a bar.”
Christina grinned. “Something that always pisses me off about Christians, no offense, is that Jesus hung out with hookers and stuff, but today's religious folk look down on people who aren't perfect. It's weird.”
Grace nodded. “You're right. It's sad.”
Christina sipped her soda again and seemed to be thinking. “Your life is yours, Grace. Are they paying for your college?”
“No, they aren't. I just don't want to disappoint them. I'm adopted and they did a lot for me.”
Awareness filled Christina's eyes. “Oh shit. You're adopted. So you feel like you have to make them happy so they will love you, or something like that.”
Grace sighed and her shoulders slumped. “Sort of.”
“That's heavy. But you gotta understand that family loves you unconditionally, no matter who you are. They might not approve, but they give you the freedom to fuck up sometimes.”
The waitress came at that moment with their fries and silence fell between them as they devoured the hot, crispy, grease-laden fries.
Grace wiped her fingers on her paper napkin. “I guess I'm just scared of disappointing them. They waited so long to have a kid and I just...I hate disappointing people.”
Christina talked around her mouthful of fries. “I think the saddest thing anyone can do in life is disappoint themselves. You only get one run at this, Grace. What are you being so good for? An afterlife? Hell, I'd rather take my chances and have fun now instead of find out at the end I've been so good and perfect and there's nothing waiting for me.”
Grace sighed and picked up another fry. “Maybe you're right.”
“And maybe I'm wrong,” Christina admitted. “Thing is, I don't know. I live my life in the today. I can't worry about what tomorrow is gonna bring. Worrying is like running in place. It makes you tired but you get nowhere.”
Grace smiled at her analogy. “Yeah, that makes sense.”
“My mom doesn't get why I want to be at Yale. She's living with her sixth husband in a shack in the woods with my six siblings. She doesn't get that it's not okay for him to molest us all. I kind of wanted a little more for my life. I had to walk away and not look back. I got tired of picking up the pieces and being the grown up.”
Grace's mouth fell open. “Whoa.”
“I told you, nun, the world is full of bad people. But you decide what you want out of your life. You can't help where you've been, but you can help where you're going. I look at it like this. A pig doesn't know he's a pig until someone shows him that. Most pigs like lying around in mud and shit, and it's easier to stink than to pull yourself from the muck and mire and scrub yourself clean, become a better person.” Christina bit into another fry.
“That's deep,” Grace whispered.
“I'm only a little deeper than a kiddie pool, babe.” Christina laughed, the sound hollow to Grace's ears.
They finished their fries in silence, and Grace kept sneaking glances at her friend. Christina's face seemed to be an impenetrable mask and Grace didn't quite know what to do or to say. After a few more minutes, the waitress brought them their bill and Grace wordlessly pulled the money out of her wallet to pay for it.
Christina glanced over at her. “Hey, thanks.”
“Sure.” Grace shrugged. “You ready to go?”
Christina seemed to shrug off her sadness, dropping it on the floor like a heavy blanket. She smiled. “Yeah, let's go.”
Her mood was bright and sunshiny again, and Grace was glad.
They left the little diner and waited at the bus stop. Finally the bus rolled up again and they paid, finding a seat in the middle. “We're going to get off in three stops.” Christina informed her.
“Okay, cool. I'm excited.”
Christina grinned. “Yeah. It should be fun.”
They spent the ride in silence, but it wasn't one of those awkward ones with nothing to say. They were both lost in their own worlds and needed the silent companionship of each other. Three stops later, they stepped off the bus and Grace groaned at the sweltering heat that surrounded them.
“I'll be glad when it's cooler,” she grumbled and Christina grinned.
“Yeah, but humans are never satisfied.”
“I guess you're right,” Grace acquiesced. Walking down the sidewalk, Grace took in the landscape of the town. Excitement fizzed through her with each step she took. A crowd seemed to be forming a little bit down the block and she pointed at the people. “Is that it?”
Christina nodded. “X2C.
Yup.”
Grace blanched as they stepped into line. “X2C?”
“Mmhm. It will be fine. We'll pay them at the door and they'll stamp your hand with this stuff that can be seen under a black light so they know not to serve alcohol to us. Then we'll go in, mingle and watch the show. No big deal.” Christina patted her arm, but Grace felt far from comforted.
“This is a lot for me.”
“Nah, you'll be fine.” Christina grinned as they stepped closer to the door. “Get your ID and five bucks out.”
Grace pulled the money and her driver's license from her wallet. “Okay, I'm ready.”
The bouncer checked their ID and roughly jammed a stamp down on the tops of their hands. “Five bucks each.”
They handed him their money and he shooed them through the front door. X2C was for lack of a better word, alive. Music pulsated through the air and the beats that swirled around them were heady and hot. People writhed together on the dance floor, their movements sensual. Grace gripped the strap of her purse tighter and swallowed nervously as they meandered through the crowd. She was jostled by two guys, and she squeaked as she nearly lost her footing. Christina grasped her arm and she smiled up at her friend.
“Thanks.”
“Relax, okay? It's gonna be fine.” Christina promised her and for a minute, Grace believed her. She followed Christina through the dance floor, jumping out of her skin as a very firm, very male hand caught her hip and pulled her back against his very hard male member.
Grace shrieked in panic and swatted his hand away. The guy laughed and turned to dance with another girl. Her face flamed in the low light and she was never more grateful to find an empty booth to sit at in her life. Christina chuckled. “Yeah, we should've gone around the dance floor, huh?”
“I felt...his...wiener!” Grace whispered shrilly. “He ground it up against my butt!”
Christina laughed hard. “Oh my God, Grace, you do know that's dancing these days, right?”
Grace shook her head. “No! I mean, my God, do people lose their virginity on the dance floor?”
Christina gripped her sides as she laughed loud. “Have you ever watched Dirty Dancing?”
Grace shook her head hard. “No way, Dad said that movie was not good for me to watch.”
Christina grinned. “We're so watching it.”
They fell into companionable silence again and Grace watched the crowd as the lights dimmed and strobe lights began to whirl through the dusk. The way the light played off the writhing bodies was strange and a little arousing. Heat swirled up her cheeks and she stood. “I'm thirsty.”
“Sit down, I'll go get us some drinks. The show is about to start in ten minutes anyway. I'll be right back, okay?” Christina stood and rushed away.
Grace squinted as she watched her leave. I should go pee. I don't want to have to go in the middle of the show. Standing quickly she threw her purse over her shoulder and moved through the crowd to the neon Restroom sign on the wall. As she stepped into the bathroom she sighed in relief at the cool, orange scented quiet. Using the bathroom, she left the stall and stood at the sink to wash her hands. She met her reflection's glance in the mirror and stared for a moment at the girl looking back at her. Shaking away any lingering worry, she left the bathroom and was immediately thrown off by the dusk and swirling lights.
She cupped her hand over her forehead, trying to make out where their booth had been. Crap, I shouldn't have left the booth. Stepping carefully, she searched for the place they had sat at and was thrilled to find an empty booth. It looked like the one they'd had, and she hoped Christina would find her. Sitting carefully, she watched for her friend in the low light. After five minutes of watching, a sinking feeling hit her stomach. She said other people were coming. Maybe she couldn't find me and went to hang out with them or something. It's cool. I can just sit here and enjoy the show, then go home. No big deal. She realized they had never shared their cell numbers with each other, so she couldn't text Christina to find out where she was.
As she fought against the panic and worry of being in the bar alone, a man came to her booth. “Hey, is this seat taken?” He pointed at the seat across the table.
Grace couldn't stop her mouth from falling open. Even in the low light, she could make out the features of the man standing in front of her and mercy, was he beautiful. He stood at least six foot two with broad shoulders accentuated by a suit jacket. His face was chiseled, roughly beautiful with a scruff of dark beard on it. She couldn't make out his eyes, but she still got lost in them.
Shaking herself out of staring at the man, she finally replied, “My friend was coming back, but you could sit until she gets here.”
“Cool!” he stated as he sat down. He shoved his hand across the table. “Hey, I'm Drake.”
Grace slid her hand into his and tried not to melt into the seat at the spark of pure, unadulterated desire that shot up her arm at the slight touch of his roughened hand against hers. “Hi, I'm Grace,” she managed to squeak out.
“It's nice to meet you, Grace.” Drake smiled, his face only growing more beautiful in the low light.
“It's nice to meet you too.”
“So are you a fan of Jacob's Ladder?” Drake asked and Grace nodded.
“Yeah, I love them,” she lied.
“I used to play with them when they first got started, but then my parents wanted me to buckle down and get serious about my studies, so I had to quit. We're all still friends, though. It's pretty cool that our little garage band turned into something like this, huh?”
Grace felt her eyes widen and she nodded. “It's really awesome.”
“Well, hey,” Drake started. “Do you want a drink?”
Grace nodded. “Sure. My friend was supposed to be getting me one, but I think she got lost.”
Drake chuckled. “Well, then it's my luck she got lost and I get to sit with such a beautiful woman, huh?”
Grace blushed hot, grateful for the dim light to hide her nervousness. “I guess so!”
“What can I get you to drink?” Drake smiled.
“Just a Coke.”
He frowned. “Really? Don't you drink?”
Grace's eyes widened as she realized Drake thought she was much older than her eighteen years. She rubbed her fingers over the spot the bouncer had stamped the underage ink on her hand, throwing caution to the wind. “Sure, I drink. I'll take a margarita.” The lie slipped from her lips and she blew out a quick breath. Margaritas had been the drink of choice for her favorite housewives on the last show she'd watched, so it was the first thing that popped out of her mouth.
Drake grinned widely and stood. “Well, Grace, I'll get you your margarita and I'll be right back in a few minutes. Don't let some handsome stranger take my seat.”
“I won't,” she breathed, realizing her soft voice wouldn't meet his ears as he hurried through the crowd. The music suddenly stopped playing through the speakers and the little stage at the back of the bar illuminated. In the space of a few minutes, Drake was back, his smile bright as he handed her the salt rimmed margarita glass.
“Here you go, one margarita for a señorita.” He chuckled at his lame joke and Grace giggled in return. She placed the drink before her on the table and stared at it nervously as Drake sat down across from her. The little semi-circle booth would have held at least two more people, but it suddenly felt very small.
“The show looks like it's about to start.” Grace offered.
Drake sipped his drink and nodded. “Yeah, they should be up in just a few minutes. Your friend never came by?”
Grace shook her head. “No, I guess she got lost or hung up with someone.”
“Yeah, maybe. Or maybe it was fate bringing us together, what do you think?” He winked and Grace blushed again.
She picked up her margarita and took a big sip. The salt from the rim mixed with the lime and alcohol in a joyous party in her mouth and she groaned as she swallowed. “That's so good!”
Drake seemed to
be uncomfortable suddenly and he shifted in the seat. “I'm glad you like it.” He slid a little closer. “Mind if I sit closer to you? That way I can get a good view of the stage.”
Grace shrugged. “Sure.” She couldn't ignore the heat that radiated off the built man sitting beside her, or the heady scent of his cologne. Drake smelled like oranges and cedar, a tantalizing combination that made her hungry and anxious at the same time. Her hand shook slightly as she picked up her drink and took another sip.
“Nervous?” Drake grinned and slipped his arm over her shoulder, his thumb stroking her skin.
Grace lost all ability to speak for a moment and she finally fought through the fuzz of desire at the slip of his thumb against her skin. “No,” she lied, a quiver in her voice betraying her.
“So, Grace, what do you do?” Drake finally asked, breaking the tension that pulsed between them.
“Um,” Grace started, panicking as she struggled to find a lie that would fit. “I'm a psychologist.” Oh God, don't strike me down. I will be. In like four years.
Drake grinned. “Really? Do you want to pick my brain and tell me all about myself?”
Grace shifted slightly, turning her face to his. “Sure. I think you're probably very sure of yourself and maybe a little cocky. You know you're handsome and you are used to getting what you want.”
Drake chuckled. “Maybe.”
Grace lost herself in his eyes again and she gasped as Drake leaned forward and touched his lips to hers. She drowned in the exquisite feel of his lips against hers and groaned, her mouth opening slightly at his assault. Her eyes flew wide as his wet tongue slipped into her mouth, teasing her tongue to play along. Her heart thundered in her chest and she gripped the edge of the table, needing something stable to hold her down, because gravity no longer seemed to be working.
As Drake pulled back, Grace blew out a breath she didn't realize she’d been holding. “Oh my.”
“Sorry.” Drake grinned as he sipped his drink. “I guess I got caught up in the moment.”
Grace shook her head, hoping to clear the delicious fuzziness that permeated it. “Oh my,” she said again.
“I guess you're right, Grace. I'm used to getting what I want, and right now, what I want is you.” His voice curled through the heady feeling in her mind and she fought to breathe against the pull of desire that raged in her body. She picked up her margarita and downed it in one gulp, hoping the cool liquid would serve to put out the flames that raged through her.
Saving Grace (Wild Rose Book 1) Page 5
