Pieces (Riverdale #1)

by Janine Infante Bosco

  Samantha Lanza, was Jake’s little sister, and one of Cara’s only girlfriends. She often came by with some of her co-workers on a Friday night. Single teachers were a good time at Rudy’s, they hustled pool probably just as well as they graded tests. She took Sam in; her blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and with her hair drawn back from her face, her blue eyes popped. However, they looked wary and stressed.

  “Hey girl, you look like you could use a drink.” Cara said as she grabbed a glass from underneath the bar. Cara knew that whatever was bothering Sam, most likely had to do with the fact that Nick Foti was coming home. There was something there years ago, and by the look on Sam’s face, it was still there.

  Sam blew out a breath and leaned back against the stool. She swiped her hands down her face and tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ears. “You have no idea. Make it a double, please.”

  Cara nodded, reaching for a bottle of Fireball whisky. Filling a tumbler glass with ice, she peered up at Sam, from the task her hands were busy with. “Want to talk about it?” Since Cara was Jake’s best friend, she knew, Sam was reluctant to divulge all her secrets with her, fearing she would go back and spill them to Jake.

  Sam shrugged, thinking about it. She smiled slightly. “How many times a day do you ask people that?”

  “It comes with the job. I can tell you EVERYTHING that goes on in Riverdale.” She winked at her.

  Sam took a sip of her drink, cringing slightly. “I bet.” She murmured, running her finger around the rim of the glass.

  Cara wiped her hands dry on a towel and tucked it into the back pocket of her jeans. “So this bland look of yours wouldn’t have anything to do with your brother’s going to pick up Nick from the airport, would it?”

  Sam looked at her, rolled her eyes, and took another sip. “Is that happening today?” She finished off the drink, sliding the empty glass back to Cara.

  “Whoa, are we getting ourselves drunk tonight?” Cara asked as she poured her a refill. Jake was right, she mused.

  “I haven’t decided yet.”

  Cara sighed and looked around the bar, then back to Sam. “I think they’re coming here after the airport.” She slid the full glass back in front of Sam.

  “Well, that made up my mind.” She guzzled the whiskey and put the glass down half empty.

  Cara stared at Sam, she felt bad for her, and she knew what it was like to hold your feelings in, “Sam, anything you tell me, will stay between us. I’m not going to run back and tell everyone. If you need to get things off your chest, I’ll listen.”

  Sam looked up at her and tilted her head contemplating. “You’re not going to tell Jake?”

  Cara shook her head. “Jake’s too enthused with his latest fling, to care about anything else.” Which wasn’t a lie; he had blown her off a few times this week to go out with some biker chick. That was partially the reason she showed up at the Tattoo Parlor today. When she and Jake had gone to Cancun a couple of years back, they had rented motorcycles for the day. She still had the scar from when she burnt her calf on the exhaust pipe; needless to say Jake never took her riding on the Harley, just the biker chick.

  Sam gave her a long look and leaned forward, her elbows resting on the bar. “How do you feel about that?”

  Cara looked at her incredulously. “I could care less.” She would never admit that it bothered her, not the fact that there was another girl in his life, nor the fact that he hadn’t taken her on his bike.

  “I still don’t buy there is nothing between you and Jake.”

  Cara looked at Sam. “There isn’t. I’d never risk the friend I have in him to tangle with something that could possibly jeopardize our friendship. I need Jake in my life. He’s the only stable person I have.” Jake was Cara’s family, bottom line. Her mother had died when she was five, and her father was a drunk who wished she had gone and died with her mother. Aside from Jake and his family, she really had no one.

  Sam nodded. “I get that.” She took another sip of her drink and smiled up at Cara. “I still think you guys are perfect for one another. I’m a big Cara and Jake fan.”

  Cara laughed slightly. Before she could respond the door opened and Jake walked in with Luke and Nick on his heels. Her eyes met Jake’s and he grinned widely at her. Every time he walked into a room and searched for her, their eyes would meet, and she would feel like she was the only women in the world. Tonight was no different, the butterflies in the pit of her stomach sprang to life and she returned the smile.

  “There’s my girl!” Jake beamed and led Nick and Luke towards the bar. Cara glanced at Sam, who downed the last of her drink.

  “Can I have another?” She asked, her eyes pleading with Cara.

  “Hey, Sis,” Jake nudged her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Fancy finding you here, huh?” He teased and Cara shot him a warning look. He looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed. “What? What did I do?”

  “Nothing,” Cara said as she eyed Sam’s glass.

  “Oh, I get it.” Jake leaned over and whispered into his sister’s ear. “You’re three sheets to the wind and you didn’t even set your eyes on him yet.”

  “Shut up Jake.” Sam said, looking miserable. Cara looked at her sympathetically before Nick stood beside Jake. She averted her eyes to the familiar face, and smiled warmly at him.

  “Hey Cara girl, it’s good to see you.” Nick said as he leaned over the bar and placed a kiss on her cheek. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a quick hug, catching Sam watching them from the corner of her eye.

  “Same goes for you.” She pulled back and drank him in. “You look good.” She punched his rock hard shoulder. “Someone has been working out.” She shook her fist as if to say she was in so much pain, and winked at him. She always had liked Nick and he definitely wasn’t hard on the eyes.

  “It’s a good stress reliever.” He said as he winked at her. His eyes left hers and moved towards Sam. Cara could’ve sworn she held her breath as she waited for them to acknowledge one another. Holy smokes, the way he stared at Sam, was making her hot. “Hi beautiful,” He said his eyes blazing with heat, his voice thick and husky. Cara raised an eyebrow as she glanced quickly at Jake. He had the biggest grin on his face as he inched closer to get front row seats to the exchange. Yep, all eyes were definitely on Sam.

  “Hi. Welcome home.” She said flatly, glancing up at him so quickly if one was to blink, they would’ve missed it.

  “That’s it?” Jake said, disappointment etching his face.

  “Yeah, that’s it?” Nick said, leaning one hip against the bar, staring at her. “No, Hey Nick, nice to see you again? Not even a simple I missed you? How you been?” He reached out and tilted her chin upward, forcing her to look into his eyes. “Still sour that I left?”

  “See, now this is what I’m talking about.” Jake said, nudging Luke.

  Luke rolled his eyes and smiled at Cara. “Cara, would you mind getting me a beer?”

  “Sure thing, can I get anybody else anything?”

  Sam lifted her empty tumbler. “I’ll take another one, please.” She shot Nick a sideways glare. “And for your information, I am not sour about anything. I could care less where you parked your ass for the last six years. Can I buy you a drink? Wouldn’t want you to think I wasn’t happy about your homecoming or anything.” She said her voice rich with sarcasm, but managed to smile sweetly at him.

  “How about a round of shots?” Nick said, finally taking his eyes off of Sam, to question the guys.

  “I’m game.” Luke said, and then looked at Cara. “I’ve got to ask you? How do you spend so much time with him?” He said wrapping his arm around Jake, wedging him into a headlock. “This son of a bitch has been driving me crazy for hours.”

  “Hey man, watch the faux-hawk!” Jake said trying to dislodge himself from his brother’s grip. Cara smiled and held Luke’s beer behind her.

  “Let him go or no alcohol for you.” She said tauntingly dangling the beer bottle
, like it was his salvation. Her eyes met Jake’s and he smiled at her. He knew she always had his back, jokingly or not. She winked at him and Luke let him go.

  “You got a girl like that in your corner, you take her and you run far, far away, little brother.” Luke said, seriously and took the beer Cara offered him.

  “Thanks Luke, but we wouldn’t get far. He won’t even let me on his bike. He’d probably take off without me.” She stopped in the middle of pouring the fifth shot, realizing the slip. She finished the shots and began to hand them out, when she shoved Jake’s in front of him he grabbed her wrist.

  “Hey.” He said softly. “I didn’t let you ride the bike, because I don’t want you to get hurt again. You know that right?” His eyes searched hers.

  Cara looked down at their hands for a moment and then lifted her head and looked into his deep blue eyes. “I know that.” And she put her best smile on for him. “Are we going to do this shot or what?” Even if what he said was true, it didn’t ease the hurt or the jealousy that she was too proud to admit, she was feeling.

  Jake let her wrist go, and held his shot glass up, his eyes still focused on her. She could feel his stare as she smiled at Luke, Nick and Sam, avoiding his gaze.

  “To the path that led you back home.” Luke said as he raised his glass towards Nick.

  “To having a family to come home to.” Nick said in response looking around the Lanza’s. Cara smiled at Nick’s toast. Nick, like her, was another lost soul the Lanza’s took in and called one of their own. The five of them clinked their shot glasses, and toasted one another’s friendship and love, before downing the fiery liquid.

  Jake couldn’t remember the last time the five of them had been together like this, having a great time, reminiscing. Even Sam let go of her bitterness towards Nick, and enjoyed the night. He and Sam had teamed up against Luke and Nick, in a game of pool. Cara kept sneaking away every chance she could. She’d take a shot, put it in the hole, and go back to work. She was his ace in the hole, all the time. He glanced across the bar at her, and watched as she threw her head back in laughter. She leaned over the bar and touched the cheek of another man. He couldn’t tell who it was. He pretty much knew all the regulars, for all the nights he sat at the bar watching her, making sure no one messed with her. He looked back towards the pool table, and watched Nick line up his shot.

  His phone rang in his pocket, “If he makes this shot, we’re screwed.” He told his sister as he reached for the phone. He looked down at the caller ID; Joanna, the latest girl to scratch his itch. She was a pretty cool girl too, a little rough around the edges, but they got along, had a good time, she served her purpose in Jake’s life. He answered the call. “Hello?”

  “Hey, sexy;” Joanna purred into the phone. “I was wondering what you were doing tonight, and maybe if you weren’t busy you and I could go for a ride?”

  Jake watched Nick take the shot, he had seen him take this shot before and knew very well, he could do it with his eyes close, but he missed. His eyes peered up from the pool table and stared at Sam. Jake shook his head, knowing very well that Nick missed that shot on purpose just to go head to head with Sam again. “Sorry I can’t tonight.” He told Joanna. “Family night.”

  “Well, what about when you’re finished with them?” She asked, and Jake looked over his shoulder towards the bar, eyeing Cara.

  “Tonight’s not good; rain check?” He asked Joanna.

  “Sure, call me tomorrow.” And with that she hung up. Jake sighed and put the phone back in his pocket. Joanna didn’t sound too happy, and Jake didn’t really care, she was a dime a dozen type of girl.

  Sam came up next to him and smiled at him. “If you have any kind of love for me, you will make this shot, so I can tell this asshole to kiss it!” She said, nudging her head towards Nick.

  “Are you kidding me?” Jake patted his sister’s head, “Sweetheart, he completely blew that shot so you would win.”

  Confusion crossed Sam’s face. “Why would he do that?”

  “Old habits die hard; he likes this dance the two of you are doing.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Don’t worry. I’ll clobber him, so you can do your victory dance that he’s been waiting for.” He grabbed his pool stick, leaving Sam to nibble on her lower lip and stare at Nick.

  Last call, was about an hour ago, the bar had cleared out pretty quickly. Sam and the guys had left about fifteen minutes ago, leaving Cara to finish up her work. Jake had offered to stay behind and walk her out, like he always did, but she insisted she was fine and he should go home with all of them. As she slid the clean glasses into their rightful spot, she wondered about Jake and the latest girl to catch his attention. Joanna was her name, if she remembered correctly.

  No matter how nice Cara had been to any of Jake’s girls, they all seemed to dislike her, and once Jake caught wind he cut them loose. She couldn’t help but wonder when the right girl came along, if he would cut her loose. She didn’t want to believe that he would do that to her, but the reality was if he found the girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, where would that leave her. For as long as she could remember, Jake had been front and center in her life. Not ready to allow herself; to face that truth, she decided to wrap it up and call it a night. She grabbed her jacket and pocketbook from under the bar. Shrugging the jacket on she glanced at the clock, it was already four thirty in the morning, the sun would be coming up shortly and she would be going to sleep. She shook her head and closed the lights. Once outside, she locked the bar, testing the door to make sure it was in fact locked.

  When she turned around and stepped into the parking lot. She stopped short when she saw Jake. He was leaning against his motorcycle which was conveniently blocking her car in. He looked up at her, as he toyed with the helmet in his hand.

  “What’re you doing here? I thought you went home with everyone else?” She was surprised by the hoarseness in her voice.

  He shrugged his shoulders and pushed off his bike. “Something you said tonight kind of stuck with me.” He straightened his shoulders and stepped closer to her.

  “Something I said? Don’t pay attention to me, I just kind of ramble on after a while spewing all sorts of nonsense, you know? Kind of like right now.” She frowned as she realized he of all people knew that when she was nervous or caught off guard she rambled. So right now, even though she was staring down at her shoes, she knew the grin that played upon his lips, knowing very well that she was nervous.

  “It wasn’t nonsense. And you weren’t nervously rambling when you said it, either.” He lifted her chin, forcing her to look straight at him. He smiled as he placed his helmet on her head, reaching under her chin, securing the strap. “Hop on; we’re going for a ride.”

  She smiled at him. “Really? You’re not worried I’m going to get road rash or something?” She teased and he straddled the bike.

  “I’ll just take care of you, like I did the last time. Only this time I’m prepared, I have a first aid kit.” He winked and patted the seat behind him.

  She chewed on her lower lip, suppressing the grin that wanted so badly to make an appearance. She hopped on the bike, behind Jake. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her chin on his shoulder. He revved the engine to life, and something awakened inside of her as well. His hands tightened around the handlebars and he looked over his shoulder at her.

  “Hold on, and watch for—“, she cut him off.

  “Exhaust pipe, yeah, yeah, I know.” She smiled and squeezed him tighter, anxious for their ride. He kicked up the kickstand, and they peeled out of the parking lot smoothly.

  Jake didn’t speed, even though there were hardly any cars on the road, at this hour. He whipped turns smoothly, not trying to impress her, but as if he was carrying precious cargo with him. She patted his chest with one hand, getting his attention. He leaned into her to listen to her. “Faster!” She said into his ear. She felt him laugh against her, and her smile widened.

  He pressed his
foot heavier on the gas, picking up the speed of the bike. She gripped him tighter as the wind blew the ends of her hair. The road rounded and they shifted their weight with each turn and bend. The exhaustion, she was feeling earlier vanished and for the first time in a long time, she felt alive. She felt like she and Jake were the only two people who existed at the moment.

  They drove for about forty five minutes into the night. The only light on the road was those from his bike. He started to slow down, as they reached a peak of a mountain. She had no idea where they were headed, nor did she care. He made a turn and they went off the road, slowly they made their way to a grassy path. He kicked the kick stand down and straddled the bike, his feet planted firmly on either side. He turned the engine off and she dropped her hands from his waist.

  “Where are we?” She asked softly as he stretched his arms and cracked his knuckles. She wasn’t sure if she should get off the bike, so instead she followed his lead and straddled the bike. “I want to show you something.” He said as he maneuvered off the bike. She took the hand he offered and swung one leg over the bike and jumped onto the ground. “Come here,” he murmured, and lead her on through the grass. “I found this place a long time ago. It’s where I come when I need to think.”

  They reached a platform that overlooked train tracks, and had a spectacular view of the pitch black mountains. The only noise was that of nature. She took it all in and watched as he climbed carefully onto a large rock, and held out his hands to her. She stepped towards him and placed her hands in his and he helped her up. Together they sat on the rock overlooking the mountains and the tracks.

  “In about an hour, they start loading the cargo trains.” Jake said simply, “Just as the sun begins to rise.”

  “Do you come here a lot?” She asked him staring out into the darkness.

  “Whenever I get the chance,” she felt him shrug beside her, as their sides brushed against each other. “It grounds me for some reason, the serenity of it, it just calms me.”