“Dave, we’re kinda slow tonight. Do you care if I head out?”
Dave looked at the clock on the wall and wiped up a ring of condensation where a glass had been sitting. “Yeah, that’s fine. You were only scheduled for forty-five more minutes, anyway. We got this.”
Patting his arm, she smiled and kept Rodney in her peripheral vision. He was sipping on his whiskey, staring at the wall across from him. Her heart ached for him. “Thanks, Dave. I really appreciate it.”
“No worries. You bust your ass harder than anyone else. See you later.”
Grabbing her car keys, she scooted Rodney’s tumbler away from him. “I covered your tab. Those drinks were on me.”
“What? Why?”
“Because I’m an awesome friend like that. And it’s under one condition…” Amelia skimmed his hand against hers and put the whiskey back on the shelf.
“What condition is that?”
“We’re leaving and I’m driving.”
Rodney scoffed and slid off of the barstool. “You don’t have to do that. I’m fine.”
She wagged her finger at him and led him to the door. “Don’t hand me that bullshit, Rodney. Get in the car. Your truck will be fine here overnight. It’s not like you’re the first to leave it in the parking lot. We don’t tow vehicles that fast.”
“It’s not that…” Rodney trailed off, ducking his head. “I just…”
“You just, what?”
“I’m not ready to go home yet.” He looked up, making eye-contact with her. He looked like a little boy in trouble and Amelia felt a jolt in her stomach. She truly cared for him. She hated seeing him hurt the way he was.
“Who says you have to go home?”
“Where are we going?”
“Just get in. As long as you’re not driving, we’ll worry about the rest later.” Amelia slid in the driver’s seat and turned the car on. “Just sit back and relax, Rodney.”
Chapter Fifteen
Rodney was right at the point he enjoyed when he had drinks. He was buzzing, feeling ten foot tall, and any mention of Susan didn’t kill him. Being with Amelia helped - she was a great friend who held no judgment over him. He could only imagine what Susan would say if she saw him like this. The mention of his DWI would be the first thing she’d mention, along with him being a hypocrite for drinking after leaving her because she did the same things. Only she couldn’t control it. She was an addict who couldn’t survive without it. Rodney didn’t do this often and didn’t crave it all day long.
It was his way to justify his actions. Justin was at his mother’s house, confused about why his mother wasn’t around every day now. Rodney should’ve been at home with him, trying to form a new normalcy for the child. Tonight was a rarity and Rodney swore he wouldn’t do it again but he had to cut loose. If he didn’t, he felt like he might lose his sanity for good.
Glancing at Amelia, he rested his hand on hers, which was on top of the gearshift. She had the windows open and the humid night air blew into the car, tousling her blond waves. Her faint makeup accentuated her features and he sat up, probably holding his gaze on her a bit too long.
“What are you staring at?” Amelia asked, a giggle in her voice.
“Nothing. Just wondering where you’re taking me.”
“Oh, you know. Out in the woods to kill you and leave your body for the wildlife.”
It made Rodney laugh a bit too hard and he rested his head against the seat. “If I’m ruining whatever plans you have for tonight you can take me back to my place. I’m just being a baby.”
“I had no plans, so you’re good. I think we’ll just go back to my place for a bit until you’re ready to go home.”
She pulled into her driveway and Rodney remembered the night he had dropped her off. She was no reciprocating the favor of not allowing him to drive while under the influence. She didn’t know about his past DWI but she was saving him from getting a second strike on his record, even if it had been years ago. Following her up the steps and into the living room, he was shocked to see how clean and organized the place was. It even smelled like her, which was comforting.
“Want some coffee or something?” she asked, running her fingers through her hair. “Have a seat. Make yourself at home.”
Rodney wanted another drink. He felt like his buzz was wearing off and his mind was going to a dark place. What would Amelia think of him if he asked for a beer or another whiskey? He didn’t want to give her the wrong impression that he was a drunk. He’d never want to put someone through what Susan had done to him.
“Coffee is good,” he replied, sitting on the couch.
“…Or I’ve got beer and wine. I think they’re might be a little vodka in the freezer too.” She smiled and looked down at him.
“Yeah? I’ll take a beer, I guess. As long as you’ll have one with me.”
Amelia nodded. “Beer it is. I’ll be right back.”
He looked around the living room. There were pictures of Amelia with another woman who possibly could have been her sister. There were none of her with another man. Hearing her footsteps, he sat back again, playing it cool. Even with the booze in his system, he still felt like a klutz. It was just two friends hanging out, though he was really noticing how beautiful she was. He always had an attraction but something had changed, and it wasn’t the alcohol talking. Maybe it was the finalization of his divorce. Maybe it was him finally allowing himself to cut loose and not worry about other people’s judgments.
Amelia handed him a beer and sat beside him. She had already taken the cap off. “I can tell you’re a bartender.”
She laughed and nudged him, taking a sip from hers. “So how does it feel?”
“How does what feel?”
“Being divorced. If you don’t wanna talk about it just tell me to shut up.”
Rodney ran his fingers down the neck of the bottle. The moisture was cool on his palm and he looked up at the ceiling for a moment, choosing his words wisely. Revealing too much might make him look like a crybaby. Clamming up might make her get the wrong idea about him. She had proved to him that she was trustworthy and probably the closest friend he had at the moment. Being buzzed helped - it was a natural truth serum that got anyone to talk. He needed to let it out. He didn’t have anyone he could talk to about this and keeping it bottled inside was going to make him explode.
“Where do I begin, Amelia? I don’t wanna burden you with it all.”
“You’re not, Rodney. If you were, I wouldn’t have asked. If you don’t wanna talk, like I said, tell me to mind my own damn business. But if you want to, I’m all ears.”
Rodney heaved a deep sigh and closed his eyes. “There’s so much more to it than just a divorce. Susan is a…” he couldn’t believe he was about to tell her all of this. Very few people knew about their issues. “She’s a drug addict and alcoholic. I’ve given her many opportunities to get clean and stay clean. And as I’m sure you’ve gathered from all this, she never stuck to it. I just… I just had enough.”
Amelia wrapped her arm around his. “Oh, Rodney. I’m so sorry. That had to be tough on both you and Justin.”
Her body next to his felt good and Rodney couldn’t believe how he was responding to her touch. He couldn’t let anything happen. Moving too fast with her would push her away. What would she think of him if he tried to make a move this soon after his divorce? What kind of man would that make him? Being drunk was also a hitch in it. He couldn’t allow anything to happen because of it. There would be no respect for him once they sobered up.
“And here I am, drinking.” He shook his head. “The divorce is final. It’s a burden off of me. Now I just have to get Justin adjusted to it all.”
“You’re allowed to drink, Rodney. You’re not going out and hurting people. You’re not letting it control your life. Don’t feel guilty for this. Justin is your priority. It doesn’t seem like he was Susan’s at all. Will she be in his life much?”
“Yeah. She’ll get to see him so
me but it has to be supervised. I have a feeling she’ll lose interest and not come around at all. She was only fighting for custody to be a thorn in my side. Any way to rock my world and she was gonna do it.”
Amelia patted his arm again and rested her head on his shoulder. Aside from the hugs, this was the closest they had been to each other. Rodney took in her scent - she still smelled like vanilla despite working in the stale bar all evening. Her soft hair, her smooth skin, all making her the perfect picture of a beautiful woman. He would have to move away from her soon before he did something he was going to regret. What if he was misreading it all? She could’ve just been trying to comfort him and all he could think about was wanting to get her into bed. But moving away might give her the wrong idea as well.
Instead of doing anything, he remained right there on the couch with her. Neither of them spoke for a bit but the silence was comfortable. He interlocked his fingers in hers and the embrace was perfect. No sex, no judgment - just two friends escaping from real life for the evening.
***
Amelia woke up and glanced at her phone. It was a little past seven-thirty in the morning. She heard the low volume of the TV in the living room and it took her a second to remember that Rodney had stayed over on the couch. Before making an appearance, she brushed her teeth, smoothed her hair, and made sure she looked somewhat presentable.
He was drinking a mug of coffee when she went in the living room, his dark hair shooting in different directions, his eyes tired. He lifted the mug in her direction. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”
“No. I usually can’t sleep past eight even if I worked a full shift at the bar.”
“Hope you don’t mind that I made some coffee. There’s still some in the pot if you want some.”
“I don’t mind at all, Rodney. How’d you sleep?” She sat on the arm of the couch, noting that he was watching some kind of hunting show.
“Pretty good. I guess three whiskey’s and two beers had a hand in that.”
“Yeah, I had too much, myself.”
“Thanks for letting me stay over. I could be waking up in jail this morning if you would’ve let me take my truck home.”
“It’s no problem at all, Rodney. You hungry?”
“I am, but don’t go through any trouble of making anything. You’ve already done enough for me. I can’t ask you to do anything else.”
Amelia felt her lips part in a smile. He looked adorable with his disheveled hair and a dark, five o’clock shadow growing in. Something had changed between them from the night before - their friendship had been jolted forward, at a whole new level where they were both comfortable being around each other after just waking up. The closeness they had shared on the couch last night made her long for him - she wanted to kiss him, to touch him, to see how his whiskers felt on her skin. He had remained a complete gentleman, not allowing the drinks to cloud his judgment and make them both do something they’d regret the next day. Though it hadn’t happened, she still couldn’t deny the attraction she was feeling for him. Today was stronger than yesterday, so alcohol wasn’t to blame for it.
“I’m gonna scramble up some eggs and bacon. It’s no trouble, Rodney. I would’ve done it whether you were here or not.”
He followed her into the kitchen and sat at the table, topping off his coffee. “I really appreciate you letting me vent last night. I feel like it was all about me and you couldn’t get a word in edgewise. How are things going with… you know?” He lifted his mug again, his green eyes bright.
“With my ex?” Amelia asked as she pulled the bacon from the refrigerator.
“Yeah. Sore subject?”
“No, not a sore subject.” She shrugged and pulled out several slices of bacon, lying them in a frying pan. She wasn’t sure how much Rodney could eat, but judging by his size, he probably had a good appetite. “His name is Phillip. We were together for a good long while and he just sort of changed. He got really possessive. Hated me working at the bar. It was time he left. He can’t seem to let it go, which is why I had to get the restraining order.”
“Has he been around since then?”
“Once. He left before the cops got here so there was no proof he was here.” She flipped the bacon in the pan, her stomach growling from the scent. “I’d like to think he’s had his fun but I don’t know. I told you all was well the other day but I didn’t want to bring you into the drama. He thinks you and me are dating. He asked who you were.”
Rodney sipped his coffee, his eyes showing a slight hint of concern. It made Amelia appreciate him but it also made her feel guilty. She meant what she said - she didn’t want to involve Rodney in the drama.
“If he comes around and asks again, you can tell him I’ll be the one to kick his ass if he messes with you again. And I mean that, Amelia. You don’t deserve that.”
The protectiveness Rodney was displaying for Amelia impressed her. This fight wasn’t his and he was willing to take on Phillip anyway. “Thank you, Rodney. I really don’t want you to have to get involved, and maybe you won’t. He’s probably moved on to something else since I’m not giving him the attention he wants.”
“Let’s hope so. I’d hate to have to hurt him.” Rodney smiled. “The food smells great.”
After eating, Amelia tried to prolong Rodney’s stay but he had to get home to Justin. She had to remind herself that he had a child and they weren’t together. She was acting as if they were boyfriend and girlfriend when really, this was just friends hanging out. She couldn’t allow herself to harp on the possibility of it becoming more. Pushing him would just make him run. She didn’t want to ruin the friendship that had progressed so beautifully.
Driving him to the bar, she glanced at him and kept one eye on the road. It was a beautiful morning with lingering clouds and spotty rain showers. A perfect day to snuggle in bed. Her desire pooled in her stomach. Having him close made it worse. His scent, his voice - maybe it was a good thing that she was dropping him off before she did something stupid and messed everything up.
Nearing the parking lot, she couldn’t prolong it any further and pulled in close to his truck. Putting the car in park, she expected him to jump right out and go but he didn’t. Undoing his seatbelt, he turned to face her. His smile made her melt.
“Thanks again, Amelia. You’re the best.”
“You’re welcome, Rodney. It was a pleasure having you over.” Pleasure? Yeah, she had pleasure on her mind and hopefully, he wouldn’t catch on to it.
Leaning close, he reached out and cupped the back of her head, pulling her near. Was this really happening? Had he read her mind? Their lips were inches apart and Amelia felt her heart beat so hard she feared that Rodney could see it through her shirt. His fingers moved through her tangled hair, his lips brushing against hers.
Following his lead, her hand smoothed through his hair, feeling the smoothness against his scalp. Opening her eyes, she looked deep into his. A small squint hinted that he wanted more and she dipped her head, fully pressing her lips to his. His mouth opened and his tongue slipped between her lips, pushing in and out of her mouth. He tasted good and she scooted even closer, feeling the gearshift against her leg. She had never felt such passion, losing all sense of reality, forgetting where they were.
The kiss ended almost as soon as it started, Rodney pulling away first. His face was flush and he glanced over his shoulder toward his pickup. Maybe he had realized what she had - they were in the parking lot of the bar. What if he didn’t want that to happen and she moved too fast?
“I’m sorry, Amelia,” Rodney whispered.
“What are you sorry for?”
“For kissing…”
She put her index finger up to his mouth to stop him. “No need to apologize for something I wanted to happen.”
Her comment made his eyes light up. Leaning in again, he pecked her lips. “I gotta go get Justin from my mom’s.” She felt his warm breath on her skin, making her desire long for him even more.
“I
know.”
“To be continued?” He cocked his head to the side, his boyish gaze back, only this time he was amused and not appearing like he was in trouble.
“Definitely.”
“I’m taking Justin fishing later. You should come.”
“I’d love to.” Inside, Amelia was doing back flips. Of course, she would go. More time with Rodney meant another chance to share a kiss like they had just had. It was more intoxicating than any whiskey or beer.
“I’ll come pick you up around three.”
Amelia watched Rodney as he walked back to his truck. Had that really happened? Had they just kissed? She feared she’d jolt awake in her bed and this was all a dream. Licking her lips, she could still taste him on them, confirming it really did happen. He waved as he climbed into the cab and she kept an eye on his pickup until she could no longer see it. The friendship had changed, just as she had surmised. It had taken a sudden push forward out of the friend zone, and into something she hoped would last. Hopefully, this wasn’t a rebound for Rodney. The kiss was far too passionate to be that.
It took Amelia almost ten minutes to calm down enough to drive home. She had a fishing date with Rodney and Justin. The day was going to get even better even though few things could top a kiss like she just experienced.
Chapter Sixteen
After feeding Justin and settling him down on the couch with some cartoons, he climbed into the shower and thought about the past twenty-four hours. Standing in the direct stream, the hot water hit his skin and he closed his eyes, the warmth relaxing him. Life was funny - he went from being extremely bitter about Susan to getting lost in Amelia’s presence. Did that make him a horrible person? Most would say he’s moving far too fast. He had barely finalized all of the fine print with his divorce and suddenly, he was making moves on a new woman.
Never Let You Go: Save Me Series Book 2 Page 11
