by Riley Scott
“Just me tonight.”
He looked around the crowded bar, scanning for a decent spot. When he couldn’t find one, he sighed. “I have no idea why we’re this busy tonight. I guess everyone around here was looking for something to do to warm up from the cooler air outside. But I tell you what, I’ll grab you a stool from the back, and you can sit up next to the bar right here.” He pointed to a spot underneath the bartender window. “Does that work for you?”
She felt like she should wave it off, tell him she was fine, and mingle. But she knew the dangers of a place like this, even if it felt so homey and quaint to everyone else. “That would be great. Thank you. Really.”
When he came back with the barstool, she climbed on top and finally tasted her drink. She winced. It wasn’t quite what she expected and it certainly wasn’t whiskey. Whatever it was, she was going to drink it and hopefully next time she would have the chance to order from Louie instead of the young girl.
It was her first real time out experiencing the nightlife of Knell, and she knew she should be using that time to work and network. She wanted to know the story behind each of these faces—well, aside from her scruffy assailant from earlier. She wanted to know what made them tick, what they liked and didn’t like, who they were, how they knew Chloe, and if they were willing to expand their small mindset. But she couldn’t bring herself to cross that bridge, not when intoxicated people could be so volatile. Resigned to enjoy solitude and small talk, she took another sip. Rum. It has to be rum.
Regardless, she drank it down halfway and eavesdropped on the conversation happening in the nearest booth. She let out a quiet laugh as she listened to them, a man and a woman in their fifties if she was guessing correctly, talking about their fears regarding their teenage daughter being involved in the wrong crowd.
“She was listening to music by someone called…I don’t even want to say it, Roger,” the woman’s voice was high and agitated.
“Say it, Marlene,” he coaxed. Dominique wished she could see them to put faces to the voices. “What was she listening to?”
“It’s called…well I don’t even know the full name, but I know it has ‘Pussy’ in the band name.”
Pussy Riot. Dominique mentally put herself in their conversation and wanted to discuss the bigger issue of how cool the Internet was that a kid in podunk Texas could get in touch with one of the most socially revolutionary musical groups she knew.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw the front door swing open. Amy stood in the doorway. Dominique stared, wanting to take in the sight of her beauty, but stopped. She gasped as Amy walked closer and she saw the tear streaks down her face. She wanted to go to her, comfort her and take her out of this place, but she resisted the urge. If Amy had wanted her company, she would have texted. She held her place on her barstool but waved as Amy got closer.
To her relief, Amy smiled and walked over toward her.
“Hey,” Amy said, confusion wrinkling her brow. “What are you doing here?”
“I just thought it would do me some good to get out of the hotel room so I don’t go completely stir-crazy. What about you?”
“I honestly don’t know.” She shook her head. She raised her hands but then dropped them to her side.
“Are you okay?” Dominique slid off her barstool and gestured for Amy to take a seat.
Amy eyed the seat and finally nodded. “Thank you,” she said. “And I don’t know. I will be fine. Right now I’m kind of a mess.”
“Want to talk about it, or do you want to have some drinks and I’ll drive you home?”
“Is it okay if I take a rain check on talking it out?” Amy eyed Dominique’s half full drink on the bar top.
“Yes, and you can drink that as well. I’ll be around if and when you want to talk. For tonight, though, I’m happy you’re here. If you want company, we can have drinks, dance, and not worry about anything.”
Amy downed what was left in Dominique’s glass and motioned to Louie.
“Amelia!” He called out and came over to offer her a hug. “I haven’t seen you around much lately. How have you been?”
“Busy,” she lied, “but good.”
Dominique watched him look at her in concern. There was no doubt he read through the lies too easily, but as a skilled bartender, he treated them like truth. “Glad to hear it.” He peered around the corner and caught Dominique’s eye. “You gave up your seat?”
“She needed it more than I did,” she said with a smile. “Just passing on the courtesy to keep the friendly nature going around this place.”
“I knew I liked you.” He smiled at her and nodded. “I’ll get a drink for both of you on the house, something for my two favorite ladies in this place tonight.”
They placed their orders and waited. Amy lifted up her right hand, beckoning Dominique to come closer.
“What is it?” she asked, stepping up to close the gap between them.
Wordlessly, Amy leaned her head against Dominique’s body. Dominique gently stroked Amy’s back. Remembering Amy’s fear of coming out, she looked around to make sure they weren’t causing a scene. It seemed everyone, including her persistent suitor from the beginning of the night, had moved onto bigger things.
“If it’s all the same to you, I think I’d like to go home after this drink.” Amy’s voice was barely above a whisper, sounding tired and gravelly.
“Whatever you need.” Dominique continued to massage Amy’s tense muscles. “I’m here for whatever you need.”
“I think I’ll take you up on the ride home.” She turned her face upward to make eye contact. Even in sadness, her green eyes were gorgeous. “Is that still an option?”
“Of course.” Dominique fought the urge to kiss Amy’s cheek and gripped her drink when Louie set it in front of her instead. “Like I said, whatever you need.”
“I think I need to have you there. Would you mind staying with me instead of at the hotel?”
Dominique thought about the idea and hoped Amy wasn’t going to try something in her emotional state. “Don’t worry.” Amy shook her head. “Not like that. At least, not tonight. I just want to be close to you, if that’s okay.”
“That’s more than okay. But are you okay?”
Amy nodded and looked off into the distance while toying with the napkin under her drink. She bit her lip and let out a slow sigh. “I know it’s not fair to keep you on the edge, wondering what’s going on inside my head. So I’ll give you a glimpse. I feel like I’m cheating on someone even though there’s no one to cheat on and even though we really didn’t have rules of exclusivity lined out anyway before she died.”
The words hit their mark and Dominique straightened her back, leaning away from the embrace.
“Don’t back away please.” Amy reached for Dominique’s hand and took it in her own. She took a deep breath and offered a sad smile. “I’m not a lost cause. I’m in a weird place, made even weirder today, so I’m sorting out some things in my head. But I know with certainty I want you here by my side.” She leaned her head against Dominique’s chest again, and Dominique settled into the comfort of the position. “I also know there’s no harm in what we’re doing. I just need to sort those things out, which I fully intend on doing. For that reason, I just want to be near you tonight. I want to feel you next to me and know we are moving forward.”
Running her fingers through Amy’s long hair, Dominique leaned down and planted a single kiss on the top of Amy’s head. She waited in silence for a moment, making sure Amy had spoken all she needed to say. “That’s good with me,” she answered quietly. “We’ll move forward at whatever pace is right for both of us.”
Amy looked up at her, relief evident in her eyes. “Thank you.”
Dominique tightened her grip on Amy’s hand. Amy looked around the bar cautiously, and Dominique took the cue, releasing her hand but never moving from her place. Whatever pace they moved at, she knew she wanted to be by Amy’s side.
Chapter Th
irteen
Soft, sleep-filled mumbles floated through the air, causing Dominique’s eyes to open briefly. She glanced toward the soft peach curtains in Amy’s room, noting it was still dark outside. She shut her eyes tightly, wanting to stay in the warmth of their embrace. Legs tangled around each other, they lay with Dominique holding tight to Amy. She breathed in deeply, relishing the scents that still lingered from Amy’s perfume and the hints of floral shampoo. As gingerly as possible, she adjusted the upper half of her body to allow for even closer contact.
From her big spoon position, she had everything she could have asked for. Amy’s soft body tucked against hers, she could feel the rhythmic beats of her heart. She nuzzled her head in closer, kissing Amy’s neck gently. Amy wriggled her behind softly into Dominique’s lap, making her body tighten. Dominique let out a deep breath to release the tension that was forming.
This was not the time or the place, even if she desperately wanted it. She glanced down, seeing Amy still peacefully sleeping, and laid her head back against the pillow.
Sweet and tender. That’s how she would have described their night. It had been so long since she had snuggled with someone without the precursor of sex that she felt like she had forgotten the magic of being so entirely wrapped up in another person, offering the simple intimacy of comfort.
A phone buzzed on the nightstand, breaking her away from the beauty of the moment. She sighed and craned her neck, avoiding sudden movements that would shift her weight on the bed. Relieved to see it was Amy’s phone, she hoped it wouldn’t disturb Amy’s peaceful sleep, even though as a baker, she would have to be up soon. Dominique wondered what time it was and what time her day must normally start. She scanned her memory for details, only knowing that Amy was always already awake and at work whenever Dominique sent her early morning text messages.
Amy’s eyelids fluttered open, causing the corners of Dominique’s mouth to droop. Throughout her slumber, she had finally looked like she didn’t have to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders. Now it would be another day in the midst of this chaos. Dominique closed her eyes, reminding herself this was life. Life was bumpy, and it was never encouraged to run from one’s problems. Amy had issues to deal with right now, but that didn’t mean that life had to be negative.
When Dominique opened her eyes, she smiled, watching Amy glance angrily at the phone on the nightstand giving another buzz to remind her she had missed a call. She glanced over her left shoulder, making eye contact with Dominique, and her face broke into a sleepy smile.
“Good morning,” she said, letting out a yawn. Her eyes widened and she brought her hand up to cover her mouth. “Morning breath,” she mumbled as her cheeks blushed.
“Don’t worry about that,” Dominique said, her voice still low and husky from having just woken up. “Good morning,” she echoed, leaning in to kiss Amy’s cheek.
“Mmm,” Amy moaned, this time consciously wriggling her body against Dominique’s. “This feels really nice.” Her voice was so sultry and melodic, Dominique’s mind shot off in a million directions.
“It does,” she agreed.
Amy lifted up the sheets just enough to allow her to roll over. Facing Dominique, she smiled her devilish grin and wrapped her legs around Dominique’s. “In a minute,” she said moving closer until only an inch remained between their lips, “I’m going to return that phone call. But before I do, I need some motivation to start my day.” She winked and closed the distance between them, her soft lips parted and inviting.
As if fireworks had gone off inside her, Dominique could feel the wetness and the throbbing sensation in her most tender areas. Amy hungrily quickened the tempo, thrusting her body against Dominique’s and pinning her on her back, only to climb on top for a full make out session. She ran her teeth across Dominique’s bottom lip while she grinded back and forth. Dominique let out a loud moan, running her hands down Amy’s back.
“If I don’t stop now,” Amy said, pulling back, “I don’t know if we’ll be able to.”
Dominique’s heart was pounding, and she forced herself to slow her quickened breathing. “We are only going to move forward when you know you’re emotionally ready,” she said, offering as much of a smile as she could muster in such an intense moment.
“I’m physically ready as hell,” Amy said, winking. “So fucking ready. But I should sort some things out first.” She straightened her body to sit back in her straddle position. “Just know that when it happens, it’ll be amazing.”
“Judging from the way you say ‘good morning,’ I know it will be.” Dominique laughed and returned the wink.
As Amy sidled off the bed, Dominique tried to catch her breath. This woman was a firecracker. Amy picked up her phone and listened to the voice mail. Dominique watched the graceful nature of her movements, a complete shift from the wild seductress she had been only seconds before. Amy’s eyes widened as she listened. Her hands shook as she pulled the phone from her ear.
“Is everything…?” Dominique’s voice trailed off, knowing she already knew the answer to her question. People didn’t turn ghost white if everything was okay.
Like a professional actress, Amy turned to face the bed fully with a smile painted on her lips. “Just small town drama. I think I need to go see my parents before I open up the bakery. I’ll call you tonight.” With that, she turned and disappeared into the bathroom.
Dominique rose from her spot on the bed and gathered her things. From the sound of things clanging around in a frenzy behind the bathroom door, she knew it was time for her to leave.
“Good luck,” she called out before she walked out the door. “I’ll talk to you tonight.”
She had work to do today, but Amy clearly was right. She had things to figure out.
* * *
Wide-eyed, Amelia stared at herself in the mirror. Wringing her hands, she reminded herself she didn’t have time for this. It didn’t matter if she recognized herself this morning or not. Frantically, she washed her face and applied new mascara. It didn’t help. She still looked hollow.
She sighed, pulling out her hairbrush to run it through her tresses as quickly as possible. Deciding that would have to suffice, she walked back to the bedroom, thankful to find Dominique had already let herself out.
They would talk, she reassured herself. But today’s agenda was something she had to conquer on her own. Standing in front of her closet, she felt the sting of tears but forced them away. This was not the time for crying. She would be strong and stand her ground. Her hands trembled as she ran them over the tops of hangers. No outfit would be good enough; nor would it make her feel any better.
She pulled a simple blue cardigan out of the closet, only to drop it and cover her face with her hands. Her breathing quickened but she couldn’t get any air. Collapsing onto the floor, she pulled her knees to her chest and worked to calm herself. None of this would help her cause.
Gritting her teeth, she stood and picked up the cardigan. Pairing it with a white camisole underneath, she slipped on a pair of jeans and her Toms, refusing to glance in the mirror before she headed out the door.
She almost fell getting into her car, but her heart was racing too much for her to care. In the car, she flipped through radio stations, finding nothing to either soothe her deepest fears or to amp her up for what was to come. Finally, she settled on Bon Jovi and cranked up the dial, letting the sounds of “Livin’ on a Prayer” resonate within her. She sang it loudly, deciding that’s exactly what she was doing today. She would be living on a prayer and fighting like hell for some semblance of a normal life.
She white-knuckled the steering wheel. Pressing harder on the accelerator, she zipped across town as quickly as possible. She knew if she allowed even one of the festering seeds of doubt in her mind to implant, she’d turn the car around. She didn’t have time for that. Not today.
Within five minutes, she pulled into the familiar driveway. The blue shutters on the front of the red brick house remained a
welcoming beam, even if the sun and wind over the years had taken their toll on the wood. “Those need to be painted,” she said, exhaling. Maybe she would offer to do it for them, if they still wanted to talk to her after today.
She gripped the steering wheel for one final moment of stability and opened her car door. Before she could get out, she saw her dad round the corner, dressed for the day’s work. His faded coveralls and flannel shirt were the same as they always were. Everything seemed normal, albeit his gray beard was a little longer than he usually grew it. She smiled at the sight, relishing in a solitary, fleeting normal moment. The minute he saw her, he broke into a huge smile and double-timed his steps moving toward her car.
“Hey there, Amy-bug!” He called out, his deep voice booming through the morning air. “What are you doing out this way so early?”
“How early do you have to be at work today?” she asked, knowing that as the owner of his truck tire shop, he had some flexibility. Even so, much like her day, his began too early.
“I have an appointment in just a couple of hours.” He locked eyes on her and a frown replaced his smile. His brow knit together. “What’s wrong, honey?”
“I just needed to talk to you and Mom for a few minutes, if you have time.”
“I’ll make time.” He wrapped his big strong arms around her and pulled her in for a bear hug. “I’ll always make time for my girl. Go on inside. I’m going to make a call to Brent down at the shop to let him know that he’ll need to do morning set up. Then I’ll be in right behind you.” He picked up his phone but turned back in her direction for a minute. “Your mama made biscuits and gravy this morning. I’m sure there’s still some left. Go in and eat, get some coffee, and then we’ll talk about whatever is troubling you. Just remember not to stress and that God is in control.”
She walked up to the front step, replaying his words. She knew he believed in them and hoped they’d bring him some comfort once she had dropped a bomb big enough to destroy his mental focus for more than just today. She reached for the door handle but quickly pulled her hand back. Relying on the rail next to the flowerbeds out in front of the house, she stabilized herself. Yes, she was going to be ruining his day and her mother’s. Hell, she was probably going to ruin their year. But there was no turning back now. Straightening her shoulders, she twisted the door handle and let herself into the house she had always thought of as her one true home.
