I am floored. It’s not what I was expecting. Did she seriously think I thought of her as a charity case? That’s not what I joined the Big Sisters club for. “Is that seriously what you think of me?”
“Well, no. but that’s what I am scared is going to happen. Please, don’t let it.” Jamie says while sticking her bottom lip out so far it is sure to drag the ground. “Hey, what’s that noise?” I look at her like she is crazy till I hear the tires squealing from the road.
“Don’t worry they are probably just passing by.” I assure her.
About that time two trucks come barreling up on the other side of the trees where we are. They get out hooting and hollering like they are the only people in the world. “Come on Jamie. Let’s go ahead and head back.”
“Ok.” We stand and fold the blanket back up. When we head to the car I realize that the men that got out of those trucks don’t plan on staying where they parked. Some of them are headed over here with their fishing poles and cooler. Full of beer no doubt.
“Well look who we got here.” I look up, after shutting the trunk of my car, and my blood freezes. It’s Jake. “You know you’re trespassing on my family’s land?”
Well shit. Not only does that ruin mine and Jamie’s place just by him being here, it ruins it because now I won’t ever come back. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize this was family owned. I thought we had gone far enough out to be in National Forrest.” I step away from the back of my car and walk to the driver’s door. “Go ahead and get in the car Jamie. I’m sorry again, we were just leaving.”
“Jake, quite being an ass man. Let them stay, they aren’t hurting anything!” Cole says as he steps around him.
“No! I, uh, I mean no thank you. We seriously need to get going anyways. Jamie has school tomorrow, so she can’t be out too late.” When I start to lower myself into my car, I am hypnotized by dark hair and green eyes.
“What’s the rush? You have plenty of time to get her home before dark. Besides, we were about to do some fishing. Care to join us?” Ryder says as he walks around the front of my car to stand directly on the other side of my open door. Less than a foot separates him from me. I look over at Jake, who is wearing a scowl, and for the first time I notice he has a cut on his neck just beneath his jaw bone. Oh, no. I did that.
“We would love to stay. I don’t know how to fish though. Could you teach me?” Jamie is standing behind Ryder looking at him like he was an angel. How did she get around the car that fast?
“Jamie! We aren’t going to intrude on these men’s fishing time.” I grab her by the arm to pull her next to me, which causes me to touch Ryder’s arm in the process. It’s like electricity shooting up my arm and through my whole body. I am so aware of where his skin is touching mine that all my senses focus on that one spot. Like it would save my life if we stayed connected. Damnit, what the hell is it about him? I jerk my arm away and put it behind my back. Great, that’ll make you look normal. Way to go dumbass!
“OK?” I take a step back and look up at Ryder. He was talking to me, and I hadn’t heard a word. Ugh.
“Um, ok what?” I ask.
“You’re telling me you didn’t hear a word he said and he is right in front of you?” Dave says from next to Cole. “I think you found a looney one.”
“I’m not looney. I just zoned out.” I look over at Dave and try the meanest mug I can manage. I probably look like a complete moron.
“Do you do that often?” Ryder implores. I shake my head at him and look down at my feet. Suddenly very interested in the rocks. “Well, no worries about you interrupting our fishing extravaganza, these men could use some women around them. Maybe, they will quit acting like such heathens.”
“HA! Like that’ll ever happen, lil’ bro!” Dave laughs out as he picks his pole up, where it was propped on a nearby tree and walks to the edge of the water. “Well come on. If we want a chance at catching anything we better get to it, instead of sitting here talking.”
Ryder puts his arm around Jamie, “Alright, short stuff, let’s get you a pole. The first thing you need to know about fishing is patience.” They turn to walk away and I am standing there dumbfounded. I’m pretty sure I never agreed that we would stay, but obviously we are. I do not want to be anywhere around Jake. I have a feeling he isn’t one to let things go. “Are you coming, Katrina?”
I look up to see Ryder standing at the front of my car. Jamie has went ahead without him. “Yeah, I guess you gave me no other choice.
“Oh, come now. We didn’t leave that bad of an impression on you, did we?” I sneak a glance at Jake. He is next to the river with his hip leaned on a rock, looking at Ryder. “I’m guessing Jake did leave that bad on one. Is he the reason you flew out of the party last night.” Wow, am I making it that obvious?
“No. I told you I felt sick.” I put on my fake smile. I always surprise myself at how well I have trained myself to flip the switch. I walk around him and sit next to Jamie on a log. “Any bites?”
“Neh, I don’t even know if I am doing it right. Cole said to just leave the line out there. If I got a bite to yank it and start reeling.” She points out to the water where her line disappears beneath the surface. “But I don’t know what a bite would feel like.”
“Is this really your first time fishing?” Jamie gives me those eyes and just nods her head. I take it her dad hasn’t had a lot of time to take her out. So I don’t push it. “Ok, so when you get a bite, you will feel a little jerk on your pole. When you do, yank and reel. You have to be careful, because if it’s just nibbling on it you could strip off your bait when you yank it.”
“Sounds like someone has been fishing quite a few times.” Dave says.
“Where I grew up there wasn’t a whole lot else to do. Plus, it was nice. Peaceful.” I explain. Besides school, it was the only other place I could go that wasn’t home.
“Then grab a rod and cast out. Show us men folk how it’s done!” he gestures with his head towards a pile of fishing poles in a pile next to a tackle box. Just because I’m always up for a challenge, I walk over to the mangled pile of poles. They are completely tangled in line and some of them aren’t even threaded. I open the tackle box and get out a knife (because no tackle box would be complete without one) and start cutting the knotted mess in front of me.
With my rod now threaded and on, I begin to look around for the bait they are using. When I can’t seem to find it I look over to Cole and ask, “Um, where is the bait?”
“Yeah, might need that, huh? It’s on the other side of Rhett.” He points to the right with his thumb. I haven’t even seen that Rhett was with them. When I glance in the direction that Cole had pointed me in I notice that the bait is smack dab in the middle of Rhett and Jake. I take a deep breath to muster some courage. I can do this. No big deal. Just don’t look at him. Maybe he won’t say anything. I stand, with my pole in hand, my new found courage, and walk to the bait. I squat down and grab one of the little bowls that have holes in the lids.
“Here, let me do it for you. We don’t need you scaring the fish off with you squealing because you have to touch a fucking worm.” Jake snarls. Well, that worked great. Double ugh.
“I am perfectly capable of putting a dang worm on a hook!”
“Didn’t seem that way to me last night.” He snaps back and my anger rushes forth.
“Last night was different. I wouldn’t touch that disgusting worm with a ten foot fucking pole.” I growl out the last part. The stare he is throwing at me, has me wanting to back track. His eyes are so furious that I am literally crab crawling backwards for a step until my hand lands on a boot. Jake looks up and smiles at Ryder. I know it’s him, I don’t know how I just do. My intuitions are confirmed when he speaks.
“Everything alright over here, Kat?” Ryder ask.
I realize I must look ridiculous, still leaning back on my hands and stand. “Yea, Jake here came to the assumption, since I am a female, that I am incapable of baiting my own hook. Which I’m n
ot.” To show them both I reach down grab the fattest dang worm I see and walk off. When I am finished I cast the pole out and stand it up with forked stick so that I can watch it without disturbing the line. I look at Jaime who is reeling hers in and talking to Dave. She sits her pole down and begins making hand gestures, telling him the story of when we first met.
Just then my pole jerks so hard it almost comes off the stick and into the water. I jump up, yank, and reel. The fish puts up quite a fight, but I manage to get it to shore. It’s a good size fish. Almost a pound.
I grab it behind the fins carefully, because it’s a catfish and they will stab you with them if you don’t do it right. “Looks, like you weren’t kidding when you said you knew a thing or two about catching some fish. Here, you might need this to get the hook out.” Cole says, extending his hand with a pair of pliers.
“Thanks.” I take them from him and release the hook from the fish’s mouth. “Do y’all keep the fish or do you release them?”
“We keep a few, enough to take home and cook. The rest we just let go.” Cole explains. “Since this is the first fish of the day, it’s a keeper. The stringer is next to the tackle box. You want to do the honors, or do you want me to do it?”
“Neh, I’ll let you do it.” Handing the catfish over, he takes it and walks away to get the stringer. When he drops it into the water, fish attached, he walks back over to me. “I saw the interaction between Jake and you a little bit ago. He is an ass. That is just the person he has always been. We all grew up together. It’s a small town here and most of the men all work at the lumber mill just over the state line in Georgia. His father is the foreman, and is just as arrogant as his son. We’ve all just decided it runs in the family.”
“That is no excuse to act the way he does.” I say and Cole gives me a half grin. “I take it that you are on the receiving end of his smart ass comments most of the time.”
“Once or twice,” A full on grin appears on his face before he continues, “but I can handle it. Just stay away from him if you can help it. Jake also thinks that he is God’s gift to women, and has had his eyes set on you since the moment you walked into that bar last night.”
“He isn’t my type. Besides, I could never be with a man if he is on the dark side.” Cole laughs, and his beautiful grey eyes sparkle.
“I guess it’s a good thing I am secretly a Jedi then.” Ryder throws his arm around me and my body grows warm. He looks down at me with those green gems and winks. My knees go week. “I have powers of charm that could make Yoda blush.”
Cole raises an eyebrow and walks away. Apparently I missed something. In the distance I notice that the sun is descending in the mountains, which is my queue to leave.
“I got to take off. I really don’t want to take the chance of getting Jamie home too late. Last thing I need is her parents not letting me see her again.” I say.
“Wait, her parents? Didn’t you say she was your sister?” Ryder ask.
“Well, I am her big sister, as in the program. I have been for a little over two years now.” I say. He looks over my face before locking his eyes with mine. It is like he is assessing me, trying to figure me out. I don’t like it. I’ve been assessed enough for one life time. Then his stare turns from searching to admiration. That scares me even more, because if he knew the real me, there would be no admiration. Because deep down I am a coward hiding in a shell of a girl that I want to be. Normal.
Later, when Jamie and I get to the car I notice she is in front of the car telling everyone bye. She spends a little extra time with Ryder, but their backs are to me and I can’t see what they are talking about. Ugh, come on Jamie. About the time I was going to tell her to get in the car they both turn to me.
“I’ll see you soon.” Ryder states with a grin on his face that spells trouble.
“I doubt it.” I say under my breath. Then flop down in behind the wheel and shut the door.
My window is still down from the drive over, so as I put the car in reverse I hear him shout. “Oh, there is no doubt about it. I Promise.”
Chapter 4
I drop Jamie off at her house by eight, and head home. Home. Funny how such a small word can mean so much. It’s just a three bedroom house on the outskirts of Chattanooga, Tennessee. When I first moved here, I lived in small apartment. It was all I needed, I wasn’t planning on staying here permanently. Just passing through, I wanted further away from the town I was born in than this. That was before I was told about a party and ran into the two people that would make me feel normal. Like I belonged. That is why this was home, why I stayed here and moved in with them a few short months later.
As I pull in the driveway I notice both the girl’s cars. When I walk through the door, Skeigh ambushes me. “Get changed, we are headed to TJ’s! Ms. Bran nearly bought one of everything in the store. Drinks on me.”
“You two go ahead I have school tomorrow.” I say as I pass them and head to my room to get comfy. I get my shirt over my head when I notice them both in my doorway looking at me expectantly. “What?”
“Don’t act like we don’t know your school schedule front to back. Your first class doesn’t start till ten in the morning. So get ready and on the way over we want to hear all about your day.” Lexi remarks.
“Fine, I’ll go to TJ’s, but really my day wasn’t that interesting. I picked up Jamie and we went to that spot next to the river we like.” I lie. Yea, so I ran into Ryder and the guys from last night. It wasn’t anything special, and yet again I am hoping that it was coincidence and I won’t see them again.
“Kat, I gave Dave my number before we left the party last night.” Skeigh’s look is suggestive.
“And?” I ask. Skeigh raises her eyebrow and nods her head. “Fine, turns out that Jake’s family own mine and Jamie’s slice of heaven and…”
“No, get dressed you can tell us in the car.” Skeigh interrupts.
As they turn to walk out the room I shout, “You are just going to have to wait on me to get out of the shower. Unless, you like having a tag along that smells of worm guts!” Feeling triumphant, I walk into the bathroom and shut the door a little harder than necessary. I strip down and throw my hair into a bun. I know the longer it takes for me to get ready, the longer we will be out tonight. I’ll just wash my hair when we get back.
***
When I am semi ready, because I was rushed, we walk outside and climb into Lexi’s car. She owns a new convertible and for Lexi it is a contradiction to her personality. Everyone who knows her would picture her driving a SUV seeing as she is really conservative, but this is her way of saying ‘I have a wild side’. Once we sit in the car she lets down the top. That gets a complaint out of Skeigh from the backseat about how the humidity is going to make her hair go ‘poof’. You would think since it is the first week of October that there wouldn’t be any humidity, but it’s the south and there is humidity even in the dead of winter. Once we get going down the road Skeigh leans forward, “Ok, spill it. Dave text me and told me he ran into you there, but I was busy with Ms. Bran and couldn’t text him back.”
Oh well, here goes. I tell them everything from the time that they pull up till the time I leave. I don’t tell them about Jake’s comments, because if I did that would mean I would have to explain about what happened the night before. So I just tell him he is a complete ass, and could care less to see him again.
“Ok, so you didn’t say that you wouldn’t mind seeing Ryder again. Come on, tell me you got his number and are going to call him up soon to get a piece of that!” Shameless Skeigh.
“Um, no.” I feign innocence. It’s not like I didn’t think about it.
“Skeigh, leave her alone when she is ready to quit being a prude and get laid, she will.” Lexi says seriously, then burst out laughing along with Skeigh.
“Wow, y’all really think that I am a prude?” I say as we pull into TJ’s Parking lot. They don’t say anything as we climb out of the car.
“No, Katrina we don�
�t think you are a prude really. We just think it would be good for you to… you know, let off some steam.” Lexi smiles as she says it and walks to the front of the car and we all walk in together. “Well, shit. Our table is taken.”
“Oh, jeez. This table is just as good.” Skeigh says rolling her eyes.
“I am going to find TJ and let him know we are here.” I put my phone down on the table, then head to the office at the end of the hall. All the walls in the bar are made of this rough wood that almost looks like the bark from the tree more than the actual wood. It makes the place pretty dark and the hallways to TJ’s office has little to no lights. The door is shut to his office. I knock on it, but the answer I get from the other side is a few grunts and glass shattering. First thing that pops into my head is someone is in there trying to steal from the safe. So what do I do? I open the door. It takes me a minute to comprehend the scene. TJ has his pants pulled up but they aren’t buttoned and he is holding them with his hand. In the same hand he is holding a bright pink bra. As my eyes travel from his waist I notice that he doesn’t have a shirt on, then he takes his free hand and runs it through his messy hair.
“Hi, there Kat. So. Um, What ya doing here?” TJ says as he stands there awkwardly. There is movement to the right side of the room where the desk is, and low and behold I find a topless blond standing there holding her boobs with her hands. She is trying to cover them but they are filled with so much silicone, her hands leave little to the imagination.
“Well, Skeigh wanted to celebrate a big sale that she had today at Sinful. I came back here to tell you we were here, but when I knocked it sounded like someone had broken in your office. You know what, I’ll just see you out there when you two get decent.” I step out of the room and shut the door back. I am almost to the end of the hallway when TJ yells for me.
“Kat, hang on.” It takes him two steps to get to me with those long legs.
From Lies to Promises Page 3
