Ruby Red 3 - A Romance for All Time (Complete)

Chapter 25

"Can I ask you something?"

Sam studied the woman before him. The strong afternoon sun made Sarah's blue eyes sparkle like the rows of coloured glass bottles on the shelves behind her. It had been over a year since they had worked together, tending bar here at the Diamond Club. He had instantly liked the perky blonde who was a hard worker, outgoing and had an honesty about her he had found a rare commodity when he first moved to L. A. "Sure."

Sarah put down the pristine white bar towel she was holding and placed her hands on her hips. "When you first came here, you lied about your name. Why?"

Another thing he liked about Sarah was how she got directly to the point. He wasn't expecting this question. Back then he had used his middle name, Freemont as his last name to hide his identity. "Well, the Harrington name came with... certain expectations. I... I wanted people to know me, the real me. Without all the baggage of my past. A fresh start."

"Did you feel bad lying to your friends?" she pressed.

"Still do." Sam caught Sarah's eye. "I wanted to tell some people but it got harder and harder. I didn't want to ... disappoint them."

Sarah held his gaze for a moment, before breaking it as she started wiping down the dark wood of the bar. He wasn't sure what he had seen in her eyes ... pain ... distress. Whatever it was, it left him with an uncomfortable feeling and he wanted to take away the suffering.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you," Sam found himself saying. A long-overdue apology.

A gruff voice cut through the air. "Hurt her how?" it demanded. Turning to the source, Sam found himself peering up at a tall, lanky guy glaring down at him.

Before he could answer, Sarah cut in. "What are you doing here?" The towel halted in her hand for an instant as she gaped at the intruder. Then her eyes narrowed before she dropped them to the bar top and resumed her actions, a little more viciously.

"How did he hurt you?" he repeated.

"He didn't." The 'you did' hung un the air around them.  "I can't serve you," she bit out without looking up.

"I... I know." The man before Sam rubbed his chin before letting his hand drop. "Can...I ... Give me a chance to explain."

"Everything okay Sarah?" Sam interjected, feeling protective of his friend.

"Yup. Sam this is Shawn. Or is it Nick today? I get confused." Bitterness dripped from Sarah's words.

Sam turned to Shawn/Nick and held out a hand, "I'm Sam, I used to work with Sarah." Sam wasn't sure why but he felt the need to clarify his relationship with her.

Looking at the offered gesture for a moment, the other man hesitated, glancing at Sarah and then back at Sam. Finally, he shook Sam's hand. "I'm Nick."

"Today..." mumbled Sarah.

Nick plopped into a barstool, looking defeated, shoulders slumped, arms loose on the bar, his honey-brown hair flopping over his eyes. "Sarah please..."

"I'm sensing there's a story here..." Sam tried to play peacemaker.

"Nope. Just another L.A. liar." Sarah turned her back on the two men, starting to sort bottles back into their designated spots. A little too forcefully.

"I'm sorry. But not about that. It's the reason I met you. And I'll never be sorry for that," the brunette pleaded.

A tinge of remorse on the other man's behalf rippled through Sam. It was obvious Nick was the source of Sarah's earlier question. She wasn't hurt about the past. The present was the problem.