Elaine Wilder is back in her old stomping grounds of Kingston, California following a year of post-graduation travel. It was supposed to be her opportunity to find her footing in life and learn the family business. Instead, she stumbles into long-hi...
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12:05 pm
I've been sitting in my car, parked at the back entrance to Black Rabbit for the last ten minutes. Just staring at the brick exterior as I anxiously tap my fingertips along the edge of my steering wheel, time inching by. I glance at the time, peering around the passenger seat to see that no one else has arrived—seldom from the few cars parked underneath the shade of a large palm tree, which were here when I arrived.
I burned a hole staring at the black door, chewing on the inside of my cheek.
I don't quite know why the simple act of getting out of my car and going inside the bar was bringing me such unease. It just feels...odd. It's surreal sitting in this old cobblestone lot that I've sat in a hundred times, except this time under very different circumstances. Five years ago I couldn't get out of Kingston fast enough, no city was far enough away for me to shield myself from the consuming guilt I felt. Yet, here I am.
I need today to go well.
My head falls back to hit the headrest as I take a deep breath and turn off the car. If I sit in this car any longer I'm going to talk myself out of everything.
I lift my head, opening my eyes as the engine falls silent and my gaze locks with two expressive, cornflower blue eyes staring back at me from my door window.
"Jesus!" I jump, instinctually covering my face with both my hands for a moment before I quickly reach for my door handle, shuffling out of my car.
Towering over me was a boyish, blonde-haired boy. His hair sat wildly on his head and a light tinge of sunburn graced his freckled face. It wasn't until I recognized the cheeky grin that it clicked. He was the boy from Joni's phone.
"My bad, I didn't mean to spook you. I was tossing out some shit in the dumpster and noticed you chillin' out here." The light-haired stranger extended his hand out toward me and my heart finally slowed. I reciprocated and his large, calloused hand dwarfed mine.
I shook my head, sheepishly laughing a bit. "Jeremy, right? Sorry, yeah—I'm Elaine." I told him. My arm fell to my side and I fiddled with the strap of my purse.
"Jo's shown me about every single photo and video of the two of you so you were easy to recognize." He smiled, patting the hood of my car. "Nice wheels, too." He turned around quickly, walking to the door and holding it open before he glanced back at me.
"You comin'?"
I was still standing beside my car but hummed in agreement, quickly catching up to him and walking through the back doorway, greeted by the cool air of the room. I heard the door shut over my shoulder as I followed behind Jeremy and walked into the bar's main area. Barstools were stacked on top of the bar from the night before, and the only light pouring in was from the large paned windows at the front of the building. It was empty, aside from Jeremy and me.
