Red Light: A Dark Stalker Romance (Book One) (Dangerous Games Series)

Chapter Six - Alanna

We reach the large faded blue building and Flick opens the glass door for me and causes a bell hanging in the doorway to chime announcing our presence. I walk through the door and watch as every person in the diner goes quiet and turns to stare at me. Well, this isn't awkward at all. "Hi...everyone...I'm Alanna Carver." I say and wave to the room. Flick lets the door fall shut behind him and clears his voice and everyone seems to snap out of it and goes back to talking. Only now their tones were hushed and they kept glancing my way.

Great. Another place that was built on assumptions. Flick leads me to the bar on the far side of the room, opposite booths along the walls and tables scattered between the two. Then he jumps behind it and smiles charmingly, "What can I get you, miss?" He asks with a thick southern drawl. I laugh and grin at him. "I'm told the pancakes are good. Do you have chocolate chip?" I ask. Flick nods and walks back to the kitchen. I see him poke his head into the cut-out window in the wall and wave at me. I shake my head and mouth 'what are you doing?' He smiles and disappears.

"Um, hi, Alanna?" A high voice asks, and I turn to see several women standing around me. The one addressing me is wearing white capris and a sleeveless lilac button up with lace flowers on the bottom. She had very tan skin and bleach blonde hair and a perfect pink smile. "Hi." I say back and smile. She seems caught off guard but rallies. "We're a part of the book club in town and wanted to introduce ourselves and extend an invitation for you to come to our next meeting and see how you like it, if you like it. We're always looking for new blood."

"Oh," I say surprised. That was nice of them. "Thank you. That's very kind. I didn't catch your names..." I trail off. "Oh of course! Silly me! I'm Dorothy Hedley, you can call me Dot, this is April, Theresa, Priyanka, Katie, Courtney, and Shauna." Each woman smiles at me and waves as they're introduced. They all have that proper look about them. I notice that they all look apprehensive at inviting me, or talking to me, or both. "I like your...spider webs." Katie says and I smile and chuckle. "Thank you. When is the next meeting? And where do you meet?"

Shauna pipes up this time. "This Thursday at six, this week will be my house. I can text you the address, you have a phone...right?" I keep myself from rolling my eyes and nod instead. They all seem to relax a little when I agree, which is strange, but I brush it off. Shauna and I exchange phone numbers and she promises to text me her address and they retreat back to their table just in time for Flick to come out of the kitchen carrying a plate of chocolate chip pancakes with whip cream on top.

I smile, excited. "Did you just work on your day off for me?" I ask him and he nods and places the plate in front of me and glances at the women that just fell back to their table to chat. "What'd they want?" He asks. "Oh, the Stepford wives? They wanted me to come to their book club on Thursday." I shrug and start cutting up my pancakes. Flick hands me the syrup and I pour on a generous amount and start shoveling bites into my mouth. I look around and see Flick's not eating. I swallow and say, "Where's your breakfast?"

"I ate before I got to your house." He chuckles and my jaw drops. "Then why are we here?" I ask. "So you can eat." He replies with a charming smile. I give him a stern look and take a pointed bite of pancakes. They were really good. I eat as much as I can while Flick watches and makes random silly comments. It's a little weird eating while someone watches you. But Flick tried to make it as casual as possible. He seemed like a really nice guy. I wasn't usually attracted to nice guys for long, and I didn't want to start off my relationship with the town by fucking their outcast and tossing him to the side.

I needed to cool it with the whole Flick thing. While it had just been us, last night, I was getting caught up. But today was reminding me that there was a whole town I needed to impress. And they were a judgmental bunch for sure. I finish up my breakfast and ask Flick for the bill, but he waves it off and takes my plate. Well now I look like a mooch. That's just great. But I'm not turning down a free meal. Too many lean nights had taught me to take food where it comes.