Rev (Fast Lane #1)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Journey

That evening I went home to the small one bedroom apartment that I had managed to buy with the money I'd saved up. Coming from a bedroom that had only had a bed and a dresser in it, this was like a fine mansion to me. Growing up, my living accommodations had been anything but comfortable. I'd slept in a twin-size bed until I was sixteen, and even then my bed situation didn't get much better. The summer of my sixteenth birthday, I'd saved up all my money from working as a lifeguard at the local community pool and had bought a bigger mattress. My father had told me it was the only way he'd pay for me a new bed. He'd buy the frame and I'd buy the mattress and the bedding.

My father had been a selfish man. I wasn't even supposed to be living with him. But I guess when your mother loads you up in the car, drives to Ohio, throws you and a suitcase out on the man's doorstep at five years old what choice do you have? He hadn't been very happy I was there, either. Him or his bitch of a wife. They'd thought that I had tarnished their reputation as upstanding citizens in the town when I'd shown up unannounced one day, suitcase and teddy bear in hand. I hadn't even known my father had existed until that moment, and apparently, neither did he.

I kicked my shoes off and plopped down on the empty sofa in the small living room. I liked my apartment. It was perfect for someone like me. I didn't have any friends. I had coworkers which I couldn't really call "friends" since I'd just started working at the cafe. I didn't have anyone to call family. I was alone and I was okay with it. I'd been alone for as long as I could remember.

I leaned my head back on the edge of the sofa and closed my eyes for a few brief minutes. I let the events from the day play through my head. I was thankful that when I closed my eyes to do that at the end of the day, I may actually be able to smile about something now. My life before Miami hadn't been bad enough to call it hell, but it hadn't been good enough to call it heaven either.

My thoughts wandered and events weaved in and out of my subconscious until they landed on the events of tonight. Tristan Hayes. I had thought about him on the way home and had wondered if I had made the right choice in leaving him with Bentley's café. I sure wouldn't want to be the reason something got stolen or damaged, but he'd insisted and so had she. I could still hear his voice low and deep in my ears as he spoke few words to me. We'd been in the dark so there wasn't much I could make out, but I had seen the outline of a very defined muscular frame and the hint of a smirk on his lips tonight. I wondered what he looked like outside of the darkness.

I sat up and shook my head of the memories of the late-night visitor and started towards the bathroom. I had almost forgotten about the shower I had been intending to take. I needed a good long shower after today. I stood up and went to my room to grab a t-shirt and panties. I switched the water on in the shower and started stripping off my work clothes. The water was warm when I stepped inside and I let it trickle down my body as I cleaned my skin and hair thoroughly. When I was done, I blow-dried my hair and combed it out to keep it from tangling and giving me hell in the morning. Tomorrow was Saturday, so it would be an all hands on-deck day, and Bentley would need us there early to get everything ready. I couldn't get there on time if I had to fuss with a matted mess on my head.

I had just finished drying my hair and was about to peel back my soft sheets and blanket and snuggle into the full-size bed when my phone rang. Bentley's name was on the screen and I answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey, did you let Tristan in?" Her voice was curious and my heart started to pound in my chest. If something happened to the café after I left I was going to be pissed. I also may cry a little bit because that would mean costing this very kind woman her business, but I'd be pissed at myself more than anything. I knew leaving him there by himself was a bad idea.

"Yeah. Why, did something happen?" She laughed lightly on the other end and my fears started to ease up as she came back on to reassure me.

"No, I was just wondering if you let him in. I haven't heard from him or my brother tonight so I was just wondering if I should be expecting call from the police station anytime soon, but if you let him in then I'll go to bed now. Dalton's getting impatient with me, but he knows my brother's safety and well-being is important to me." Dalton was Bentley's psychiatrist husband. I've never seen him, but she talks about him frequently. She just seemed so young to be married already. I knew that she had to be in her early to mid twenties at least, but who was I to judge? I didn't know her relationship with her husband.

"Oh well, I let him in. I also left him there. He told me that he could lock up for me. I hope that that was okay." I held my breath waiting for her response.

"Yeah, that's perfectly fine! He's done it for me several times before. I'm sorry that he scared you. I probably should have mentioned that my café is a haven for my brother and his friends when they need it."

"That might have been a little helpful." I chuckled lightly and she went over the schedule with me briefly for tomorrow. I told her goodnight and she hung up the phone. I don't think I've ever had a boss as nice as Bentley was. That wasn't saying much considering everyone back home hated me and I had only had a select few of jobs in my life because of that hatred, but still she was probably the nicest regardless. People being nice to me was not something that I was used to.

I put my phone on the charger beside me on the table and turned my lamp off. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I could feel the curtains of slumber pull shut on my eyes until they closed completely, leaving me in the comfort of my dreams and the silence of my dark bedroom.