Dare Me (Dare Me Series Book 1)

Dare Me (Part 8 - Alexis)

A long stream of blue light slices across my bedroom floor. Memories of my childhood pass through as I think about how the stars were so vivid and the moon hung so high when I'd lay under them on nights I couldn't stand being in the house any longer. I slept out in the open with only the comforting blanket of nature's glitter over me. I'd wake up itchy from the tall grass, but completely rested because there were no loud voices keeping me awake. Claire comes in from the hallway, suspending my thoughts of long ago. "You ready?" "Yeah." I clear my throat and move from the window. "You look amazing," she says, taking in my black shorts and white blouse with a deep open V in the front. I give a closed-lip smile. "Thank you. You do, too." I sit on the bed to put my laced block heels on. These are much smaller than the ones I apparently tossed into the trash last weekend. She smooths out her skintight dress and sits down with me. "I've got an interview at that new restaurant I told you about." "You do?" I ask excitedly, my mood lifting at my friend's good news. "Yeah." I look over at her, noticing the worry in her voice and the tightness around her eyes. "So, why aren't you happy?" "Well, it's kinda odd." She tilts her head, playing with a loose string from my comforter. "I mean, I don't have any experience, and it's a small place, yet I'm not meeting with the owner." I shrug. "You've got the degree, Claire, and maybe this was bought by someone who just wanted to invest. Not be a part of it, ya know?" "True," she says, biting the inside of her cheek. I pat her leg. "Dude. This is good. Be happy. I hope you get it." Standing, I walk over to my nightstand. I open my lip balm and slide it across my lips as I look back at her. She exhales. "What if it's him?" I tilt my head in confusion, but from the look on her face, I know who she's referring to. "There's no way." "You know there is," she replies. "His family had money. He's out by now. He could be here." "But seriously, how random would that be? I mean, why would he go through all the trouble of buying a restaurant, and what are the odds you would even apply there?" I put my lip balm down. "Don't you find it funny the flyer for the job just ended up in our mailbox downstairs?" "It's a new business. They were trying to get employees. I bet it was in everyone's mailbox." She exhales, worry lines creasing as her eyes scan my bedroom floor. I walk back over and sit down beside her, trying to think of what to say to ease her mind I grab her hand and link my fingers through hers. "He's gone. You have a restraining order. He'd be a fool to come back around." She nods, trying to let it sink in. "Yeah," she says, looking over at me. "You're right. I'm just being paranoid." I study her expression, knowing she doesn't fully believe it. I hate she even has to worry about this. I give her hand a squeeze. "I don't think you're being paranoid. It's good to be cautious and smart. If at any time you feel something isn't right, you call me. I'll drop whatever I'm doing and come to you." "Okay," she says. "Okay?" I reply, making sure she understands. "Yes. I'll call you." "Good." I nod and kiss her hand quickly. "Now let's go get trashed." She blows out a lungful of air before she stands. Her ankle goes sideways. "Shit. I might need to sit down most of the night in these heels." I laugh. "Please don't break your ankle. I can't deal with waiting on you hand and foot." "Oh, I think that would be nice." She grins mischievously, and I'm glad to see it reaches her eyes. "Wait. Did you eat?" I ask, stopping her in the hallway. She pats her stomach. "Girl, if I would have eaten anymore, I wouldn't have been able to fit in this dress. My Spanx are squishing all the fat." I snort. "Good. Here's to not throwing up." "And to saying we're never drinking again." I laugh. "Yeah. That, too." Anxiousness and excitement fill my lungs when I take in a deep breath. My eyes keep darting to the upstairs, wondering if that's where he is again. He was a complete dick to me at the shop, but for some reason, I feel like that was a front. It's that look in his eyes I can't forget because I've seen it in my own. Only people who've gone through some serious shit can have that look. Hard pasts result in high walls. I look back in front of me at the busy bar, wondering if I'll ever get a drink. I've been standing here forever. Where are those waitresses, anyway? I peer over at Claire and Brennen who sit by the wall, laughing at something one of them said, and it pulls at my heartstrings. I've missed them. My life was so different only a short time ago. Boy, what a blind fool I've been. You'd think someone like me, a girl who comes from such a broken home, would be smarter. Would know when she's in a relationship that wasn't working. I puff out my cheeks and stand on my tiptoes to look for the bartender who has yet again disappeared to the other end. "Harrison!" I turn to look when I hear my last name being yelled and see none other than cute, easygoing Gage coming my way. "Hey." I smile. I'm surprised when he wraps me in a big bear hug, lifting me up and twirling me around like I've known him all my life. I laugh and my eyes land on his brother. Shit. He looks delicious in an all-white t-shirt and pants. I look down and see he has on black sneakers with white at the bottom. "Alexis," he says lowly with a hand in his pocket and a bracelet on his wrist that says XPLR. I nod and move my hair from my face. "Who are you here with?" Gage asks, who looks almost as good in a white dress shirt, cream dress pants, and white sneakers. "My friends, Claire and Brennen." I point toward them sitting in a booth. Gage looks, but leather jacket is now staring at his phone. "Are you guys regulars or something?" I ask. "My brother here—" Leather jacket interrupts, "What are you drinking?" He puts his phone into his pocket. Gage gives him a look, and I realize he's talking to me. "Oh. A Cosmo. Two." I signal with my fingers. "I've been trying to get them forever now, but the bartenders are insanely busy." Gage's eyes follow a girl who walks by, and he grins. "I'll be back. Get me a beer, would ya?" he says to his brother as he pats him on the shoulder. I smirk and turn back to leather jacket. "Good luck," I say. His lip lifts, only a tad, and he holds up his hand. Shocking to me, the bartender looks and immediately makes his way over. "Yes, sir?" he says, placing his hands on the bar. My eyes grow wide. "Two cosmos and two beers." "Coming right up." My gaze follows the bartender. "How in the world did you do that?" I ask, dumbfounded, looking back at him. He smiles at my shock and, holy hell, it knocks me off my feet. I look at his lips and perfect all-white teeth, while chewing on the grin that's trying to spread across my face. He should smile more. Like all the time."I know the guy." I get a hold of myself and narrow my eyes, wondering why his mood resembles a seesaw. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asks. "You confuse me." He lifts a brow. "Care to explain?" I cross my arms, ready to be straight with him. He runs his eyes over me, seeming to prepare himself for my honesty, and it's sexy how he's really interested in what I'm about to say. "Well," I start. "At the shop, you were a complete asshole and now you're getting me drinks." He smirks and rubs over his buzzed head. "Asshole, huh?" His shoulder jumps forward when he's slapped on the back. "Hey, man, I'm heading up," Gage says. We both look at him and the girl on his arm who walked by earlier. Heading up? I dart my eyes to the stairs. Gage smiles at me. "Good seeing you again." "You, too." "Take it easy," leather jacket says in a warning tone. "You bet," Gage throws back before the two walk off. I ponder about what's up those stairs and why Gage and his brother here seem to be the only ones going up. "So, where were we? Oh, you called me an asshole." My eyes shoot back to him, and I grin. "Well, if the shoe fits." He mirrors me, gifting me a closed-lip smile, and his eyes dart down to my body for a split moment before he says, "How about you let me make it up to you?" I tilt my head. "And how do you want to do that?" His blues look from my mouth to my eyes. "Go somewhere with me." I laugh, uneasy. "Dude, I don't even know you." "You want to though." he says, making my smile widen. Who is this guy? My insides turn to mush and my heart swells. Yeah, I want to. I exhale and feel the look of skepticism on my face. "Eh... I don't think that's very smart. I mean, what if you're an undercover serial killer or something?" He chuckles. "Not my thing." "Sir," the bartender interrupts. Leather jacket looks behind him. "Your drinks." He takes them from the bartender, handing me Claire's and mine before taking the two beers he got for himself and Gage who no longer needs it. I take a sip of mine. "While you think over if I'm a serial killer or not, let's go take these to your friends, yeah?" He lifts his chin toward them. I give a hard nod and walk ahead, laughing to myself and thinking about his question. Should I do this? I mean, I'm a free woman. I'm not in a relationship. I can do whatever I want, so why not go with him? I look over at him. He doesn't look like a serial killer.