I’d been about
Colin. It’s not that a guy hadn’t rejected me before, I’d just
always expected it.
“If you’re sure.”
“I am.”
I tried to push my depressive thoughts away,
but I felt lost. I’d spent my whole life on such a set path, and
for the first time, I had no clue where I was going. I wanted it to
excite me, but it scared me more.
“It’s pretty slow tonight. You can head home
anytime you want. We don’t need both bars open, and Dale would be
happy to come inside.” Max’s most seasoned bartender, Dale, got
first dibs on shifts and bars. He was trying to work more, so I
figured that meant I’d be working less.
“I might have to take you up on that.”
“I’ll pay you for the whole shift.”
“Thanks, Max.” It was weird to be so worried
about a paycheck. I’d spent most of my life in the financial bubble
of upper-middle class comfort my parents had given me. I’d kept
that bubble through college, so for the first time, I was on my own
dime. After paying Macon rent, I barely had enough for food.
Working only a few nights a week was going to make for a very long
winter.
“You aren’t going to ride your bike home
alone though, are you?”
“No. I’ll get a ride,” I lied. I had no
intention of calling anyone. It wasn’t even ten o’clock at
night.
Max saw through it. “Maddy, it’s too dark to
ride your bike. People won’t see you.”
“I’ll be fine.” I closed out the register and
blatantly ignored the warnings he was giving me.
Outside I let out a sigh of relief. It’s not
like I had a death wish, but I needed my time alone.
I unlocked my bike and hopped on. The best
part of riding a bicycle is that it doesn’t take any gas. Oh, and
you can usually maneuver your way around traffic.
I turned right out of the Grille and headed
toward home. I loved the feel of the wind in my hair, and I
relaxed. I still had a ways to go when I saw the car heading
straight at me. I veered to the side, stopping before I flipped
over the handlebars.
“Damn you, Macon.” I steadied myself as Macon
rolled down his window. “You could have killed me.”
“I was just making sure you were awake.”
“Awake? I’d prefer breathing.” I finally
calmed down enough to get off the bike.
“Stop complaining, you knew I wouldn’t hit
you.” Wordlessly, he secured my bike onto his bike rack.
“He called you, didn’t he?” Max couldn’t
leave it alone.
“Of course he did. You could get killed
riding that thing at night.”
“The only one who came close to killing me
was you.” I settled into the passenger seat.
“I was trying to prove the point. It’s
dangerous.”
“Only when someone purposely tries to run me
off the road. I’m hoping you’re the only one who would do
that.”
“I bet there are more. You probably have
enemies.”
“Enemies that are driving around the Outer
Banks at night?” I turned down the AC that was blaring and freezing
my legs.
“They might be really committed to the act of
killing you.”
“You are so morbid.”
“No, just lightening the mood.”
“Keep it up. You’re doing a great job.”
“Want to keep lightening it?
“Only if it’s safe.”
“It’s safe. I have a guy I want to set you up
with.” Macon kept his eyes on the road and a neutral expression on
his face.
“Like a blind date? Is this a joke?”
“Not a joke. I guess it’s not completely
blind because my friend is the one who asked me to set it up.”
“Your friend? What friend?” My skin prickled.
I knew most of Macon’s friends in the area, and none of them were
the type I’d date, or that he’d set me up with.
“Just one of the guys who works at the shop
with me.”
“Why’d he ask you to set us up?” I asked
suspiciously.
“He’s seen you around.”
“Why do I get the feeling you’re hiding
something from me?”
“You don’t trust me, do you?” He turned the
AC back up. He could be so infuriating sometimes.
“Not when it comes to
Colin. It’s not that a guy hadn’t rejected me before, I’d just
always expected it.
“If you’re sure.”
“I am.”
I tried to push my depressive thoughts away,
but I felt lost. I’d spent my whole life on such a set path, and
for the first time, I had no clue where I was going. I wanted it to
excite me, but it scared me more.
“It’s pretty slow tonight. You can head home
anytime you want. We don’t need both bars open, and Dale would be
happy to come inside.” Max’s most seasoned bartender, Dale, got
first dibs on shifts and bars. He was trying to work more, so I
figured that meant I’d be working less.
“I might have to take you up on that.”
“I’ll pay you for the whole shift.”
“Thanks, Max.” It was weird to be so worried
about a paycheck. I’d spent most of my life in the financial bubble
of upper-middle class comfort my parents had given me. I’d kept
that bubble through college, so for the first time, I was on my own
dime. After paying Macon rent, I barely had enough for food.
Working only a few nights a week was going to make for a very long
winter.
“You aren’t going to ride your bike home
alone though, are you?”
“No. I’ll get a ride,” I lied. I had no
intention of calling anyone. It wasn’t even ten o’clock at
night.
Max saw through it. “Maddy, it’s too dark to
ride your bike. People won’t see you.”
“I’ll be fine.” I closed out the register and
blatantly ignored the warnings he was giving me.
Outside I let out a sigh of relief. It’s not
like I had a death wish, but I needed my time alone.
I unlocked my bike and hopped on. The best
part of riding a bicycle is that it doesn’t take any gas. Oh, and
you can usually maneuver your way around traffic.
I turned right out of the Grille and headed
toward home. I loved the feel of the wind in my hair, and I
relaxed. I still had a ways to go when I saw the car heading
straight at me. I veered to the side, stopping before I flipped
over the handlebars.
“Damn you, Macon.” I steadied myself as Macon
rolled down his window. “You could have killed me.”
“I was just making sure you were awake.”
“Awake? I’d prefer breathing.” I finally
calmed down enough to get off the bike.
“Stop complaining, you knew I wouldn’t hit
you.” Wordlessly, he secured my bike onto his bike rack.
“He called you, didn’t he?” Max couldn’t
leave it alone.
“Of course he did. You could get killed
riding that thing at night.”
“The only one who came close to killing me
was you.” I settled into the passenger seat.
“I was trying to prove the point. It’s
dangerous.”
“Only when someone purposely tries to run me
off the road. I’m hoping you’re the only one who would do
that.”
“I bet there are more. You probably have
enemies.”
“Enemies that are driving around the Outer
Banks at night?” I turned down the AC that was blaring and freezing
my legs.
“They might be really committed to the act of
killing you.”
“You are so morbid.”
“No, just lightening the mood.”
“Keep it up. You’re doing a great job.”
“Want to keep lightening it?
“Only if it’s safe.”
“It’s safe. I have a guy I want to set you up
with.” Macon kept his eyes on the road and a neutral expression on
his face.
“Like a blind date? Is this a joke?”
“Not a joke. I guess it’s not completely
blind because my friend is the one who asked me to set it up.”
“Your friend? What friend?” My skin prickled.
I knew most of Macon’s friends in the area, and none of them were
the type I’d date, or that he’d set me up with.
“Just one of the guys who works at the shop
with me.”
“Why’d he ask you to set us up?” I asked
suspiciously.
“He’s seen you around.”
“Why do I get the feeling you’re hiding
something from me?”
“You don’t trust me, do you?” He turned the
AC back up. He could be so infuriating sometimes.
“Not when it comes to
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