previous night, which meant the place was packed, standing-room-only. I stepped inside its heavy wooden doors and spotted some of the same characters, as well as many more.
“Hey girlfriend! Glad you’re back.” Cheyenne smiled and brushed past me on her way to deliver a round of appetizers and margaritas to a corner table packed with beautiful people.
“Thanks!” I said. Freddie was behind the bar pouring beers, cutting limes and sticking wedges into several large glasses on top of his bar. The booby blonde perched at her signature four-top surrounded by her triplet wannabes while a hive of horny cute college-aged dudes buzzed around them dropping off drinks, appetizers, cards, phone numbers and options.
I swept the room with my eyes, but I didn’t see Alejandro. I pulled his card from my purse and reached for my phone when I felt a gentle tug on my elbow.
“You’re Sophie, right?”
I nodded and looked up into the handsome face of a beach blonde young man who smiled at me with crystal blue eyes that had the beginnings of twinkle wrinkles. He rocked a surfer’s muscular tanned body that his T-shirt and board shorts could not hide.
“Welcome back!” He extended a Corona bottle with a lime wedge toward me. “You’re old enough to drink, right?”
I nodded. I had my fake ID in my wallet. So yeah, I was old enough to drink. I normally didn’t drink beer, but after today? A beer would probably hit the spot. I accepted it. “Thanks.” I took a slug. “Your name is?”
“Nathan. I never thought I’d see you back at the Grill after the other night.”
“Ditto that.”
He nodded. “We’re in a big city, but USCLA is basically a college town. Shit happens, but someone like you—an innocent bystander getting injured—is extreme.” He bent down and peered at my face. “Alex did a good job helping you.”
“Thanks.” Nathan was handsome, seemed sweet, but he was leaning into my space. And way too many people had invaded my space for a wide variety of reasons the past several days. I backed a bit away from him. “I was looking for Alejandro. I wanted to thank him. And maybe grab a bite to go.”
He looked disappointed, but nodded. “Got it. Alex swooped in and shepherded you through a rough evening. Just so you know? He’s a great Driver, but he isn’t the only Driver at USCLA. There’s a bunch of us. We’re dedicated. We’re honest. We’ve been through our share of shit. But now, for the most part, we’re clean.”
“What does that mean?” I took another sip of beer. No Alejandro meant I should just get out of this place and just hit a fast food place. What was I thinking coming back here?
“Maybe you should ask Alex,” Nathan said.
“I’d love to. But he’s not here.”
“Yes, he is.” Nathan pointed to the opposite corner of the Grill. I craned my neck and saw a stunning, dark-skinned young woman with a killer body perched on Alex’s lap. Her black shiny hair was cropped short just like her floral sundress. She draped one bare tanned arm across his shoulders and whispered into his ear. He tilted his head back and laughed out loud.
My heart dropped into my stomach. Mr. Gorgeous was with Ms. Gorgeous. Just as nature intended; just as the world was supposed to be. I broke out into a sweat. I felt every scab on my face, every puncture on my back, everything that was wrong with me as I stood here in this local eatery packed with impossibly beautiful people, the exception being me—Ms. Plain. Ms. Bruised. Ms. Diseased.
There was no way Alejandro would ever be interested in me. He was just doing his job. He was just being sweet. I was simply his latest rescue case.
“He’s busy,” I said. “Thanks for the beer, Nathan. See you around campus?” I smiled up into his face, beguiling. Friendly. Completely fake. Held my beer bottle up and we toasted.
He smiled at me. “Absolutely. Looking forward to it.”
I turned to
“Hey girlfriend! Glad you’re back.” Cheyenne smiled and brushed past me on her way to deliver a round of appetizers and margaritas to a corner table packed with beautiful people.
“Thanks!” I said. Freddie was behind the bar pouring beers, cutting limes and sticking wedges into several large glasses on top of his bar. The booby blonde perched at her signature four-top surrounded by her triplet wannabes while a hive of horny cute college-aged dudes buzzed around them dropping off drinks, appetizers, cards, phone numbers and options.
I swept the room with my eyes, but I didn’t see Alejandro. I pulled his card from my purse and reached for my phone when I felt a gentle tug on my elbow.
“You’re Sophie, right?”
I nodded and looked up into the handsome face of a beach blonde young man who smiled at me with crystal blue eyes that had the beginnings of twinkle wrinkles. He rocked a surfer’s muscular tanned body that his T-shirt and board shorts could not hide.
“Welcome back!” He extended a Corona bottle with a lime wedge toward me. “You’re old enough to drink, right?”
I nodded. I had my fake ID in my wallet. So yeah, I was old enough to drink. I normally didn’t drink beer, but after today? A beer would probably hit the spot. I accepted it. “Thanks.” I took a slug. “Your name is?”
“Nathan. I never thought I’d see you back at the Grill after the other night.”
“Ditto that.”
He nodded. “We’re in a big city, but USCLA is basically a college town. Shit happens, but someone like you—an innocent bystander getting injured—is extreme.” He bent down and peered at my face. “Alex did a good job helping you.”
“Thanks.” Nathan was handsome, seemed sweet, but he was leaning into my space. And way too many people had invaded my space for a wide variety of reasons the past several days. I backed a bit away from him. “I was looking for Alejandro. I wanted to thank him. And maybe grab a bite to go.”
He looked disappointed, but nodded. “Got it. Alex swooped in and shepherded you through a rough evening. Just so you know? He’s a great Driver, but he isn’t the only Driver at USCLA. There’s a bunch of us. We’re dedicated. We’re honest. We’ve been through our share of shit. But now, for the most part, we’re clean.”
“What does that mean?” I took another sip of beer. No Alejandro meant I should just get out of this place and just hit a fast food place. What was I thinking coming back here?
“Maybe you should ask Alex,” Nathan said.
“I’d love to. But he’s not here.”
“Yes, he is.” Nathan pointed to the opposite corner of the Grill. I craned my neck and saw a stunning, dark-skinned young woman with a killer body perched on Alex’s lap. Her black shiny hair was cropped short just like her floral sundress. She draped one bare tanned arm across his shoulders and whispered into his ear. He tilted his head back and laughed out loud.
My heart dropped into my stomach. Mr. Gorgeous was with Ms. Gorgeous. Just as nature intended; just as the world was supposed to be. I broke out into a sweat. I felt every scab on my face, every puncture on my back, everything that was wrong with me as I stood here in this local eatery packed with impossibly beautiful people, the exception being me—Ms. Plain. Ms. Bruised. Ms. Diseased.
There was no way Alejandro would ever be interested in me. He was just doing his job. He was just being sweet. I was simply his latest rescue case.
“He’s busy,” I said. “Thanks for the beer, Nathan. See you around campus?” I smiled up into his face, beguiling. Friendly. Completely fake. Held my beer bottle up and we toasted.
He smiled at me. “Absolutely. Looking forward to it.”
I turned to
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