Big Man's Contract

I call my mom. I’m in the mood for answers. But she doesn’t answer. I leave a message and head for the bar.

I’m scrubbing the wood floors, sanding them, and putting on a new coat of stain. Madden shows up with his truck to unload lumber for part of the bar and the tables that need to be replaced. It’s hard to get any work done when we can’t seem to keep our hands off of each other. We have deep conversations and silly, light-hearted ones. We revert right back into the friendship we had before Haley ruined it all, and then we’re touching each other again.

He’s just finished replacing part of the counter at the bar when he says, “Stay with me.”

I stop sanding. Sweat drips into my eyes. I use the sleeve of my shirt to wipe it away. “What?” I ask, a little surprised. That’s a big jump, going from him basically bribing me to have sex with him to then asking me to stay at his place.

“There’s no sense in you paying to stay at that gross motel when I have a huge house all to myself. We can go get your stuff and you can check out tonight.”

Sleeping in a comfortable bed without the sound of arguing and then drunken make up sex going on in the next room does sound appealing. And if I’m being honest with myself, so does waking up next to Madden. But staying with him will only deepen the feelings that are scaring me to death right now, and he’s still so cocky, so I’m not fully sure I can trust him yet. I don’t want to take the chance that he plans to hurt me.

“I can’t. I’m sorry.”

He looks like he wants to argue, but I don’t give him the chance. Instead, I turn my back to him and stir the stain for the counter.

“The offer still stands if you change your mind.”

“Thank you.”

Madden grabs his tools and leaves. I have a feeling he’s not happy with my decision but he doesn’t say as much.

I go back to the motel. It’s midnight and I’m exhausted. I can’t wait to get in the shower and wash all the sawdust off of me. When I go to my room I can hear the couple next door fighting, yet again. How do two people find so much to argue about?

I drop my purse on the bed and go into the bathroom. Just as I’m about to turn on the shower, I see a giant spider on the handle and jump back with a scream. In any other setting I’m sure someone would be banging on the door to make sure I’m all right, but around here, people are used to that.

I leave the bathroom afraid to kill it. That thing looks big enough to beat me up if it wanted to. I guess I’m not getting a shower tonight.

Dejected, I go over to the bed and a cockroach scurries across the floor in front of me. “Are you kidding?” I mumble to myself. Madden was right. This place is gross.

I grab my purse and head to the manager’s office. The look on Haley’s face is as sour and bitter as they come. I used to want to look like her. I thought she was so pretty. But it’s clear staying hateful will age you. I’m glad I changed. Leaving this town, though heartbreaking, might have been the best thing for me after all.

“Can I help you?” she says in the most obvious, snotty tone she can possibly take. She’s not even trying to pretend to be nice to me anymore. I want to throw it back at her and ask her why she lied and told Abe and Madden that I spread rumors about her, but I’m too tired for that right now.

“My room is full of bugs. Is there any way I can get a new one?”

“Sorry, no other vacancies.”

I know that’s a lie. This place is hardly full. It’s not like Pepperhill is next to a freeway or in a bustling part of the state where anyone would dream of passing through. There’s nothing around here for miles.

“Are you sure?” I ask again, starting to feel desperate.

She puts her elbows on the table and gives me a fake smile as she lays her chin in her palms. “Did I stutter?”

Man, I would love to punch her in the face right now. “Fine, then I’m checking out.”

“Suit yourself,” she says.

I leave the motel and go to the bar. I guess this is where I’ll be staying for the duration of my stay in Pepperhill. There’s nowhere to sleep but one of the booths. It won’t be comfortable, but it will have to do.

Eventually I fall asleep after tossing and turning, trying to find a spot that doesn’t make my arms go numb or my back ache. It’s a fretful sleep which is why I wake up immediately when I hear the sound of tires screeching outside the bar. I look at my phone. It’s three in the morning. My heart starts to pound. If someone is up at three in the morning, chances are they’re up to no good. I jump up, bumping my knee on the table. It hurts like hell, but that’s the least of my concerns.