Billie studies me. “I’m doing what’s best, Lucy,” she says, grabbing the phone.
My fists clench at the thought Billie would do this. Ralph isn’t one for being lenient on out-of-towners. He’d probably arrest first and ask questions later.
“No,” I say, grabbing the phone out of Billie’s hands.
“Excuse me?”
“No, Billie. I’ll move him out of the tavern but there is no way I’m giving him over to Ralph until the guy knows what he’s doing here and where he’s from. I’m putting my foot down.”
“Why do you care so much, Lucy? He’s a stranger and not a nice one.”
“Do you see how worried he looks right now? He’s scared, he’s hurt, and he doesn’t remember a damn thing. He needs a night to sleep this off.”
Billie lowers her eyes and sighs. I’m winning her over.
“I’m gonna offer him my sofa until he feels ready to leave.”
“Oh, like hell you are. Not happening.”
“Listen. I’m giving him my sofa, and when he is better, we can figure out what to do next. But for now, you’re not going to call Ralph or anybody else.”
“He could be dangerous, Lucy. That man is a patched member of a motorcycle club. Did you see his jacket? He’s not some recreational bike enthusiast, Lucy. He’s a gang member. He looks rough— His tattoos, his whole look, the fact he doesn’t want to go to the freaking hospital! He’s bad news, baby girl. And worse news for you.”
“You’re reading too much into this. He’s just a guy who crashed his bike.”
“Look, I’ve lived a little more than you have, young lady,” she says. “You’ve been sheltered from how bad the world can be. I know how kind and loving you are and that you want to believe in people but trust me when I say that some people are born bad. Don’t get mixed up with his breed.”
A fire sparks in me. “Don’t condescend me. I’m not as innocent as you think I am.”
“Perhaps, but you are as naïve. With your Catholic upbringing…” A lie I told. “…I’m looking out for you, Lucy. Your love for helping people is a beautiful quality but only when you use it with good judgement.”
“I don’t wanna argue this anymore. If he’s not feeling better in the morning I’ll take him to hospital in the morning with Todd’s truck. I’ll be with him a few hours and if in that time I’m raped, murdered or otherwise then, well, you have my permission to write ‘I Told You So’ on my tombstone. But, like I said, that’s not going to happen.”
“I’m not the bad guy here, Lucy. Why the attitude?”
I roll my eyes and scoff. My heart palpitates with frustration and I turn to leave. This is a weird place to find ourselves— we never argue, ever. It feels wrong.
“Lucy!”
“Leave me alone, Billie. I am a grown adult and you’re not my mother. He’s staying the night and if you call Ralph about this, I’m quitting.”
I leave, shutting the office door behind me. In the tavern, Landon’s still sitting with his face in his hands. I make sure to step on one of the creaky floorboards to capture his attention.
He shoots awake, puffy eyed from the deep nap he must’ve drifted into. “You okay? I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Yeah, sweetheart. Just fell asleep.”
I fall with a sigh beside him and kiss him gently on his head to give him some comfort. He leans back a little from me.
I turn my face away as it blooms a hot blush across my cheeks. “I…I don’t know why I did that.” I have to stand up again and pace for a bit, pretending to rearrange some things on the walls like books and ornaments.
I hear him laugh a breathy laugh from behind me. “Landon, please don’t read into that.”
“Hey, darlin’. Don’t stress. It was sweet. Weird, sure, but sweet.” He laughs again. “Nice to know someone cares.” I inwardly scold myself.
Billie clears her throat to get my attention and reappears from the office, leading me a little away from Landon so he can’t hear us. “I have to go home now. Know that I don’t feel comfortable the way I’m leaving you right now. You two can stay here and I’ll know if you leave because I’ll check the security cameras. I’ll be back at six tomorrow.”
“Billie, I’m an adult. This is on me.”
“No, it’s not on you, actually. That blame would fall on me, your boss and best friend. Remember,” she starts to lower her voice to a whisper, “there’s the gun in the safe. Or the kitchen knives…Oh, maybe I shouldn’t leave the knives out—”
“—He’s not a serial killer, Billie. He isn’t. He’s sweet and normal and not going to bring any harm to me, I promise.”
“You got a crush on this dude or something?”
I twirl a strand of loose hair. “Pfft, yeah, that must be it,” I tell her sarcastically. “That bad boy charm.”
“I’ll text Todd for you and let him know what’s happening.”
“No!” I hiss. “I mean…No, thank you. It’d only complicate things. Please don’t tell him.”
“You need to be honest with him, baby girl. Don’t keep shit like this from him. This is serious.”
“We’re not together.”
“Doesn’t matter. He cares about you.”
“Well, I’ll tell him myself tomorrow.”
“I’m letting him stay, I’m texting Todd so he doesn’t get a shock in the morning,” she says, presenting her hands to me. “That’s the deal.” She grabs her coat from the hook and before I can complain further she holds her fingertips to my lips. “Landon, I’m heading home so I’ll leave you both to be mature adults and figure out what we’re going to do with you. My cell will be on the whole night if you need anything, Lucy. You got it?”
“Thank you.”
“Cheers for all your help, Billie. It’s real nice of you to let me stay.” Landon sounds genuine in his sentiment.
“Mm-hm. I’ll see you in the morning.”
She exits out the door, letting the cold evening breeze blow inside. I shiver.
Landon stands, stretching his one free arm then walks over to me. “Everything okay? You look upset.”
“Billie can just be a little overprotective. Sorry for her whole attitude.”
“Hey, look. I will do my best to find a way to leave ASAP. I don’t wanna burden you with my vegetable brain too much longer.”
“You really don’t remember anything at all? Do you? High school? Yesterday’s breakfast?”
Landon huffs to ease the tension and browses some wood-carved Californian animals on a shelf. “At this point, darlin’, I know my head hurts, I lived in Portland, and I ride on that wreck of a bike we left out there…” He trails off. Something on his hand catches his attention instead. I can make out a silver ring on his thumb that he examines a while. “And… There’s a girl in my life named Mia… Mia Rossi.” When he finishes talking, he looks at me and presents his hands as though to say ‘ta-da!’. But his trick hasn’t impressed me, not one bit.
A girl…. A girlfriend?
My chest constricts. I turn my expression away from him to hide my shock. I’ve never experienced such sudden heartbreak. I’m such a short-sighted idiot! Why did I never consider the possibility that he moved on from us? But I’m a hypocrite. I was out here leading Todd along like one day we’d be dating… Trying to forget Landon existed…
Maybe I needed to crash a motorcycle.
“W—What sparked you remembering her?” I stammer.
“This fuckin’ cheesy-as-shit ring is engraved with her name.”
My hands are visibly trembling and I have to hide them in the pockets of my jeans. I know if I try speak anymore, my words will come out shaky. This is a pain I can’t endure. I think of the two of them together, holding each other, telling her he loves her, maybe even talking about our secret. Would he lie to her about how much he loved me? Would he even mention me at all? I don’t know which would be worse.
“Well, who is she?”
“Think she’s my girlfriend…
Or my wife. Ask me in the morning and maybe I’ll know,” he replied, glancing down at his hand again, then back up to my face.
“Lucy? You’ve gone a little pale.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind. I’m fuckin’ sick of having all this attention on me. How ‘bout you tell me more about you?”
“I think you know most of it already,” I say truthfully.
“Oh, really? So all there is to a fascinating woman like you is that your name is Lucy and you work in a tavern. Oh, and you’re very persistent in your caring of tall, dark, handsome strangers.”
We make direct eye contact and it intimidates me. “Yep, that’s pretty much it.”
“What’re you into then?”
“Into?” I say and move back to sit in the booth.
“Hobbies, interests, whatever you do when you’re not working.”
“I mean, I paint and draw some. I hike.”
“Oh yeah? What d’you paint?”
“Anything. Impressionist portraits lately but I do landscapes too and sketches and stupid little collages with leaves and things like that.”
“I’d like to see them sometime.”