From Lies to Promises (13 page)

  “You know we are here if you need us.” Skeigh says.

  “Do you want us to go with you on your sessions?” Lexi ask.

  They bombard
me with question after question and before I can answer any of them they start telling me that I shouldn’t do this. “Ok, I get that you are both worried about me going over all this will be like for me, or what it will do to me. It isn’t going to be pretty, I know that.”

  “Then why are you doing it, hun?” Lexi ask
s.

  “To be honest, it feels almost like I have to. And not because of Victoria. I can’t explain it, but it feels right.” I try and explain, but I know I can’t. I have tried to talk to therapist when I was younger. My mom thought it would help me get better. Thought I would eventually admit that what I had said was all a lie. The therapist couldn’t get anything from me. I was scared if I told the story again, that I would be a liar yet again. So I bottled it up. At this point I just need to get it out and Victoria is just enough of a stranger for me not to care what she thinks of me.

  I jump in the shower to get ready for whatever Ryder has planned tonight. I know I need to let Ryder know the mess he is getting into by being with me. It’s not really fair to him not to know. I pin my hair up on my head about the time I hear Skeigh yell down the hall letting me know he is here.

 
Once in the car Ryder looks over to me and says, “I hope you don’t mind, but I need to run by the bowling alley real quick. Ol’ Beth has never been away from it this long and she doesn’t think Mark can have everything ready for tonight.”

  I learnt by talking to Ryder all week over the phone that Mark is Bethany’s maintenance/helper of all things at the bowling alley, and that Saturday night is the busiest night of the week.

  “Of course. I’m along for the ride and if there is anything I can do to help, I’m your girl.” I point to myself with my thumb as we make our way through the busy streets.

  He gives me a sidelong glance, a grin lighting up those green eyes, “
I love the sound of that.”

  “Me too.” I say just loud enough for his ears to catch. Then I wonder if he will still like the idea of me being his after he hears about what I am keeping from him. Ryder is different than most men. He is the epitome of the nice guy. Which makes me think he will take the information ok and not look at me any different. But a small part of me still wants to keep that part of me away from him, just in case.

  We arrive at the bowling alley and Ryder heads off to see what all Mark needs. I look around at what people are already here at the bowling alley. Only one lane is being as used everyone else is playing in the arcade room or sitting around talking. Ryder talks about this place like it’s his safe haven. I guess even though he loves his dad, it was nice to get away every now and then.

  Ryder breaks me out of my thought by wrapping his arms around my waist from behind me then speaking into my ear, “So would my gir
l like to help me wax the lanes?”

  My eyes nearly roll into the back of my skull at him calling me his girl. I place my hands over his
before I look back at him, “Sure.”

  I expected when he said waxing the lanes, we would be pulling out the mops and buckets. Not this huge mach
ine the size of one of those smart cars.

  “It pretty much does all the work, we just have to move it from one lane to another.” Ryder explains.
“Mark said that he has already put the oil in it.”

  I watch as Ryder lines it up and sets it on the lane. It drops down to the floor when he presses something and then it’s slowly off down the lane.
We take a seat and watch as the machine does its work.

  “How is Bethany doing today?” I ask
, breaking Ryder out of his trance.

  He shakes his head as if to clear the thoughts that were in his head and turned to me. “She sounded good over the phone, but she has gotten good at throwing on her brave voice.
Seeing her in person she still has that voice, but you can see it in her eyes that she isn’t good.”

  “I hate you are having to go through this. I couldn’t imagine watching someone I love suffering.” I reach over and lace our fingers together.

  “Katrina, you once told me that you had no family. That it’s just you.” I can tell by how Ryder is squeezing my hand as he ask about my family that he is worried I am going to get angry or run.

 
“And you reminded me that I wasn’t alone.” I smile up at him and bump my shoulder into his.

  I can tell Ryder is nervous and that just makes me worried about having to tell him t
hings earlier than I want to. “What did you mean by that? Were you in the system and just not know who your family was?”

  “I wasn’t in the sys
tem. I am aware who my family is, as they are of me. I just didn’t know them as I should have.” I wasn’t aware of the tears that had developed in my eyes until one trails down my face. Ryder’s thumb swipes it away as his hand catch my face. “Please, I’m just not ready to tell you about some things. I’m just not sure what I would do if you couldn’t handle knowing and turned your back to me too.”

  His forehead comes to mine
. His hands are still cradling my face gently when he speaks, “From the second I saw you I could tell that you fake your way through almost everything. But I can tell you, that no matter what it is you are afraid to tell me, I will still be here. I don’t think I can leave you, even if I tried.”

  He pulls back just a bit, his eyes dancing all over my face. Then he brings his mouth to mine. Gently, and oh so sweet. I melt into the kiss as one of his hands comes to the nape of my neck and his fingers thread into my hair. He holds me there kissing me deeply. We finish up
oiling all the lanes at the bowling alley. Ryder ask Mark if there is anything else that needs to be done before everyone starts pouring in, but Mark tells us to scoot. So we do, right on out the door.

 
We stop at a Greek restaurant about a mile from the bowling alley to eat. The food was otherworldly. I am sure I made a spectacle of myself with all the happy dancing I was doing in my chair with every bite. But there is no controlling it when my belly is happy. Food is my guilty pleasure. Finishing up, Ryder pays for our meals and we climb into the car.

  “You want to head to TJ’s? Skeigh and Lexi texted a minute ago and said they would be there with the guys.” I tell him.

  “Yea, I think a few drinks will be good anyways.” Ryder answers.

  I really think Bethany’s situation is really playing hard on him. It isn’t good for him to keep playing strong. A contradiction
, I know, considering that’s what I have been doing practically my whole life. As soon as I get the chance I am going to talk to Dave about it, or maybe have Skeigh do it for me. They have been getting really close here recently.

  When we get to TJ’s it is busy. Ryder and I look around for any sign of our group when we hear a crowd of people chanting the famous ‘Chug’ over and over again. We head in that direction to find Skeigh and Dave shot gunning a beer.

Skeigh slams her beer down and hollers. “I told you that you can’t win!”

  “How the hell did you do that?” He ask with amazement.

  “It’s all about the throat. Maybe, if you’re good, I’ll show you how tonight.” Skeigh replies seductively.

 
We are sitting around just like last night, having an amazing time. Until, Jake arrives. He has this amazingly stunning woman on his arm. Her jet black hair is almost to her waist in spiral ringlets, and even bounces when she moves. Blue eyes that are so bright they even stand out against Jakes, but I can tell by looking at her she is a bitch in sheep’s clothing. Ryder finally looks up to see what has my attention, when he does I can feel his whole body tighten, almost like he is on high alert. They place two chairs on the other side of Ryder, the goddess like woman might as well have sat in Ryder’s lap the way she rubs her body down him as she takes her seat.

  Jake orders them drinks from a passing waitress then turns back to us. “Ryder you remember, Lyla, right?”

  “How could I forget? Anytime the two of you are near each other it means trouble. It has ever since we were kids.” Ryder admits.

  Lyla pushes her boo
bs, which are nearly falling out considering the low cut dress she is wearing, into Ryder. She brings those long manicured nails up to trail down his arm and says “If I remember correctly, we made a lot of trouble ourselves, Ry Ry.”

  Skeigh laughs so hard she has to cover her mouth to keep from her
drink spewing everywhere. “Ry Ry? You’re fucking kidding me right? What are you, two years old?” I swear Skeigh would be dying slowly and painfully right now if looks could kill.

 
The goddess then ignores Skeigh completely and turns back to Ryder. “What do you think? You want to cause some really good trouble together?” Her hand has nearly made it to his chest when he grabs her wrist and throws it off him.

  “I’ve already told you, I don’t want anything to do with your shit anymore.” He takes my hand in his,
“We were just heading out.” He finishes as he begins to pull me up.

  “You can’t leave you just got here
, Kat.” Lexi says.

  I open my mouth to finally say something when she cuts in, “
Oh how cute, a kitten. But we all know Ryder, you will get bored with cute fast. When you do, I will be here. Like always.”

  Jake leans forward on the table and looks at me, but talks loud enough for everyone to hear, “It is true. When things get to tough or serious
, Ryder always bails and comes back to Lyla for some fun.”

  Ryder jumps out of his chair and has Jake by the shirt collar before I see it happen.
“What the hell are you trying to do Jake? I haven’t even talked to Lyla since all that shit went down last time. You know you shouldn’t have brought her back. If you bring her near me or Katrina again, our next chat,” He takes his free hand and motions between them two, “WILL NOT be as friendly.”

 
This time when Ryder grabs my hand and pulls me up no one says a word. A few minutes later we are driving around the town. Ryder is speeding and grabbing the stirring wheel so hard I can see his knuckles turn white in the dark of the car. When I think he has calmed down I ask, “What was all that back there?”

  “
Jake and Lyla feed off of seeing how far they can push people.” He takes a deep breath as we turn down a gravel road. “Promise me that if I am not with you and you see them that you’ll turn and go in the opposite direction.”

  His face is stern as he takes his time looking at me, then looking back at the road and back again. “Ok.”

  “Promise me.” He almost growls at me.

  He knows how I feel about promises, but I give into him anyways, “Fine, I promise.”

  He takes in a breath, “What do you promise, Katrina?”

  “I promise that if they come up to me and you aren’t around, I will leave.” I confirm.

  About that time we pull up to a house at the end of the gravel road. It’s absolutely amazing. It looks a little old fashioned, with its rustic wrap around porch and rocking chairs. “Welcome to my humble abode.”

             
Ryder unlocks the door and swings it open. He steps aside and ushers me into his dark house. I start to back up through the door again when the light flicks on. For a 23 year old man, his house is spotless. It is quite shocking. The main room you see when you come through the door is the living room. Off to the back corner there is a spiral staircase that disappears into the ceiling and to the far right is a long hallway, which I guess is where the bathrooms and bedrooms are located. In the center back wall there is a large archway that looks like it leads into the kitchen.

  “So what do you think?” Ryder ask
s.

  I take in the rest of the surroundings, turning a full circle till my eyes land on him. “
It’s amazing, Ryder.”

  “Thanks. I bought it about a year ago. Felt it was time for me to have something of my own.”
He says.

  “What’s up the spiral staircase?”
I point to the corner.

  Ryder walks around
to face me. “Already wanting me to take you to my room? Impatient tonight, aren’t we?”

  “Technically,
I was just asking where the stairs led to. I didn’t know it was your room. Now that I do however…” I trial off and slowly make my way around him. My arm stays on his waist following me as I go. Ryder stands still watching me. I can tell he is wondering if I am serious, but he knows I am.

  “Alright then.” He chuckles, “First, let’s grab some snacks to take with us.”

  Perplexed I follow as he leads me to his kitchen. “Wow.” That is all the words that come to mind when I see his kitchen. It is marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, everything that make a cooks dreams turn wet.

  “Wow?”

  “Yes, wow. I have to cook in this kitchen.” I pull my phone out of my back pocket and start taking pictures.