Save Me From Me (12 page)

“Low blow, Hot Shot.”

She sits down on the edge of the deck, dangles her feet over the water, and turns back to look at me. The way she’s looking at me does something that I haven’t felt in years. I feel like there could be hope. Hope of me getting over the past. That maybe it’s not too late for me. Then she opens her mouth, and I have a strong urge to push her hot, little ass into the lake.

“You are mistaken Holden... What you were receiving the other night was most definitely a low blow.” She giggles, and dammit, she’s gorgeous, even with that smartass mouth of hers
.

I’ve always gotten along with guys better than girls. My whole life, it has been that way. I’m not sure if it’s because I was always tagging along with my brother as I grew up, or the fact that I was smart and tended to steer clear of catty chicks. Maybe, my being such good friends with all the guys is the reason all the girls hated me in the first place. Who knows? It’s not like I ever cared. I’ve never paid a second thought to what any of them had to say, because even if the guys weren’t taking up for me, I definitely knew how to hold my own. That’s why the girls were all talk in high school. They knew better.

“So, ahem, that chick from the parking lot,” Holden says.

“Loralee?” I ask.

He shrugs. “I guess that’s her name. It’s not like I asked, umm, beforehand.”

He almost has a shy look on his face, which makes me smile. A guy being shy is usually cute, but in this case, it’s extremely hot. Holden, in general, is extremely hot. But low and behold, I’m managing to keep my cool and act somewhat normal around him just like I do the rest of the guys. Guys love it when you can hold your own, shit talk, and not get hurt when they tease you, but instead tease ‘em right back.

“Well, what about her?”

He laughs. “You seem to have not liked her… Like, really not liked her.”

“Oh, yeah. I can’t stand her.” I’m blunt. No reason not to be. What’s he going to do, go run and tell her? It’s not like she’d do shit. Just like the other night at the bar.

“Why do you hate her?”

Oh God, I really hope he doesn’t like her or something. By the way he acted towards her in the bar, it seemed like he could give two shits. Typical for a guy after getting his.

“Long story short. We got into a fight in high school. She was stupid and started fighting me in the middle of the road. Dumbass.” I laugh, remembering that day. “Anyways, I whooped her… Obviously.” I roll my eyes.

“And you guys still hate each other.”

“Well, she blames me for her getting hit by a car. So, yeah, we pretty much still hate each other.”

He starts cracking up. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back that shit up. She got hit by a car?”

I can’t help but laugh. It’s mean, but hell, it’s funny. “I started walking off, and she kept talking shit the whole time as I did. She lost her footing on the curb and fell into the road as a car came around the corner. Luckily for her, it was going slow, and she only broke her leg, but dammit if she didn’t tell people at school I pushed her in front of it.”

“Oh Dani, I have a feeling you and me are going to get along very well,” Holden says as he pats my knee. For some reason, those words comfort me. I’m all about making new friends, and boy, oh boy, what a friend he could be.

“So, what’s your story Holden? Seeing as though I’d never seen you before until that night at the bar in a town forty-five minutes away, and now this week, here you are.”

“Well, the night at the bar, we had just arrived in town and it’s where I was supposed to be working for the next six months. Our first run-in at the store, Rusty wanted to go fishing and said he knew the perfect place. I guess he’s from somewhere around here. Anyways, the time after that, my boss, aka my dad, was bringing me to my new job site. Which is now here for the next six months or so.”

“And what, did I just get lucky today?” I ask wondering about him showing up here out of all places.

“The getting lucky part is all up to you.” He winks before looking back out towards the lake. “Rusty came into town for the weekend to hang out and take me to another one of his famous fishing spots.” He bumps his shoulder into mine. “But we all know who knows the best spots, seeing that we’ve already caught six fish. Unless it’s the same damn fish we keep catching.”

“I don’t think fish are that stupid, Holden.”

“You never know.” He shrugs.

“Well, I think I need to be getting home. I’ve been gone all day. It was fun getting to hang out.”

He looks at his phone. “Yeah, I think Rusty has had plenty of time with them guppies. Don’t ya think?”

“Sure thing.” I stand up, slip my flip-flops on, and pick up my phone and camera. Holden grabs my hand as I start to walk away.

“Thanks for hanging out, Dani. Maybe I’ll see ya around soon.”

“If you’re lucky,” I say, half teasing which earns me his body tingling smile as he shakes his head at me.

The whole ride home, my thoughts are consumed with Holden. I loved hanging out with him and how easy going he is. Not going to lie, my mind drifted back to that night I first saw him, and it was hard to shake that image out of my head. I’m sure I was blushing from it, but if he noticed, he never said anything. Thank God.

Holden has been popping into the store daily. It’s been a nice change of pace from the normal, everyday bullshit that I’ve been putting up with before he showed up in town. He always makes me smile even when he doesn’t try. Just seeing him makes me smile. That’s something very few people have ever been able to do.

Along with Holden making pit stops, Gage has been making them as well. Gage’s visits aren’t as often as Holden’s. He’s still got the whole three-day rule thing he seems to live by. It’s pretty random and I don’t get it, but I just take him as he is. I like that he isn’t pushy and trying to fully pursue me. He seems to let me call most of the shots. Yes, he’ll ask me to hang out, but it’s usually up to me what we do. It doesn’t always work out. Just like that night when he ditched me last minute when we were supposed to go to the movies. What I like about both of them is the friendships that are growing. Yes, I flirt with both equally. Okay, that’s a lie. I most definitely flirt with Holden more, but it’s because I don’t want to encourage the feelings Gage already has by doing so with him. I don’t need a relationship with anyone right now. I’ve got too much baggage that I need to sort out before I even open myself up for that possibility, but I at least need friends that I can wholeheartedly rely on. I know Gage would drop anything if I needed him, but it’s when I don’t need him to that I still want him to keep his word. Holden, well, I’m still figuring that one out.

I smile at Gage when he walks through the door. “Did you forget something when you came in an hour ago?” I tease.

He walks towards the counter and braces his hands on it as he leans in. “Yeah. What are you doing tonight?” he asks. He’s got the whole messy hair going and clothes with all sorts of different kinds of car lube and grease wiped all over. And it works for him. The dirty, hot mechanic look is definitely one this guy should trademark.

“Umm, I’m pretty sure nothing.” I turn around to hide my smile and act like I’m needing to stock something — anything.

“You get off at six, right?”

I just nod as I turn around in time to watch him push away from the counter and walk backwards, heading for the back cooler. Not paying attention to the register as usual, I don’t realize I have a customer.

“Can I get forty on pump five?” I don’t even have to look to know whose voice it is. It’s a voice I now look forward to hearing. I know I smile crazy every time I’m around him, but I just can’t help it.

“You sure can, stud.” I flirt.

“I’ll definitely take stud over cute guy,” he says, handing me his money. “Listen, what are you doing after work tomorrow?”

“I’ll have to check my busy calendar.” I pull my phone out of my back pocket and act like I’m scrolling through it. “What would the time be?” I ask professionally.

He just laughs at me. “Whenever’s good with you, Darlin’. My calendar is always open for you.” I catch Gage walking up towards the front, empty handed. He doesn’t look very happy. He looks downright pissed. Holden catches my gaze and turns his head to see what I’m looking at.

“See you at six, Danielle,” Gage says as he pushes the door open. Holden looks back at me as I just give him a weak smile. I try to pick back up where we’d left off by answering his question as if the whole Gage thing isn’t a big deal. Because, in all reality, it isn’t. I’m friends with both of them.

“How ‘bout tomorrow at five then, but only if you quit calling me Darlin’?”

Holden flips his hat around backwards. “See you then, Gorgeous.”

I see Gage pull up at ten ‘til six. I finish laughing at something Adyn and I are talking about before clocking out.

“Hey,” I say as I hop in his truck.

“Are you hungry?”

“I’m starving. That freaking convenience store food is going to make me fat,” I say as I try to pooch out my stomach.

“Guys like curves, Danielle.” He gives my body a onceover before giving me an appreciative smile.

“Well, there’s a difference between curves and rolls. My curves are slowly turning into some brown and serve rolls.” He just laughs at me. He knows I’m not one of those ‘overly obsessed with my weight and looks like a high maintenance’ chicks in the world. I’m pretty simple when it comes to all that jazz.

“More cushin’ for the pushin’, baby,” he teases and I smack his arm.

“Leave it to you to take it there.” I roll my eyes.

“Some things just never change,” he admits. “So, where you wanting to eat?”

“Umm, how ‘bout Ken’s. Pretty sure they got that buffet going tonight.”

“I’m sure their pizza is really good for you,” he says sarcastically, since I was just complaining about shit food.

“You’re right. But I don’t care. Plus, their ranch is the best,” I say licking my lips.

“Gotta quit that,” he says, and I smile as I turn to look out the window.

I don’t want dinner to become awkward, so I attempt to make small talk with Gage. Random little shit between bites. Music, movies, my job, mechanics, friends. Anything and everything to keep him from bringing up what happened earlier at the store. I can’t bear to see the look of sadness and disappointment in his eyes. I’m not doing anything wrong, but hanging out with another guy isn’t something he’d want me doing. To him, that’d mean any chance he has is gone. But, even after all of my hard work, it doesn’t pay off. As I’m eating my yummy dessert, I see him shifting in his booth seat. I can sense it coming, and I search for something, anything, to say to detour it. But I got nothing.

“So, that guy that was at the store earlier.” I still as the words come out of his mouth. “Are you guys dating?”

I finish my bite as I sit the rest down.

“No. We’re just friends,” I say before I take a drink of my soda.

“Oh, well, it just looked like more from where I was standing. I mean, I know you guys hang out a bit.” He tries to keep an even tone, but it’s starting to mix between sadness and a bit of anger.