Page 4 of Truth Forever
Not that I was surprised in a place like this. Everyone seemed very … handsy.
“You ok lovely?” Her smile was wide, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Can I get you another drink?”
Shaking my head, I answered her smile with one of my own. “No, I’m fine. I’m actually waiting for someone, and he’s running a little late. I was wondering if …..”
The blonde’s smile cracked. Her eyes darted around at the milling people that stood laughing and joking in groups around the bar. “Don’t tell me, you hooked up with a biker last night and was hoping to run into him again tonight.” She sighed heavily. “Look honey, I don’t want to burst your bubble but these guys.” She gave a nod that seemed to encompass the whole room. “They don’t do relationships, they don’t come back for seconds. Do yourself a favour and move on. No good has ever come from chasing a biker.”
“It’s not like that…”
“Honey it never is.. just take my advice. Believe me, I know how do you think I got here?” She sounded sad, her voice in stark contrast to the smile on her face.
I opened my voice to tell her it wasn’t like that again and shut it with a snap.
Maybe it was exactly like that. Maybe he had been playing me for the last two months?
“Can you at least tell me if you know him?” I let my voice drop to a whisper. “I’ve come a long way to meet him.” I sounded pathetic, and I knew it.
“Go on then.”
“Chris… Christopher Marley. He said everyone calls him Marley though.”
She didn’t need to say anything I could tell instantly by the sympathy in her eyes that I wasn’t going to like what she was about to say. “He said he was a biker? Sweetie, there’s no Black Aces in town by that name. Not even a prospect… are you sure he said he was from here?”
She felt sorry for me, and I hated it.
I had come all this way, wasted two months of my life for a man who didn’t even exist. It was mortifying. Heat rushed up my neck and over my cheeks. “Yeah, he told me to meet him here.” I let my voice trail off. I was such a fool. A damn idiot. “Never mind.” I shook myself. I wouldn’t let myself cry. Even though crying was precisely what I wanted to do.
“Oh,, sweetie.” Softly she patted my shoulder. “I’m sorry. Men are dicks.”
Yeah, I had to agree with her on that. “They sure are.” My voice was thick. Anger and tears in equal measure. I didn’t quite know what I was feeling. But pissed was pretty high on the list.
What the hell was I going to do now? I had rolled into town expecting to stay with him. Chris. And now it seemed Chris didn’t exist. Which left me stranded until the next bus out.
“Are you ok?” She didn’t wait for my answer. “Stupid question, sorry. You sit here and get yourself together. I’m going to get you another drink. On the house.” She added.
“It’s fine…”
“I’m getting you that drink love, you look like you need it.”
***
The drink was welcome, and she was right. I did need it, but it didn’t solve my current problem.
Where the hell was I going to stay tonight? I hadn’t seen any hotels, although I was sure there would be at least one in a town this size. Probably a dive but even a dive was better than sleeping on a bench at the bus stop.
I really didn’t want to do that, but it was looking more and more likely that I would have to.
“Still here, sweetheart?”
I came to with a start. My eyes rising to meet those of the waitress I had been speaking to earlier and it was only then that I realised how quiet the bar had got.
I had no idea when everyone had left, but the place was almost empty. Only a few older patrons sitting in dark corners or propping up the bar.
It wasn’t even that late. Not quite closing time. Why was it so quiet?
“Yeah.” Idly I nursed the almost warm bottle. “Just trying to plan my next move, I guess. Where has everyone gone?”
She shrugged. “There’s a party tonight. There’s always a damn party, but at least when they aren’t here, I don’t have to clean up the mess they make.” Her mouth tilted upwards.
