Bound by Radiant Shadows

Chapter 2: Sarandipity

Once I got home, I pittled around the house till about eight, then took a shower, and started to get ready. It took me a while to decide what to wear. I'm not thin like Tammy. She could make rags look couture. I had larger breasts and wide hips. I was told by a tailor once before I had a classic hourglass ratio. I decided that, since it was my first night out in a long time, I was going to do something a little different. Usually, I go for comfort over style but, something just made me want to feel sexy today. A few years ago I bought some faux-leather leggings on a whim. Maybe I could wear them with a dark green off-the-shoulder butterfly-sleeve shirt. I loved that shirt, but I never had a good occasion to wear it. I put a few body waves in my hair, then stood back to check myself in the mirror. I was surprised my hair is usually considered light brown and had natural highlights that popped against the color of the shirt. I felt sexy, the deep V-neckline of my blouse showed off the perfect amount of cleavage and my leggings showed off my curves. The bottom half of my shirt was loose enough that I didn't feel self-conscious.

This is probably the first time I felt confident in a while. I've been working so hard to pay off my sister's hospital debts. I haven't even had a moment to think about clothes or looks. When I was 21, my younger sister was diagnosed with Cancer. My parents were constantly in debt and were in general unreliable about everything and my grandparents, whom we lived with, passed away the year before, leaving me as her primary caregiver. She was only 17, so I dropped everything to stay with her. She would have been 19 in a few months. The cancer was so aggressive she died a year after she was diagnosed.

My parents went into the deep end after she passed away. Digging themselves deeper and deeper into an already deep hole of addiction and debt. After they stole my credit card and maxed it out last month I had them both committed to an inpatient mental health and addiction facility. They weren't around when I was little either and my sister mostly stayed with my grandparents until they passed away and left us their farm. My parents moved from place to place, so I was thankful she didn't have to move in with them.

My sister was lucky in the fact that she didn't know them like I did. Me, Granny, and Gramps did everything we could to shield her from them. They never put up a fight for either one of us because they knew we were better off, or maybe they didn't want to deal with us.

If I remnant on it, I would start getting upset, and that is one thing I swore I would never do. I would not be like them and fall into despair. I would remember Lydia for what a wonderful happy child she was. Her happiness was my inspiration, even when everything was crumbling around us, she would remind me not to worry and reassure us that she was not afraid of the unknown and that she was at peace. Even when I should have been her rock, Lydia was mine. I always have to remind myself to be brave like Lydia.

I was determined to have a good night. I pushed everything down and marched out the front door. I got in my old Camaro and picked up Tammy. Tammy loved my car. I have had it since high school. It was a sleek black 91' Camaro Rally Sport. Grandpa got it for me at a police auction when I turned 16 for next to nothing. It had some severe engine issues, but he was a genius mechanic and fixed it like new. I added new things here and there when I had the money, such as tinted windows, new tires and wheels, and a new radio.

My car was my pride and joy. Tammy walked out of her duplex wearing a sparkly black mini dress and slid into my passenger seat. "Looks like someone's getting free drinks tonight", I joked. She giggled to herself, "Well my dear, that is the plan, Scruge McDuck was short again this week on my paycheck," she said, referring to the notoriously tight-pursed owner of Marly's Diner, Harry. I rolled my eyes, "why do we even put up with him?" "Because he lets us do whatever we want and sticks up for us when we "accidentally" spill drinks on d***head customers". We both broke out in laughter remembering the incident last week when Mrs. Claudia audibly called Tammy a w***e and Tammy dumped sweet tea on her church hat. "I don't understand how people like that use Jesus to justify their nastiness," I said almost myself. She huffed" I don't understand people." She looked at me and smiled "By the way, who are you trying to impress, sexy lady, do you have a new fella you're eying." I rolled my eyes Tammy knew I hadn't shown interest in dating in years. "In this town? No!" We both laughed.

Tammy decided she wanted margaritas before we went to the bar, so we went to El Sombrero, a local Mexican restaurant, and snacked on some chips and cheese dip while drinking our margaritas. We sat and chatted about Tammy's ex and the boys.

I asked Tammy "Who was that big blond guy in the back of your section today, around the end of our shift?" Tammy thought about it for a minute, "My section was mostly empty I don't remember seeing anyone". "What did he look like?" I looked at her funny and began describing him, she laughed, "If I saw a man like that I would most definitely remember," I shrugged it off. After we finished our drinks, we got up to pay and headed to the bar.

When we got to the bars, it was starting to get busy. Our town was small, but it did have a small community college that attracted a lot of people, so the bar was pretty busy on the weekends. I sat down and ordered a tequila sunrise and Tammy did the same while shamelessly flirting with the bartender.

Tammy's favorite song was being played by the DJ so she bought us two shots of Jack each and dragged me to the dance floor. It was crowded, but we found a nice spot to dance in. I'm normally a shy dancer, but the DJ was good, and I was able to forget the people around me and enjoy the music, swaying my hips to the rhythm and getting lost in the beat. We had a good time.

Tammy needed a break so we went back to the bar and rested. She gushed about a good-looking man she was dancing with, most likely to bring attention to herself in front of the bartender.

I had a hard time concentrating on her games with the boys. Out of the corner of my eye across the bar, I saw him, the man from the restaurant. We locked eyes, and he smiled and lifted his glass as a toast. He was undeniably good-looking and less out of place here than at the diner.

Unburdened by my usual shyness thanks to my new friend Jack Daniel's, I excused myself from Tammy making an excuse to use the restroom. The bar was packed, a large group of Bros was blocking my way and by the time I got past them, I looked around, and he was nowhere to be seen. I gave up my search for the mysterious stranger and started to make my way back to my stool at the bar.

A group of excited women from a bachelorette party came barreling past me. I attempted to sidestep them but ended up running straight into someone, causing them to spill their beer. "Oh My God I'm so sorry," I said. I looked up at his face and instantly blushed.

He was tall, about 6'2" and medium built. He had hazel eyes and a light string of freckles across his nose. He was wearing a baseball hat, but I could tell he had short sandy blond hair underneath. When our eyes met, he gave me a crooked smile that instantly sent sparks through my body. I stammered "uh..hi I'm Lynette. Let me buy you another beer". He continued smiling but insisted it wasn't necessary. He introduced himself as Tyler.

I smiled and rolled my eyes at his bravado. I walked over to the bar and signaled the bartender while mouthing two more beers. Once the bartender returned with the beers, I handed one to Tyler. Thank you, he said. He smiled, and I thought I saw him blush a little even though he tried to hide it. I couldn't help but think of how cute he was. I followed him outside, and we sat at the picnic tables out back.

"It was really cute of you to buy me a beer, you didn't have to do that," he said. I looked at him and smiled. He acted nonchalant, but there was something kind of vulnerable about him. "So you think I'm cute?" I teased. He flashed a crooked smile that made me weak. "Very cute," he said as he leaned in closer to me. He smelled so good that it made me lose all train of thought. We locked eyes and I bit my lower lip trying to keep my excitement at bay. "You act like a girl has never bought you a beer before," I said teasingly. He seemed to be contemplating it for a second, "You know I don't think one has at least not a girl that wasn't already a friend" This shocked me a bit. He was very handsome, he seemed to be the type that girls were into. I even caught a few staring at him walking with me outside.

I felt completely out of my depth, but maybe it was the drinks that allowed me to keep my cool. "You're pretty cute too, even though you have beer spilled all down the front of you" He sat back and looked thoughtful, "Really? I think it's mostly the beer stain that makes me cute". I sat forward with my hand on my chin and pretended to look thoughtful, "Yes, you're right, it does give you a certain je ne sais quoi", I said while making a frame out of my fingers. He laughed, "And to think without you, I would be just, quoi?" We both laughed at the silly joke.

Talking to him was effortlessly like bantering with an old friend. The only thing I found truly difficult was resisting the urge to touch him. Every cell in my body wanted to reach for him. It was an experience I'd never felt before and the intensity of it was unnerving.

After our conversation, I began to feel hot and dizzy and excused myself to the restroom. I washed my hands and straightened my outfit, then almost in a blink, as if I was seeing a shadow out of the corner of my eye, I saw her again standing in front of the mirror. In that split second, I heard her whisper unintelligibly in my ear like a distant dream sending shivers down my spine. As quickly as it came, it was gone, and I was standing in the bathroom alone.

I shook it off. It must have been alcohol playing off my dream, I reasoned with myself.

Later, I found Tyler in the beer garden with a bottle in his hand sitting back nonchalantly in his chair while a girl sat in front of him leaning forward talking, smiling, and flipping her hair. I've seen these moves so many times while working at the diner. This girl was giving it her all.

Tyler seemed unamused by the show. I've never been a jealous person and honestly never seen someone so uninterested in a show of attraction. The woman was very pretty if a little bit drunk. The whole scene made me giggle inwardly.

She placed her hand on Tyler's knee, a seemingly harmless, subtle attempt to establish intimacy. His whole demeanor changed from amused nonchalance to irritation. He quickly got off and turned to the door. Once he turned, he saw me standing next to the door watching him. He flashed his crooked smile, seemingly amused at my voyeurism.

Our eyes met, sending electricity through my body. He effortlessly closed the distance between us, and before I knew it, he had his hands around my face pulling me towards his lips. His warm lips pressed against mine with urgency, the pressure taking me completely off guard and causing me to lose myself. His lips were soft and warm. He parted his lips and pulled my tongue toward him. He tasted amazing. I lost myself in the deep kiss and everything around me fell away. His hands moved to my hips as his body pressed into mine. I could feel his excitement against my thigh causing me to become wet with anticipation. Everything within me to reach out to him desperately. He pulled away and flashed me with his crooked grin. I bit my lip and locked eyes with him.

He leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Come with me." Over his shoulder, I saw the woman still sitting in her chair stunned. He grabbed my hand and planted a lingering kiss on my palm, laced his fingers with mine, and guided me toward the door.