Memories of Us Read online

  “Yes, but they’re not a close-knit family. Not like mine. Excuse me.” I got up and made my way over to the bar. It was the last place I’d seen her.

  “Can I help you, sir?” the attendant behind the counter asked.

  “I was wondering if I could speak to our server for a moment, please.”

  “Oh, sorry. Her shift ended and Rob sent her home. Is there anything I can do for you?”

  “No.”

  Disappointed, I returned to my seat. She hadn’t even said goodbye.

  ****

  On the hour ride home, I vaguely listened to Jack.

  “Call, ya in there?” Jack waved his hand in front of my face.

  “Don’t do that. I’ll run into something.”

  “Pfft. You’ve been in a daze since we ran into your childhood sweetheart.”

  “She wasn’t anything of the kind. The complete opposite, as a matter of fact. Most of the time she was my own living nightmare.”

  “She ain’t no bad dream now, buddy. She is fine.”

  She always was.

  “I might go back to Kit’s on the weekend to see her. Do you have her number? Where’s your phone, pretty boy?” he teased.

  “Ah, fuck.” In a familiar defeatist gesture, I bowed my head as I patted my chest pockets, then my pants and jacket. “Fuck.”

  “Let me guess, you forgot your phone. Real shocker, boss man.”

  Yeah, no shocker there, I was famous for misplacing my cell.

  “Or wait. Maybe you did it on purpose this time. So you’d have a reason to go back.” He grinned.

  “We’re ten minutes from town. I’m not going back for it now.”

  “Hey, how about you call her and ask her to deliver it to you. Maybe even invite her to the soirée your parents have coerced you into throwing Saturday night for the staff.”

  “And why would I do that?” I pulled down the visor to block the setting sun.

  “To liven things up. You said she knows how to party. Might make the whole damn thing worthwhile.”

  Karis didn’t party lightly. She either danced the night away—and man could she dance—or I ended up holding her hair while she puked. There was no happy medium. It wasn’t really the ambiance I was going for.

  “And wouldn’t that put a kink in Karen’s plans.”

  “Karen?” I glanced at him sideways.

  “Yeah, you know the new girl in IT. She’s got it bad for you, man.”

  “Which one is she?” I had no idea.

  Chapter Two

  The next morning I was late for work, something that never happened. But I’d had a lousy night’s sleep compliments of one Karis Hirt. I couldn’t seem to shut off my thoughts of her, old and new.

  My assistant, Janie, wasn’t at her desk, so I went on into my office and checked my voicemail.

  The first three messages were work related, but I sat up straighter when the next voice filled my office.

  “Oh, pretty boy, you haven’t changed at all. I wasn’t really surprised when I got to work this morning and they said you’d forgotten your cell. Don’t worry honey, it’s safe and in my care. Although, you might get it back with some interesting pictures on it.”

  I probably wouldn’t mind that. Perhaps a little added incentive not to lose it.

  “And as a matter of fact, I’ll be in town later today. If you can wait that long to get it back, I’ll deliver it to you. Personally.”

  For some odd reason, my stomach fluttered at the announcement.

  “If not, I can courier it to you, express. But we’ll both still probably arrive around the same time. Let me know. You’ve got my number.” I heard the smile in her husky voice.

  On impulse, I picked up the phone and called my own phone, but there was no answer.

  ****

  “How did I get myself into this?”

  Later, I stood in the aisle at the grocery store, reading the label on a jar of salsa. “How hard can it be? Ya basically pour this stuff into a bowl, right?” I turned to the elderly lady who had been there only two seconds before to ask for some input, but she was gone.

  “Really, Call Barstow, talking to yourself at your age? Geez!”

  “Karis!” My heart leapt. On impulse, I grabbed her and pulled her into me.

  “Hey, Call! Fancy meetin’ you here.” Chuckling, she hugged me close. “How is it we don’t see each other for what, three whole years, and now twice within days.”

  “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  Although reluctant to, I released her and stood back. Again, she was a knockout. This time her long blonde hair was down and straight. It shone, as did her lovely blue eyes, as she continued to smile at me. She wore a solid indigo-colored dress with a short, flowing skirt that skimmed her thighs. The bodice hugged her curves like a second skin. Perfect for her exquisite figure.

  “It’s a quick trip actually. Mom’s having some tests done and I wanted to be here.” Her expression lost some of its glow. “And to return your phone, of course.” She dug through her purse.

  I sobered at the mention of her mother’s tests. “Really? I didn’t know. I hope it’s nothing serious.”

  “Us, too.” She shrugged and handed the cell over.

  “I haven’t talked to Trey in a couple weeks, though he never said anything.”

  “Don’t be mad at him. It was a bit sudden, and Mom’s keeping it quiet until we know what we’re dealing with. You know,” she added.

  I did know. When my mother went through her own health crisis, Karis was the first person on our doorstep to offer aid and support. Karis may be many things, but selfish wasn’t one of them. I’d needed help and she was there. Luckily, for us, my mom’s illness wasn’t serious.

  “It’s good that you came to be with her.” Karis and her family had a rocky relationship to say the least, brought on by her rebellious youth.

  “Well, we get along much better now that mom’s grown up a bit.” She smirked and her eyes twinkled again with the mischief I remembered. It reminded me of that famous quote from Mark Twain my dad liked to recite, especially at work when he was in teaching mode trying to show the young buck the ropes. When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years Apparently, gramps had used it on him and he was sharing the pain.

  “And distance helps a lot, I think. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder and all that bs,” she said, with a wave of her hand.

  “Ya always did have a way with words, Kare,” I teased, grazing her jaw with my fingertip.

  As if that drew her attention, she gripped my chin firmly. “I like this new scruff you have going on here, Call.” One of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose. “Rugged,” she remarked.

  I ignored her. “How’s school? Are…you going to school?”

  “Good. Graduation year,” she said, proudly, as she let go of me.

  “That’s great! Wow, time flies. It seems like you just left.”

  Her gaze darted from mine, and for a moment, I think we both went back to the day I left for college and our own private farewell.

  “Ouch, missed me that much, huh?” She pouted prettily. “So, what’s with the salsa, pretty boy? Thought you were strictly meat and potatoes?”

  “I’m throwing this party for the office staff. Hey, are you gonna be home tomorrow night? I mean, when are you headed back?”

  “Mayyy-be I could be around.”

  “You could be my hostess. I’ve never done this before.”

  “Then why are you doing it?”

  “Dad insisted. Said it was good for morale.” I rolled my eyes.

  “Poor little rich boy,” she said, as she used to. “Must be tough running daddy’s company.”

  “It’s not all fun and games, wild thing,” I said warmly.

  “Oh, you love it. It’s what you’ve always strived for, to work side by side with
your father. I bet he’s real proud of you.”

  “Yeah, I do, love it,” I agreed, placing the jar in the buggy, then grasping the handle. Without having to ask, she grabbed a couple bags of bite-sized nacho chips and tossed them in the cart.

  “So, what are you doing here?” I nudged into her side.

  “Mom wanted some fresh bread to go with lasagne for dinner.”

  “Don’t tell me you made pasta.”

  “Oh, God no.” She laughed, with a palm in the air. “I serve in a restaurant, I still don’t cook. I’d better get going, though. It was great to see you, again, pretty boy.” She leaned in and kissed my cheek. I turned my head to catch her lips with my own.

  “Wait. You didn’t give me a definite answer. Are you planning on being around tomorrow?”

  “Don’t you have some gold digging harpy who can play your winger?”

  “No, I’m between harpies for the moment.”

  “We’ll see. Text me, PB.”

  “I don’t think I have your number anymore. I lost it about…” I counted on my fingers. “Three or four phones ago.”

  “I took the liberty of programming it in there.” With a wink, she turned, the ruffles of her skirt catching my attention as she sashayed down the aisle, like only Karis could. Man she had a walk. Always had.

  I whistled through my teeth. Fuckin’ temptress. That’s all she was. The cocktease of all cockteases.

  “Oh, and there might be a couple of selfies you might enjoy,” she added over her shoulder. I couldn’t wait to get to my car and see what kind of pics she’d left on my phone this time. Back in the day, they’d been positively x-rated. The kind of stuff teenaged boys lived for.

  And like the old days, I had to remind myself she would always be Trey’s little sister. But damn—I thought as her wiggle disappeared—she grew up nice.

  ****

  “Hello?” I answered loudly with the phone nowhere near my ear while simultaneously squinting at the caller ID. “Oh, hey, Mom?” I balanced the phone between my shoulder and ear as I unpacked groceries at home.

  “Are you all set for tomorrow, Call?”

  “I think so. You sure you and dad won’t drop by, just for a drink?”

  “No, your father thinks it’s important you connect with the younger employees.”

  “Why? They all think Dad’s way cooler than me already.”

  There was silence on the other end.

  “Ah, I see. I get it now.”

  “Sorry, son, sometimes you need to loosen up. Have you programmed the play list yet on that fancy electronic mess you’ve got going on over there? I’ve got some suggestions if you need a little inspiration.”

  I shut the fridge door and stood up straight. “You are gonna suggest a play list…for me? Maybe you and dad should come. God knows I might bore them to death.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that, Call.”

  “Well, you don’t have to worry, Ma. I’ve got a secret weapon. I hope.”

  “What’s that? I hope it’s not Twister,” she said under her breath.

  I snorted. “I ran into Karis. She’s home for a couple of days. I asked her to come over and be my co-hostess.”

  “Perfect! Karis knows how to have fun.”

  She did. But not parental approved fun. And the company staff might never be the same.

  I pictured Karis barefoot on the beach, in her fluorescent pink bikini top and short shorts. With a plastic red cup in her hand, raised in the air, swinging her long blonde hair side to side, singing at the top of her lungs. Of course, she’d been drunker than fuck on that occasion. But sexy as all get out at the same time.

  “She might teach you a thing or two,” Mom said.

  “Mmm, I bet she could.” An unbidden image of the two of us all bare skinned and tangled limbs popped into my mind. Twister took on a whole new connotation.

  “Call? Ya there?”

  “I gotta go, Mom. I’ll call you after the party and let you know how it went.”

  I hung up and readjusted my pants. It wasn’t the first hard-on I’d sported compliments of Karis Hirt and I doubted it would be the last.

  I tossed a microwavable chicken and broccoli steamer into the nuker. When it was done, I sat down, alone at the kitchen counter island. But I’d be damned if I could get Karis out of my head. It was as if every memory that I held dear, and maybe not so much, had flooded my head, each image jockeying for supremacy.

  I was about to take a sip of the beer I’d taken out to accompany my meal, but I set it aside and grabbed my cell instead. I thumbed through the pictures she’d left me for the tenth time. Sadly, they were all g-rated but all great images of a grown up version of the girl I couldn’t stop thinking about.

  “God, you’re fuckin’ gorgeous.”

  I scrolled to my contacts and chuckled. She’d listed herself as Wild Child. Spontaneously, I called her.

  “Hello?” Even the sound of her voice gave me a jolt of awareness.

  “Hey, my beautiful wild child.”

  “Just a sec.” There was scuffling. “Huh. Yep. It’s you. Had to double-check my caller ID. You’ve not called, texted, or messaged me in like three years. So, to what do I owe this auspicious call, pretty boy?”

  “Stop, I explained that. How’s your mom?”

  “She’s doing okay tonight.” She sobered. “She’s glad to have that set of tests behind her, but waiting for the results is going to worry her.”

  “Did they give you a timeline for that?”

  “About three to five days.”

  “The standard answer.”

  “Unfortunately.”

  “So, do you think your mom could spare you for an hour or so?”

  “For what? You want me to come over and start setting up for your party tonight?” she asked jokingly.

  “No.” I chuckled. “I want to take you out for coffee…or something. We can catch up.”

  She paused. “Let me check with my mom, see if she needs anything.”

  “Sure.”

  “Hold on.”

  I could hear them talking in the background.

  “Who is it?”

  “It’s Call.”

  “Oh. No, I don’t mind. Go. I’m headed up to bed anyway. Give him my love.”

  “Will do.”

  She came back on. I didn’t even give her a chance to speak.

  “I’ll pick you up in fifteen.”

  Chapter Three

  Karis was on the porch when I pulled up.

  I watched her walk down the path. She had on a short strapless flower print sundress, peachy in color. Sexy but not trashy. I found I was somewhat relieved. Some of the get-ups she’d worn when we were teenagers were downright indecent. She looked more than presentable now.

  She stepped into the car. “Nice BMW, rich boy.”

  “Sorry, my other car is a—”

  “And, I don’t care. Remember?” She grinned. “Your money and your toys don’t impress me.”

  “Right.”

  “Oh, Call.” Her voice rang with disappointment. “Are you still dating those girls who only love you for your bank account?”

  “Well…no.” I hesitated.

  Sighing dramatically, she shook her head, mocking me. “Did I teach you nothing?”

  I chuckled and popped the car in gear.

  She reached over and played with the stereo. That was normal. The radio was always the first thing she went to when we drove anywhere together. She loved music. She loved to dance.

  “Though, I will admit, this is a fine piece of machinery, Call. Very nice.”

  “Thank you. I’m glad you approve.”

  “So, where we goin’?”

  “Well, what are you in the mood for? Coffee. Something stronger? Do you want to sit and talk or do you want to dance?”

  “I’m not much of a drinker anymore.”

  “Oh? Could have fooled me with those pics on Facebook. I saw the college parties.”

  “I will admit,
when I first got there, I crashed a few bashes, but that got kind of old real quick. Especially when I didn’t have my trusty wing men to make sure I got home okay.”

  We exchanged a grin. I noticed the images she’d been sharing lately were tame in comparison to the Karis I used to know.

  “I guess I took you guys for granted.”

  “Well, as I recall, there was some mutual getting each other home some weekends.”

  Her gaze skittered away and she caught her bottom lip between her teeth.

  I wondered if she was reliving the same memory I was.

  ****

  A memory of us…

  The boys and I headed to a bonfire party out one of the back roads in a vacant farmer’s field. The baseball team was having a blowout, drowning their sorrows after losing their last game, which put them out the state finals. Most of the school was going to be there. I left the Jeep at home, hoping I could have a few drinks for a change, instead of always being the DD.

  A shit ton of people showed up. Kids from other schools, from several counties surrounding ours. Good old boys in pickup trucks rolled in with several kegs and we got loud and obnoxious. It was fuckin’ great. I had more than my share of brew and I was feeling absolutely no pain when Karis showed up.

  As usual, she looked great. She was in a pair of short shorts that showed off her tanned, toned legs. She wore a light jacket on top to combat the light breeze and the insects.

  I’d been getting cozy with this girl from a rival high school. Joy, I think her name was. We’d been dancing and flirting. I was this close to kissing her and maybe suggesting we find somewhere quiet to go. Then Karis started dancing with one of the baseball players. Not her normal bouncing party girl moves but sensual and slow.

  “Oh, I love this song,” Joy said, and we started to move, but every time I looked up I made eye contact with Karis. She looked completely sober for once and Goddamn beautiful to boot. She wore her long blonde hair down. It cascaded down her back when the wind wasn’t playing with the strands.

  “Is she your ex or something?” Joy asked.

  “Naw. She’s my buddy’s sister. We all kind of look out for her.”

  That seemed to appease her, but after another song went by, she said, “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather be dancing with her?”