Anything but Minor (9 page)

Alice: Why not? I’m a fan. Someone needs to spell it out for him. You should have been pulled by now.

Rafe: Really, Alice, don’t do that.

Alice: You can’t stop this train. I’m kind of notorious for speaking my mind.

Rafe: You don’t say? When you go fan, you go all in, huh?

Alice: I kind of do everything that way.

Rafe: Makes me curious...

Alice: Email sent. Did you know that Frozen is a fifty-million-dollar movie, and they didn’t bother to put ear holes on the characters heads?

This chick is so random.

Alice: Oh, you meant that sexually...Rafe?

Rafe: Yeah, Alice?

Alice: Just making sure you were there. Did you know that people in Japan who injure walking pedestrians with their cars have to pay their medical bills? Funerals are cheaper. Do you know what that means?!

Rafe: I can’t wait...

Alice: That they continue to run over them until they’re dead to avoid bankruptcy.

Rafe: What the hell are you doing?

Alice: I’m Googling.

Rafe: That’s a thing?

Alice: For me it is.

Rafe: Do you have ADD?

Alice: You would think that but...no. This is my normal.

And I believed her.

Rafe: Tell me more.

And she did. She spent hours texting me random things, mostly trivial movie facts, which I knew were her favorite. I laughed so hard that the couple in the room next to me pounded on the wall a few times
after
they’d had an extremely vocal fuck fest.

We both fell asleep with our conversation un-ended, without a goodnight, or a goodbye. I smiled as I woke up to her last text.

Alice: Do you know that at any given intersection you are likely to catch someone picking their nose, like finger deep? Gag, I’ll never look around at a stoplight again.

I coughed out a laugh as I turned on my side, trying to imagine what she would look like sleeping in the bed next to me. I imagined her waking up with the smile she gave me in my Jeep. I was hard in seconds.

So. Fucking. Beautiful.

Rafe: Morning, Alice.

I spent a few minutes imagining her alone in her bed, her phone lying on her pillow, and wrapped my fist around my thoughts.

I had to have that woman.

“Mr. Harp, that was your last chance to fly through. I’m afraid I can’t give you the green light for this aircraft.” In the cabin of the simulator, I braced myself for the inevitable as I saw the panic race through him.

“Fuck,” he said, scrubbing his hand down his face as he looked back at the screen.

“I’m afraid I smell alcohol on you, as well, and have several times throughout our sessions. I’ll have to report it.”

“What?” he said as he turned his red, pug face to me. “You can’t do that!”

“I can and I will,” I said as I threw my clipboard down between us. “Drunks
can’t
pilot.”

“You little bitch. You know nothing about me. I’ve been flying for twenty-six years.”

I shrugged. “And it will remain twenty-six.”

“You can’t do that. I have a wife and kids to support!” He leaned in, his posture a threat as his voice dripped with warning.

“These planes carry three hundred and twelve souls,” I snapped without apology. “If you want to call someone a little b-b-b...itch you need to point that finger inward. You have absolutely no right to gamble with the lives of that many people.”

“You don’t know me,” he seethed.

“I don’t ever want to. The level of stupidity running through that brain of yours is enough to make me run in the other direction. You will either sober up, or you won’t fly planes.”

“I swear to God I will.”

“Swear to him in treatment,” I said as I looked at him square on.

“You bitch!” Just as he lunged at me, Trey reached in and jerked him out of his seat and pinned him to the door in the cockpit.

“You’re a fucking disgrace. Go get cleaned up!” Trey hissed as he looked back in to check on me. When he saw me unharmed, he let the older pilot go. “Get the hell out of here.” Trey looked back down at me with concern. “You okay?”

“Fine,” I said with a sigh and meant it. “He’s a drunk. He slept through the whole classroom session, failed the simulation,
and
takes issue with me? Entitled and disgusting.”

Trey slid into the cabin next to me. “You did the right thing.”

“I know,” I said confidently.

Trey laughed as he looked over at me. “You’re something else, you know that?”

I blushed as he scoured my appearance.

“Want to go grab some dinner this Saturday?”

I knew my features were covered in shock as he went on. “I’ve wanted to ask for weeks.”

“Oh, I...” For a brief moment, I thought of Rafe. Rafe who was a self-proclaimed ladies’ man. Rafe, who I’d drawn a clear line of friendship with. Rafe whose own best friend inadvertently warned me away from him.

As those thoughts swirled through my head, I gave my answer. “I’d love to.”

After work, I found myself at Andy’s Brew House. Andy sat next to me as good company and introduced me to some of the bar regulars. Andy was an all-around incredible guy. He and Rafe had come up through the minors together, though Andy was almost four years older. He’d been recognized as Rafe advanced, and they had progressed and played for a few different Single-A teams together. He would never be drafted to the pros but didn’t seem discontent about that fact. Andy opened the bar when the two had moved to Charleston with the intention of having a place to call his own when he finished with the minors.

“This is my last year,” he said as he eyed Kristina across the bar. “My knees are wearing out, and I’m tired of all the traveling. I’m playing one last season to see Rafe through.”

I couldn’t help the tug in my chest as I recognized Andy as one of my tribe. He’d been nothing but the perfect gentlemen since I met him. I respected him, and in a way, I’d developed a personality crush on him.

“So have you always wanted to open a bar?”

Andy smiled, his blue eyes crinkled at the corners. “It’s funny you ask that, actually. Rafe bought me a brew kit for Christmas one year as a gag. He said I’d sworn I could do better than some of the local brew masters in the area. I think it was a drunken conversation. Anyway, the kit stayed in my closet for a month and then one day, I went for it, and I loved it. Anyway, when I was home, I brewed in my garage and eventually came up with a few recipes, found some bar space here, and the rest is history.”

“A gag gift, huh?”

“Yep, funny how shit like that works out,” he said as he tapped his glass to mine. “My dream is to get it in stores.”

“I can see that happening,” I said as I gestured around the bar. “The regulars seem to love it.”

“Meh, that’s only because it’s all I serve on tap,” he winked at me, and I noticed just how good looking he was. Andy was more blond than red up top but had a thin goatee of dark red hair around his lips. His eyes were a beautiful, pale blue, and he was all solid man behind his sweet smile.

“Have some faith,” I said as I tipped my beer. “I mean, you’ve got me drinking it.”

“I will, doll,” he promised. “Bonfire tonight, you up for it?”

“It’s a weekday. I have work tomorrow.”

“We all do. That’s the point.”

Later that night, I found myself beachside surrounded by a small group of Andy’s most loyal regulars and friends. Someone played a ukulele while Andy tapped a keg of his finest brew. Rafe joined the party and took a seat beside me in greeting.

“Lesbian Alice.”

“Bonehead Athlete.”

He looked down at me with his trademark smirk. “What brings you out tonight?”

“An invitation, of course,” I answered as I held up my cup. “And free beer.”

Rafe smelled like heaven as he surveyed the party. Flames licked his perfect profile as he greeted a few others seated around the roaring fire.

“Looking for someone willing to play with you?” I said with a nudge of my shoulder. His eyes roved over me, and I averted mine to the fire.

He leaned in so slowly, I held my breath. “Would you be jealous?”

I didn’t hesitate a second as I turned back to answer. “Would you want me to be?”

Rafe’s eyes sparkled with thoughts behind them I could only imagine. I’d actually made a small effort tonight in my appearance and wore a black sundress. I’d flattened my hair and put on some mascara and lip gloss. Rafe stared at my coated lips for endless seconds before he looked up to me.

“I’m pretty good at fucking,” he said under his breath as mine again caught in my throat, and I swallowed hard. “It’s not something I
play
around with.”

“A professional with
all
of your balls,” I murmured as my mind drifted with thoughts of the space closing between us.

“Really, Alice?” he whispered as his breath hit my bare neck.

“A sure thing with your big...bat.”

“Curious?” he quipped as he studied my lips before he stood to make his way across the fire toward Andy and a group of guys huddled around the keg.

“Remember, no glove, no love!” I shouted after him as he looked back at me and shook his head. I watched as he took a red plastic cup and poured himself a beer from the keg. I was unable to rip my eyes away from the way his perfect butt filled out his shorts or the arms that bulged beneath his t-shirt. As if he could sense me focused on him, Rafe looked back at me and caught me staring. I smiled in an attempt to recover some of my senses, and he did the same. My smile vanished when a perky brunette with a high pitched voice practically moaned his name in greeting and covered him with her intimate posture. My eyes narrowed as he smiled at whatever suggestion she whispered to him and he slapped her butt while he deadpanned at me.

My eyes narrowed and then rolled as I ripped myself away from the situation and took off walking down the shore. Heart pounding, I breathed in deep as I watched the waves roll in and leave their foam residue. A handful of seashells later, I decided my bed was calling and made my way toward the bonfire to say a quick goodbye. I looked up just as Rafe approached me.

“So was today the best day of your life?”

“Every day,” I chimed happily. “I’m heading home, so I’ll see you at the next game.”

Stopping me, Rafe gripped my hand and opened it up to start rummaging through my seashells. He pulled a solid orange, pristine shell from the pile and put in his pocket.

“Hey! That was my favorite.”

“My day wasn’t as good so I’m taking a piece of yours,” he said as he took a step forward and pulled a strand of hair from my mouth.

“This city, this place is beautiful. Did you grow up here?”

“Yep.”

“Well, you’re one
lucky
man. I mean, I love everything about it. I just don’t think you know how lucky you really are.”

“Am I?” he said as he inched forward and took my free hand in his.

“Absolutely,” I went on nervously. “I mean, so much beauty at your fingertips.”

“I agree,” he whispered as he brought my hand slowly to his lips and placed a sweet kiss on the back of it before he let it go.

“What was that for?” I said, my legs Jell-O as he looked down at me with intense and greedy eyes. I was suddenly so turned on I was clenching my thighs.