Page 36 of Love in Pieces

“Yeah, I’m all right.” And then it’s quiet and awkward again. “How are you?” I ask, hoping the general question doesn’t spark any residual anger.

“I’m all right,” he says, gripping the edge of the counter with white knuckles. Silence stills the air, but Dallas speaks again. “So, I have a few classes today. I’m also the catcher for our baseball team so I’ve got practice at four this afternoon.” He looks at me, waiting for my reaction. As I process this information, I realize how much time I’ll be alone, and my heart sinks. He moves to my side. “Do you have someone else you can hang out with like the friend you talked to yesterday? Is she available?” A soft hand rubs soothing circles on my back to comfort my growing anxiety.

“I uh, I have two classes today, too, and some other work to get done. I don’t have a full-time job anymore since Sam made me quit a few weeks ago.” I look to the floor in shame.

“I know. I remember you saying that.”

I blink. “What?” I don’t think I’ve mentioned anything about what I do for work.

“The bike meet last weekend? Remember the guy at the bar that you talked to briefly?”

I slowly nod my head as I put two and two together. “Oh, holy shit! I am so sorry. I totally forgot about that. That was you?” I chuckle a little at the thought that my memory completely evaded me this whole time. The eyes match, so gorgeously brown, the light filters through them like liquid. I don’t know how I didn’t connect the two. Although, I did keep my head down for most of that conversation.

“Nah, it’s all good. You seemed ... a little distracted,” he says, pursing his lips.

“A bit, yeah.” Memories of Sam’s reprimand when I returned from the bar flit through my head. “I’ll call Meredith. It would be nice to see her.”

“Cool.” He pauses. “So, you ride right?”

I smile, imagining the wind therapy I love so much. “Yeah. It’s my safe haven, as ironic as that may sound.”

“You could not be any more perfect,” Dallas says, shaking his head. A large smile reaches past his eyes. “Uh, sorry,” he stops. “I don’t mean that in a weird way. I just mean that I think it’s really cool that you ride. I do, too. That’s all. It’s nice to know someone else who rides.” He runs a hand through his hair, pausing at the back of his neck. “Um, I’m going to go get dressed, so you can finish getting ready and we can head out.” He scratches the back of his head again, dumps the rest of his coffee into the sink, and disappears down the hallway.

I stare at the closed door at the end of the hall. Was that weird? Was he rambling? While I finish my coffee, Dallas reenters the kitchen and starts packing his bags.

“I’m done if you want to go get ready. No rush, but I do have class in about an hour and a half, so we need to head out before then. We can stop at your old apartment if you need to pick up any schoolwork, or if you want your bike.”

Right. Myoldapartment. That’s going to take some getting used to.

He digs in his pocket a moment before pulling out something small. “Also, here,” he says, extending a small metal key in my direction.

“A key?”

“Yeah. You can come and go as you please. You’re not trapped here. It’s just as much your apartment now as it is mine and Logan’s.”

This tiny piece of metal feels like a foreign object in my hands. “Thanks,” I say, rubbing it between my fingers.

As we drive toward my old apartment, my nerves spike. My cheeks warm. Dallas places a hand on top of mine, stilling my fidgeting fingers. His eyes remain on the road, but that gesture alone gives me enough of a pause to try to regain my rational thoughts. Sam won’t be there. Dallas will. We agreed he’d follow me to meet up with Meredith. Meredith and I agreed to hang out in public areas. We’ve taken the necessary precautions.I’ll be okay.

“Just a bike? No car?” Dallas asks as we pull into the parking lot.

“Just my Ninja. Sam always drove everywhere. I had no need for one.” I look around the lot, scanning for anything out of place, but if I’m being honest, I don’t really know what to look for. I recognize most of the regular cars parked in their usual spots. It’s quiet, only the birds chirping with the spring air. And Sam’s car is nowhere to be seen.

Delight floods my veins with the sound of the engine revving to life. Dallas watches me with a close eye but there’s something else, something keen about the way he’s fixated on me. It makes my heart flutter, and I look away to hide the involuntary blush from my cheeks. Asphalt trails behind me as I make my way toward the library on campus. Whoever invented motorcycle parking should get an award. Dallas pulls up beside me at the curb. He steps out, inspecting our surroundings.

“Is that Meredith?” he asks, looking toward the girl heading our way, smiling ear to ear. Her curls bounce with each quick step.

“Yeah.” I lock my bike and helmet before fixing my backpack straps. “Hey, Mer,” I greet when she reaches us.

She pulls me into a bear hug, holding on longer than usual. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” When she finally lets me go, she cradles my face lightly. Her eyes find the makeup-covered bruise on my cheek, and I watch as her brows furrow together. “Fucking asshole,” she blurts out.

“That’s what I said,” Dallas agrees, hands stuffed in his pockets.

Meredith turns to Dallas and smiles. She extends a hand to him saying, “Hi, you must be Dallas. I’m Meredith.”

“That would be me,” he says, shaking her hand. “I’m glad she’s got a friend she can run to.”

Meredith turns back to me and says, “Me, too.” Another smile forms on her lips before she pulls me back into a hug.

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