Page 53 of Welcome Home for Christmas
Chapter 13
Allison shook her head as the building ball of disappointment anchored in her belly. How many times had she said she’d never let another guy hurt her again? She’d been waiting for an hour and Troy hadn’t showed for their date. He hadn’t called, either. Nope, he’d just stood her up.
She didn’t know why she was so surprised, but she was. She’d thought Troy was different. Of course, she’d thought the same of James, and Bryan, and Lance before that.
She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out. Well, unlike those times, she wasn’t just going to sit around and continue to wait. That’s what the old Allison would’ve done. She was different now. Stronger. More resilient. Maybe that meant she was ready to start dating again.
Just not Troy.
Grabbing her keys, she ignored the ache in her heart and headed toward the front door. Julie had invited her to Heroes for drinks. She’d declined because she’d had plans with Troy. Or so she thought. But now having drinks with the girls sounded like just the medicine she needed.
Her gaze paused on her phone. She didn’t need it because all she’d do was stare at it and wait for it to ring. Leaving it on the kitchen counter, she stepped out into the cold night. Her heart gave a small pang as she opened her front door. Some part of her had hoped that Troy would be there, with some wonderful excuse for why he was late. And then she’d forgive him, and continue falling fast and hard for him.
Climbing into her car, she pointed it downtown, blaring music to block her thoughts as she drove. When she pulled into the bar’s parking lot, she felt marginally better. She entered the bar and scanned the room for Julie or one of the other ladies from town. Spotting Julie with her sister Kat at a table in the back, Allison headed in that direction.
She froze as someone whistled off to the side.
Her gut clenched at the familiar sound. There was no way her ex was here. She’d heard he had a new girlfriend. They should be holed up somewhere.
The whistle came again. The same one James had used on her when he was flirting.
Turning, her heart sank. Yep, it was James, and he’d spotted her. At least he didn’t have his new girlfriend draped on his arm.
She forced a smile, but her face felt the way it did when she was taking out the trash and trying not to breathe in the rancid odor. “James,” she said.
“Looking for company tonight?” He pulled out an empty chair at his table. She got some satisfaction out of seeing him sitting there alone, even though she had absolutely no interest in him anymore. She was over him. Now she needed to do the work to get over Troy. Which might prove a little harder, even though they had never officially been together.
“I am looking for company, actually. But not your kind.” She’d wanted Troy’s company tonight, but he’d stood her up. There was something about Troy that made her believe he was different.
“Oh, come on, sweetness,” James slurred.
She cringed. “Stop talking to me now.” She started to walk off.
“At least let me buy you a drink,” he offered, following behind her.
She paused and turned. “I’d love a drink. So I could pour it down the front of your pants. Now go back to your table before I do something that will embarrass you,” she said through clenched teeth.
A frown settled on the face that she’d once considered handsome. Funny, how her perception of him had changed, and he’d transformed into the ugliest man alive.
“No fun at all,” he said. “That was always your problem. Always bitching, wanting things your way. I’d rather drink alone than drink with you. Beautiful, but boring as milk toast.” He smiled at her, andGod,she really wanted to snatch one of the drinks off someone’s table and throw it in his face.
Instead she pressed her lips together, still frozen where she stood. She wasn’t really in the mood to hang out with the girls anymore. And they hadn’t spotted her yet. She veered back toward the Exit sign, hating that she was opting out. Hating Troy because he had led her here tonight.
She stormed out of the bar and headed back to her car. But she didn’t plan to go home just yet. To sit and wait and mope.No, thank you.Instead, she drove down to the Seaside Pier, got out, and walked to the very end where there was a bench waiting for a lonely settler. She sat and stared out at the water, listening to the rhythmic crash as it came up on the shore behind her. She hated feeling sorry for herself, and she wasn’t going to anymore. She was going to count this as her final lesson in matters of the heart. She’d thought she’d learned this lesson before, but apparently not.
She watched the ocean for another hour and then she finally pulled herself off the bench and drove home. Troy wasn’t waiting at her door and there was no message, either. Wearily, she went to bed and buried herself under the covers. She just hoped that Troy wouldn’t stand up the kids at Mercy’s Place tomorrow. If he did, she’d never forgive him and he might just land himself another bullet on his ass. And this one wouldn’t be a tattoo.
—
The Seaside Police Department was the picture of chaos and disorder on this Friday night. Troy had been waiting to talk to one of the detectives for thirty minutes. And someone had promised to let him use the phone when he’d gotten here, but no one had made good on that promise. He was in such trouble with Allison.
Finally, a police officer in civilian clothes came up and shook his hand. “I’m Detective Hansley,” he said. “Sorry about the wait.”
Troy shrugged, because what else could he do? He understood the job. Some days there was more work than could be done in one shift, or two shifts at that. “I get it,” Troy said. “Can I at least use the phone to make a quick call? I had plans tonight and wasn’t able to explain that I wasn’t coming.”
Detective Hansley frowned. “Sorry about that.”
“Yeah, me too,” Troy said.
