Page 103 of Wrench
it was because her ex was there, but when she mentioned the Tavern, I knew something
bigger was up.
Evelyn took the last patron¡¯s payment and shooed him out. Putting on her coat she
turned to me, still sitting at the bar, looking out the window. ¡°I¡¯m about to lock up,¡± she
said. ¡°You all right turning off the lights?¡±
I nodded to her with a smile, but concern grew on her face. ¡°Isaac¡ are you okay? You
seem¡ off.¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I assured her. ¡°Just¡ all this Freeway shit. Hollywood dying. Everything.¡±
¡°I get it,¡± she said and clasped my shoulder with a tender smile. ¡°Get some sleep. It¡¯ll
help.¡±
I agreed and finally, Evelyn left, leaving me alone in the deserted Tavern. My eyes
were glued to the road, expecting to see her car pull in any minute. Sweat dripped down
my neck, my foot jittered against the barstool, and I wondered if I had ever been this
nervous about seeing someone in my life¡ªthat included former bosses, police, principals,
everyone. I wasn¡¯t excited, I was anxious. Finally, headlights beamed through the window
and I recognized the white car from outside of Samantha¡¯s.
With my heart racing, I trudged to the door. I had no idea what was going to happen,
she hadn¡¯t said anything about feelings, just to talk. Maybe she was going to tell me to
fuck off. I opened the door right as she was shutting hers a few yards away. When she
squared her shoulders with mine, my heart skipped a beat.
Since leaving the diner, she¡¯d changed into a plain red t-shirt and a white flowy high-
waisted skirt that began to cling to her thighs in the pouring rain. Her big blue eyes
penetrated through me and her chest heaved as I gaped at her. Standing in the rain, her
red shirt and blond hair popping vibrantly in the darkness, she looked like she could be
the object of a priceless oil painting. I wanted her, no, I needed her, but I didn¡¯t know
what to do. Did she want me still? I stood, trying to make a decision.
That was when Samantha sprinted to me and pressed her lips to mine. Surprised, I fell
back a step before catching her in my arms and deepening the kiss. The delectable taste of
lemonade remained on her lips, satisfying the craving I¡¯d had since I last kissed her.
An unusually cool gust of wind for Mascid breezed through us, but I wouldn¡¯t have
