She concentrates on her register and rings up the book. “That’s $24.99.”

I hand her my credit card. “It’s only me, starting a new life.”

A life without regrets and with my eyes wide open.

3

Worse Comes to Worst

Leo

“Where’s your stalker today?” Dane slides a plate of burger and fries across the bar. The pendant light above his head glints off his shit-eating grin. He grabs my cola and refills the empty glass without breaking eye contact.

I ignore his razzing and glance toward the stage as a guy taps the mic and perches on a stool, ready to croon to the diners. Dane teasing me about a stalker makes me think about my pain-in-the-ass ex, Tori, who turns up like a bad penny. The thought of her could ruin my meal. I’d rather talk about anything else. “Since when do you have lunch entertainment?”

Dane gives the guy on stage his attention for all of a second before looking at me. “Yesterday. So you’re interested in the music lineup now? Quit changing the subject. I’m talking about your personal fan club. The chic who watches you like you’re the last donut in the case. I told you man, she quizzed me about you yesterday after you left. But I didn’t divulge confidential information. My lips are sealed. I’m like an attorney. Or a bartender or a therapist.”

Dane’s stalker comment isn’t too far off. Not that I’m actually worried about the blonde who seems to be everywhere I go. Still, it’s weird, and my run-ins with Tori have me on edge. The first time, it was the eerie feeling of being watched that made me notice her. I was checking my post office box and the blonde was at Letters Express, where I check my mail for the Mr. Expose blog. I smiled at her and she looked away.

The second day she was there again. And every day that week. I shake my head. Shit. Soon, I’ll be thinking my entire life is a conspiracy theory and women are the archenemy.

“Earth to Leo. Come in, Leo,” Dane says. “If you want me to introduce you, I can. That’s if she comes in again.”

“Not interested.” I wish my words were the truth. I am interested, but there’s something about her that’s too intense. Too knowing. Her moss green eyes seem to look straight into my soul.

And I need a breather from intense.

Dane glances toward the door. “Yup, there she is. Just a little late today,” he says in his drawling Southern accent that charms all his customers. He wipes the very clean bar in front of him and watches one of his waitresses walk a menu and the girl over to a table in the corner.

My shoulders tense. I resist turning to look at the blonde. I’ve watched her plenty over the past two weeks and maybe she’s thinking I’m the creepy one. “Poker at your place this week?”

“Eight o’clock. Bring some pretzels or something.”

“Sounds great.”

Dane lowers his head, pretending to read a newspaper he picks up from the counter. “Don’t look now, but the stalker hasn’t taken her eyes off you since the minute she walked in.”

“Quit looking at her and stop with the stalker talk,” I mutter and take a bite of my burger.

He chuckles. “She’s hot. She can stalk me anytime she wants.”

I finish swallowing before I answer. “If you’re so into her, why don’t you give her your number?”

“Because she’s all about you, you dumb shit.” Dane’s eyebrows draw together. “But you’re going to let one bad relationship hold you back.”

“No.” I wipe my hands on a napkin. “We’re not going there. I’m not discussing my dating life with a dude who thinks speed dating is a way of life. You could be with the girl you really want, if you’d quit chasing skirt.”

Dane’s mouth opens as if he’s going to say something, then stops. His eyes narrow and he shakes his head. Luckily, the sound of acoustic guitar prevents us from continuing the conversation. He shifts his attention to the musician.

I glance from the small stage near the windows back to Dane and nod approvingly. “Dang. He’s good.”

“Thought I’d try some live music for the lunch crowd,” Dane says. He looks over his shoulder at the waitress to his right. “What you need, hon?”

She holds out a sheet of paper. “The delivery guy is at the back door unloading. Sign the ticket.”

Dane takes the delivery slip from her, signs it, and hands it back. She doesn’t move. “Need something else?” he asks.

Now, I realize she’s smiling at me. “Leo, I was just wondering…want to go to a concert with me tomorrow night?”

I give her a regretful smile. “Sorry. Poker night.”

“Come on. You can play poker anytime.” She tilts her head and raises her eyebrows in a beseeching pose. “I have a friend who can come along. She’s really freaky, if you know what I mean.”

Freaky. I must be waving a freak flag lately. “Well, that’s sweet and all, but I have to pass.”

“I’m anything but sweet,” she answers with a glint in her eye.

Dane’s lips quirk at the corner and he points toward the back. “Delivery is waiting.” After the waitress leaves, he leans on the bar. “You turned down a threesome. Are you insane? There’s something seriously wrong with you.”

I take an extra-large bite of burger and turn to watch the musician on stage.

Dane’s not deterred by my lack of interest. “Leah’s never asked me to get it on with her and a friend. You have that whole sensitive thing going on. Girls love that shit. You probably read them poetry while you—”

“Ignoring you now.” I grab my plate in one hand and my drink in the other. “I came in to eat, not be lectured by the guy who woke up last week without his wallet and keys and called me to pick him up at a strange girl’s house.”

“Touché.” He says. Then he adds, “You need to get laid. Obviously.”

“Whatever, man. See you tomorrow night. I won’t be in for lunch.” Then I turn and scan the room for an empty table. There’s a table for two far from the blonde, so I make my way to it.

From the corner of my eye, I’m aware that she watches me. I can feel her gaze prickling along my skin like a sunburn. I’m tempted to look at her and raise a confronting eyebrow.

I make sure I’m seated facing the door where I won’t miss my sister when she arrives. She finally enters at half-past noon. I’m taking the last bite of my burger when she plops into the seat across from me and grabs a few french fries from my plate and dredges them through my ketchup.

“What’s up, brother o’ mine?” Josie says around a mouthful of food.

“Are you on time anywhere?” I push my plate to the middle of the table so she’ll stop reaching across to grab more fries.

“Customer kept chatting me up at the store. Couldn’t get away.”

“I don’t believe that for a minute.” Josie’s the most talkative person I know. Her customer at the bookstore was probably trying to get away from her.

As far as twins go, we couldn’t be more different physically or socially. Her hair is dark and mine light. She makes friends with strangers everywhere, and I don’t like people much. Josie’s life is one happy ride with the wind blowing through her hair.

Mine’s been filled with the wind knocking me down.

“What do you have to do to get a waitress around here?” Josie frowns as she grabs my glass and takes a drink. “Be right back. I guess it’s self-serve.”

Josie makes her way over to Dane, who’s standing behind the bar. I watch them flirt with each other in the comfortable way they’ve been playing at all year.

The place has filled with lunch customers and I wonder about the girl in the corner. I casually turn to see if I can catch her in my peripheral view, and see the table is empty. She’s always popping up and then disappearing when I look for her.

A week later, I’ve given up on seeing the girl again. It’s odd that I’ve found myself looking for one particular blonde in this city’s sea of beautiful women. But really, it’s only curiosity because I like to figure out people’s motives.