Fighting to Stay by Kasey Millstead Read Free Book Online Page A

Belle such as yourself,” she winks.  “Now you got all that off your chest, eat your pizza and stop worryin’ ‘bout silly boys.”
    “Easier said than done,” I huff.  “I don’t know why it’s bothering me so much.”
    I vow to myself that I will stop beating myself up over something that I can’t change.  It’s in the past and that’s where the whole fucked up situation will stay.
    ~*~
    The next morning, I wake up feeling a darn site better than I did yesterday.  I feel so good, in fact, that I roll out my yoga mat and spend the next hour in front of the TV twisting myself into stupid positions the DVD presenter tell me to, for reasons I’m not entirely sure of.
    Still feeling good, I make biscuits and gravy with crispy bacon for breakfast for Jenn and me.
    “Mmm, smells so good,” Jenn walks in, sniffing the air.
    “Help yourself.  I’ve already finished.”  I watch as she serves herself up a plate and then drops down at the table.
    “This is good,” she mumbles around a mouthful of food.
    I smile.  “You’re so full of manners, Jenn.  Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to eat with your mouth full?”
    “That’s not what Switch says.  He likes the vibrat-,”
    “Argh! Oh my god! You did not just go there.”  I wave my arms and shout, cutting her off.
    She grins like a lunatic and continues eating.
    “I’m off to work,” I smile and wave, all the while shaking my head.  She’s one of a kind.
    ~*~
    I spend the next six hours taking orders, making change and wiping and clearing tables.  It’s only four in the afternoon and I have no idea what I’m going to do for the afternoon.  I sit in my car and start it up, to head back to Jenn’s when my phone lights up with her name.  “Hey,” I greet.
    “Hey, you off?”
    “Yep, just finished.”
    “Thank god.  I’m bored.  Want to come hang out?”
    “Sure, where are you?”
    “At the clubhouse.  Switch was supposed to be here an hour ago but something came up and he’s running late.  Said he’d be here as soon as he could.”
    “Okay.  I’ll swing by .”
    “Thank you!”
    It only takes about fifteen minutes to drive across town and out to the clubhouse.  A young guy is standing by the gate and he opens it up to me when I stop in front.
    I give him a little wave and drive throu gh.  I park next to Jenn’s car and she comes bounding out to meet me.
    “I’m so glad you could come. I was dying of boredom in there,” she sighs.  “Here.”  Jenn hands me a bottle of beer and gestures towards the picnic table.
    “So, where is everyone?”  It all looks so quiet, compared to the last time I was here, it’s almost eerie. 
    “Club business,” is Jenn’s only reply.
    I nod and put the bottle to my lips.  As I tip my head back to drain the rest of my beer, I catch sight of the clubhouse door opening.  I hear a girl giggling, so I lower my drink and look over towards the noise.  Then, he walks through the door with her .  Her being Christa.  She wraps her hands around his neck and kisses him deep.  Then he smacks her ass and she walks off, exaggerating the sway in her hips.
    “That’s him ,” I hiss at Jenn.
    “Who? What?”  She blinks, stunned by my sudden outburst.
    “ Him .  The guy I slept with.  And that’s her – you know…from that night,” I try to explain.
    “Ohhh,” Jenn looks across the lot to where Christa is getting in her vehicle.  Then she looks back to where he is standing. “Ohhh,” she repeats.  Her eyes are wide and she turns to look at me.  From the corner of my eye, I spot him as he sees us, and then he begins walking toward us.
    “Shit.  Fuck ,” I say under my breath.  “What’s his name?”  I attempt to ask, but I can’t talk loud enough for Jenn to hear because all of a sudden he’s standing in front of me.
    “Jenn,” he rumbles.  “Sugar,” he smiles at me.  Smiles at me .  Can you believe that shit?
    “Hey Roam, how you doin’?”  Jenn