During the ride home my mind raced with theories and explanations. There was no way for him to explain it away. Jared had basically admitted to following me. Maybe that was why he was so irritated; I’d managed to get myself in yet another situation that he would have to make clear that he was nearby. I should have been panicking—anyone else would have repeated the word stalker over and over in her head—but I only felt an overwhelming sense of calm. Beyond the calm I was even more shocked to discover that I was flattered.
Something else became clear to me: I had absolutely no common sense concerning Jared Ryel. I had become an irrational, ridiculous, sobbing fool and incredibly, he was still in my life. I didn’t care if he was a stalker or a miracle. The thought that he was always near me—that he could have been watching me at that very moment—sent euphoric shivers down my spine.
The next night, a knock at the door prompted Beth to grab her purse. When I swung open the door, Kim, Josh, Ryan, Tucker, Chad, Lisa, and Carrie were all standing in the hall.
“We held hands so they wouldn’t get lost,” Kim quipped.
“That’s nice,” I said, turning to grab my keys and wallet. “We’re not all going to fit in the Beemer.”
“I’m taking my jeep,” Chad said.
“Sweet!” Beth chirped.
When I followed Beth through the door of the pub, I felt my body tense. I didn’t relax until I finished scanning the room and saw that Jared was nowhere to be found. With my relaxation was also discontent, but Ryan’s arm around my shoulders provided an immediate diversion. We took a table and Ryan fed quarters into the jukebox. Within an hour we were all on the wooden floor dancing to disco.
“Next time, I’m bringing a CD!” Kim yelled over the Bee Gees.
When we returned to our table, a slow song crooned from the juke box and Chad asked Beth to dance. She was beaming, and I watched him pull her gently by her hand to the dance floor. I felt the corners of my mouth turn up as I watched them, not being able to keep myself from the bittersweet memory of Jared’s arms around me in the same space just a few weeks before.
“C’mon. Dance with me,” Ryan asked, pulling at my hand.
I might have said no if he hadn’t already had me half way to my feet. It had become a full time job to keep him from getting the wrong idea about our friendship. I followed him to the dance floor and he secured his hands behind my back.
“Oh, cheer up. It’s not that bad,” Ryan smiled.
“You’ve been drinking; I’m concentrating on not tripping over your two left feet.”
“I’ll catch you,” he said, too close to my face.
“Great, then we’d both fall,” I grinned.
Ryan hugged me to him. “I don’t mind falling to catch you.”
I relaxed my chin on Ryan’s shoulder until the song ended. He seemed to want to keep dancing but the next song was upbeat. He hesitated and then let me go, leading me back to the table by my hand.
We tabbed out after last call, and Lisa and Carrie decided to take a cab to someone’s apartment for an after party. Beth decided to ride with Chad once again and my heart leapt for her when I saw him lead her by the hand to his Jeep.
We quickly crossed against the light to the parking lot and Kim and Ryan giggled while I fumbled for my keys.
I cursed as my keys tumbled to the ground into a pot hole. I reached down to get them, but a dirty hand beat me there. Kim and Ryan were silent as I slowly stood to face the raggedy man in front of me.
“Thank you,” I said, holding my hand out for my keys. I noticed there were three other men with him, emerging from the shadows of the alley.
“You’re welcome,” he rasped. He had an unkempt brown beard and his black eyes were abnormally deep-set. Upon first glance he appeared homeless, but his fingernails were too clean and his face wasn’t nearly worn enough. Even growing up on the East Side, I had seen my share of the destitute on the docks with my father.
“I don’t suppose you could spare some change for my trouble?”
“Er….sure,” I said, looking at Kim and Ryan before I dug into my wallet. I handed him a ten dollar bill and he glanced over to my BMW.
“I’m sure the key to this car is worth more than that,” he insisted.
I reached into my wallet and handed him a twenty. “There. Please give me my keys,” I said, holding out my hand.
He stared at me for a long moment, prompting Ryan to walk over to us. “She gave you some money. Give her back her keys.”
The man looked Ryan over and then peered back at me. “I don’t think that’s quite enough.”
My eyes narrowed. “How much do you want?”
“How much do you have in your wallet?”
“What?”
“And I’d like that pretty green ring on your finger, too, baby doll,” he nodded.
“You’re not getting her ring,” Ryan said, stepping in between us.
“Benson?” the bearded man called behind him. One of the men behind him nodded and signaled the others to move forward.
“Ryan….” I whispered as he side-stepped to hide me behind him.
“Aw, look, Grahm. She’s got a little bodyguard.”
“Shut up, Stu,” the bearded man growled.
“Give me the ring…and the money. And you can go,” he said, spitting on the ground.