Dare Me (Dare Me Series Book 1)

Dare Me (Part 27 - Alexis)

It's the middle of the week, and I'm putting sweetener packets under the leg of one of the tables to keep it from rocking. I stand and stretch my back as Karen walks out. "I have some bad news," she says with a frown. "What?" I ask, walking to the counter. "The bank isn't giving me any more time. I'm putting a sign up today. I've got to sell this place or I'll lose everything." Her eyebrows pinch, and she blows out a puff of air. "I'm sorry, Lexi. I know you had plans." I look down as my chest deflates. "Yeah, but I understand. You have to do what's best for you." She places her hands on the counter. "I'd love to know you were running the place." Her eyes grow sad as she looks around the shop. "I've had it for so long now, I don't know what I'm going to do with myself when I don't. There are a lot of memories here. I raised my kids here, put them through college." She sighs. "Everything went to hell when Carl got cancer." With glassy eyes, she grabs a tissue from under the counter. "Time," she says. "It's the one damn thing we can never get enough of, yet it's the thing we take most for granted. Funny, isn't it?" She smirks and dabs under her eyes. "Yeah," I agree softly. "It slips by fast." It slides by fast when you don't want it to, though. There were plenty of days when I lived back home that I wished for it to hurry, but it crept, seeming not to move at all. There were moments when I'd be lying in my room trying not to listen to whatever was going on in that house, counting down to the seconds before I turned eighteen and could make it out on my own. That's until the noise would stop and heavy footsteps would sound down the hall. Then I'd quickly shove my window up and run as fast as I could into the field, hiding beneath the tall wheat grass. "Where'd you go, little princess?" His voice slurred into the wind, giving me chills and sending tears to my eyes because I knew if he found me, he'd beat me, or worse. I'd lie under the stars and pray on every one that my day of freedom would hurry. Karen sniffs, bringing me back to the now. "Okay, well, I've got to head to the store. Do we need anything?" I walk around and grab the list I made this morning. "Just a few items." She takes it from my hand. "I'll be back." She turns to leave, and I grab her hand, stopping her. I hate this kind of stuff, but I feel like I should say something. I look down and bite my lip. She gives my hand a squeeze. "I know, Lexi." My eyes go to hers, and in our exchanging looks we say everything. I nod, grateful for her silent understanding, and she lets go.The bell above the door dings when she exits, and I rest my elbows on the counter, hang my head, and scrape my nails through my scalp, thinking there go my plans. What am I going to do with my life now? I sigh and scrub my face just as the bell dings again, causing me to look back. "Am I interrupting something?" My heart pounds fiercely at the sight of him. "What are you doing here?" I ask, standing up straight. "You won't answer my phone calls." "That didn't tell you what you needed to know?" He has the audacity to look shocked. "Lexi, I know I messed up. I said I was sorry. Can we please talk about this?" "Mark, I have nothing more to say to you. We're done. We've been over for a long time. You cheated on me." "Why do you think I cheated on you?" he says. "What?" I laugh as my eyes grow wide. "You heard me." He raises his chin. "Why do you think I cheated?" "Who asks someone that?" I shake my head and grab my hair tie from my wrist, quickly getting my hair off my neck because this guy is pissing me off and it's making me hot. You cheated because you're a selfish prick. "Did you ever stop and think that maybe you're the reason why." His dirty blond brow lifts. "You're kidding me, right? How would that be my fault?" He pulls a chair out and takes a seat. Leaning back, he looks at me. "We were together for two years." "Oh, I'm aware." I cross my arms. He holds up his fingers. "Two years and you never once said you loved me."