Still quiet, Bullet walked beside me. What was he thinking? I reached over and took his hand. “Should I have played Kansas?”
“No, I think what you played was perfect. I had no idea you played like that. I mean, I knew you were orchestra-quality but the way you pulled music out of that old violin; it was like you pulled magic out of the air. I was impressed.”
“Thank you. It was a fine violin.”
“Why didn’t you buy it? You seemed to love it.” We walked up the sidewalk, passing shop after shop, not really looking at them. I think we both just wanted to be together a little longer. How could I explain this to him?
“Yes, I did love it but I didn’t really need it. I have three already and in a way, it seemed kind of sad. Just think, some child that’s not even here anymore used to play it, maybe even loved it. I don’t know—it just didn’t seem like it belonged to me.”
He said he understood but he was quiet afterwards. “Hey, how about that food? I’m starving!” We needed a change of subject and a change of scenery. “Let’s head back to the pub.”
“Oh, I don’t know. They have a few restaurants on the other side of the street. You wouldn’t rather go there?” Bullet seemed to waffle over going to the Blue Lake Pub.
“No! I want the true Blue Lake experience. If this is where everyone goes, I want to go too!”
“Okay then! Blue Lake Pub it is.” We chit-chatted about the things we saw along the way back to the pub. It was a nice walk and it had turned out to be a bright, sunny day. I was glad we had good weather for this trip. It was dark when we first walked in. It took my eyes a few minutes to refocus to the surrounding light. It was informal dining and I found us a table near the back of the pub. I liked people watching. Bullet’s phone rang again. Darn it! I wished Page would stop calling him and leave him with me just for a little while longer. He examined it. “Damn, I have to take this. It’s Dr. Huffington. Will you order me a diet soda and some chicken tenders?”
I understood that he could not blow off a colleague. “Sure. No problem.”
Bullet stepped back outside, disappearing into the white sunlight. Eventually, after I read the menu at least three times, a server came over. She looked to be in her late twenties with jet black hair that she wore in an Egyptian bob. Naturally, her eyeliner was Cleopatra-ish and her lips were bold red. Her hair and makeup style seemed to clash with the pub’s uniform, black shorts and white t-shirt. “What can I get you two?”
Okay, no “Hi! Welcome to the Blue Lake Pub” or anything? Okay…“Um, we’d like two diet sodas and two of the chicken tender meals please.”
“Anything else?” She stared at me like she hated me but I couldn’t understand why. I looked behind me, was it me she was shooting daggers at? “Yes, that’s it.” She scribbled something down on her tablet and mumbled under her breath and then stomped away. Was I being overly-sensitive? Did she hate the world or just blonde violinists? I had no idea but I was glad to see our diet sodas came in unopened cans. I wouldn’t put it past her to spit in them. I toyed nervously with my pearl choker. She plunked the cans down on the table and stood staring at me.
“Is there something I can help you with?” I looked around the pub wondering where the hell Bullet was. Did anyone else think this confrontation was weird? Was I about to be assaulted? I had no idea what to think but I knew I needed to be careful.
“I was just wondering why in the world you would want to date that guy. I’ve heard that some women can be bitches but to date him? I mean don’t you think what he did was wrong?” The waitress, I could read the name “Judith” on her tag, was upset. She tapped her order book on my table. I felt threatened and I froze to survey the dangerous woman who towered over me.
“What are you talking about? Who did what to whom?” I pushed back from the table, unsure of what she was going to do next. I could see a nearby bartender watching us but he didn’t make any move to stop her yet.
“Steinmann, right? That’s Bullet Steinmann. He raped my friend and he never paid for it. He got to walk away Scott-free and she’s a wreck. She cries every day and stays drunk all the time. You tell that bastard he better leave her alone or I will kick his…”
“Hey Judith! Cut the crap! Don’t be doing that in here.” The burly bartender stood at the end of the bar watching her, making sure she obeyed him.
“Who’s your friend? What girl? I don’t know what you’re taking about!” I stood to my feet. I wasn’t staying there another minute.
“Amelia Sheffield! That’s who! You tell him it ain’t over and he better leave her the hell alone!” I practically ran out of the pub, the bartender berating Judith behind me. Tears of shock and embarrassment filled my eyes. I ignored the stares of the onlookers who drank their beers and munched on French fries. I wasn’t hungry anymore. I ran out into the sunlight and decided to keep running, toward the car. It was only about a tenth of a mile away but I regretted wearing my mules. I ran down the sidewalk, crying like a crazy person. I didn’t even think about what I was going to do. I didn’t have keys, a car or anything. I was stuck with Bullet in a town far away from home. Bullet, who might be a rapist!
He saw me running and slammed the trunk. I didn’t know what he was looking for but I was ready to go. “What happened? Are you okay? What is it, Lilly?”
“I want to go! I don’t want to be here anymore! I’m done with this and I’m done with you! Take me to the airport now, Bullet.”
“But what is going on?” I ignored his shocked expression. I cried silent tears, wiping them away angrily as they appeared. “Did someone say something to you or hurt you?”
“I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to go home. Take me home.”
“Okay, we will go home.” He glanced at the Blue Lake Pub and seemed to consider going there to find out what happened but he didn’t. He climbed into the car with me and we drove away leaving Blue Lake behind.
I could breathe again, now that I was away from that hateful waitress who had ruined everything. Could Bullet really be a rapist? I mean, I knew he was passionate and sometimes a little rough in bed but he had never assaulted me. Could I be driving to the airport with a rapist?
Fear suddenly crept over me. I didn’t know what to say or do.
I just hoped that I would make it home.