I hope this isn’t some cruel joke.
“I can’t believe you’re going on a date with Nate Connors.” Gina held up a couple of dresses and then passed one to me. “I didn’t even recognize him!”
“This is crazy, right?” I started putting the dress on in front of the mirror.
“You must have lit one hell of a candle if it’s still burning after all these years. He really came to your sister’s wedding because he wanted to see you again?” She shook her head in disbelief. “Most of the guys I dated in high school don’t even recognize me when I pass them on the street.”
“That’s what he said.” I dropped my arms so she could zip up the back of the dress. “I mean, why else would he be there? My sister was too busy with football players to ever date someone like Nate. Her new husband is from California, so he definitely wouldn’t have known him.”
“There’s certainly no harm in going out with him.” Gina finished zipping the dress and took a step back. “Maybe you’ll even get your cherry popped.”
“It’s a little early for that.” I giggled and shook my head.
“You never know.” Gina winked at me in the mirror. “I’d struggle saying no if he wanted to take me to bed.”
“You’ve got a little more experience than me.” I turned to face her. “I just want to successfully make it through our first date.”
“Well, you better be ready.” Gina turned towards the window and I heard a roar outside. “I believe Prince Charming just pulled up on his Harley.”
“Oh god!” I blinked in surprise. “How am I going to get on the back of a motorcycle in this dress?”
“Yeah, let’s go with something shorter.” Gina rushed to the closet and returned with one that barely went past the middle of my thighs.
“I should have went shopping.” I held up the dress and looked at it. “I guess it’s too late for that now.”
I changed into a shorter dress and waved to my parents when I got to the bottom of the stairs. I was glad they didn’t ask any questions, and the fact my father didn’t go out to meet Nate was a blessing. I walked outside and he handed me a helmet when I approached. I took it and regretted teasing my hair into a stylish frizz along my bangs. The helmet crushed every strand that my hairspray had carefully secured. I was concerned about riding on the back of a motorcycle, but I did want to go out with Nate, so I swallowed my concerns and climbed on the back.
Holy shit, I can’t believe I’m actually going to get on the back of this thing.
The first step was the only fancy restaurant in Bakersfield. Nate already had a table reserved. We went through a few drinks and a couple of appetizers as we talked. The conversation continued when our entrees were served. Nate had lived one hell of a life after he dropped out of high school. I told him about college and my job, but they seemed fairly mediocre compared to the things he had experienced. I might have been a little unsure about him at my sister’s wedding, but after talking for a couple of hours, I felt my concerns slipping away. Nate really did seem to like me. Everything he said sounded authentic—from leaving Bakersfield to finding his way to New York after he left his old life behind.
“So what was it that made you decide to finally coming back to Bakersfield?” I sliced off a piece of my chicken and took a bite.
“You met her.” He chuckled and nodded. “Angelina.”
“The blonde w
oman at my sister’s wedding?” I narrowed my eyes in confusion. “Wait, is she your girlfriend or something?”
“No.” He quickly shook his head back and forth. “It’s hard to explain what Angelina is exactly. She’s an enigma, a saint, and probably a little crazy, but she knows how to dig into your soul. She tears you apart and then she rebuilds you. In my case, she helped me realize that the reason I never found what I was looking for once I left Bakersfield was because I never addressed the part of my past that mattered most—you.”
4
Nate
Six months ago
“So you really think this is the answer?” I stared at a picture of Harmony on Angelina’s tablet. “She’s even more beautiful now than she was back then.”
“I’ve been researching her, just like we discussed. She’s never gotten married. She’s dated a few people, but she’s never really been serious with anyone. Her social media status has never changed from single.” Angelina nodded and put the tablet down.
“She’s going to think I’m a stalker or something.” I chuckled and reached for my beer.
“Not if you’re honest. We’ve spent the last six months digging into who you are and why you’ve always held back when you were at the cusp of taking a relationship to the next level. Harmony is the reason.” Angelina reached for her gin and tonic and took a sip.
“It’s so crazy though.” I sighed. “She was a blip on my radar. I mean, I obviously liked her, but once I left Bakersfield, I didn’t look back. I might as well have torn the rearview mirror off my motorcycle.”
“We are strange creatures.” Angelina took a second sip before putting her glass back on the table. “Whether you believe in religion or science, we all have something inside of us that focuses our need to love, marry and procreate.”