Opposites Attract (21 page)

‘I don’t know,’ Alexis said. Voicing her fears out loud only made her more nervous about it. She was sure it was the same man.

‘We all know what the car looks like now.’ Ethan’s fingers reached out and he secretly stroked the back of her hand. Alexis shivered at the contact. ‘We’ll all keep an eye out for him. OK?’

Susan and Alexis both nodded.

‘In the meantime, don’t stare at the guy,’ Ted said. ‘If he is following us, we don’t want to alarm him by letting him know we suspect something.’

‘Oh, listen to you. All of a sudden you’re like a secret agent.’ Susan laid her head on his shoulder. ‘My big bad spy.’

Alexis glanced at Ethan and rolled her eyes. He smirked but didn’t say a word. His hand stayed next to hers, his fingers lightly touching her as he stared out the window.

‘You guys up to another three hours today? I got us a place to stay if you are,’ Ethan said, walking outside the fast-food restaurant. He’d just gotten off the phone with one of his friends. Adam had been surprised to hear from him, but automatically offered him a place to crash for the night.

Ethan went to sit with the others, next to the busy interstate. The weather was warm, but it was nice to get out of the stuffy car. With the sun shining in the window all afternoon, the air felt stuffy and he was a little jet-lagged.

‘Really, where?’ Susan asked.

‘With a friend of mine and his family,’ Ethan said. ‘He owns a tattoo shop about three hours west of here in Wichita and offered to let us crash for a couple days if we wanted.’

‘We don’t need to impose,’ Alexis said.

‘Believe me, we won’t be. Besides, if I know Adam, he’ll have every DVD known to man and he’ll insist on cooking. I don’t know about you guys but I’m getting a little tired of eating out all the time.’ Ethan picked up his half-eaten hamburger and shook it for emphasis. The others readily agreed. ‘In fact, he said he’d make lasagne if we were coming down tonight.’

‘Mm,’ Susan moaned. ‘Real food. I think I love your friend.’

‘Careful, don’t let his wife hear you say that.’ Ethan laughed.

‘Is she mean?’ Alexis asked.

‘She’s . . . ah . . . a writer. Basically, she’s cool but a little strange.’ Ethan shook his head, remembering the first time he’d met Adam’s wife, Veronica. He’d been convinced for about a month that she didn’t like him. Ended up, she was just preoccupied with a book she was working on. ‘I’d be talking to her and she’d grab a notepad and start writing ideas down for her next book. Adam says she even keeps a notepad under her pillow at night and writes ideas down in the dark when she can’t sleep.’

‘She sounds weird,’ Alexis said.

‘Oh, I don’t know.’ Susan smiled. ‘I think creative people are allowed to be a little eccentric.’

‘Free room. Homemade meal. Eccentric writer.’ Ted stood, stretching his arms over his head. ‘I say let’s do it.’

Driving along the Kansas highway, they got stuck behind a large green combine going twenty miles per hour for nearly ten minutes before the farmer could pull over to the side and wave them past. Alexis leaned against the window, looking up at him. He smiled and tipped his faded red baseball cap.

‘Do you notice how everyone we drive past waves?’ Alexis asked. The sky was starting to get darker with the evening. ‘You grew up here, Ethan. Is it always like this or is today some kind of special wave at the other cars day?’

‘Yeah, it’s pretty much always like that,’ Ethan said. ‘People are friendlier and more laid back in the Midwest. It took me a while to get used to New York when I first moved there. I said hi to a guy out of habit once and he screamed like I was about to mug him.’

‘OK, smarty pants, I have another question,’ Alexis said. She pointed out the window to where a row of trees stretched between two fields like a border. She wouldn’t have found it odd, except for the fact they passed many such rows. ‘Why are all the trees growing in straight lines?’

Ethan chuckled. ‘My grandpa told me it was because of the Dust Bowl. They planted them like that to act like wind blockers so it wouldn’t happen again.’

Alexis looked thoughtful. ‘You think you’re pretty smart, don’t you.’

‘I know, let’s play a game,’ Susan said.

‘I haven’t played car games since I was a kid.’ Ethan laughed. ‘What do you have in mind?’

‘Um, twenty questions. If you get them right, ah –’ Susan looked around the car ‘– Alexis has to give you a foot massage.’

‘Ew, what? Why me?’ Alexis instantly answered.

‘Deal,’ Ethan said at the same time. ‘But they have to be about something I could possibly know.’

‘Deal,’ Susan said. ‘Ted keep count.’

‘Aye, aye, captain,’ Ted said.

‘Hey, no, no deal,’ Alexis protested out of principle, but the truth was she wanted an excuse to touch Ethan again or to have him touch her. ‘What happens if he doesn’t get it? I want a foot massage.’

‘Fine,’ Ethan said. ‘I answered about the waving and the trees. Any other Kansas trivia I can recite for you? Bring it on.’

‘State bird?’ Susan asked.

‘Um, the meadowlark,’ Ethan answered.

‘State motto?’ Ted asked.

‘Ah, crap, it’s . . .’ Ethan started humming softly.

‘Tick, tock, tick, tock, time’s running out,’ Susan said.

Alexis clapped her hands. ‘Pressure’s on!’

‘
Ad Astra Per Aspera
,’ Ethan said, nearly shouting.

‘Which means?’ Ted asked.

‘To the stars through difficulties.’

‘Is that right?’ Susan asked Ted. Ted shrugged.

‘Ah-ha. Yes, it is right,’ Ethan said, grinning. ‘Next question.’

‘Great going, Susan, quit wasting questions,’ Alexis said, pretending to pout, ‘or I’ll make you help me massage his feet.’

‘State capital?’ Susan asked.

‘Too easy. Topeka.’

‘Flower?’ Alexis asked.

‘Sunflower.’ Ethan lowered his voice as he looked at her.

‘Mother’s maiden name?’ Alexis continued.

‘Smith.’

‘Social security, bank account and pin numbers?’ Ted said.

‘Nice try, buddy.’ Ethan laughed.

‘First girl you ever slept with?’ Susan asked, nodding slowly as if she’d stump him.

Ethan nearly choked. He looked guiltily at Alexis. ‘Um, Mary Jo Smith.’

‘Ew, a cousin?’ Alexis recoiled from him.

Ethan quirked a brow. ‘No. No relation whatsoever.’

‘Did you love her?’ Alexis didn’t meet his eyes. She held her breath. Was that jealousy burning in her chest?

‘Ooh, good one, Lexy,’ Susan said. ‘Put him on the spot.’

‘No,’ Ethan answered. His voice dipped slightly. Alexis stomach knotted.

‘Have you ever been in love?’ Alexis studied his face for the truth.

‘No. Not that I know of.’

‘Don’t you think you would know?’ Alexis asked.

‘Not if I was blind to it,’ he answered. ‘Or if I didn’t want to admit it to myself.’

‘Oh, good try, Lexy. He’s a hard nut to crack,’ Susan said. Alexis nodded. She hadn’t been trying to crack him. She wanted to know how he felt about her.

‘That’s fourteen,’ Ted said. ‘I’m counting the ones about the trees and the waving.’

‘Thanks, buddy,’ Ethan said, patting Ted’s shoulder.

‘Yeah, no problem. Lexy wore that T-shirt and made me lose ten bucks,’ Ted said.

‘Hey,’ Alexis protested. ‘Not fair.’

‘Paybacks are hell.’ Ted chuckled as Susan slugged his arm. ‘Man, honey, you’ve gotten violent.’

‘Oh, did I hurt my baby?’ Susan said, talking baby talk. She instantly leaned over to sprinkle kisses on his arm.

‘No, Ted’s fine,’ Ethan said quickly. ‘That’s fifteen.’

‘Hey, now that one really doesn’t count.’ Alexis pushed his thigh. She’d moved closer to him in the course of the game. It took all her willpower not to touch him again.

‘Ugh. What is that smell?’ Susan asked, covering her mouth. ‘Ted, did you fart? Gross.’

Ted laughed. ‘No. It wasn’t me.’

Ethan chuckled and pointed ahead as Ted sped the car to pass a large semi. ‘Cattle truck.’

‘Oh, if that’s what beef smells like, I’m never eating a cheeseburger again,’ Alexis said.

‘You’re such a diva,’ Susan said, plugging her nose. ‘Ugh, but this time I agree.’

‘Hey, is that Mr Grey behind us again?’ Ted asked, frowning. ‘I thought we lost him.’

Alexis turned around to look out the back window. Indeed a grey car was following them. She stiffened. The car came closer and moved to pass. She relaxed, seeing it was a family of five and not the possible stalker.

‘No. That’s not Mr Grey.’ Ethan laughed. ‘And you should’ve seen the look on your face, Alexis.’

Alexis frowned. ‘It’s not funny.’

His gaze dipped to her mouth and he looked like he wanted to kiss her. She shivered, instantly forgetting the grey car.

‘Seventeen,’ Ted said, unintentionally breaking the spell. ‘Ladies, you better stump him. You only have three questions left.’

‘Oh, I know. How many names does Alexis have?’ Susan asked.

‘Four,’ Ethan answered, smiling at Alexis. ‘Alexis Samantha Wellington Grant.’

‘Susan,’ Alexis scolded.

‘Well, how was I supposed to know you told him?’ Susan demanded. ‘I thought that would stump him for sure.’

‘You weren’t,’ Ethan said, chuckling. ‘And I believe I’m about to win this game. Two questions left. Bring it on.’

‘When’s the last time you had sex? And with who?’ Susan said.

Ethan hesitated. Alexis held her breath. Oh, no, this was bad.

‘Ah, if you don’t answer, we win,’ Susan said. She looked triumphantly at Alexis. Alexis gave her a weak smile.

‘So, Lexy, how do you like your foot massages?’ Ethan asked. Alexis let loose a long breath. ‘Hard or soft?’

‘We won,’ Susan cried before going into her victory song. ‘Oh, yeah, I got him. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.’

Ethan stared deep into her eyes. Alexis let the corner of her mouth pull up as she mouthed, ‘Thank you.’

Ethan nodded once, but he didn’t smile. ‘Are we almost there yet, Ted? I’m starving for lasagne.’

Ethan’s friend lived right outside of Wichita, Kansas in a small suburb. The town looked like many of the other small towns they’d driven through, except that it seemed to have a lot of trees. Ted let Ethan borrow his cell phone to call Adam for directions. Alexis was a little nervous to meet Ethan’s friends, wondering what they would be like.

‘Right on Broadway. Left on Staton Street,’ Ethan said when he hung up. ‘It’ll be the tattoo shop on the right.’

‘We’re going to an actual tattoo shop?’ Alexis bit her lip.

‘Yeah, he got busy at work today. Looks like lasagne’s cancelled until tomorrow,’ Ethan said.

‘Oh,’ Susan groaned. ‘His wife couldn’t make it?’

Ethan laughed as Ted turned the corner. ‘Veronica doesn’t cook.’

‘Tornado Tattoo.’ Alexis read the giant heart with wings sign as Ted pulled into the long parking lot in front of a brick building. ‘Hey, isn’t that what’s on your jacket?’

‘Yeah, Adam sent me the jacket for Christmas.’ Ethan opened the car door.

Alexis looked out the window. An airbrushed mask stared out from the front window of the shop. A big, scary-looking guy stood by an old-fashioned black motorcycle. The man had short brown hair and giant holes in his ears as if he’d been shot in the lobe. Instantly, she assumed it was Adam by the black T-shirt he wore with the shop’s name on it. Her fingers shook as she reached for the door handle. They couldn’t possibly be staying with him. This had to be a mistake.

‘Adam,’ Ethan called to the big guy, confirming her fears. He held out his hand. ‘Hey, man, great to see you.’

Alexis couldn’t hear what was said, but watched the men banter back and forth. Ted and Susan opened their doors and got out. Alexis was slower to follow.

‘This your bike?’ Ethan asked the big, scary tattoo artist. He motioned to the black motorcycle.

‘Yeah, just got it back from the mechanic last week,’ Adam answered. His voice was deep and he spoke loud, as if used to talking to crowds of people.

‘It’s an old Triumph?’ Ethan asked.

‘Yep,’ Adam said. ‘Sure is. A seventy-eight. I traded a back piece for it. I just had it chopped, raked, stretched. Looks a lot better than when I got it, that’s for sure. I see you still have the Lincoln. I remember when you hauled me down to Oklahoma to get that thing. It’s looking good. A lot better than the pile of rust it was.’

‘Ah, it wasn’t that bad. Oh, hey, I want you to meet some friends of mine.’ Ethan turned around and pointed at each person as he said their name. ‘Ted, Susan, Alexis.’

‘Hey, man, thanks for letting us crash,’ Ted said, shaking Adam’s hand.

‘Not a problem. Glad to have ya. We just remodelled our attic and basement, so we have plenty of room,’ Adam said.

Inside, the shop was huge. Adam informed them that it was the biggest in Kansas. It was nothing like Alexis expected. She’d imagined something dark, like an underground torture chamber.

The walls were covered with flash. Ethan told her that the sheets of artwork were to help people pick tattoos, much like the designs in his computer. Alexis could see four enormous fish tanks – one with bright saltwater fish, one with large piranhas and two with freshwater fish. Where there wasn’t flash, the walls had been spray-painted with designs. A familiar buzzing sounded in the back, but she couldn’t see who was tattooing.

‘Is that your wife?’ Alexis asked, wondering what sort of woman would marry a tattoo artist. She was probably just as big as he was and twice as frightening.

Adam laughed. ‘No, that’s my apprentice, Raulf. Veronica doesn’t tattoo. She takes care of the boring paperwork stuff I don’t want to do.’

‘She works here then?’ Alexis asked, still curious.

‘Sometimes. That is if she’s not home on the computer writing.’ He laughed. ‘Crap, that reminds me. I have to go find those receipts. If I misplaced them again she’ll most likely threaten to divorce me. You know, behind every tattoo artist is a woman getting ready to hit him over the back of the head. Truth is, if she didn’t keep up the paperwork this place would’ve closed the first year.’