Hurt Me (4 page)

“I have nothing to say to you Allen. Please just go home.” She begged as soon as she saw me.

“Evangeline what are you doing?” I didn’t want her to go home. Not after what happened to her.

“I gotta get home. It’s late and I’m tired.”

“I don’t want you to go back there. You can stay with me. I won’t let anyone touch you ever again.” I looked at her with pleading eyes. I saw a look of wanting in hers and then as fast as she showed that emotion it was gone. She looked at me her mouth tight.

“I already told you, I fell.” She turned to walk away again but something stopped her, she looked back at me. “Plus you don’t even know me. You don’t want me, I can promise you that. I am married and that’s it, Allen. There can be nothing between us. I don’t want your friendship and I don’t want your protection even if I did need it. I can take care of myself.” Then she turned and left. I caught up with her once more. “Well then I’m walking you home whether you like it or not.”

Evangeline huffed in frustration stopped and starred me down with a glare. “I don’t want you walking me home.” She said through clenched teeth. I could tell she was starting to get nervous and looked like a scared puppy.

“Too bad, like it or not I’m walking you.” I kept pace with her and we walked in silence.

Chapter Eight

“This is my house!” I shouted as I walked/ran to my front door as fast as I possibly could. I could hear Allen say something but I didn’t look back, I ran up the steps and through the door. Looking around I didn’t see or hear Lee anywhere. I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. He wasn’t home, thank God. That was the most awkward walk home. I was too scared to even try to talk to Allen. If Lee would have seen him I would have been dead. I cleaned myself up and headed to bed.

I heard Lee come home in the wee hours of the morning. He came into the bedroom and I pretended to still be asleep. He lay down next to me and I could feel his hand groping me. I worked hard to keep my breathing slow and making sure I didn’t move. He worked his hands down my body. I felt his breathing through my hair on the back of my neck. He smelt like whiskey and sweat and it made me nauseous. I heard him whisper “Sorry
.” before he fell asleep. I felt my heart wrench a little. For some reason when he said sorry it still meant something to me. I felt pathetic for it but it reminded me of the person he was before the drinking and the gambling.

   I woke up covered in sweat with a weight on my stomach, it was Lee’s arm. I pushed it off me got up and went to make breakfast. I cooked up some bacon and eggs and the smell of the eggs made me start to heave. I ran to the bathroom and threw up bright yellow bile that lined my stomach. I wrenched so hard it made my head hurt. I hoped I wasn’t getting sick. My heaves woke up Lee and I looked up from the toilet to see him standing over me. “I made breakfast
.” I said quietly. Lee ran his hand down the left side of my face pausing on my busted lip.

“Does it hurt?” he asked tenderly.

“A little…” I pulled my head from his hand and stared at the floor.

Lee turned and got a wash rag from the cabinet and soaked it with warm water. He wrung it out and knelt down in front of me. He rubbed it across my forehead and around my mouth. I sat there stiff as a board as he did this. He was sober now and I was glad for it. He touched my face again and stared into my eyes. He kissed my forehead and looked back down at me. Tears started to roll down my face and I took a ragged breath. Lee wiped my tears away and helped me stand up. “Maybe you should lay down Evangeline.” He said walking me to the bed.

“I have to get ready for work.” I said meekly.

“I’ll call them and tell them you’re not feeling well. Just lay back down.”

I did as I was told and laid in bed for the rest of the day. Lee left late that afternoon without even saying bye. I hated how one day he could be so cruel and the next it was like he loved me again. I knew it was the drinking that had made a huge impact on how he treated me but he has also hit me when he was sober before.

I had the next few days off and by the third day I was ready to go back to work. I was still throwing up but I felt okay besides that. I needed to go to the store, we were running low on groceries and I needed to pick up some personal items. Lee was in bed
snoring after another late night of drinking. It was early and I knew he wouldn’t be up for a while. I left a note took the keys and headed to the store. I stopped at the gas station by my work to get gas. When I walked in to pay I looked up and there was Allen. My heart started pounding inside my chest. I paid for my gas and hurried out.

“Evangeline wait!” I could hear his heavy footsteps
on the pavement behind me.

“What Allen?” I turned and looked at him. He was wearing a plain black t shirt that was tight around his chest and arms, dark colored khaki shorts and some tennis shoes. He looked amazing. I wanted to feel his arms and chest under my hands but I knew that could never happen.

“Will you get some coffee with me? I just want to talk to you. I won’t ask you about the other day I just want to get to know you.”

I don’t why I shook my head yes
. Maybe it was the honesty in his voice or the way he smiled at me. “Okay.” I said quietly. “I just gotta fill up then I can meet you at the diner.” The smile on his face was priceless. He looked more excited than a five year old at Christmas time. It made me feel so good to be the one who put that smile on his face.

A
s I parked the truck I felt like an idiot. What the hell was I doing? I knew this was a bad idea. I walked into the diner and sat down in a booth across from the most gorgeous man I had ever seen.

Allen had already ordered and there was a cup of coffee waiting for me. I smiled at him and said
“thank you.” Gesturing towards the steaming hot coffee, I couldn’t believe I was doing this. Something was seriously wrong with me.

“You look beautiful as always
, Eve.”

“Thank you.” I just stared at my coffee not knowing what to really say or do. I’ve never really sat with a man like this beside Lee. It was nice; Allen made me feel different than Lee ever did, even before the drinking began.

“How long have you lived here?” Allen asked me trying to start a conversation.

“My whole life, I’ve never been out of Texas before.”

“You have got to be kidding me. Is there any place you ever dream of going?” He seemed amused with my answer. But it was true. Lee wouldn’t stand for it.

“I’m not sure.” I Looked at Allen and really thought about it. “Maybe California, It’s pretty there right?”

“It’s beautiful there” he said.

“You’ve been there?”
I asked.

“I was stationed at the Marine base there for a while.”

“So you’re a Marine?” I asked him. I knew he was military but didn’t know what branch.

“Was, a marine; I was recently discharged for medical reasons.”

“You got hurt?”

“I was shot it in the chest. No big deal though. It’s just a little scar now.”

My hand flew to my mouth. “Oh my God!” My heart ached to think of him being shot. “That should have killed you, I would think.”

“Maybe I’m just lucky.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me. I felt my stomach start to swarm with butterflies. How did he do this to me? I didn’t know if it was his persistent charm or his good looks but something about him made me feel alive again.

“Well what do you plan on doing now that you’re out of the military?” I asked genuinely curious.

“I want to start my own business but I
gotta get back up on feet. I just had a bad break up and I’m still recovering from the damages.” He looked at me with tight lips like he was upset.

“What was her name?”

He sighed and stared out the window. “Emma.” He was quiet for a moment and I took in his profile. He had a strong jaw line and a cute dimple in his chin and cheeks. His hair was short but I liked it. His grey eyes looked dark and stormy. He was rugged, handsome, and beautiful all in one. His hands were callused and worn, I wanted to hold them and feel the story of them. I was completely and utterly fascinated by him.

“Did you leave her?” I asked quietly hoping I wasn’t digging to deep.

“No she left me. I wanted to propose to her when I got back from deployment but she was already gone and found another man. She emptied my bank account and took everything.” He looked me in the eyes and just stared.

“I’m so sorry she did that to you.” I gave him a weak smile and drank my coffee.

“So how did you meet your husband?” he looked at me with an odd expression on his face, kind of like he was in pain. I answered honestly since he shared his past with me so I would share mine.

“I met him my junior year of high school through my dad.” I put my hand on the table and started to mess with the sugar packets as I spoke. “I was only sixteen and Lee was twenty-six. Big age difference I know but he was sweet and charming. We married right after I graduated and I got a job here a year later.” I shrugged my shoulders like that was all there was to my story. I looked up at Allen and stared into his stormy grey eyes. I felt like I could get lost in them. Allen put both my hands in his; he looked pained as he began to speak. “Is he the one that hit you?”

My heart stopped. “I already told you I fell.”

“We both know you didn’t fall Eve. It looks like you got punched in the face.”

Bingo I thought
but I kept shaking my head no. The look on his face made my heart break. I wanted to tell him, to trust him. I felt tears running down my face as I stared into his eyes. I couldn’t believe I was crying it’s like I have no control over my emotions when he was around. I looked down at my lap and wiped the tears from my cheeks. He knew I was lying but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the truth about my marriage. I looked down at my watch and I realized I had already been here a little over an hour. “Allen I have to go.”

“Already?” he questioned through pleading eyes.

“I really have to.” Panic was starting to take over me. I still had to stop at the store; Lee was going to be pissed. I pulled my hands out of Allen’s I stood up and walked out saying a quick goodbye to him. I stopped by a little grocery store up the road and grabbed what I needed and headed home. I got the groceries out of the truck but put my personal item in my purse. I walked in through the front door to the smell of bacon and eggs. The smell of the eggs made my stomach churn again. I threw the grocery bags down and went right into the bathroom to throw my guts up. I heard Lee’s footsteps come towards me. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he sounded angry but slightly concerned for my well-being.

I stood up to wash my face; I was starting to feel clammy. “There is a stomach bug going around at the diner. Jenny had it just last week for
five whole days” I lied to him. He nodded with a grunt and went back to the kitchen.

Chapter Nine

   I sat in the diner watching Eve run out. I didn’t try to stop her although I wish I would have. I was thinking of the conversation that just took place and I smiled to myself thinking about how happy I felt. I paid for our coffee and left. I had an appointment today looking for my dream home. I was ready to dig into my savings; I was tired of living in that dirty apartment. I wanted a place for my horses that were at my dad’s ranch and a workshop for my welding. I wanted a home not a box.

   After a day of looking I found the most beautiful home. It was an older home that was two stories. It was a white clapboard house with a metal roof. It had a big wrap around porch that went to the back with stairs leading to a beautiful back patio and the back yard. Inside when you opened the door it opened up to a foyer with the natural wood floors that were put in the house when it was built. Off to the left there was a formal dining room and a door way that led into the kitchen. At the end of the Foyer it opened up to a living room with a stone fireplace. To the left was the opening of the kitchen. It had beautiful white cabinets and updated appliances. To the right of the living room was the master bedroom and bath. To the right of the foyer was the staircase that led upstairs to another three bedrooms. The house set on one-hundred and twenty-three acres and was being foreclosed so it was coming in at a good deal. It was only ten miles out of town so I didn’t have to be too far from life. Outside in the back it already had horse stables and a corral. There was a hay barn and next to that was a big metal shop that I was going use for my welding.