On His Terms (5 page)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Ally, I saw something in you from the moment I first laid eyes on you,” Hale continued.
“You’re meant for so much more than this.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Even while breathless from his touch, she felt violated. “Look, thank you for your
concern but there’s nothing wrong with my life,” she said. She rose from her chair,
her eyes narrow with anger.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Ally, you’re right, there’s nothing wrong with the life you’re living, as long as
you’re being honest with yourself,” he paused. His eyes softened, “I’m offering you
a chance at something real special here.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
She fought back the welling in her eyes. Memories flooded her brain—memories of loss
and suffering and hardship. And the pain that she and her sister had suffered… it
was almost so unbearable that she couldn’t even allow herself to think about in this
moment.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
She let out a giant gulp of breath that she had been holding for too long. “I like
my life just fine. I really don’t need a total stranger telling me what I need to
change and I certainly don’t want to be your pretend girlfriend.”

He stood up and walked towards her, gently grasping her wrist with his hand. “I’m
offering you a good deal, Ally Shore. You’ll be
well-compensated
. And I can at least promise you it should be a hell of a ride together,” he said.

He looked out at the ocean, and for the first time she saw a hint of discomfort in
his eyes. She wanted to know so much more about this man, but knew she’d never get
the real story behind Hale Westbrook.

He looked at her and studied her eyes more intently than ever. “Without you, my

campaign
is finished. I need you Ally Shore.
 
Maybe I’m the one who needs saving.”

His sudden honesty stunned her into silence.

She thought long and hard before she responded. She still wasn’t even sure what he
expected from her. More specifically, what was she expected to give up? The last time
she had ever agreed to anything with another man, she had been burned at the stake.
And I’ll never get burned again,
she told herself.

And yet she wanted to trust him so badly. She needed to trust him. It had been too
long, too many years obsessing over her scars. His deep blue, alluring eyes made it
almost impossible for her to think rationally.

“What would I have to do first?” she asked.

“You’ll be giving up certain duties and routines you’ve got now, and trading them
in for new ones.
 
I think you’ll enjoy your new duties quite a bit more, but we’ll have to try it and
find out.”

“I can’t give up my job.
Or my night classes.
I’ve been working for years trying to make up for lost time,” she said.

“Relax, Ally- you don’t need to worry,” he said. “The diner and night school will
always be here, but what I’m offering you is a unique opportunity.
 
Take it and you can take the ride of your life.
 
I promise, you won’t ever need for the finer things.
 
Everything will be provided to you.”

“Do whatever you tell me to do and you’ll keep feeding me money? Is
that
what you’re basically offering me?”

“Ally, it’s not that simple. There’s a big picture in this, but I need you to take
the first leap of faith.”

She had mistrusted men for years, and for good reason. But Hale had seemed different
at first.

Only now she knew that he wasn’t. “I’m sorry Mr. Westbrook. I need to go. Thanks for
the invite,” she said, placing her wine glass onto the bistro table.

He inclined his head, not rushing after to stop her, as she’d secretly hoped he might.
 

Moments
later, she drove away from Shelly Drive, vowing never to return.
Why the hell did I even call him in the first place?
She asked herself. She knew what she had to do- put Hale Westbrook out of her mind
forever and get back on track with her life.

* * *

She had to get back to her routine. She’d worked too hard up to this point, rebuilding
her life slowly but surely ever since she was a teenager, and she refused to let some
callous politician get in the way. But she was still fighting her way out of the fog
of what had happened on Hale Westbrook’s estate lawn. Part of her knew, deep down
in the bottom of her soul, that the two of them shared a connection.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Let’s go Ally, you’re three plates behind. I got pancakes losing their steam over
here,” Chef Denver barked out at her.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
She was on her third cup of coffee already, and it was only 7:15 in the morning. This
was going to be a long day.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“You alright kid?” Martha asked.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Never better,” Ally said.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Can’t a man get some food around here?” A pot-bellied regular shouted at Ally.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
She looked down at her notepad. “What’ll it be Walter?” she asked.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
She peered up, catching him salivating over her breasts.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Give me the
Hungryman
Special.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Auntie!” Ally turned to see her sister Julie, along with Gracie, coming in for their
Friday morning visit to the diner.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Hey girl! Nice braids- you look like a real princess! Who made your hair so pretty?”
Ally asked, kneeling down to scoop her up.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Mommy did them!” Gracie smiled, beaming with pride.

Sharp pains splintered Ally’s heart.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“You guys in for some of Chef Denver’s sweet potato pancakes?” Ally asked, pretending
everything was fine.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“You
betcha
, best pancakes in southern Cali,” Julie said.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“I always knew I liked your sister,” Chef Denver shouted from behind the counter.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Who doesn’t like my sister?

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The pancakes came in a flash. Julie and Gracie wasted no time diving into the chef’s
specialty.

“Auntie, I saw your picture in the newspaper!” Gracie said.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“I know girly, crazy stuff, don’t you think?” said Ally, cringing inside.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Yeah, some picture for sure,” Martha chimed in.

“Who was that man?” Gracie asked.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Just some businessman, sweetie,” she paused to take a breath. “That’s all he was.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Hate to chew and screw, sis, but Gracie has a b-day party at eleven,” said Julie.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The older Gracie got, the sharper the pain Ally felt each time Julie was there to
watch the beautiful girl’s life unfold. Time was moving fast. And Ally was missing
out on so much. But she had mastered the art of covering her feelings up.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Later guys. Have fun cutie!” Ally kissed Gracie on her forehead, and closed her eyes
as if to make a wish. Not that she believed in wishes, she was more a believer in
hard work. But there were some things in her life that even hard work couldn’t seem
to get her.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As Julie and Gracie left, Ally looked at the clock.

Six more hours in this hell hole
,
then off to class
.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Hey waitress, you
hungover
or something? Where the hell is my check?” Mike, one of the
diner
’s most devoted patrons, loved to give Ally a hard time. Partly because he was the
type to disrespect all women whenever he got the chance, but even more so in Ally’s
case because she had rejected his invitation to go on a date with her a few months
back.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
But she did as she always did in the diner, keeping her eye on the prize- she swallowed
every ounce of pride that was busting at her seams.