Something Worth Fighting For (7 page)

“That was so good,” Atlas pushed his plate away, “Thank you.”

“Good, take the rest of it with you. There’s also pie but Dad will fight you for leftover pie. Actually I’m betting he’s already got into it.”

“You made me a pie?” He asked with a little boy grin.

“And cookies to bring home with you but only if you share with Montes.”

“You are amazing and I can’t agree to that.”

“Oh I try,” I picked up our plates and carried them to the sink. “Dad I’m cutting into the pie!” I laughed as he shot up off the couch.

“It was good Ellie Belle.”

“Thanks,” I handed him a plate and took two more outside for us, sliding one across the table top to Atlas.

“Mmm...” Atlas groaned appreciatively.

“Like it?”

“It might be worth the fight to have the rest.”

“I’ll make you another one, one day.”

“That sounds promising.”

“Oh?” I asked taking a bite of my own slice.

“It means you still want to see me.” Atlas smiled.

“Was there any reason to doubt that?”

“I never know.”

“I want to see you Atlas; over and over again.” I caught my bottom lip between my teeth, thankful for the darkness concealing my reddened cheeks.

“I was hoping you would say that.” He reached across the table taking my hand in his. “Let’s go for a walk.” He nodded toward the beach.

Hand in hand we walked down to the water. I tossed my flip flops back up on the beach, allowing the waves to run over my feet. Waiting patiently as Atlas stripped off his boots and socks, lining them up carefully next to each other.

“Can I ask you something?” Atlas broke our comfortable silence a few minutes after we began to walk together through the water..

“Of course,” I nodded, bumping his shoulder as I looked up at him with pursed lips.

Atlas pulled me to a stop, staring out at the moon reflecting off the ocean. He looked out as if he was thinking about what to say next. His chin was working side to side as if he was chewing up the words and getting ready to spit them out. I started to worry if maybe he didn’t want to go out with me again after all. If he was trying to figure out how to say it nicely.

“Do you want to be with me? I mean be mine? Be my
girlfriend
? Exclusive or whatever the word is for it?” He ran his hand over his face, laughing nervously. “What I’m trying to say is I don’t want you bringing another man over here to ask your father’s permission to take you on a date. I want to be that man. I want to be the one you’re thinking about, that makes you smile, that takes care of you when you’re hurt. I want to be the one that you call when you’re upset, mad, happy, or just need someone to talk to. I don’t know why I feel so connected to you, but I do. I just know I need you to be with me. I need to know that you’re mine.”

“Atlas...” I said his name softly. .

“Just don’t say no, please. Not after I just poured my heart out to you.”

“Atlas...”

“Just think about it if you need to.”

“Atlas, shut up and kiss me already!” I grabbed the front of his shirt as he gasped, a smile splitting across his face. His hands tangled into my curls as he wasted no time lowering his mouth to mine. It was one of those picture perfect movie moments that never actually happens to anyone in real life just
Disney
princesses.

It was around three in the afternoon when I woke up on Thursday. I was just laying in bed, staring at the beams across the ceiling. Mostly it was contemplating on whether or not I wanted to get up and started on cleaning the house. It wasn’t often I laid in bed just to be lazy.

A couple of weeks had gone by since I had seen Atlas for longer than him stopping in the diner on his way to or from work. He always made a point to stop by even if it was for a minute to say hi and kiss me. But the truth was I really missed just getting to hang out with him.

My phone started buzzing, jumping around on the nightstand next to me. I felt around blindly not wanting to open my eyes just yet.

“Hello?” I mumbled, answering without checking the screen.

“I’m sorry, did I wake you up, Ginger?” Atlas voice made me smile.

“No, I just woke up actually, just being lazy.”

“You busy?”

“Not at all.”

“Good, get dressed, I’m taking you out to lunch. I miss your beautiful face.” I could hear a collective “Aw!” in the background.

“Just my face?”

“Lets keep this G rated there are others around. I’ll tell you what else I miss later.”

“I was referring to my winning personality, thank you very much.”

“In that case, yes.”

“Do we get to ride on the bike?” I asked hopefully. I had been asking to go on the bike for a week now and was continuously denied.

“Will your father allow me to keep my limbs if I say yes?” Atlas laughed.

“Yeah, probably not. Want to drive my car?”

“Hell yes I do! Get dressed, I’m on my way.”

“Yes sir! Demanding Atlas is kind of hot.”

“Behave, Ginger. I’ll see you soon.”

“Be careful, please.” I hung up, jumping out of bed and ran to my closet. I threw shirt after shirt over my head, pouting. Finally I found a green long sleeved knit dress with a small yellow flower print. I tugged on a pair of cream tights and brown Doc Martens.

“Oh that’s a mess,” I ran my hand through a cluster of red waves, “Ponytail,” I decided, talking outloud to myself and quickly throwing it up. I put on a little makeup, and was brushing my teeth when I heard him pull up. I rinsed and wiped my mouth, grabbing my phone and bag. Taking the stairs two at a time, sliding across the wood floor as he knocked. I took a deep breath, smoothing out my dress and opened the door.

“Whoa, hey beautiful.” Atlas face lit up when he saw me. I leaned up on my toes, pressing my hands flat against his Service uniform, kissing him.

“Hey handsome. I need to leave Dad a note but then we can go.”

“Sure thing,” He followed me inside as I scrawled a note on the chalkboard hanging in the kitchen. “How’s seafood sound?”

“Sounds great,” I tossed the chalk down and wiped my hands together knocking off the dust. “Ready?”

“Yes ma’am.” I locked the door behind us holding the keys up to him. Just as he reached for them I snatched them away.

“This car is my baby. Don’t you hurt my baby, Atlas... I would call you by your middle name but I don’t know it. If you hurt my baby I will hurt your baby maker, got it?” I handed him the keys while he held open the door for me.

“Yes ma’am,” he grinned running around and climbing into the drivers side. I rolled down the window as he pulled away, singing off key with the radio.

“Quinn.” Atlas said when the song I was singing ended.

“Excuse me?”

“My middle name, it’s Quinn.”

“Atlas Quinn Ryker, I like that.” I smiled, lacing my fingers between his on the gear shift.

“Yours?”

“Noelle, it’s where they get Ellie. My first name is Penelope, which I guess you already knew. They could have got Ellie from Penelope as well but my mother always said it was from Noelle. Whatever, rambling.”

“I have a cousin named Penelope.”

“No kidding?”

“No kidding.”

“That seems like destiny to me.” I leaned my head back in the seat staring out the window.

“You think so?”

“I know so.”

“Well I’m certainly not one to mess with destiny.” Atlas laughed as he pulled into the waterfront cafe parking lot.

“Exactly, she’s related to karma and that could screw up everyones positive energy flow or something.”

“I didn’t realize they were related.”

“Oh, cousins at least.”

“Is this place okay? The guys suggested it.” Atlas opened the door for me, helping me out.

“They have good taste in food at least. Darcy is the manager here.”

“Unfortunately that’s where it ends for most of them.” We walked through the open doors and to the hostess table. “Inside or outside?”

“Outside, it’s nice out.”

“You’re an outdoors kinda girl aren’t you?”

“Most definitely,” I nodded as the bubbly brunette waitress walked up, beaming at Atlas.

“Hey guys, two?” She asked in a nasally high pitched voice.

“Yeah, just the two of us.” Atlas answered.

“Inside or out?”

“Out.”

“Right this way then.” Bubbly led us outside, seating us against the railing. “Molly will be your waitress. She’ll be with you shortly. Enjoy your meal.”

“Thank you.” Atlas nodded, his eyes never leaving mine.

“You got that poor lady all in a fluster there, Cowboy.” I laughed loudly.

“It’s the base bunny tracking device, it’s like a sixth sense for some girls. I tend not to notice anymore but the guys like to point it out for me.”

“Well all the incredibly handsome men I know wear uniforms.” Atlas shook his head, smiling behind the cover of his menu.

Molly was a short round girl with a platinum blonde pixie haircut. She obsessed over Atlas’ every need. He was growing frustrated with her continuous questions and I’m not sure which amused me more. His being annoyed with the poor girl or her admiration.

She took our orders, waddling away with a longing sigh. “I do believe she’s quite caught up with you as well Sergeant Ryker.”

“That one was unavoidably noticeable. She reminds me of Charlotte.” He shuddered.

“Who is Charlotte?” I asked toying with the straw in my glass of water.

“My ex, that’s what she looked like. She was usually sweet as she could be, too sweet really. Turned out in the end it was a cover up of the massive bitch she actually was.” Atlas snorted in disgust.

“What happened?” I asked curiously.

“She wanted to stay in Granbury. She thought she could change me, I guess. Fascination of making the bad boy change for her or whatever. She wanted to make me into her pastor father.” He scoffed running his hands along the table top. “She wanted to get married, have kids right after she graduated high school. I wanted to join the Marine Corp, have a career, see the world, live a little. That wasn’t anything she was interested in. So instead of making a clean break she spread nasty rumors that had everyone thinking she broke up with me because I cheated on her. I didn’t, I never did. No matter how many opportunities I had, I stayed faithful.” He sighed, running his hand over his growing hair. “I damn sure didn’t love her but I didn’t cheat on her either. I’d rather tell someone I’m miserable than cheat. I saw what it did to my Ma and I just can’t do that to another person. Anyway, what about your ex?” He was clearly trying to change the subject.

I felt my throat close up, stomach turn as I looked over his shoulder at the water. “Spencer.” I choked out his name. “He’s the reason my dad is the way he is.”

“Break your heart?” He asked half amused.

“My heart, all the ribs on my right side, my wrist, orbital bone, cracked my pelvis, dislocated my shoulder, three fingers on my left hand, and my self respect.” I admitted under my breath. Atlas choked on his water, hearing what he wasn’t supposed to necessarily hear, he spat it onto the deck.

“Excuse me?” He coughed, hitting his chest with his fist.

“This really isn’t the place to talk about him. I shouldn’t have said any of that.”

“Please tell me you’re not serious.” Atlas’ voice dropped an octave as Molly came back to the table with our food.

“Yeah, that’s about half of it.”

“Christ,” he leaned back, putting his hands behind his neck.

“Here you two go.” Molly sat my plate down. “It is just so sweet that your big brother brought you out to lunch.” She patted my hand as Atlas burst into laughter. I glared at her, clenching my jaw, mentally calculating how much effort it would take to push her over.

“She’s my girlfriend.” Atlas corrected her.

“Oh I’m so sorry.” Her face fell as she gave Atlas his food. I tried my best to give her the semblance of a smile but it turned out to be more of a sneer.

“You look like you want to dismember her.” Atlas grinned proudly as she walked away.

“The thought crossed my mind.”

“No need, she wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“Because she reminds you of Charlotte?” I asking taking a bite of shrimp.

“No Ellie,” Atlas looked serious, “because she’s not you. She doesn’t even come close to comparing to you.”

“Oh...” It was all I could manage to choke out in my embarrassment.

After that we kept the conversation light and flowing despite Molly’s far too frequent interruptions. I leaned back in my chair, hands over my stomach. “This was really nice, thank you.”