Strays (Red Kings #1) (2 page)

2

November 27th

The weekend had been pretty uneventful, but after the horrific Friday night she'd had, Jackie couldn't have been happier. She tossed and turned in bed until the early hours of the morning, trying to rid herself of the thought that she had been followed home and was about to be violently removed from the world. She awoke the next day feeling even more exhausted than the night before. As much as she would have loved to catch up on her sleep on the weekends like everyone else did, she just couldn't afford to miss any work. Luckily for her, the restaurant wasn't too busy during the early shift. She spent all Saturday and most of Sunday working as many hours as she could pick up to make as much money as she could.

Jackie sang along with the radio as she parked her old model Ford truck in front of the diner. Picking up her purse, she locked the vehicle and made the trek from the parking lot to the building. It was still relatively warm outside, nothing compared to the harsh winters of New York that she had grown accustomed to during her childhood.

She liked snow, loved the way it covered everything with a white fluffy sheet and how everything was much brighter because of it. Even the city that never sleeps looked much more peaceful and calm during the winter season, as the cold made it harder for people to roam about. When she had been a teenager, Jacquelyn had loved to sit inside the apartment and look at the snow falling outside her window, a cup of hot chocolate in her hands. She would sit on the couch for hours, bundled up in an old blanket, and just watch with a smile on her face.

And as much as she missed those days, she quite enjoyed Macon. True, the chances of snow were slim to none, but she couldn’t complain. The much warmer weather was a nice change of pace for her and it made her happy that Tyler also enjoyed it. Her blonde friend had hated New York winters when he was trying to ride his bike and was very glad he didn't have to freeze anymore.   

The bells on the door chimed merrily as she went inside, the smell of coffee and cooking food hitting her nose as soon as she entered. There was something oddly comforting about the consistent aroma in the small restaurant that made the place feel very homely. It wasn't a fancy place by any means; the paint was peeling, the booths were uncomfortable, and none of the staff had any formal training. But it was a clean place, full of good people and good food.

Jackie made her way to the counter, waving to Elaine and Beth, the other employees working the evening shift. Elaine was a wonderful older woman with gray hair, loving brown eyes, and a slightly round frame. She was as skilled and strict in the kitchen as her personality was warm and welcoming. Her mothering nature and the way she fussed over everyone and everything made people very attached to her. Jackie's mother worked long hours as a nurse and was rarely home to show her the affection that she needed growing up. Now an adult, Jackie relished in the fact that someone wanted to take care of her – asking if she ate properly, how her love life was going, and what she was planning for her future.

“Good afternoon, dear,” the cook said, smiling at the younger woman. “Feeling better today?”

She was also a very observant woman. Nothing got past Elaine and she had a knack for spotting a lie, so there were no secrets with her. When Jackie had gone into work on Saturday, she had been bombarded with questions before she even managed to put her stuff down. Had something happened? Was she well? Did she need to go home? Jackie had avoided a real answer, brushing off her concerns with a quick excuse about working too much and needing some sleep. Elaine didn't believe her completely, that could be told by the look on her face, but she let the issue go when Jackie insisted everything was fine.

“I'm much better today. Slept in this morning for the first time in ages.”

“Have any company in bed with you?” Beth asked from behind the counter with a cheeky grin.

Beth was a spunky, carefree seventeen year old. With blonde hair and bright green eyes, Jackie was sure she had boys falling at her feet when she walked the halls at school. What surprised her was how driven and determined the teenager was. She had just gotten her license, but her parents didn't have the money to buy her a car, so Beth took matters into her own hands. A few weeks ago, she had entered the diner and asked for a job, a huge innocent smile plastered on her freckled face. Out of the other waitresses, Jackie enjoyed working with her the most. She was lighthearted and fun, not yet corrupted by the trials and tribulations of the real adult world.

Beth also happened to have the world's biggest teenage crush on Tyler, and she wasn't shy when it came to letting him know about it. Jackie loved to watch him squirm under the flirtatious gaze of the blonde, falling over himself to be out of her way and avoid the innocent groping he would get should Beth get too close. Despite the fact that he was nearly a decade older, Beth had it in her mind that she was going to get a piece of Tyler if she just tried hard enough to get his attention.

Jackie may have encouraged it despite Tyler's constant protest of the whole situation. It was way too amusing for her to do anything but laugh. Truth be told, she wouldn’t be surprised if the whole female population of Macon, Georgia fell in love with her best friend. Puberty had done him good, as he had hit a sudden growth spurt at age sixteen and was now easily a head taller than her. His shoulders were broad and with his blonde hair, baby blue eyes, and dazzling smile, he could easily get away with murder. When the two were out together, she would often get curious looks from any girls that were around, no doubt wondering if they were a couple. She was almost a mirror opposite of the man. She stood at an average height, with dark blue eyes and silky brunette locks that contrasted against her fair skin. They did make a pretty nice pair, but it had only ever been friendship between them and would probably always stay that way.

For right now, as simple as it was, she was content with her work at the diner and life with her best friend.

The afternoon passed in a flurry of activity, with Beth and Jackie joking around and Elaine trying to keep them focused on their work. The best part of the evening was when Tyler stepped through the door. Beth's face lit up and she tried to make a beeline towards him as his eyes got wide. He made a cautious detour around the tables to avoid her and was lucky enough to make it to an empty booth as Beth got stopped by a needy customer. Jackie watched the whole showdown with amusement and grabbed a cup of coffee to take to her friend.

“Where's your bike?” she asked as she placed the cup in front of him and sat on the other side of the booth. “Your girlfriend is usually waiting at the door for you when she hears that thing coming.”

He glared at the girlfriend comment, but decided to ignore it. “I left the bike at the apartment. Spent my gas money on dinner last night, so had to walk today.” Jackie looked at him sympathetically, knowing it was hard for him to give up riding his bike for other, more necessary, needs.

“I get paid tomorrow, gas for the bike will be the first thing we buy.”

He shook his head, cradling the cup of coffee in his hands. “You don't need to spend your hard-earned money on my stuff.”

Tyler had been finding it difficult to keep a job, always bouncing from one place to the next. For a while he worked in the kitchen of a restaurant in the center of town, washing dishes and helping the cooks, but it didn’t work out. After that he was a sales associate at a clothing store, but after being yelled at for twenty minutes by some rich snob, he decided it wasn't for him. He had tried a bookstore, a souvenir shop, tending bar, and even doing laundry for one of the hotels near their building. Each and every one of those jobs had ended in disaster.

Currently he was helping out at a music store downtown, filling in for one of the employees that was stuck in the hospital with a broken leg. He was looking for something more permanent because he knew the gig would soon come to its end. He didn't get many hours and as grateful as he was for the few shifts he could pick up, they were far from enough to put food on the table, pay the bills, and fill up the tank of his precious bike.

When they had first left New York, Tyler’s savings were what helped them get through the rougher patches. Now that they were gone, all they had to rely on was what Jackie made at the diner and the little he brought in from the store. Jackie felt for him and the thought that she couldn’t do more weighed heavily on her. 

She heard the kitchen bell ring, signaling an order was ready. “I'll bring you something to eat soon. I gotta get back to work.”

Half an hour later found Jackie alternating between serving families and cleaning recently vacated tables. Since Tyler had arrived, the customers hadn't stopped flowing in. It was like every person in Macon had decided to go and eat at the diner. She didn't stop for more than a few seconds - to refill someone's cup, give Elaine another order, or drop food off at a table. The place was full of chatter and laughter, the scraping of forks on plates occasionally breaking through the noise.

So engrossed in her work, Jackie missed the roar of the bikes approaching from down the road, and she didn't hear the tinkling chime of the bells above the door. She did, however, notice the temporary lull in the conversations around her. She caught the sound of heavy footsteps on the diner floor and turned around to see the group of bikers that had just entered. When her brain was able to catch up to what was happening around her, Jackie froze, nearly dropping the dirty plates she was holding.

Turning around quickly, she made her way past a smiling Beth and, telling her to take the bikers' table, she went into the kitchen. Putting the plates in the sink, Jackie leaned against the counter and took in a deep breath. They weren't here for her, they couldn't be. After all, she hadn't seen anything. She hadn't told anyone about that night either, not even Tyler.

“Are you okay, dear?”

The question startled her, as in her panic she had forgotten that Elaine would be in the small kitchen. The older woman peered at Jackie's ashen face, her eyes kind and filled with worry.

“Y-yes, I'm fine." She steeled her voice, trying to prevent it from shaking and gripped the sink harder to steady herself. "I just needed a second. It's crazy out there.” She pointed to the general area of the crowded room, hoping Elaine would believe her.

“Well, the rush seems to be just about over.” The cook went to the stove and filled a plate high with roasted chicken and potatoes. “Here, take this to Tyler. I know he's probably starving. I'm telling you, that boy is getting too skinny. He needs to eat more.”

Jackie took the plate from Elaine's hands and gave her a grateful smile. She went over to the kitchen door and took a few deep breaths, then put on a happy face and headed back into the dining room.

She started the walk to Tyler's table, noticing that Beth had put the bikers nearby. Thanking her lucky stars that they didn't seem the least bit interested in her as she passed them, she calmed down. This was a diner after all; maybe they were just here to eat. And besides, the only one that had seen her seemed to be deeply engrossed in a quiet conversation with one of his friends.

She placed the food in front of Tyler and sat herself across from him, hoping to get a few moments to talk. Peering past him, Jackie quickly glanced over to the group of bikers. There were five men in total, including the one that she had encountered a few nights before. He was in a quiet discussion with a stoic-looking man with short dark hair, who nodded patiently as the other man spoke. The third of their group, a smaller bald guy, was laughing loudly at the last two bikers, one young and skinny, the other a pretty boy with a cigarette in his mouth, who were happily invested in a conversation of their own. As Beth went to serve them, Jackie averted her eyes; the last thing she wanted was to be caught staring.

Tyler was nearly halfway through the food in front of him, a satisfied look on his face as he shoved another piece of chicken into his mouth. After he chewed and swallowed, he leaned closer to her and turned serious. “So I was thinking. I mean, I know you don't like it and all, but...” He leaned as close as he could and lowered his voice. “I was thinking I could hack into a few-”

“Tyler Davis! What have I told you about that?” The accusatory tone of her voice didn't escape him, nor did it escape some of the nearby patrons, namely the motorcycle club seated not far from their table. “You remember what happened last time you decided to break the law?” He'd ended up in jail for six months and they'd spent most of their savings on court fees and fines to keep him from serving hard time. She looked around and lowered her voice. “I don't want a repeat of that.”