The diner was almost empty when the three of them slid into the cracked leather booth. Michael took the seat directly across from her, leaving Heather to lean none too soberly against her on their side.
Sara grabbed a menu immediately and stuck it in front of her nose. She was hoping to avoid looking at him. He was splayed out in the middle of the booth, his long arms along the back, black shirt open, wearing a lazy grin as if he owned the place. And maybe he did, because when the waitress showed up her attention focused on him immediately.
"Hey, Mike, what can I get for Ya?"
Sara peeked out from behind her menu to take in the cute girl smiling at Michael. The waitress was blond and leggy and the way she was sticking out her chest, not to mention calling him by name, made it obvious she either knew Michael well, or was dying to get to know him better.
To avoid staring, Sara ducked back behind her menu and let her eyes scan the text in the menu. As her eyes fell on the burger and fries plate she realized she really was starving. She listened as Michael placed his order and then put down the menu.
Heather's nose was still buried in her menu, so Sara quickly told the waitress what she wanted, and then sorry to have to give up her makeshift barricade from his eyes, she placed the menu back behind the condiments where she had found it.
She then looked down at her nails pretending a fascination at the tiny tear in her cuticle as Heather ordered her food.
The waitress jotted something on her small pad and started to walk away, but then thinking better of it, she leaned in whispering something to Michael.
Sara's eyes went up and she found them glued to the two of them. As Michael listened his eyes met Sara's catching her. He smiled and Sara pulled her eyes to the water glass in front of her.
With the waitress finally gone they were thrown into silence, the only sound that of the man a few tables over from them and the occasional clanking sound from the kitchen. But the silence didn't last long.
"So, what's with you and Veronica, Michael?" Heather's words were a little slurred, but the smile on her face was one of sisterly amusement.
"I mean she's been after you since you got back hasn't she?"
Michael shrugged and bringing his arms from the back of the seat he leaned forward.
"Maybe I'm just not interested this time."
His words were directed at his sister, but his eyes were on Sara.
"Well you're probably better off after the psycho way she acted before you left for LA."
Heather looked at Sara. "Michael and Veronica had a thing. I might have mentioned it before, don't remember…" Heather's eyes lost focus and then she was shaking her head to clear it. "What were we talking about?"
Sara knew Heather was zoning out, going to that great drunken place again.
Sara felt Michael's eyes on her. So that was why he had left with them, because he didn't want to get involved with a psycho ex-girl friend?
Sara felt stupid for half thinking he had left because of her. She should have known better.
She picked up her water glass and took a tiny sip wishing he would stop it with the intense stares already! He was making her uncomfortable.
She set the glass down and forced herself to meet his eyes, but his gaze didn't fall away as she had hoped. Instead he held her eyes in some kind of sexual stare down. She felt her cheeks redden, the warmth in her cheeks spreading down her body to rest between her thighs.
She made herself look away leaving him victorious in his little game.
She wanted another sip of water, anything to quench the fire, but she was afraid of the tremble in her hands giving away just how much he had affected her.
And then the waitress arrived with their food and Sara was grateful to have him focusing on someone else. Soon the waitress began to flirt with Michael again, and Sara dug into her fries with a fake gusto she had never felt for the deep fried dish.
When the waitress was gone again and the three of them were alone with their food Heather once again took up her duty of sisterly teasing.
"So how do we know, Sherry, I think it was?" She pointed brazenly at the waitress who was talking to the man a few tables over.
"I don't really know her. Some of us come here after sets every now and then."
Heather grinned. "Well she sure is into you, wouldn't you say, Sara?" Sara looked up from her food. "Um, I wouldn't know, Heather." Sara replied avoiding Michael's eyes.
(Later)
Being that she was night blind, Sara hated driving after dark. But the alternative; letting an obviously drunk Heather, or Michael who was questionably inebriated drive home forced her to be the designated driver. She knew she had made the right decision when the sound of Heather's light snoring drifted from the backseat. Michael looked behind him at his sister's sleeping form.
"She always snores when she's drunk." This was said as he reached and flipped on the radio filling the car with sound to drown her out.
Sara's only response was a small nod while keeping her posture rigid behind the wheel. She had decided it was best to ignore the close proximity of Michael setting in the passenger seat next to her and instead concentrate on the dark road in front of her.
After a few minutes with no conversation Michael leaned his head back against the seat closing his eyes. The song playing on the radio was one Sara had heard before, but couldn't put a name to.
After a few minutes she glanced at Michael, the moonlight shining through the window casting shadows across his stubble covered face. She thought that like his sister, he had probably fallen asleep. She was stopped at a light and let her eyes travel over him unbidden. Sara let her eyes leave his face and move down his body pausing at the slice of skin where his shirt had ridden up.She knew she was openly staring, but she couldn't help it, the sexy little trail of hair leading down from his belly button trapping her eyes.
She took a deep breath and let it out, her eyes moving back up to see that the light had turned green. She moved through the intersection and vowed she would keep her eyes to herself the remainder of the trip.
Sara felt herself relaxing a little, and was pretty much at ease when she pulled into the parking area and shut off the engine.
She unbuckled her seat belt and turned to Michael intending to rouse him from sleep. But he was already awake his eyes on her.
"If you get the door, I'll get my sister," his deep voice filled the quiet car.
Heather had pretty much stopped snoring leaving them in total silence.
"Um, okay."
Sara swung open the car door and headed for the door to their apartment. She pushed open the door and watched as Michael, with Heather swung over his shoulder made his way up the walk.
He moved passed her and into the lighted entryway and then she saw him disappear into the apartment.
Sara shut the door and followed him in. She was about to plop down on the sofa, but remembered her things stowed in Heather's room.
She made her way to the door and froze at the tender scene she was witnessing. She watched quietly as Michael took his sister's shoes off and tucked her in. And then he gently moved the hair back from her face and kissed her on the forehead.
"Sleep tight, Heather bear." These words fell tenderly from his lips and Sara ducked back around the corner not wanting him to see her.
She had a feeling he would get that same look on his face, like the day she had walked in on him playing his guitar; the look she had pretty much convinced herself she had imagined.
Sara ducked into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face .
And then figuring the coast was clear she made her way quietly into Heather's room to get her stuff.
