One Day Later
Alice sat at a local diner/pub. A very strange little dive bar with dated teal and torn booths. White 1950's style checkered metal-rimmed tables, and gody mis-matched yellow paper place mats. Plain-framed pictures adorned the white-washed walls, all in black and white; photos of the city back in its glory days. The most recent labeled in pen: 1977, Crawly's Dinner Diner. It showcased the outside of the the small restaurant, a line of happy hippie's in bell bottom jeans, smiling and conversing while waiting for a table in what appeared to be a (once) hot spot in town.
Ally fidgeted with the menu, her eyes skimming the selections. Tarragon Lamb Lasagna? Polish Sausage and Peanut Ravioli's? Ew. Did they not just have simple items? She'd killed for a greasy cheeseburger right now.
When her head met her hand, it rang out with the cliché face palm sound and a few patrons glanced up with narrowed eyes.
That's when she spotted him. His grand entrance practically set in cheesy rom-com slow motion, the bell on the door signaling his arrival. And yes, her heart skipped a maddening beat. Dean aka JT the liar and fake FBI agent. Her kidnapper…rescuer?
When his vibrant green eyes met hers, it was like the air was vacuumed from her lungs. She knew she looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Her arm shot out and knocked over the salt shaker beside her. A slither of embarrassment coursed across her heated cheeks, inflaming them all the more. A blubbering, fumbling mess.
Still, Dean made his way to her, never breaking eye contact. Why was he staring like that? Like…he was almost relieved to find her alive and well?
It'd been almost a week since their last interaction. She had made little to no headway in her research and her time in Vermont was almost up. She'd be screwed if she went home empty-handed after that grant she was awarded. She already was the laughing stock of the University. She'd never live this down.
Dean slid into the booth opposite her, like she had been waiting for him all along and snagged her menu from her right hand, glancing at it casually. His unbelievably handsome face wrinkled around the nose when he read what was on it. "No burgers? What is this filth?" He glanced up at her. "You eat this stuff?"
Excu-u-u-se me? She wasn't about to let this virtual stranger talk down to her. She plucked back the menu with more force than she'd intended. He looked startled for a second and a perfect grin flew across his face as she sputtered, "My eating habits are none of your business! What the hell are you doing here? Didn't I make my feelings about your lurking ways perfectly clear?"
Unfortunately for her, she understood in some extremely twisted way that she hadn't meant it at all. In fact, the opposite was true. She'd had Dean on her mind lately. And frankly, she was ashamed about it. Yes, he was ridiculously good looking. And yes, he appeared to be somewhat interested in her, or her research at the very least. But she wasn't here to meet guys. He was a distraction. And a devilish one at that. She should be avoiding him at all costs.
"How'd you find me?" she asked.
"It's one of one diner in town. Cake doesn't cover it." He said it as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.
When the waitress sauntered over with two waters, she caught Dean's eye and instantly began flirting. "Why hello stranger. Nice of you to join us today." The girl was young and pretty—okay, very pretty—with long, pin-straight jet-black hair tied back in a simple pony tail and piercing blue eyes. Alice immediately felt like an outsider. But Dean barely gave the girl a second glance. He met Alice's eyes, his attentions seemingly taken. He gave her a tiny grin, as if to say, "I'm here for you and you only." A chill ran the length of her spine. Oh, he was good.
The waitresses clicked her pen, clearly annoyed with being ignored and sputtered, "Yeah, so, what can I get you guys to drink?"
Without taking his eyes from Alice, they both answered simultaneously, "Beer."
The waitress chortled, but it sounded more like a snort of disdain. "We have one kind. Hope you both like Bud."
Dean slid his gaze to the waitress', "If it's beer, I'm on board."
She gave Alice a quick glance, which was answered with a affirmative nod, informing her her guests were of agreement. A beer sounded damned good right now. Or, you know, twelve.
The pretty raven-haired girl sauntered off to retrieve the drinks. Dean didn't even look her way once. Weird. Ally could've sworn the man was a player. His mannerisms, the way he spoke to her, his outrageous flirtatious nature.
"So," he began, "we seem to be back at square one. And time is not our friend right now. I just wasted a week of my life tailing you in that damned patch of woods."—Huh? a week?! She'd not seen him for that long. At least!—"So here is how this is going to go: you are going to tell me any and all information you have catalogued with your fancy- schmancey tools. Then, we will work together to save this very sad little town from its very supernatural-esque problems. Then, and only then, shall you be free of me."
Ally glared, she couldn't help it. This man got her hackles up. He was so damned brash! "Listen, JT—"
"Dean, call me Dean." His eyes sparkled, as if the idea thrilled him.
Caught off-guard by his mood fluxes, Ally paused, "Um, Dean…" A grin lit upon his lips and he leaned forward in…anticipation? "Not that my research is any of your business. But if I had anything relevant to give you, I would. The only evidence of anything otherworldly I logged was some minor seismic activity."
Their beers arrived and they both took a "sip", well okay, a chug, and put in their orders. Two burgers—which the waitress said they did have, but didn't advertise as all their customers were mostly regulars and knew the menu by heart—medium rare.
"Seismic, as in earthquake stuff?" Dean asked, curious.
Ally nodded.
Dean rubbed a concerned hand over his days old stubble. The growing beard made him look rough-around-the-edges, and Ally found herself blushing at her wayward thoughts. Dean noticed and leaned further forward, "You know, we would make a pretty good team. Science and the supernatural. What conclusions you can't come to, I might."
"And vice versa," Alice added.
He inclined his head, as if that was a give-in. "Work with me, Alice. I could use your help on this. You know that forest better than I do. You have charts and maps and first-hand knowledge of the paths. And I can keep you safe. You have my word."
Ally's eyes widened, incredulous. "What makes you think the forest is a threat?"
A roll of his green eyes. "You, of all people, need to wake up and smell the roses, honey."
There had been too many strange happenings in the past weeks to discount. Perhaps, somehow…some way, Snowden had secrets science couldn't uncover. A shred of her, the unreliable part, the one she'd often kept suppressed due to her colleagues judgment of her, sprang to life. Maybe this strange man, this "hunter" of the impossible, was just what she needed. She'd never, in all her short time on this planet, been able to embrace her wildly auspicious ideas, her family and friends all very scientifically minded and practical realists. Still, though, despite her training and her work, a much buried, very secret part of her deep down, wanted to believe in the unbelievable.
And this man before her was holding open the door for her to do just that. Without thinking she blurted out," Okay. I'm in."
Dean reared back slightly, shock evident on his face. "You are?"
Ally almost laughed at that look. It was adorable. Bad Ally. The untrustable-as-of-yet, liar is in no way adorable. But even as she scolded herself, his eyes wrinkled at the sides and her mind flooded with the pleasantness of being near him. "Where do we start?"
"Well, after we eat. But before the night is through. And in the meantime, you are going to tell me a little bit about yourself. Deal?"
A small smile touched her lips and Dean's eyes lingered on it before shooting back up to her eyes. He sank back into his booth, appearing pleasantly relaxed, drawing the last bit of beer from his bottle. "Deal. What do you want to know?"
"Where are you from?"
"Kansas. Born and raised."
His brows shot up at that. "Kansas? Really? Small world." Another round of beers arrived at Dean's behest, and their burgers to boot. Ally was starved, the thing barely touched her lips before half of it was devoured. "I'm from Kansas, too," he admitted.
"Really? What part?"
"Does it matter?"
Warning signs rang. Ally ignored them and forged forward. "Why does it have to be a secret?"
"Perhaps it doesn't." A shoulder shrug. Dean bit into his burger, chewing slowly. When he swallowed, he confessed, "I find myself not particularly enjoying keeping things from you."
The odd compliment had Alice more confused than ever. What was this mystery man's angle? She tried a change of subject. "Your brother and his itty-bitty blonde sidekick visited me last week. They were very concerned with finding you."
Another nod. "I heard." A pause. "They are…researchers, like me."
The way he said the word researcher had Ally wondering if he had ever even called himself that before. "Are you sure that is the right word for what you are doing here?"
A small chuckle. He finished his burger and sat back, folding his hands over his chest. "You are too smart for your own good."
"If I was anything but, you wouldn't be talking to me right now, would you?"
He cocked his head to the side, seemingly searching for unanswerable answers. His eyes probed past her defenses and she found herself wondering what he was thinking. He only offered up a tidbit, but it was enough to make her blood hot. "If I were you that is the very last thing I'd be worrying about." He stood, throwing down a handful of twenties on the table and leaning in until their faces were but inches apart. "I'd have chased your sweet ass through that forest whether you were of help to me or not afterward. That you can believe."
Dean started towards the exit and paused at the door, gesturing for her to follow. Only, her legs felt like jelly, unreliable. "You coming or not?" he asked, holing the door open for her. When she passed through the door, she glanced back and perceived his eyes on her behind. A thrill shot through her. Refusing to give in to his flirtatious nature, she ignored his comment. But despite her best efforts, it lingered within the forefront of her mind, replaying itself.
If they were going to work together, she needed to get her feelings under control. The last thing she needed was a fling with a beautiful stranger. Even if he fascinated her beyond belief.
Oh, Ally, you are 100% screwed. But she needed his intel to get at new avenues. The old ones weren't working. And four minds were better than one. With any luck, she'd collect enough data in her last bit of time here to put together something to show the board when she returned.
With any luck…now when did she start believing in such notions?
Probably around the time Dean barged into her life, making her feel more awake and alive than she'd felt in years.
If ever.
