A Light in the Dark_Survival of the Fittest Read online

  As they headed out of the park in search of food, she decided Jessica’s proposal wasn’t entirely terrible. She could use some male attention and a little flirting never hurt anyone. Maybe then she wouldn’t go completely stupid over a guy who borderline looked like a hobo simply because he could play the guitar. Sure, he was an attractive hobo, but he was hardly her type. Not anymore anyway.

  “I’m still waiting for an answer you know.”

  Brie groaned.

  “That’s it.” Jessica stopped in Brie’s path, arms raised, and when she took a deep breath, ready to shout in the middle of the onlookers, Brie clamped a hand over her mouth.

  “No, no. That won’t be necessary. I’ll go out, but I’m not hooking up with anyone and only this one time.”

  Jessica squealed. “You’re the best.” She hopped up on her toes and kissed Brie’s cheek. “You won’t regret this.”

  Brie shook her head and allowed Jessica to pull her down the street. Somehow, she doubted that was true.

  ~ ~ ~

  Bailey turned around on his stool and studied the growing crowd. Though this particular bar was new to him, it was the same as any other. There were the regulars at the end nursing warm beer, students in clusters speaking loud enough to hear each other over the music, women dressed in form fitting clothes and heels eyeing potential dance partners, and men returning their looks eager for the job.

  “Yo, Honeycutt,” Drew, one of the members from the band’s European crew slapped him on the back, “I’m glad you made it out.”

  “Yeah, man,” Bailey set his beer to the side and shook hands. “Me, too.”

  Drew straddled the stool next to his and signaled the bartender. “So, big college man now, huh?”

  “Yep, something like that.” He hoped like hell he could hang. It’d been a long time coming and he was almost a decade older than most of the other freshmen. But, while fear of failure clung to the back of his mind, his need for change was greater.

  “What’s up with the rest of the guys? Still enjoying the California sun?”

  “Yeah, pretty much.”

  The bartender set Drew’s glass on the bar and left them to take care of more customers. They hung out in silence for a couple of minutes, their eyes trained on the soccer game showing on one of the many TV’s mounted to the walls.

  “You know, man, if we’re being honest, I was kinda surprised when you called. After everything that happened . . .” His words hung on the air while the announcer from the game droned on in the background. They both knew he was referring to Bailey’s cancer. “You look good, but it’s just with everything that happened, Oliver seemed, well, on the tour he seemed almost overprotective. I’m surprised he isn’t here with you. No offense.”

  “None taken.” After all, Drew was right about his brother, Oliver. Since he’d been taking care of Bailey most of his life, the cancer had been as much of a shock and life altering experience to him as it had been to Bailey. Oliver was like a big brother and dad all rolled into one, a role he’d stepped into without complaint.

  And, Drew was right about the overprotective thing, too. Oliver had taken charge alongside their mother to see he got the best medical care, but those days were over. He was healthy now and ready to start the next chapter in his life. His brother had opted for marriage, but he wasn’t his brother. What he needed was a chance to focus on something he enjoyed and take back the part of himself he’d been missing. Bailey hoped he would find some sort of peace for himself in Oxford. A way to quiet the discontentment within.

  The door opened and a small group of ladies pushed inside, their laughter bright and infectious.

  Seeming to follow his gaze, Drew leaned closer. “So, what do you think of Oxford so far?”

  As the ladies passed them by on their way to an empty table, Bailey grinned at his friend, “Not too bad so far.”

  Drew returned his smile and gave him a halfhearted punch in the shoulder. While Drew turned around to get them another drink, he let his gaze wander to the table where the ladies were talking. They were an interesting group, eclectic, colorful in their scarves and bight tops, but there was one who looked almost familiar.

  Her dark hair hung to her shoulders, her face pretty with understated makeup, but he wasn’t sure. She turned then, as if sensing his eyes on her and smiled. He tilted his head and returned her grin and it clicked where he’d seen her before, and judging by the way her eyes widened, it did for her as well.

  She jerked her head back around to her friends and he laughed. She remembered him all right.

  “God, you sodding prick.” Drew elbowed him in the side. “I almost forgot what it was like to go out with you and the other guys.”

  “Shut up. It isn’t like that.” Bailey turned around until he was facing the bar again. The truth was, he hadn’t been with anyone since his illness. No one wanted to be with someone who was sick and since he’d recovered, he hadn’t had much interest.

  There’d been beautiful women along the way, waiting backstage on their recent tour, standing outside the bus, waiting outside their hotel, but along with his love of music, his desire had wavered. There was a lack of passion on his part. It was as though his illness had stripped away the color in life and left him with varying hues of gray.

  Laughter sounded behind them and he glanced over his shoulder to find the dark-haired girl staring. Her cheeks reddened when she was caught. He grinned as he took another sip of his beer. She was cute and damn if her shyness didn’t add to the attraction. Sure, he was used to fans fawning over him after a show, but this wasn’t the same. This girl didn’t look like the kind who turned red any time someone looked at her. Her posture alone spoke of someone who was usually in control of any situation, someone who followed rules and played it safe.

  “Excuse me.” The girl who’d been with the cute girl in the park pushed her way up to the bar. “Can I get two halves of lager, please? And, two orders of crisps?”

  Bailey made room for her while Drew jabbed him in the back. Unlike her shy counterpart, this one had no trouble looking him straight in the eye. When he offered her a nod, she smiled back, revealing a tongue ring and a dangerous glint in her eye.

  “Aren’t you that guy from the green this morning?”

  “I was there, yeah.”

  “You should come over and join us,” she motioned to Drew who was pressed up against him hard enough so that they were on the verge of tipping over, “and bring your friend.”

  “Thanks for the invitation. We might have to do that.”

  She winked and accepted her order from the bartender. “Cheers.”

  “Come on, man. Let’s go.” Drew was halfway off his stool before Bailey could turn around.

  “Chill. If you come across as desperate, they won’t give you the time of day.”

  “But, I am desperate.”

  Bailey laughed. “I know, but at least try not to act like it.”

  “Right.”

  They bided their time for a couple of minutes, finishing their drinks and then ordering more for themselves and the table before they went over to join the group. Better not to show up empty handed. As they approached the table, the girl with the piercing nudged her friends over to make room. Drew slid in first and then Bailey followed, putting him straight across from the mystery girl.

  Unlike his friend who was beaming like an idiot, he relaxed against his seat while introductions were made. Though the dark-haired girl was last, when he finally did meet her, there was no mistaking the fresh blush of pink in her cheeks.

  This was going to be fun.

  Chapter 2

  The small group took turns introducing themselves and along with the handful of names came the same number of differing accents. The one thing the girls did have in common was that they were all graduate s
tudents at Oxford. Bailey didn’t mention he was starting the undergraduate program, and considering he and Drew had a few years—age wise—on the ladies surrounding them, there was no reason for the girls to assume they were flirting with undergrads or at least an undergrad.

  “So, how do you guys know each other?” It was the tongue-ring girl asking, the one he’d learned was named Jessica.

  “We’ve worked together in the past.” When he didn’t elaborate, Drew caught his eye and widened his own in question. Bailey shook his head a fraction. No need to turn the attention to the band.

  “Yeah, we’ve both been in the music industry now for what, B? Fifteen years or so?”

  “Something like that, bro.”

  “Ooh,” Mei, the girl originally from Japan, cut in, “does that mean you get to go to concerts for free?”

  Bailey shrugged, “Sometimes.”

  “No, my boy here is just being modest. He can go to any show he wants. Isn’t that right, mate?”

  “I don’t know about any show I want, but I do know some people.”

  “You have to take me with you.” Mei grabbed his forearm in a talon-like vise. “I love live music, but most of the time I can’t afford to go to anything in London.”

  “I’m sure Bailey would love to take someone as pretty as you along.” When Drew leaned in and winked, Mei giggled. “Or, maybe I could stand in for him.”

  The dark-haired girl, Brie, stood and excused herself. She didn’t appear to be as easily impressed as her friends and he didn’t blame her. Drew sounded like an ass. While he understood the art of impressing, he wasn’t looking to make promises he had no intention of keeping.

  The last thing he needed was a date arranged with someone who only wanted a free concert out of the deal. If he wanted more of the same—an introduction here, a free dinner there, a free concert per chance—he’d have saved all the late nights, effort, and work, and stayed in L.A. Tonight, what he wanted was a simple night out catching up with a friend and then to start classes, as under the radar as possible.

  After a couple of minutes passed, he excused himself and headed in the direction of the back. He wasn’t looking for Brie, but he found her hunched over the controls of an old school, arcade version of Pac-Man. Her shoulders were tense as she jerked the joystick left and then right.

  “Sorry if our company wasn’t to your liking.” Bailey leaned against the side of the game so he could see her face.

  She jumped and then slammed her hand down. “Bollocks, you made me lose.”

  He turned enough to eye the screen where the words ‘Game Over’ flashed. “Sorry. Here, he dug into his jeans pocket, “I’ll spot you a game.”

  She nodded and hit the two-player button. “I hope you’re better at playing than you are at trying to chat up girls.”

  “I’ll admit I’m a little out of practice.” When she eyed him, trying to deduce which way he’d meant he was out of practice, he simply grinned and took a seat on the stool next to hers.

  They sat side by side yanking the joysticks in every possible direction while they dominated round after round. It was only due to his ultra-competitive nature he was able to concentrate on the game and not the girl. She smelled of vanilla and every time they won a round she slammed her hands on the controls and yelled, “Take that.”

  When they finally died on round seven, they took a break. She slumped against the game and he leaned against the wall, both smiling from the exhilaration.

  “You’re right, you know?”

  “I am?” He sat up.

  She grinned. “You’re pretty good.”

  “You’re not bad yourself. I have to admit I love a bar stocked with arcade games.”

  “Oh, and you were doing so well.” She snapped her fingers dramatically. “That was strike two.”

  “Wait a minute.” He leaned forward, encouraged by her playful tone. “What did I do to be on strike two already?”

  “Well, first it was the bragging.” She rolled her eyes. “Typical yank.”

  “I did no such thing.”

  “And then, you called this place a bar. This is a pub. You need to learn the lingo if you’re going to stick around.”

  He leaned back against the wall, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “First of all, I wasn’t bragging.”

  Brie smirked, “Look at me. I can get you into any concert I want. I’m awesome.”

  “I never said those things. That was all Drew.”

  She shrugged, “I’m afraid you’re guilty by association.”

  “Harsh.” Bailey shook his head and rubbed a hand over his chin. “In my boy’s defense, I think he has a little thing for your friend Mei. It’s his moronic way of flirting.”

  “And, you can do better? With the flirting that is?”

  “Definitely.”

  “Is that what this is? You, following me back here and buying me a game of Pac-Man?”

  “I wasn’t flirting with you. I simply wanted to play some Pac-Man. You just happened to be sitting here.”

  She pursed her lips to contain her smile. “Sure.”

  “And, so long as we’re being honest, I used your coin from this morning.”

  Her face turned red and her smile broke free as he reminded her of the coffee incident in the park. “Sorry about that.”

  “No harm done. Just a couple second degree burns.”

  She shoved him playfully and stood. “I better get back to my friends before they think I’ve made a break for it.”

  He stood, too, sorry their time alone was ending. “Is that something you do often? Run out on your friends?”

  “No, thank you very much, but this isn’t really my scene.”

  He walked beside her as they returned to the table, the bar, er, pub, more crowded now than before. They rejoined the part of the group who was still sitting at the table. Drew was dancing with Mei, and Jessica was with a guy he didn’t recognize from earlier. And, judging by the way they were dancing, he wasn’t sure they were going to stick around much longer.

  His eyes cut to Brie who was seated beside him. She was pretty, more than that, she was interesting to look at. A little too sexy to be considered girl-next-door attractive, but simple enough not to be called exotic. And, she was fun. His eyes cut to Drew and Mei again and then back to Brie. Ah, what the hell?

  “Hey, Brie, would you want to . . .” he nodded toward the dancefloor.

  Her eyes darted to the dance area and then back at him, her expression tinged with alarm. It was just a dance, but the way she was staring at him made it seem like he’d asked her to get it on in the middle of the room.

  “I can’t.” She stood and gathered her things. “It’s been fun, but I better go.”

  She took off for the door and left him sitting there alone. That went well.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Hey, Brie, wait up.” When Jessica came barreling out of the pub and caught up to her, she turned. “Where’re you going?”

  “I’m sorry, Jess, but it’s getting pretty crowded in there. I’m going to head back to the flat, but you should stay.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Oh, yeah. You know me. I’m ready to go.”

  “I thought you and the American were hitting it off, what happened?” Jessica gazed through the pub window, dingy as it was, as though searching for someone.

  “Oh Bailey, yeah, I mean he was fine, but you know how it goes.” Brie stared down at her shoes. She already felt stupid enough for bolting.

  The door to the pub opened behind Jessica and in a wave of blaring music Bailey stepped out. Turn the other way. Turn the other way.

  He looked straight at them and then to make matters worse, Jessica turned and spotted him.

  “Hey there, Bailey.
Are you heading out as well?”

  “Yeah, but it was good meeting you.”

  “You, too. You know, Brie’s leaving and I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind walking her back to our flat?” Brie’s eyes grew wide and she had the sudden desire to smack Jess in the back of the head. What was she thinking? “I’d hate for her to walk all that way by herself.”

  “It’s not that far. I think I can manage,” Brie said it through clenched teeth, but either due to the haze of alcohol or her dire need to see her flatmate get laid, Jessica continued to ignore her.

  “I mean, at this time of night you never know what kind of person you might run into. Pick pockets, deranged perverts . . .”

  Bailey’s mouth twitched as Jessica continued to exaggerate the dangers of Oxford as if they weren’t out in the middle of the country with one of the lowest crime rates west of London. She was going to kill Jessica if she didn’t die of embarrassment first.

  “You’re right of course.” He nodded and kept a serious face, but she didn’t miss the way his eyes danced. “I’d be happy to escort the fair Brie home.”

  “Okay, you two. Very funny.”

  Bailey waved a goodbye to Jessica and started down the sidewalk, but before Brie could join him, Jessica grabbed her arm. “For fuck’s sake, unclutch your pearls and have some fun.”

  Bailey paused and turned back, his gaze shifting from Jessica to her, but there wasn’t much she could do without making it a bigger deal, so she yanked her arm free and walked on.

  “See you kids later,” Jessica called after them.

  Yep, she was definitely going to kill her. Slowly.

  Brie and Bailey walked the first part of the way to her place in silence. He didn’t seem affected by it, but her insides were twisting like they were on a broken fair ride. She’d never felt so stupid, minus throwing money in his coffee that morning, but that had been an honest mistake. Then, there was the pub where they’d had some nice flirting going on before she’d gone and ruined it. Argh. This day needed to end.