She didn’t belong here.

Thirty seconds. That’s all it took for Hailey to conclude that being perched on a bar stool at the neighbourhood local on the last Friday of the month was not one of her best ideas.

For the hundredth time, she looked down at her outfit. A shimmery black and gold halter dress that ended just-above-the-knee coupled with strappy black heels. It accentuated all her curves with what she hoped was a hint of flirty. Not desperate. Like she was.

This was her first time in a bar. Having been the perfect paragon of the good Christian girl for the better part of her 26 years. If Mrs. Mwihia, her former Sunday school teacher, caught sight of her now, she’d have a fit. 

She hadn’t spoken to God all day. She already knew that He didn’t approve of what she was doing. Not that she even knew how tonight would turn out. All she wanted was a break from the drudgery her life had become, however fleeting an escape it was. 

Some women dreaded hitting 30. But Hailey was drowning in anxiety over her 27^th birthday, which was a few months away. She always imagined 27 would find her in a much different, much happier place. But God seemed to have other plans that she wasn’t ecstatic about. Hmph.

Six months had passed since the death of her father and her family’s run-in with criminals who terrorized them because they wanted to take over the land that had belonged to him. The land that now belonged to them. 

Nothing in her sisters’ lives had gone back to normal afterwards.

Her baby sister, Hope, suffered the worst of the attacks. Going for therapy as a family helped and reduced her nightmares to a bare minimum. She was preparing to graduate with first class honours in her engineering degree. No mean feat for someone who loathed math since nursery school. No surprise to her sisters who’d always known how smart Hope was. She also finally embraced her artistic gift and found a way to make use of her engineering degree and art skills. She was now doing some interior design courses that she gushed about every time they met. Not to mention, she had Dean, her supportive, stable and stunningly handsome boyfriend, to boot. Lucky girl.  

Her elder sister, Harriet, was experiencing a unique boom in her catering business. Even after doubling her staff they were still barely able to keep up with the orders coming in. At first they thought Dean was using his connections to send business her way. Only for him to confess that he was only responsible for the initial growth that had necessitated her first batch of employees. No one could figure out who or what was driving the wave of customers her way. It didn’t matter anyway. Her sister was good enough at what she did to keep them coming back again and again. 

Hope and Harriet were living their best lives. Hailey, on the other hand, was…adrift. She felt like a log dead in the water. Floating from one day to the next with nary a sense of purpose or direction. In the heat of the moment when her family was in danger, she’d quipped about wanting a normal, boring life. What a terrible, self-fulfilling prophecy that had turned out to be. 

Dad’s death had given her the excuse she needed to quit her tediously predictable junior accountant position at an audit firm. Figuring out the family’s finances and how to proceed with the inheritance Dad left them then kept her busy for some months. Not that she needed that much time. She stalled and stretched every task as much as she could to prolong the inevitable question of her future. 

Now she was out of time. And excuses. Harriet, never losing sight of her sister-mother role, was insistent they meet this weekend to catch up. It was code for I-will-ply-you-with-food-and-drink-until-you-tell-me-what’s-wrong. 

Technically she didn’t need to go back to work just yet. Turns out working 12-18 hour days, 6 days a week meant that she was doing extraordinarily well in the life savings department. Never mind it was because she never had the time or energy to do anything with the modest amount she earned other than cater for her basic expenses. Moving back into their family home and living with Harriet had its perks too. Her sister supplied mouth-watering meals and refused to take her money. 

In all honesty, she didn’t want to go back to work. At least, not in the traditional 9-5 sense. Unlike her two sisters, she’d always been at home in the world of numbers. But lately her love for numbers had dimmed into a barely-there existence.

Her love life wasn’t doing any better either. Ha! More like what love life? 

What a fool she’d been pining for one man all this time. The entirety of her twenties thus far to be exact. Jack, their family lawyer, had come into her life when they were both in their late teens. Her father took him in like a son and he was considered part of their family. But what she felt for him was anything but brotherly affection. The sparks were fanned into blazing flames by a conversation she had with God when she hit twenty. A conversation that she was now beginning to think was a product of her overactive imagination and overeager emotions. Not once had the man noticed or acknowledged her as anything but a sister and a friend. 

Any doubts she had about her permanent status in the friend zone were cemented into immutable fact earlier this week when she spotted Jack on a date. Jack had always been personable and charming, which ensured there was always a woman or two flocking around him. But this? This was different. This time, Jack had a look in his eye that she’d never seen. It was the same look Dean had anytime he looked at Hope. To her everlasting shame, she’d followed them into the cafe and confirmed her worst fears. He was a goner for this woman. There was no hope for her. It was time to move on. 

And that left her angry. At God, for stringing her along all this time with talk of a relationship with Jack. At Jack, for choosing someone else over her. At herself, for wasting so many years of her life on a man who would never think of her as anything more than a sibling. 

The chaotic mesh of emotions that stormed her heart had led her here. To the place where people came to forget. She wasn’t doing a good job of it so far, reminiscing on the very things she’d come here to escape from. Time to get off the trip down memory lane and commence project screw everything.

She looked down the long bar counter hoping to get the bartender’s attention. It was a long shot with how crowded the place was getting. Almost made her consider leaving. However, the thought of the life waiting for her outside the door kept her planted on the stool. 

---

She didn’t belong here. 

Zach discretely eyed the woman at the end of the bar counter while he conversed with the regulars he was serving. Ten years as a bartender, eight of those as a bar owner, had made him an expert at profiling people. This woman was an enigma that piqued his curiosity. With the crazy antics he witnessed on a regular basis, he couldn’t remember the last time anyone had held his attention longer than thirty seconds.

Her coal black hair fell to her mostly bare shoulders in soft waves. Her makeup matched her dress and gave her a soft, dewy look. She stuck out like a sore thumb and it had nothing to do with how stunning she was. He hadn’t seen her come in so he had no idea what she looked like waist down. But what he could see from his side of the counter left him angling for more. Something he was trying to ignore because nothing good could come from going down that road. Despite how well put together she was, everything about her screamed innocent. 

She so didn’t belong here. 

Focus, Zach, he chided himself as he took another order. When he looked her way again, he caught her gaze right on him and she gave him a small smile. He nodded at her to indicate he’d seen her. Handing over the last of the orders, he made his way to her.

“What can I get you?” 

“Rum and coke.” His eyebrow rose. She answered him with practised ease yet his gut sent his warning bells clanging. 

“Do you take alcohol?” Later, he needed to ask his brain what it was doing talking a customer out of giving him money. 

“I’m in a bar, aren’t I?” 

He didn’t miss the false bravado she wrapped around herself like a shawl. Turning to the counter behind him, he made a split second decision. He placed a chilled bottle of Coke in front of her. Poured some of it into a glass with ice in it and lime slices on the side as she watched him, puzzled.

“Where’s the rest of my drink?”

“That’s all you’re getting until you can convince me you can handle your liquor.”

“How am I going to do that if you won’t serve me any alcohol?”

A shout from the end of the counter he’d come from interrupted them. “Yo, Zaaach! We’re thirsty, man.” 

His regulars were getting antsy. “You look like a smart woman. Figure it out. I’ll be back.”

She wasn’t amused. That much he could tell. Unfortunately for her, her scowling only intrigued him further. Made him want to push her buttons all the more.

He was slammed tonight, which was expected for an end-month weekend. What was not expected was the absence of his business partner, Mike, and his head bartender, Cliff. They had staff on the floor serving customers and security at the doors and spread throughout the bar managing the crowds. But he was the only one present who could handle the till. That plus working the counter made three hours into his shift feel like thirty. 

Stealing another glance, he caught her glaring at her soda. He smirked in amusement. No doubt she was thinking of all the ways she could bash him over the head with it.

By the time he got through the thirsty crowd and went back to her, her soda remained untouched. Dismay had replaced the determination he left her with. 

“First time, huh.”

“Am I that obvious?”

“No, I’m that good.”

“I’m not so sure about that. Never heard of anyone successful in business wasting their time talking a willing customer out of a sale.”

Tell me about it. “I’m not a regular businessman. And you’re not a regular customer.”

“Touché.” She finally took her first sip of the soda. Then another. 

“Whoever he is, he’s not worth it.”

“Why would you say that?” she sputtered, nearly choking on her third sip. 

“Only three things drive people like you to places like this.” He leaned his arms on the counter. “Love. Death. Money,” he counted off on his fingers.

His proximity gave him the vantage point he needed to look her over. “You don’t look like you’re hurting for money. There’s a tinge of sadness in your eyes but it’s muted not fresh. If you made it through that first wave of grief without stepping foot in here, nothing that comes after would get you here.” He paused at the sorrow that registered on her face. “I’m sorry about whoever you lost,” he added softly. 

“So that leaves love,” he continued, not wanting to dwell on whatever memory made her so sad. “And you, sweetheart, look like the kind of woman who gives her heart and soul to a man she loves.”

She reared back as though he’d hit her. In a way he had. With the truth. Her reaction was proof that everything he’d said to her was accurate.

“I’m such an idiot.”

“No, you’re not. He let you walk out of his life. I’ll make an educated guess that he hasn’t even realized you’re not in his life anymore…” He preempted the question on her lips with his answer. “You’ve been in here over an hour and he’s not stormed through my doors to come get you. So in every sense of the word, he’s the idiot here.”

“Thanks. I feel marginally better.”

“Here to serve.” He took a playful bow and winked at her. “Just to be clear, you don’t drink alcohol…”

She shook her head.

“First time in bar…”

She sighed then nodded in the affirmative.

“So why’d you order a rum and coke? It’s such a specific drink for someone who doesn’t drink and has never even been in a bar.”

“It’s what my favourite action hero always orders.” 

He burst out laughing. There was nothing coy with this one. Her honesty refreshed him. He wanted to linger, keep their conversation going. But duty called.

“Drinks on the house, tonight.”

The smile she gave him jolted his heart in ways he was scared to acknowledge.

She didn’t belong here. 

In his bar.

Or in his life.

She was trouble.

Big, big trouble. 

---

“Girl, what did you say to him?”

“And what did he say to you? We saw that wink!”

“He was laughing with you. Laughing!”

Hailey found herself bombarded by three women. From the looks of it, they’d been hovering nearby, watching and waiting for the bartender to leave so they could approach her. 

The bartender who left her stomach in knots. It was in no way, shape or form okay for a man to be that good-looking. Hair and boxed beard trimmed short to frame his angular face. V-neck, long-sleeved, muscle fit shirt that he filled out with a physique he must have earned after countless hours in the gym. His intuitive, piercing gaze that saw right through her. And his laughter. Whew. His laughter lit her up on the inside, chasing away the dreariness of the last few months in a split second. No wonder she was being hounded about him. Too bad he was a stranger whose name she didn’t even know. 

“You don’t know who he is, do you?” one of them deduced.

Okay. She needed to stay out of bars. Was no secret thought sacred in here?

“Zach the Mack,” another whispered reverently.

“Wham, bam, thank you, Ma’am,” the third quipped, which left the trio guffawing and Hailey trying to make sense of what they were saying. She understood what they meant but she was having trouble reconciling the man she’d just spoken to with the man they were describing. 

“He’s all about ladies. Smooth and slick like you wouldn’t believe.”

“Well, he used to be. Not so much lately. You’re the first woman he’s spent more than thirty seconds with in months.”

“So, what’s the secret?”

“You have to tell us.” 

“No offence but he’s not really the relationship type. But he makes it worth it for however long it lasts.”

“We’ll give you your time with him, obviously, but he’ll move on eventually.”

And they’d be there waiting. Obviously. 

Sheesh. 

“We just talked about the drink I ordered.”

“Soda?”

“Yeah.” She had no desire to share their inside joke. 

“That’s…lame. Are you sure you’re not messing with us?”

“We’ll understand if you don’t want to share your secrets with us.”

“I’m just a boring accountant trying to enjoy my night out. Maybe that’s what he found funny.” She shrugged.

“Yeah, he was probably laughing at you.”

Whoa.

“Or feeling sorry for you so he gave you some attention.”

WHoa.

“Girls, c’mon, let’s go. We need to get us some men who will give us some attention. Good luck, honey. You’re going to need it with that one.”

WHOA.

What just happened?

“You okay?”

She’d been so engrossed in her thoughts she hadn’t seen or heard Zach come up to her. “I’m…not sure. I think I just met the Zach the Mack fan club.”

His eyes narrowed before he looked up, eyes closed, and muttered something she couldn’t hear. 

“Not a fan of the fan club?”

“Depends on what they told you.” His voice was gruff. He turned his gaze back to her.

“Sung your praises like a chart-topping girl group.” She casually raised her glass at him and took a sip of her Coke after her deadpanned statement. 

That got a laugh out of him. 

“Unfortunately for you, I’m more of a facts and figures kind of girl. Evidence is non-negotiable.”

“So where does that leave us?” he inquired as he got her another soda.

“Everything they said is on ice until I can determine for myself whether there’s any data to back it up.”

“How do you intend to do that?”

“Hi.” She stretched out her hand to him. “My name is Hailey. I’d like to get to know you.”

He looked back and forth between her face and her hand. For a moment she was afraid he would leave her hanging. But he took her hand in a surprisingly soft and gentle grip.

“Zach. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Hailey,” he rumbled. His phone chose that moment to start buzzing incessantly in his pocket. Usually, he switched his phone off when he was on shift but with Mike and Cliff both MIA he’d left it on. 

He dug it out of his pocket, not letting go of Hailey’s hand. Mike. He was equal parts relieved and pissed off. “I’m sorry. I need to take this. Hold that thought?” 

She nodded as he reluctantly let go of her hand. Signalling one of his waiters to cover the counter for him, Zach headed for his back office where he could take the call in private. 

Hailey let out the breath she’d been holding as she watched him walk away. She had no idea what she was doing. But it felt good. It felt right. Nothing had felt good or felt right for months. Until this. Until him. Until now. 

The last thing she needed was to get her already broken heart broken some more. But if there was a shred of truth in what those women had told her, and she suspected there was plenty, neither her nor Zach were prime candidates for a serious relationship. So what was the harm in just talking? It wasn’t like they were on a date or anything. Plus it was doubtful they’d see each other beyond tonight. Her bar excursion was a one-time deal. She’d already bent her boundaries enough for one lifetime.

“Eish, mami,” a voice called behind her.

No.

“Umeweza!” came another much closer to her.

 No way. 

Maybe if she closed her eyes and counted to ten they’d disappear. As though they weren’t being cheesy enough, whistling followed.  

No freaking way.

“What do we have here?” She felt someone move up beside her close enough to brush up against her. 

“I’m flattered by the attention.” Hardly. “But I’m not really interested.” Please go away and leave me alone. 

“Don’t be like that. We just want to talk.” 

Do you actually believe that? Because I don’t. “And I’d really appreciate a bit of solitude and silence.”

“If that was true, you’d have stayed home.”

Maybe I should have. But then I wouldn’t have met Zach.

“We’ve seen you talking all night. We’re not good enough for you?”

Why did some guys do this? Was it really that difficult to understand that women have a right to decline their company without making it personal?

Hailey looked around frustrated. The waiter Zach left at the counter was swamped. So were the security guards who were trying to rein in a fight that had broken out somewhere on the dance floor. 

Shoot. She was on her own. 

“Why don’t I give you guys some space?” she tried to get off her stool but found herself blocked on all sides. 

“Why would you want to do that? We’re just getting started.” She felt a hand creeping up her bare thigh and she balled her fists on the counter as she shook it off. 

If it was only one guy, she’d have dumped her soda on him as a diversion to get away. But she was outnumbered precariously four to one. 

She turned to face the men and immediately identified the handsy one as the leader of their pack. The rest were all looking at him for direction. He was the one she needed to take care of to get out of this. 

Being polite was clearly not going to work. Time for subterfuge. 

“Look,” she began as she placed her hand on his chest. Her change of tune surprised him enough to give her room to stand to her feet. “We got off to the wrong start.” She moved closer to him. “Why don’t we dance a bit?” she whispered. Her grip tightened on the clutch in her other hand. 

Handsy bought her act and signalled his friends to give them some privacy. As soon as they began to move away, she kneed Handsy in the balls and cocked his head with her clutch. Unfortunately, the other guys were still close enough to hear his yelp of pain and they rushed back towards them. 

Hailey turned to run into the dancing crowd hoping she could lose them in the melee and find her way out. Not how she wanted to end the night but the present circumstances didn’t give her alternatives to choose from. 

A broad chest she nearly smacked into interrupted her flight. Hands gripped her waist, halting her momentum. She tensed for a moment before she recognized the shirt she was looking at. 

Zach. Thank God! Head bowed in relief, her hands came up to hold onto his shirt. He pulled her into his protective embrace. 

“I would not do that if I were you,” he tersely spoke to the men behind them. Hailey didn’t need to see them to know they were gearing up for a fight. They certainly seemed like the type who resolved everything with their fists. While she didn’t want it to escalate to that, something told her Zach could hold his own if the situation came to blows.

She had to crane her neck all the way up to see his face. He was way taller than she initially thought. And she was by no means a short woman even without the heels she had on.

“Get out of my bar.” His voice remained dangerously calm and low. Every word enunciated his rage. Hailey could tell that he would rather have thrown them out himself. But she was silently thankful that he chose to stay with her instead. 

“You’re going to regret that,” Handsy warned. Hailey tensed knowing that his statement was meant for her as much as Zach. 

“Get out! Now!” Zach’s frame was taut with anger. Two of the bouncers showed up then to escort the four men out. But Zach didn’t relax one bit.

Hailey intended to thank him and find a way to get home safely. She wanted some excitement in her life but this was a tad bit too much for her. Before she could get a word out, he took her hand in his as he pulled her back to where he’d gone to take his call. 

---

Zach’s conversation with Mike had gone badly. And that was putting it mildly. He’d expected some semblance of explanation for his absence tonight and an apology. Only to realize the moment he answered the call that Mike was high out of his mind. He must have drunk dialled him because Mike was in no condition to have a coherent conversation with anyone. 

Mike. Drunk. That was an anomaly. The man drunk like a fish and could hold his liquor better than anyone Zach knew, including himself. It would take an inordinate amount of alcohol to get him in the state he was in. That and help from some drug or other. 

Mixing booze with drugs? Mike knew better than that. They’d watched enough of their friends O.D. in their campus days. Heck, it was the reason they were so adamant about ensuring no drugs were sold or used anywhere in or around the bar. Recklessness wasn’t a prerequisite to having a good time. 

This wasn’t typical Mike behaviour. Yet it added to the list of odd things Zach had observed about his partner in the past few months. He’d given Mike time to get his head on straight and reach out to him. But Mike continued about their business and friendship as though nothing was amiss. Zach couldn’t ignore the naked Emperor any longer. He was worried that something was terribly wrong with his friend and he needed to find out what it was before it was too late.  

Every thought concerning Mike had flown out of his brain when he walked back out to the bar counter and saw Hailey surrounded by four men. Their intentions for her were written all over their faces. Defiance was all over hers. By the time he leaped over the counter and made his way to where they were, she’d already socked one of the guys. Good girl. 

He got to her just in time to give her backup he wasn’t even sure she needed anymore. Barely held it together as he allowed his bouncers to deal with the four men who’d have their photos included in their list of people whose entry into the bar was prohibited. He should have apologized to Hailey there and then for getting harassed on his premises. Then hightailed it out of her life for the night. For good.  

But as he pulled her into the office he’d just left, he had to admit to himself that letting this woman go was going to be difficult for reasons he was not too keen on accepting. He signalled her to seat on the lone couch in the corner. He was still too wired with adrenalin to join her. Instead, he stood nearby and braced his neck with his hands, leaning his head back. What an epic mess this night was turning out to be.

“I’m sorry about that. I have a zero tolerance policy on guys like those in the bar. Women should be able to have a fun night out without worrying about being harassed by fools who don’t know what no means.” He let out a heavy sigh. “Are you okay?” He peered at her. 

She nodded. “I appreciate the apology but it’s not your fault. Stuff like that happens sometimes because guys like that exist.” She shrugged looking anywhere but at him. Being alone with him in this tiny but cozy office was making her more nervous than she’d been out there with those guys. 

He walked over to her and took his place next to her. Close enough that there was no way she couldn’t not look at him this time. “Sure you’re ok?”

His plan didn’t quite work though. She stared at her hands when she made her admission. “They freaked me out a little.”

“You held your own though.” 

“Daddy didn’t raise no damsels in distress.”

“He’s the one you lost.”

Her eyes shot up to him in query.

“You’ve got the same sad look in your eyes you had earlier.”

“He passed away six months ago.”

Zach reached out for her hand and squeezed it. The desire to know all there was to  the woman next to him was growing by the minute. He had so much he wanted to ask her but this wasn’t the time or the place. He had to get out there and deal with the ten crises that had likely cropped up in the few minutes he’d been in here. 

“Eventful first night at a bar, huh?”

“You really undersell this place.”

They both chuckled. 

“I have to get back to work.”

“I know. You don’t need to babysit me. I’ll be ok. Thanks for coming to my rescue.”

“You’re good for my ego. I did nothing but stand behind you and glare.”

Someone knocked on the door. 

“Go,” she nudged.

“You can chill here for a bit if you want,” he offered. Even though anything worth stealing was under lock and key in a safe hidden out of sight, there were only a handful of people he allowed to use his office. Just as well none of his boys were around tonight to witness the exception he was making for Hailey. He’d never hear the end of it. 

“What time do you close?”

“Usually not till dawn. But we’re a bit understaffed tonight so we’ll be done by two.” It was just after midnight. 

“Okay.”

Zach strode to the door but before he opened it, he turned to Hailey. “Don’t leave without saying goodbye.”

“I won’t,” she promised. 

When the door shut behind him, she leaned back into the couch. A waiter, no doubt sent to her by Zach, came to check if she needed anything. One soda for the road couldn’t hurt. She didn’t want to invade Zach’s privacy but she couldn’t help taking a stroll around the office last drink in hand. A series of office filing cabinets lined one side with a sturdy mahogany desk and chair positioned by the sole window. Other than a medium-sized clock hanging on the left, the walls were white and bare.

Everything was functional with two exceptions. The pothos plant in the corner, which had all the markings of a sister or mother in Zach’s life. She had trouble believing he’d gone out and bought it all by himself. Its presence had to be courtesy of a female relative because word on these streets was that Zach was not the kind of man to hang onto a girlfriend long enough for her to get him an office plant. 

The plant stood out. But the couch she circled back to even more so. She cringed but the thought was already planted in her mind and growing like a weed. Was this where he brought his bar conquests? What better place to pick up beautiful women than his bar? He could wine, dine and bed…well, couch…them all in the same building. 

She’d sat on it. Ugh.

He’d sat on it with her. Double bleurgh. 

You’re the first woman he’s brought back here. 

God. She was thankful He was the first to break the silence between them. It had been so odd spending the day so distant from Him. Then what He’d said fully sank in.

But the plant…

He did buy it himself. 

I shouldn’t have judged him.

No, you shouldn’t have.

I’m sorry. I’m the last one who should be judging anyone right now. Thanks for the save earlier. I know coming here wasn’t the best idea.

No, it wasn’t. 

That’s all You’re going to say to me?

You know what’s wrong and what’s right. 

I think I’d prefer it if You yelled at me or something. You being so nice is making me feel even more guilty.

Convicted is more like it. 

She placed her empty glass and bottle near the edge of the desk. It felt wrong doing so because the surface was so neat and tidy. Like everything else in the office. But she didn’t feel brave enough to go back out there where from the sound of things, the merrymaking was getting rowdier and rowdier. And if she did go out, there was no reason for her to return to the office or even linger in the bar. She’d have to go home. She’d have to leave Zach. Leaving a stranger she’d just met shouldn’t be a problem. But it was.

She stretched out on the couch. Will You tell me about him?

I want him to do the honours. 

Not fair. 

There’s more to him than his reputation.

Figured that out all by myself.

That’s all I can tell you for now.

Really?

Let this one slowly unfold, Hailey.

Why?

You’ll understand soon enough.

---

Zach trudged to his office feeling like the entire galaxy was hoisted on his shoulders all night. After he left Hailey, he dealt nonstop with customers and sorting through one inventory issue after another. Cliff was a complete no-show and from the discrepancies Zach found in their inventory, the man had a lot of explaining to do. 

He planned on taking a quick break to check in on Hailey but by the time he came up for air, it was time to close up. For all he knew, she’d gotten tired of waiting and taken off. Not that he’d blame her. Tonight hadn’t been an ideal experience for a first time customer. It would probably be best if he found her gone. If she’d burrowed her way into his heart this much after only a few hours around her, he wasn’t sure being around her any longer was smart. More so for her sake, than his. 

He was a man with a reputation. Whether it was good or bad depended on who you spoke to. After being Mr. Popular for so many years, he was exhausted right down to his soul. The past couple of months had proven more difficult than he’d imagined. He cut off the booze and the women, which only made it painfully apparent how much he’d used them to fill the voids in his life. Without the distractions, he was forced to take a long, hard look at the man he was. And he didn’t like what he saw. 

Don’t hate the player, hate the game. He’d said it to more than one woman crushed when he moved on once he got what he wanted from her. It wasn’t like he hadn’t warned them he didn’t play for keeps. The women loved him when he was pursuing them but he couldn’t always end things amicably. He tried his best though. Burned bridges were not ideal to him and he wasn’t going to move from one fling to the next without making it clear to all involved when one ended and the next began.

Don’t hate the player, hate the game. He’d said it to more than one man who gave props to his game. For all his philandering ways, he wasn’t one to kiss and tell. The women did that for him and one way or another it got back to the guys who came calling on him. Demanding he lays off a woman they were interested in, or soliciting help to up their game to score one for keeps. Every so often he was unwittingly roped into a wingman when a guy brought his date to the bar to meet his cool “buddy”. Unless the guy was an exceptional douchebag, he played along and made bank. 

Don’t hate the player, hate the game. He’d said it like a mantra to himself. In the moments in between women and drinks when doubt would try and creep in. For a long time, it had worked. Until it hadn’t. 

Now, he hated his player ways and loathed the game. He was going to hit 30 in a couple of months and he was determined to ensure that the next three decades of his life were nothing like his first three. There was a lot he was proud of. But there was so much he was ashamed of too. He was a master of the game alright. Too bad he’d mastered the wrong game. 

Shaking off the melancholy, he opened his door and saw Hailey curled up on his sofa fast asleep. In that moment, he rescinded every notion of not wanting to find her there. He drew closer and watched her for a few minutes. He couldn’t help it. 

He sat on the edge and gently roused her from slumber. It took a few seconds for the sleep induced confusion to clear from her eyes then she sat up. 

“What time is it?” she asked groggily.

“2.30. Everyone just left. I’m about to close up and head out.”

“Drats. My sister is going to kill me. I hadn’t planned on being out this late.” She rifled through her clutch for her phone and sent out a quick text assuring Harriet she was still alive and in one piece. 

“Can I get you a cab to take you home?” 

A flicker of fear passed across her eyes.

“What?”

“My sister got kidnapped from a cab…”

Zach’s eyebrows shot up. 

“Long story…”

“…That I need to hear one of these days…”

“Yeah, we’ll need a whole day for that one. But I kinda prefer to stay out of cabs if I can now.”

“How were you planning to get home?”

She winced.“I hadn’t thought that far. My sister and I don’t live too far from here. Worst case scenario I’d have called a cab, and her, and rambled on about nothing until I got home. ”

“I can drop you off.”

“Are you sure?”

“I offered, didn’t I?” 

“I see what you did there.” She remembered her earlier response to him. 

He finished locking up and they walked over to the deserted parking lot. The only form of transportation in sight was a motorcycle. It looked nothing like the boda boda ones she took from time to time. More like the Harley Davidson her action heroes loved to ride. 

“Lemme guess. Never been on a bike either.”

She shook her head pensively. 

“Sorry. This is the only set of wheels I have here. We can always call a cab, I go with you, drop you off and come back here for my bike.”

“No. That’s too much trouble. And it’s pretty late. I’m willing to ride with you.”

He looked at her. She was hesitant to get on the bike. “You’re not. Not entirely. What still has you scared?”

“How do I know I’m safe with you?” She knew it sounded silly for her to ask this now when the night was ending rather than when they had first met. But being together in a bar full of people and going alone on a bike ride with a guy she’d just met were worlds apart. She’d already tapped out her risk appetite for the year by coming here. 

Zach took out his wallet and pulled out his ID. “Take a photo of this and send it to your sister. That way she’ll know who’s head to come for if you don’t make it home in one piece.”

As she did, he took off his leather jacket. She was wearing her own but it was a chilly night and hers wouldn’t do much to keep her warm once they got going. He placed it on her shoulders and it dwarfed her once she put her arms in. Helmet’s in place, they rode in a comfortable silence punctuated by the low hum of the bike’s engine. It was over all too soon when they pulled up outside Hailey’s home. 

Zach immediately recognized Harry’s house. The man was a neighbourhood legend. So were his daughters. A man like him had no business with one of Harry’s girls. He already knew Hailey was out of his league but her being Harry’s daughter put her in another universe altogether. Just being seen with him could taint her reputation in ways she was too trusting to realize. 

Hailey got off the bike and handed back the helmet and the jacket. Zach didn’t seem pleased and she wasn’t sure why. Neither of them had said or done anything since they left the bar. 

“We never got to finish our conversation.” She was stalling. She knew it. He probably did too. She didn’t care. Anything to get a few more minutes with him. 

“No, we didn’t.” It’s for the best. “You know where to find to me.” You’re better off without me.

She nodded and walked up to her gate.  

“Hailey,” he called. “I meant what I said.” 

She looked at him puzzled.

“You deserve a man who will never let you go.”

Her eyes lit up and his softened. She smiled at him and turned back to the gate.

Are you that man? Hailey wondered as she unlocked the gate and made her way to the house. She listened to bike drive off before she entered. 

Is he that man? 

God didn’t respond but it was worth a shot.

I wish I could be that man, Zach thought as he rode off. There was too much baggage to sort through before he could become romantically involved with a woman again. Things were different now. He was different. At least, he was trying to be. But Hailey deserved far more than he had to offer even on his best day. 

It was a bitter pill to swallow. The truth he couldn’t escape. 

He needed to let her go.

This edition of Telios Chapters is an excerpt from Numbers Girl By Mary Kamau.

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