Empty Me Out (The Liquid Series Book 1) Read online

  Cali and I exchanged the look of two mind readers: We can't just leave him here.

  Unsure how he'd react to our presence in his current state of upheaval, I took a deep breath and approached him slowly. But being the graceless creature that I am, my heels made contact with a long, narrow patch of ice, sliding my feet in opposite directions, nearly sending me awkwardly into the splits. I finished off the move by landing on my ass, cheeks kissing the cold cement beneath. I heard Cali trying to stifle her laughter from behind me.

  Mark looked up from the ground, no doubt curious who the klutz was, and when he saw that it was me, he rose to his feet. Wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his leather jacket, he unsteadily shuffled over, offering his hand to help me up.

  I didn't leave him hanging this time.

  When I put my hand in his, he somehow managed to pull me to my feet. I looked up, noticing how tall he was—easily a foot higher than my petite, five-foot-two-inch frame. "Thanks," I mumbled, embarrassed by my show of clumsiness.

  With a sad smile, he sighed. "Sorry about bein’ a dick." Now that he’d sobered somewhat, his douche-y attitude was gone, probably due to his recent purging episode. He seemed to consider something for a moment before continuing, "Maybe I could make it up to you some—" As an apparent wave of nausea cut him off, Mark leaned over, knees slightly bent, hands resting on his thighs, head hanging low.

  Calista piped up on my behalf. "The only way to make it up to her is to let her forget this night ever happened." When I shot her an angry look for her rudeness, her expression turned regretful. "Sorry. That was a bit harsh. I get really bitchy when I'm hungry."

  Mark chuckled weakly as he slowly straightened back up to look at me. Maybe Calista had a point and we should all try to forget about this night and put it behind us. And I knew I shouldn't care about Mark's feelings in all this, especially after his offensive actions at the bar, but... He just looked so sad and alone out on the sidewalk, coming down off his booze-induced stupor, with nobody to help him. Before giving myself a chance to rethink things, I stuck out my hand to Mark. "We were never officially introduced. My name is Kelsey...Kelsey O'Reilly." And then I shocked myself by adding, "And, yes, I'd like that...you making it up to me sometime."

  As a wide smile replaced his sad expression, he took my hand, but instead of shaking it, he brought it up to his mouth, softly brushing his lips across my knuckles. "Nice to meet you, Kelsey O'Reilly." The gesture was sweet, so I tried not to dwell on the fact that he’d tossed his cookies out of the same mouth that just touched my hand.

  Cali was looking at me like I had completely lost my mind, and maybe she was right. But I couldn't explain it. There was just something about Mark. I wasn’t exactly sure what, but…something.

  Then it dawned on me that he probably didn't have a way to get home. "Your friends leave you high and dry?" I asked in disbelief. I did not have a very high opinion of his friends right then. Mark, however, didn't seem the slightest bit pissed about it. "Yeah...I deserved it, though...you don't need to hear ’bout it."

  "Okay, if you say so." I wasn't sure what he meant, and I didn't want to appear nosy, so I dropped it. "Well, you can't just stay out here all night alone, and I can tell you feel like shit, so let me call you a cab so you can get home in one piece." Pulling my cell phone back out, I made the call without waiting for his answer.

  Looking a little green again, Mark ran his hands over his face before nodding. "Thanks, Kelsey. You're a sweetheart." When his cab pulled up a few minutes later, I stayed with him until he was safe inside. "You remember your address, right?" I asked innocently.

  "Yeah...I remember.” He looked a bit insulted. “I'm not that far gone." Waving me off, he closed the door to the cab, and I watched through the window as he slunk into the backseat. As the taxi pulled away from the curb, speeding off down the street and out of my line of vision, I just stood there, wondering where he lived, or how he was ever going to make things up to me...

  We’d never even gotten around to exchanging numbers.

  Cali walked over to me, draping her arm around my shoulders. "What a night, huh? Let's get out of here and see if we can salvage what's left of it." She had taken it upon herself to call us a cab while I’d dealt with Mark, and soon, we were on the road, headed back to my place.

  Chapter 2

  Five days later was lunch with my friends at our favorite café in Milton for a last hurrah of sorts—a time to cherish one final moment of bonding with my girlies before they headed back to college that weekend for the start of the spring semester. We were an eclectic bunch: Maia, a culinary arts major attending school in Rhode Island; Debra, a computer science enthusiast, fine-tuning her skills in New Hampshire; and Calista, my overambitious best friend, who was knockin’ ’em dead in Amherst, Massachusetts with a double major in theatre arts and psychology. And then of course, there was me, the lone commuter and business major, attending university in Boston. Even though I'd never regretted my decision to live my college experience from home, a part of me had always envied my friends and their independence. And I was going to miss them terribly.

  "Kels, you've got to promise to visit me this semester, okay?" Calista looked at me expectantly while chomping into her Monte Cristo sandwich.

  Debra jumped in. "Ooohhh, I wanna tag along too! Cali always has a way of finding the best parties...the best." With a sip of mocha late, she continued, "Remember that one last year at the frat house? Oh my God, I think I was drunk for three days straight!" She laughed boisterously.

  I rolled my eyes. "This is exactly why I avoid you all like the plague when you're at school." I picked at my turkey club, removing the tomatoes. "I just end up playing nurse maid and cleaning up puke."

  "Totally with you on that, Kels,” Maia chimed in. “I'm so over the partying scene." Lifting her empty iced tea glass, she signaled the waitress for a refill. "Been there. Done that. Bought the T-shirt." She winked at me—it was nice having someone else on my side.

  Calista shook her head exasperatedly as she swallowed another bite of her sandwich. "You only play nurse maid because you won't allow yourself to let loose." She gestured her hands toward me for emphasis. "If you'd just relax and not worry about things so much, you might actually surprise yourself by having fun." And to further entice me, she added, "There are so many hot guys I could introduce you to."

  The prospect of meeting someone sounded tempting, but college parties weren't exactly the best places to meet the type of guys I'd be interested in. With a shrug, I offered a compromise. "I promise I'll think about it, okay?" Maybe I could suck it up for one weekend...after all, she was my best friend and I hadn’t paid her a visit at campus since sophomore year.

  She smacked her hands down on the table in excitement. "That's my girl!" Obviously, she thought I would cave in, and…she was probably right.

  Maia tucked a lock of curly red hair behind her ear as she glanced over at me. "You're a glutton for punishment, my friend." With a sympathetic smile and fork in-hand, she stabbed at her Caesar salad.

  "Don't I know it?" I replied, popping a French fry into my mouth. "Cali is still trying to corrupt me. She's persistent, I'll give her that."

  "Aw, cut Cali some slack, would you people?" Debra defended. Focusing on me, she continued, "Kels, parties and out of control behavior are a rite-of-passage for college students." Deep in thought, her fingers played through her short, black, bobbed-cut hair. "Since you're always so cooped up at home, she just wants you to experience a little taste of that freedom and reckless abandon you've been missing out on."

  "Wow. That's deep," I remarked, but immediately regretted my snark when Debra's face fell flat. "Look, I'm sorry. I get it...I do." I turned to Cali. "You're having the time of your life out there in Amherst, and I know you want to share it with me." My expression now sincere, I continued, "And I appreciate that, I really do....but to be honest, that whole scene...I find it very...overwhelming."

  "Okay. Okay." Reaching across the table, Cali grabbed my hand. "I won't pressure you. You come visit only if it's what you want." After a deep inhale, she let out a long, drawn-out breath. "When I was younger, I guess I always imagined us doing the college thing together, you know? And yeah, I love attending school in Amherst and all the fun that goes along with it, but without you there...I don't know...it's not quite the same as I'd envisioned." Tears began to form in her eyes. "It's just that you're my best friend and...I miss you when I'm gone."

  My eyes watered at hearing her words. "I miss you too." I gave her hand a squeeze.

  "God, now you're making me cry!" Debra sniffled while digging through her purse for a tissue.

  The three of us then simultaneously turned toward Maia and burst into a fit of giggles when we noticed the tears streaming down her face. "What? I just love you guys, okay?" She laughed at herself as she wiped her fingers across her wet cheeks.

  "Well, aren't we just an emotional bunch." Smiling meaningfully at my friends, I threw some cash on the table to cover my portion of the check. After the others followed suit, we all rose to our feet, giving each other hugs of farewell.

  As we approached the exit, I was rifling through my purse, looking for my car keys, when I collided with a man's broad chest. "Kelsey O'Reilly," I heard from above.

  I lifted my chin to find Mark, the guy from the bar the other night, peering down at me. His smile was huge and white, perfect teeth gleaming. God, he looked good. The last time we saw each other, he was a little worse for wear, but today he looked like he’d walked straight out of a men's fashion catalog. In that pair of snug fitting black jeans and gray, V-neck wool sweater, I could really appreciate his masculine assets. Lean, yet muscular, his physique reminded me of a swimmer's build. Realizing my mouth was agape, I snapped it shut to feign
nonchalance.

  He touched my shoulder unexpectedly, giving me goose bumps. "Hey, I'm really glad I ran into you." Recalling our last encounter, he shook his head in embarrassment. "I was so stupid not to get your phone number last week." He let out an exasperated breath, blowing a tuft of black hair off of his forehead. "I guess I wasn't exactly thinking clearly that night."

  Surprising myself for being so forward, I replied, "Well, I could give it to you now." Then I paused for a moment. "Uh...if you want me to."

  "Yeah. Of course I do." With an enthusiastic nod, he took his cell phone out of his back pocket. As I gave Mark my number, he quickly entered it in before returning his gaze to me. It was the first time I'd seen his eyes properly focused, and they were warm, friendly…the color of caramel. "I look forward to making it up to you," he said with a grin.

  "Me too," I replied. Why did I suddenly have butterflies in my stomach?

  "Well...I guess I'll talk to you soon, then." Did Mark seem nervous now, too, or was that my imagination?

  He turned on his heel to notice Cali standing nearby. "Hi Calista. Nice to see you again," he said while beginning to maneuver through the crowd of customers waiting for tables. It impressed me that he remembered my best friend’s name this time. Approaching the cashier, Mark ordered a coffee to go, before briefly glancing over his shoulder to catch me staring. When he flashed me another megawatt smile, I felt the fluttering in my belly accelerate.

  Sensing two pairs of eyes burning holes into me, I turned to find Maia and Debra shooting me daggers, their glares making it clear they expected answers regarding my mystery man.

  I quickly left the café, not wanting to get into it with them in front of an audience, but they were hot on my trail as I walked the half-block to my parked car.

  "So, are you going to tell us about your gorgeous new friend, or do we have to beat it out of you?" Debra asked, standing with one hand on a hip, pretending to be offended at not hearing about Mark sooner. Maia looked more amused than anything. I noticed Cali exiting the café and headed toward us. She didn't look happy. I wondered if Mark said anything to upset her. When she caught up to us, I feared she would spill the beans about how we came to know Mark, but she remained surprisingly mum. In no mood to rehash the gory details of that night, I breathed a sigh of relief.

  After looking to Cali for confirmation that she was indeed going to keep quiet, I decided to buy myself some time with Debra and Maia. "I'll tell you...but not right now. It's a...long story."

  Dissatisfied with my answer, they jumped to their own conclusions and screamed in unison, "Holy shit, you like him!"

  Chapter 3

  The next day I rode The T—Boston’s subway system—to the university bookstore to buy the textbooks and study materials I needed for the final semester. It was hard to believe that in a few short months, I’d officially earn the title of College Graduate. Just the thought made me giddy.

  As I waited in line to pay for my things, the blaring AH-OOO-GA of my annoying, yet effective ring tone alerted me to an incoming call. Juggling my teetering tower of school supplies with one hand, I rummaged through my purse with the other, pulling the phone out just in time to catch the call before it went to voice mail.

  “H-hello?” A quick glance at the caller ID revealed an unfamiliar number, so my answer was tentative.

  “Hi. Kelsey? It’s Mark.”

  Just the sound of him resurrected the butterflies in my belly. “Hi.”

  "I was wondering if by chance you were free today?”

  At the hopeful tone in his voice, my heart rate picked up. “Well, I’m buying my school books right now, but I think I’m free later,” I replied.

  “Great! Can I take you to lunch?”

  I checked my watch to notice it was already after noon. “Oh…I’m not sure…I still have to take The T home from Boston and get ready.”

  “I can come pick you up. What school are you at?”

  “Bay Colony University.”

  “I’m actually not too far from you. I can be there in 20 minutes.”

  Panic set in at the thought of my grubby appearance. “I should really go home and change…”

  “I’m sure you look gorgeous. I’d really like to see you. I’ll meet you in twenty, okay?”

  He thought I was gorgeous? How could I refuse him? “Um…okay.”

  “Awesome.” I felt his smile over the phone. “See you then.”

  I hung up, made my way to the cashier, and paid for my stuff. Then I headed to the nearest ladies’ room to scrutinize my reflection in the mirror. Ugh—worse than I thought. I wasn’t wearing a drop of makeup, so I pinched my cheeks to give my complexion a rosier tint. There wasn’t much I could do about my outfit—a ratty, bleach-stained pink T-shirt, black hoodie, distressed blue jeans, and gray UGGs. Normally I wouldn’t care how presentable I looked, but today was an exception. Mark had only ever laid eyes on me twice, and on both occasions, I’d been dressed nicely, with my face done. I wondered if he’d even recognize me in my au naturale state. Removing my ponytail holder, I let my poker-straight brown hair fall loose to my shoulders in hopes of upping my game. I didn’t even have a brush with me, so I worked my fingers through it until satisfied. I wasn’t thrilled, but it would have to do.

  Once outside, I leaned against the building to wait, my heavy bag of school supplies at my feet. It occurred to me that I didn’t tell Mark specifically where the bookstore was, so I hoped he’d be able to find me. Five minutes later, an old, abused, black four-door sedan pulled up to the curb, looking as though it had ridden more than its share of miles. Emerging from the vehicle, Mark made his way over, leaning down to retrieve my bag from the ground and carry it for me.

  As he gazed down at me, a piece of his black hair hung lazily over one eye and I held back the impulse to reach up and move it out of the way for him. His expression was cheerful. “Hi Kelsey. You ready?” he asked.

  “Sure,” I said, smiling up at him.

  Following closely behind Mark, I took a deep, cleansing breath before exhaling slowly—an effort to calm my nerves. As I watched the man in front of me walking in fluid strides, it was near impossible to control my wandering eye, which seemed intent on observing his marvelous backside. I continued to take in the view in all of its denim-clad glory until we arrived at his car.

  As I reached for the passenger door handle, Mark gently shook his head in protest, letting me know he’d like to do the honors. I stood back, allowing him to open the door for me. He then waited to close it until I was comfortably settled inside with my seatbelt securely fastened. Such a gentleman.

  Mark got in on the driver’s side and turned to face me, flaunting a movie star smile before starting the car and pulling away from the curb. My heart was beating a mile a minute.

  “You look beautiful,” he said softly.

  My face instantly turned beet red at the compliment. “Thank you. Although I wish I was dressed a little nicer.”

  "I think you look perfect just the way you are.”

  His words melted my insides. “You look pretty nice yourself,” I said. Understatement of the year. Dressed casually in a tan, Henley shirt under a weathered, brown leather jacket, with dark blue jeans and brown loafers, he looked spectacular and I could hardly keep from staring.

  “Do you like hamburgers?” he asked. “I know a great place on Beacon Street.”

  My mouth watered. “Beefy Burger?” It was my favorite burger joint.

  “That’s the one,” he replied. “I take it you’ve eaten there before?”

  “Yeah. Their food is awesome,” I stated, growing more ravenous by the minute.

  “Cool. Looks like we already have something in common,” he grinned.

  “Yup,” I replied with a toothy smile.

  As Mark continued to drive, I turned my head to the passenger window, watching the city’s landscape whiz by as we settled into a comfortable silence. The rattle and hum of the car’s mature engine was strangely soothing, reminding me of the old jalopy in which my dad used to drive Mom and me when I was little. Although a happy memory, it made me realize how much I still missed my dad after all these years...