Free Inconsolable by Amanda Lanclos

flowing. This is what we both needed though. I realize nowthat I really do need help. Once I climb out of Carter’s car and then make my way to mine, I grab my phone and text Uncle Trey. I see a coffee shop a little ways down from the parking lot and decide I need to get some caffeine instead of Whiskey. I start to walk inthe door when a girl comes barreling into me.
    “Oh God! I’m so sorry!” 
    I look down into this pair of amazing hazel eyes.  She has a light dusting of freckles over her nose and cheeks and lashes that engulf her beautiful eyes.  Her hair is a darker shade of red than mine and I watch as a blush takes over her cheeks. It’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.
    “No, it’s my fault.  I apologize.  Can I buy you another drink?”   
    “Um. Sure,” she responds as she looks down. “I’m Anna,” she holds her hand out to me and I shake it. Anna, I like it.
    “Hi, I’m Blake.” I turn her around and put my hand on the small of her back and bring her to the counter to order her another drink since the other is laying on the ground outside.
    “I’ve never seen you around here.”
    “I live about two hours away. I’m here visiting a friend.”
    “Oh, well lucky friend.”
    Hmmm… is this woman jealous of the friend? “Yeah, his lady just broke up with him in a letter.” 
    “JAMESON?”
    “Um, yeah.” I look at her with a quizzical expression and she blushes.
    “Sorry, um,who are you?”
    “I’m Blake Johnson.”
    “Oh god! Wait, you’re the one Jameson saved?” 
    Okay, who the hell is this girl?   “Um, yeah. I am,” I respond and she gives me a sad smile.
    “I’m Anna Henderson.  Mary-Beth’s partner in crime.”  She gives me another smile and I know I am hooked.  I want to know more about this Anna Henderson. 
    “Well Anna, I’d like to take you out next time I come down.  Would that be okay with you?”   
    “Sure,” she says breathlessly. Great. She isn’t unaffected. I think I am going to enjoy my time with Anna. I walk her out the door and she smiles.
    “I’m going this way. I work across the street,” she points in the direction of Trendy Kuts and I laugh.
    “Hairdresser, should have known.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “Your hair, it’s styled perfectly. It’s beautiful,like you,” I chuckle as she blushes again.  I like her blush.  I will make it my goal to see that more often.
    “Goodbye Blake,” she sticks a card out towards me and I take it.  She walks off in the direction of the shop and I turn to head to the car. 
    ~~~~~~~~~~
    It’s been three weeks since I went to Hickory. I started seeing Savannah two weeks ago and it is actually really helping me cope more. I haven’t slept with anyone since running into Anna. I really like her and I want to change for her. Sleeping with womenwas exactly what Savannah pegged it. A coping mechanism that really wasn’t helping me. I was going to bars and drinking until I was numb, taking a woman home and fucking her until I couldn’t do anything but pass out from exhaustion. Now that I have Anna in the picture,all of that seems wrong. I still drink until I’m numb and smoke but I am trying to slow that down.
    “So, when was the last attack?” Savannah inquires as she holds her notebook.  That’s one thing I hate about coming here.  She has that damn notebook and it makes me feel like an experiment. 
“This morning,” I gulp and take a sip of the water she gave me before we came in.
    “What triggered it?”
    “Smelled smoke.”
    “What happened?”
    “I fell to the floor and crawled under the bed.  I felt like I was being suffocated from the inside.  Didn’t last as long this time though.  I was okay after fifteen minutes, then realized it was the neighbor outside burning leaves.” 
    “What did you feel after the spell?” She looks up at me overthe glasses she has onand writes something down. I find it hard to believe that Trey sits on this couch