Free Compass by Jeanne McDonald

“Sure.”
    Taking her credit card, Chad placed it by the register and started back to cleaning the bar.
    Alexis picked up her wine glass, and carted it along with her luggage over to an empty table. She sat down, positioning herself with her back against a wall so she could see the entrance. Her legs bounced with anticipation for Ryan to arrive. Nervous energy coursed through her. The urge to jump up from her seat and start pacing the floor was almost overwhelming. To stop from making a fool out of herself, she dug into her pocket and extracted her cell phone.
    She’d promised her mother a text when she arrived. She typed out a message, unable to contain her smile as she relayed the news to her mother.
 
Touched down in Dallas. You’ll never believe who I ran into. Ryan Fisher. Call you later when I’m settled in. Love you.
 
    She decided it was probably best not to inform her mother about her father’s abandonment, again. Her mother didn’t need to worry about her being alone in a new city without transportation. Only two days. That was all she had to wait before her car would arrive. It was being hauled across the country with the rest of her belongings. When her mother wanted to buy her that car, she thought the woman had lost her mind. She’d never needed a vehicle in New York. Mass transportation had more than taken care of her needs. Now, she understood. It was her ticket to freedom and independence.
    The entrance door opened and Alexis’ eyes shot up but her heart sank when she realized the newcomer wasn’t Ryan. She lifted the glass to her lips, taking a sip of her wine, which sloshed around with the rhythm of her bouncing knees.
    “Is this seat taken?”
    Alexis’ eyes darted up to find Ryan standing in front of her with his hat tucked under his arm and his uniform jacket hanging by the hook of his finger, draped over his shoulder. She forced down the mouthful of alcohol, trying not to choke. The liquid felt like it expanded in her throat, causing her to almost gasp for air. It landed hard in her stomach, rattling the butterflies that resided there.
    “Well,” she rasped, placing her glass on the flat surface. “I was waiting for someone.”
    Ryan tossed his hat on the table and hung his jacket on the back of the chair. A cocky smile plastered across his face. “Lucky for me, I beat him here.” He opened his arms to her, his brows lifted in expectation. “You going to leave a guy hanging here?”
    Alexis bounced from her seat and met his embrace. She closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of his cologne. It was new, yet familiar. She’d caught the scent during their hug on the plane, but here, now, it engulfed her. Sandalwood, musky, with a hint of citrus. She’d determined in herself to find out what the name of his cologne was, because it just became her favorite scent in the world.
    Her fingers gripped the back of his shirt and they swayed, holding tight to each other. His nose buried in her hair and his hands rested against the small of her back. This felt good. It felt right. “I still can’t believe it’s you,” she whispered. “I dreamt about you last night.”
    Ryan pulled back, his eyes bouncing. “Really? What kind of dream?”
    Alexis wiggled from his grasp, smacking his chest. “You dirty dog, you. Not that kind of dream!”
    Ryan released a hardy laugh. He stepped around her, and pulled out her chair, as Chad arrived with a fresh drink for Alexis and a cold beer for Ryan. Alexis seemed surprised by Chad’s sudden appearance and disappearance as she accepted her seat. Ryan dropped down in the chair beside her, pulling it up to the table. He leaned forward with his beer placed between both hands. “So, tell me. What did you dream about?”
    A light blush painted her cheeks. She took a sip of her fresh wine, searching for the words. “While I was packing, I found our old year book. It made me think back to our last day together,” she muttered against the rim.
    “It makes