“Fine, then it won’t be my opinion you get.”
Phineas ended his statement with his fist connecting with the man’s once pretty face with such bone-crunching force I couldn’t help but cringe despite my desire to cheer him on. Holding his nose, the man stumbled backwards, trying to remain upright until his feet failed him and he fell to the floor.
“Mena,” Phineas said my name, snapping me back to reality. I looked up at him, noticing he was standing only mere inches from me, “I think we’d better get out of here.”
“And I think you should submit your application to the UFC ASAP.”
“Come on.” He led me off the dance floor to a dimmer part of the club, away from the steadily building commotion behind us. “Are you injured?” he asked, inspecting my arms.
“I’m fine,” I answered, looking down at my arm. “It’s just a little red. I’ll probably have a bruise, but not much else.”
In that moment, we both became acutely aware of our still-entwined hands. “I’m sorry,” he apologized, promptly pulling his hand away from mine.
“For what? Saving me from being accosted by that barbarian over there?” I shuddered at the thought of his hands roaming over my body. My veins suddenly felt like ice water was being pumped through them instead of blood. Was this what going into shock felt like?
“Mena, you’re shaking.” Concerned, Phineas shrugged off his suit coat and threw it over my shoulders. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”
“O-Okay.”
“Mena!” Jo appeared from the crowd. “Are you okay? I tried to get to you, but it’s hard to part a sea of people dry humping on the dance floor. As luck would have it, I am no Noah.” She looked from me to Phineas and back again.
“Jo, this is Phineas. Phineas, my roommate, Jo.”
“Holy shit, he doesn’t look like a Phineas, either.”
Phineas cocked his head, trying to process what that could possibly mean. “It’s nice to meet you, Jo, but I’m afraid we’re going to have to cut our meeting short.” I followed his gaze to the dance floor, where the man had gotten up and was beginning to look around, blood seeping from his broken nose. “Mena and I are going to get out of here.”
Jo returned her attention to me and Phineas’s coat around my shoulders. “It’s okay,” I assured her. “He’s already saved me once tonight.”
Jo nodded. “Okay. I’ll see you at home, then?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Have fun. Keep tube top girl away from my stuff.”
“Oh, she was a drag, so I ditched her for a redhead with a nose ring named Courtney.”
I rolled my eyes. “Only you. Be careful.”
“You too.” She looked from me to Phineas again. “Keep her safe, too-young-to-be-called Phineas.”
“You have my word.”
We hurried out of the club and ran down the sidewalk, until we were both comfortable that the coast was clear and that we were probably not being followed by the lumbering mouth-breather from the club.
“So, where are we going?” I asked.
“Not another club, that’s for sure.”
“You won’t hear any argument from me there.”
“That’s a first.”
Although he wasn’t directly looking at me, I could still make out a hint of a smile. “You know, I’ve just been through a pretty traumatic event, which pretty much obligates you not to be a dick to me.”
“A dick? I’m sorry, was I being a dick when I rescued you from said traumatic event?”
“See? Now you’re just bragging. What were you doing at the club, anyway?”
“A certain someone thought I should get out more, and I decided I would see what all the fuss was about. By the way, I’m convinced more than ever that my decision to remain indoors was the smart one.”
“What you’re saying is, by putting the idea into your head to get out more, I actually saved my own life?”
“Something like that.”
We stepped to the curb, where Phineas hailed a cab. “Do you mind telling me where we’re going?”
“I’m going to show you why staying in isn’t always a bad thing.” He opened the door to the back of the cab and motioned for me to get inside.
“That sounds like something a serial killer would say.”
Phineas sighed. “Just get in.”
I entered the cab and slid over for Phineas, listening to him give the driver an address in Long Island City.
“You don’t live in the office, after all.”
“You don’t seem too pleased by that.”
“Only because it would seem that I now owe Cheryl in accounting twenty bucks.”
“I’d be a little more sympathetic toward you if not for the fact you were betting against me.”
“I mean, can you blame me? You’re almost always there when I get into the office every morning and are pretty much always there when I leave at night.”
“To be fair, you’re usually five or ten minutes late every morning, so I may be getting there on time, for all you know.”
“You noticed that, huh?”
“Noticing things is kind of my job.” He paused, perhaps waiting for some sarcastic comment from me. When one wasn’t forthcoming, he spoke again, “But, when everyone else is running out the door at the end of the day, you’re still right there with me. That’s something I’ve also noticed.”
“That’s because I have nothing to go home to,” I said matter-of-factly. I felt Phineas’s eyes on me, silently questioning me, wanting me to continue my thought, but also not wanting to pry. “If I’m being honest, I give you grief for not having a social life, but since I’ve been here, the only person I’ve really connected with is Jo. Most of my life is in Virginia.” I looked over, meeting his stare.
“Peter?” he asked. I couldn’t be certain, but the inflection in his voice when he said Peter’s name made it almost seem like he wanted me to refute his question.
“Yes, and Elle and Luke, too.”
He nodded, processing what I told him. The gears were obviously turning in Phineas’s brain. His nose scrunched up and worry lines appeared on his forehead.
“But, I’m here in New York, doing work I’m passionate about. It’s my choice to be here. Not everyone gets to do the job they had in mind for themselves when they graduated from college. I’m living in one of the best cities in the world, and I’m successful.”
Phineas nodded, the smile returning to his face. “That you most certainly are.”
“If you tell anyone about our little breakthrough moment, I’m going to flat-out deny it.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
“Glad we’re on the same page.”
Unfamiliar streets began to appear outside of my window, though that wasn’t saying much. For me, pretty much everywhere outside of a five-mile radius of my apartment complex was unfamiliar territory, especially the more affluent parts.
“So,” Phineas began, “it’s officially the weekend. Aren’t you supposed to be jet-setting to Virginia or picking Peter up from the airport about now?”
“Not this weekend or, I guess, next weekend, either.” My stomach sank when I recalled my conversation with Peter earlier and the pervasive feeling that storm clouds were beginning to roll in.
“Mena, are you okay?”
“Wha—” I shook my head. “Yeah, I’m okay. It’s just that we arrange months ahead of time who’s going to visit whom, and sometimes it doesn’t work out. Peter has Jackson and other financial obligations that I just don’t have, so I expect there will be some months where I may make more than my fair share of scheduled trips to Virginia. And I’m fine with that, because the whole point is to be able to spend time with each other. This weekend, Jackson is playing soccer for a traveling soccer team. Incidentally, that kid is amazing on the field—great ball-handling skills. Probably gets it from his mother.”
Phineas chuckled. “It sounds like you and Jackson have gotten close, then?”
“I’d like to think I’m his dad’s cool girlfriend.”
“Naturally.”
“In any event, I knew this weekend was going to be a no-go. But then, right before I left for the club tonight, I received a call from Peter, and next weekend is a no-go, too. No explanation, just he can’t make it.”
“One of the things I’ve come to learn over the course of my thirty-eight years of life on this planet is that the only thing worrying accomplishes is making you even more worried.”
“That’s positively profound, Phin. May I call you Phin?”
“Not in front of anyone.”
“It’s a deal, Phin.”
“What I mean by that is, we spend too much of our time worried about things that never come to fruition. We work ourselves up, only to needlessly stress ourselves out. You forget I saw the way Peter looked at you at the bistro. He has a good explanation, you’ll see.”
“If you break out into a rendition of ‘Tomorrow’ from Annie, I swear I will jump out of this cab.
Phineas tilted is head up to see over the front seat. “Thankfully, our stop is coming up, just as surely as the sun is coming out tomorrow.” His lips curved upward into a tight smile, pleased with himself.
The cab pulled up to a high rise, containing what I believed were nothing short of luxury apartments. Phineas paid the cab driver and stepped out of the car, holding the door open for me. I slid across the back seat, taking his hand as helped me onto the sidewalk
“Good evening, Mr. Drake,” the aging doorman clad in a blue suit that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe greeted Phineas while also nodding at me in acknowledgment.
“Clarence, how’s your night been going so far?”
“Just beautiful, Mr. Drake. Thanks for asking.”
Phineas paused, looking over his shoulder at Clarence as he walked through the door. “And the wife?”
“Visiting her sister in Atlanta.”
“Ah, so you’re living it up like a single man for the weekend?”
Clarence laughed. “Something like that, sir. Too bad my definition of living it up is falling asleep in my recliner with a Hungry Man TV dinner on my lap and reruns of M*A*S*H on the television.”
“Clarence, Clarence, Clarence, we need to get you out more.”
“Look who’s talking,” I muttered, much to Phineas’s disdain. “You know,” I began, walking into the lobby next to him, “my apartment building has a doorman, too.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, he’s a homeless man named Gus … at least, that’s what we call him. Gus squats outside our building, carrying around a Styrofoam cup that houses his pet cricket. We think he may be schizophrenic. Occasionally, he’ll open the door for us … and also for people only visible to him. The last time he did it, Jo threw some change in his cup before remembering the cricket was in there. She thought she killed it and just about had a nervous breakdown, but all was well. The cricket managed to survive the great change monsoon of 2019.”
“That doesn’t sound very safe, at all.”
“Nah, it’s fine. Outside of Gus, the only sketchy people hovering around our building are the ones who Jo brings home, and— Holy shit, you have a bar in your apartment building!”
“And the raccoon has found a shiny object.” Phineas laughed. “Yes, I also have a restaurant in my building that serves great tilapia as well as a gym.”
“No wonder you never leave.”
I stared in wonderment at the expansive, modern chic atrium so high it appeared to be touching the stars themselves.
“Whoa, Mena, look out!” Phineas grabbed my arm, preventing me from walking into a column. “You know, most people look ahead and not directly up at the ceiling while walking.”
“Since when have I been most people?”
“You make a good point.”
“Is this what you wanted to show me? Because I’m sold. You have your own little community here. It’s a wonder you even come into the office.” As we approached the gym Phineas mentioned, I paused at the window. Even the building’s gym was massive, dwarfing the hole in the wall I used to frequent in my hometown in Ohio.
“Not in the slightest, but if you want to stand there and watch sweaty men working out the rest of the night, don’t let me stop you.”
“It’s tempting, but let’s carry on.”
I followed him to a row of elevators, where he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, removing a card which he then held in front of a sensor. One of the elevator doors opened, and he motioned for me to step inside. Once inside, I noticed him pressing the button for the roof, instead of one of the buttons for the floors.
“Taking me all the way to the top, eh?”
He smiled. “It’s the only place to be.”
The elevator began its ascent, moving slower than I would have guessed it would have, given the fast-paced lives the occupants in this building must lead. While it crept upward, I became grateful that it wasn’t made of glass, as I probably would have passed out, given how far up I knew we were climbing. Even gazing at the ceiling from the floor of the atrium had been enough to make my knees weak.
“So,” I began, leaning against the back wall of the elevator, “is it a habit of yours to bring strange women back to your luxury penthouse under the guise of showing them something they’ve never seen before?”
If he would have been drinking something, I’m certain he would have spat it out against the wall of the elevator. “No, actually. You’re the first. Well, the first since …” He trailed off, perhaps hoping I would let it go without making him finish his sentence. Apparently, he didn’t know me as well as he thought he did.
“Since?” I asked, raising my eyebrow.
“My ex-girlfriend. We broke up last year after two years together.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You opened up to me in the cab, I guess I should return the favor.” He put his hands in his pockets, leaning one hip against the side of the elevator car. “She couldn’t handle all the hours I put in at work. All the time alone. Honestly, I can’t say as I blame her.”
“Now I feel like a real asshole for all the grief I’ve been giving you.”
“Nah, don’t worry about it. You were right. I needed to start getting out there again. Hell, even Clarence was starting to give me crap. If you hadn’t been there with me tonight, he most likely would have said something to me about coming home alone again.”
“He probably thinks you’re Pretty-Womaning me.”
“I don’t follow.”
“Have you seen the movie Pretty Woman? It’s the one where Richard Gere basically buys Julia Roberts’s character for a week because, you know, she’s a hooker and all.”
“Is that even a thing?”
“Prostitution has always been a thing, Phin.”
“I know, but you don’t think …”
I gestured up and down my body, highlighting the dress that left little to the imagination, even with Phineas’s suit coat still draped around my shoulders. His eyes followed my hand down each curve, widening as though noticing for the first time how form-fitting the dress was.
“It would appear I may need to have a conversation with Clarence.”
With a screech, the door to the elevator slid open, and Phineas and I stepped out together.
“No worries. I’ll just make a sign that reads, Not A Prostitute and tape it to my boobs before I leave.”
A couple who had been waiting to board the elevator stopped mid-conversation to look me up and down, before their focus turned to Phineas.
“Hey, Mark. Hey, Lisa. Lovely evening, isn’t it?” he greeted them.
“Yes, it certainly is for fall,” Mark answered. A flummoxed Lisa concurred with a courteous nod.
“This is Mena. She works with me at my company.”
“Pleasure to meet you. Don’t worry, I’m definitely not a prostitute,” I greeted them, shaking first Mark’s hand, and then Lisa’s.
“
And on that note, have a good night.” Phineas bade them farewell, wrapping his arm around me and steering me away from the elevator.
Bewildered, Mark and Lisa looked from one another back to Phineas and me as we walked away, waving at them, laughing when the elevator door closed.
“Friends of yours?” I asked.
“God, no. I can’t stand those pretentious pricks. And after that exchange, perhaps they’ll quit knocking on my door to request donations to their various ridiculous charities, like Seeing Eye Dogs For Blind Penguins, for example.”
“I’ll have you know the plight of the blind penguin is quite the harrowing tale.”
“One of which I’ll never put a dime toward.”
“Heartless bastard.” My gaze drifted to his hand on my shoulder and back at him again.
“Oh. Sorry.” In the dim light available from the strands of fairy lights strung above us, I swore I saw his face flush just the slightest shade of crimson.
I stared in awe at the extravagance before me. In the middle of the rooftop paradise was a large pool, closed and covered for the season. Off to the side of the pool stood a bar, illuminated with blue and purple LED lights and still teeming with more people than I wanted to be around. Circling its perimeter, all-weather couches and furniture made to withstand the elements were arranged in clusters next to the frameless glass railing, designed to provide an unobstructed view of the city while keeping the rooftop’s visitors safely on the rooftop.
“Come on.” With a nod, Phineas motioned for me to follow him.
Despite the amount of people surrounding it, I was a little disappointed when he passed the bar in favor of a group of couches situated on the east side of the building, which remained relatively vacant, save for a few small groups of people here and there. In the middle of the seating area Phineas selected, a fire crackled in a glass fire pit, a welcome amenity. I held my hands over the pit, warming them. In spite of the unseasonably warm, early November weather, a slight chill had begun to take over with the arrival of nightfall. The chill wasn’t an uncomfortable one, just enough to cause a brief shiver to make its way up a person’s spine before their body could regulate itself.
“Mena,” Phineas called my name from where he stood in front of the glass railing.
When Stars Collide Page 13