When Art Falls

by Lorrain Allen

“Oh no, you poor foolish thing. You are absolutely clueless. Turn your attention back out the window.”

  My eyes scan the crowd of people. “What am I looking for?”

  “Do you see anyone dressed similarly to you at all?”

  “Well, not everyone can pull this off.” I rub my hands down my big bright orange polo shirt and loose-fitting cargo shorts.

  “Yep, including you. We’re going on a shopping spree as soon as possible.”

  “I can’t afford it.”

  “No worries. I’ll foot the bill. Pay me back when you can.”

  “You’ve already done more than enough for me.”

  I wouldn’t have been offered the health and physical education teacher position without the glowing recommendation she gave to the principal of Westbrook High School, who also happens to be her boyfriend’s sister. I’m taking on the responsibility of assistant track and field coach as well. I start in three weeks. The high school is almost an hour drive from the apartment. It took a while, but I finally graduated with a bachelor’s degree in the spring. Mom and I moved in with Dad’s mother after relocating back to Phoenix. I thought it was going to be a disaster since they never got along when my mom and dad were together, but they were cordial towards one another. By the time Sebastian was born, Dad had remarried. He chose to spend all his time and money on his new family, not offering me a cent for my college education—much to Mom’s and my grandmother’s dismay. I opted to take part-time classes at a nearby community college and worked to help my grandmother with monthly expenses so we wouldn’t be a financial burden on her. Mom felt useless and continued to apply for jobs, only to be terminated within a month from the few positions she was offered. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. The state wouldn’t approve free healthcare or public assistance for her, ruling she was fit to work.

  “It’s no problem, Cin—”

  “I’m not a charity case, so would you drop it already?”

  “Fine.”

  She’s only given me a reprieve. More than likely, she’ll bring up the subject again before the night is over.

  “We’re here,” Anneli says excitedly.

  Though I prefer to be home, her energy is starting to rub off on me. “Where is here?”

  She points at a building where a group of people have congregated outside. Above the entrance is a glowing red sign that reads Red’s Bar & Lounge. Anneli drives around until she spots an available parking space. I feel out of place as we walk towards the entrance. Everyone looks glamorous and I’m so dull. My wardrobe excludes sexy clothes. This outfit is the best I could come up with on such short notice. My white sandals are a bit dirty and outdated. I’m totally out of my element. I’m at least twenty pounds heavier than my high school days, finally giving me a little ass and the breasts I’ve always coveted, but I still can’t fit into any of Anneli’s clothes.

  As we walk through the crowded bar, Anneli waves at two men sitting at a round table in the distance.

  “You didn’t tell me Christian would be here.”

  They’ve been in a relationship for a little over a year. I’ve talked to him through video chat a few times if he happened to be around Anneli during our weekly call. Christian could be a male model with his blond hair, dark amber-colored eyes, and tan skin.

  “I may have mentioned we would be here tonight, and he invited himself. It is a free country.”

  “Who is that sitting at the table with him?”

  She clears her throat, looking as guilty as a toddler who’s just been caught rummaging in the cookie jar. “Just a friend.”

  “The same friend I told you not to set me up on a blind date with?”

  Christian and his friend have a successful pediatric practice together. Most women would jump at the chance to be introduced to a single handsome doctor, but I’m not interested in dating. I have too many goals I need to accomplish and finding love isn’t on the list.

  “Maybe.”

  “I told you no dates.”

  “It’s not a date. We’re a group of adults hanging out, pinky swear.”

  “I would like to snap your pinky in half.”

  “See? You’re violent because you need dick in your life.”

  “I’m not sure who’s worse, you or my mom.”

  “We want the best for you. Loosen up and live a little. I promise it won’t hurt. Also, I heard if you don’t use it, it’ll shrivel up and fall off. Now smile and put on your best sultry look.”

  Christian comes around the table, enveloping me in a tight hug and kissing my cheek. “Cin, it’s so nice to finally see you in person.”

  “Likewise.”

  “This is my friend, Adrian.”

  Adrian stands, holding out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  He’s sex on a stick—tall and muscular with piercing gray eyes. His shoulder-length jet-black hair is tied at the nape of his neck. I’m hyperaware I resemble a bum. I’m going to kill Anneli. I would’ve searched for something more appealing to wear had she fessed up about her plan.

  “It’s nice to meet you too, Adrian.”

  I sit in the chair he pulls out for me.

  “What can I get for you ladies?”

  “I’ll have a Long Island iced tea,” I answer.

  “Blue Motorcycle for me.” Anneli hated alcohol in high school, but the taste grew on her.

  “I’ll be right back.”

  “Isn’t he handsome?” Anneli gushes.

  “That’s beside the point. You tricked me.”

  “It’s not all her fault,” Christian chimes in. “Adrian has asked about you constantly ever since seeing a picture of you and Anneli at a track meet together. He really wanted an introduction, so I told him you’d be here tonight.”

  “Orders up,” Adrian announces, placing our drinks on the table.

  “Thank you. That was quick,” I say.

  “The bartender is a friend of mine.”

  “Christian, I need to talk to you in private about the thing,” Anneli says.

  “What thing?” he asks, confused.

  I narrow my eyes at her, knowing exactly what she’s about. I pinch her leg underneath the table, but she grasps my wrist and forces my hand away before dragging Christian from the table.

  Fucking asshole.

  “Are you enjoying Florida so far?” Adrian asks.

  “I’ve only been here for about twenty-four hours.”

  “Right.” He chuckles.

  “I’m sure I’ll love it. I needed a change of scenery.”

  “Whenever you’re ready to do some sightseeing, I’ll be your personal tour guide.”

  “I just might take you up on your offer.”

  “I’m counting on it.” His intense eyes roam over my face, like he wants to gobble me up.

  “Have you always lived here?” I ask to break the tension.

  “Born and raised.”

  “Where did you go to medical school?”

  “Johns Hopkins.”

  “Why come back?”

  “To be near family and accomplish my goal of opening a practice in the community where I grew up.”

  “Have you always wanted to be a pediatrician?”

  “No. I didn’t decide on a field of study until high school.”

  “What prompted your decision?”

  “I met some really cool underprivileged kids while mentoring at a Big Brothers program. I developed a strong bond with them and their families. That’s how I learned they were not receiving quality medical care. Christian and I never turn anyone away because of their inability to pay.”

  “You’re a bit of a philanthropist.”

  “It’s no big deal.”

  “Yeah, it is. What you and Christian are doing is amazing.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Is that a blush I see?” I tease.

  “Maybe.” He smiles.

  “What activities are you into?”

  “Volunteerism, I spend most Saturday mornings at
a nonprofit organization where children are taught to swim for free. You should bring your son one day. Anneli told me a little about him.”

  “Sebastian isn’t a strong swimmer, so he could use help honing his skills.”

  “How old is he?”

  “Seven.”

  “It’s a great program and parents can swim with their children.”

  “Awesome.”

  I’m happy I came out tonight after all, but still, I’ll wait awhile before taking him up on his offer.

  I glance around the large banquet hall, located inside the Falcon, at the wealthy and privileged as they socialize. I’m bored out of my fucking mind. It doesn’t hurt to show my face, since these bastards fatten my pockets. I’m attending a birthday party for the granddaughter of my grandfather’s friend. He continuously tries to play matchmaker the way he did with my father, but I’m never relinquishing my bachelor status. Marriage doesn’t benefit me. Sure, I fucked her. She’s a prime piece of ass, so of course I accepted her invitation for one night of sex. I have bitches lining up for the chance to fuck me. I’m definitely getting my dick sucked tonight.

  Josh sits at the table beside me. “I know what you’re thinking.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You’re wondering which one of these sexy-ass women will be sucking your stick tonight.”

  “That’s not hard to figure out. And stick?”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “I have a dick, not a stick. Compare your own dick to a scrawny stick.”

  “Not all sticks are skinny. In fact, some are thick and long.”

  “Shouldn’t you be out there sniffing out your next piece of ass?”

  “I already found her.” He nods towards a redhead.

  “Not bad.”

  “She’s a singer.”

  “I bet you’ll have her hitting high notes all night long.”

  “You know it. Who are you taking home?”

  “I haven’t chosen yet.”

  I never fuck any of the women I meet at the hotels. I’ve made that mistake before. Females are emotional, and I prefer my conquests to not make a scene for employees to gossip about when it’s time for them to go. They know all about my reputation. I don’t hide who I am. Women often have the misconception they can change me, but after fucking once, I lose interest. I don’t take my casual fucks to my mansion either. That’s my private sanctuary. I have an oceanfront penthouse in Brevard County specifically for my pleasure. I moved to Florida about two years ago to open this location. I fell in love with the state, so I chose to make it my permanent residence.

  “Trouble imminent.”

  I glance over and see the birthday girl approaching. Damn, I was hoping she’d be too busy with her friends to pay attention to me.

  “Hi, Art.”

  “Happy Birthday, Ava.”

  “Thank you. Did you buy me a gift?”

  “No.”

  Women expecting romance from me are in for a rude awakening. I’m incapable of offering them anything, except one night of dick. The one person I gave my heart to betrayed me. It still hurts like it was yesterday. After leaving North Carolina, I spiraled into a black abyss—instigating fights, drinking, using cocaine, and cutting again. Then my brother was born, becoming my salvation. I wanted to do better for him, so I went to rehab and got my shit together. Mason is five now. He looks just like our mother with his strawberry-blond curls and hazel eyes. I have no idea where I would be if it weren’t for him. Revenge against Cin receded to the back of my mind.

  “Are you up for a rendezvous later?”

  “No.”

  “Okay, maybe next time.”

  “Not likely.”

  Tears pool in her eyes before she flees.

  “Damn, man. That’s cold.” Josh laughs.

  “Ava knew what she was getting into.”

  “It’s her birthday. You could’ve made an exception just once in your controlled life.”

  “My rules are in place for a reason.”

  “You created the rules, which means you can break them.”

  “Your redhead is talking to another man. You better go stake your claim or you won’t be getting any of her fire crotch tonight.”

  “I’ll talk to you later.” He rushes from the table.

  Josh has been in Florida for the last three weeks for “cousin bonding” as he calls it. I hope he goes back to Vegas soon. He’s a real pain in the ass. Since Josh’s dream of football stardom was crushed due to his leg break, he chose to join the family business. Ricky was pissed since he assumed Josh would work with him on the sweet potato farm, but he refused. To ensure the successful expansion of the hotel chain, Josh and I decided to let go of the past. Besides, Cin is to blame for the events that transpired. I’m in charge of the Falcon hotels on the East Coast while Josh takes the lead on the West Coast. A few years ago, we opened the first international location in Paris. Since then, we’ve launched locations in Sydney, Rome, Dubai, and a few other places—boosting us to billionaire status. The old man oversees those operations. Some hotels are franchised, but we own most of them.

  My eyes scan over tonight’s pickings when the old man steps into my line of vision. He arrived in Orlando yesterday morning to make an appearance at the party. Thank God he’s going to Boston tomorrow evening. I can only handle him in small doses before I go the fuck off.

  “Arthur, what did you say to Ava? She’s in the restroom with her mother, crying her eyes out.”

  “I declined her invitation to fuck again. She’ll get over it.”

  “She’s a sweet girl. You should give her a real chance.”

  “If you think she’s so sweet, then you fuck her.”

  “How dare you?” he sputters.

  “Oh, I dare that and so much more.” I flash my teeth at him. “Get out of my way. I’m searching for my next fuck.”

  He stomps away.

  The ring tone I assigned to Mason blasts from my cell phone.

  “What’s going on, munchkin?”

  “When are you coming home?”

  I have sole physical and legal custody of my brother. My father died from a second stroke when Mason was two, liberating my mother from monthly allowances and leaving her a millionaire. She left Mason on my doorstep and moved abroad, which is fine by me, but I hate to see my little brother hurt. The older he gets, the more he asks about her. Mason has questions about his father too, but she hasn’t disclosed who he is.

  “Not until tomorrow.”

  “You promised to play video games with me.”

  “How about I give Ruby tomorrow off and we spend the entire day together?”

  “Promise?”

  “Scout’s honor. Happy now?”

  “Yes!”

  “Good. See you tomorrow.”

  “Okay.”

  I peer towards the crowd again, determined to choose a woman and leave within the next thirty minutes.

  It’s been two weeks since I started my position, and everything has been great. A few students were unruly, so the first couple days were a bit rough until it was made clear I’m not a pushover. I spend a quarter of each period teaching health in a classroom. The rest of the time is spent in the gym. My fellow teachers are friendly and helpful. Sebastian likes his new school and has made some friends. My mom walks him to the bus stop every morning and meets him there in the afternoons. Adrian and I have been on several dates. He’s simply amazing and has all the qualities I expect in a man, but I prefer to take things slow, which he’s agreed to. We’re meeting tomorrow morning for Sebastian’s first swim lesson.

  Anneli called me insane for staying after school on a Friday to grade papers and work on lesson plans. I glance at the clock hanging above the doorway. It’s nearly nine. I didn’t realize how late it was. I power off the laptop and gather my belongings before heading to the exit. Shit, it’s raining hard and I don’t have an umbrella. Even if I did, it probably wouldn’t do me any good in this heavy downpour. I’
ll need to be extra cautious driving home. I race across the parking lot towards my car, getting drenched in seconds. Switching on the windshield wipers provides little help.

  Twenty minutes later, my car begins to shake and sputter.

  “No, no, no, please don’t do this to me.”

  The piece of junk dies in the middle of the fucking exit ramp. I have no money for a tow truck, let alone repairs.

  “Piece of fucking shit.” I punch the steering wheel.

  I rummage through my bag in search of my cell phone. I can’t call Anneli. She’s working a twelve-hour shift tonight. Where is my cell phone? I dump the contents of my bag on the passenger seat when I fail to find the damn thing. It’s not here. Damn, I forgot to get it from the desk drawer.

  Fuck!

  I’m up shit creek without a damn paddle.

  Calm down. Freaking out is not going to help the situation.

  Being stranded on an exit ramp on a dark rainy night isn’t safe. Any motorist coming around the bend could hit my car, and I might be responsible for the accident. I turn on the emergency lights, then leave the car and walk up the ramp to flag down the next motorist who takes this exit. I’ll probably be sick as a dog by tomorrow for standing in the rain. It’s going to be a long night.

  I’m driving down the highway in my Aston Martin while Carrie—or is her name Cassie? I’ll just call her Brunette—slobs all over my dick. She’s definitely not a pro, but she’s getting the job done. When I turn on the exit ramp, a person appears out of nowhere, wildly flailing their arms.

  “Fuck!” I jerk the wheel, crashing into the guardrail.

  Brunette sits up, rubbing her face. “What happened?”

  “Stay here.” I put my dick in my pants before leaving the car in a rage.

  “Are you okay?” the stranger asks.

  “If you weren’t a woman, I’d beat the shit out of you!” I shout.

  “Fuck you, asshole! You would’ve seen me if you had been paying attention.”

  I can barely hear her through the torrential rain, and the headlights from my car reflecting off the pavement make visibility nonexistent.

  “What the fuck are you doing out here?”

  “It’s such a lovely fucking night I decided to take a stroll on the highway!”