Honey

by Tammy Lewis

  Do you realise that neighbourhood is one of the most

  dangerous places in this entire city.”

  Nodding, I replied, “yes, I know. But are you forgetting where

  we hang out?”

  Only for Marcus to become more infuriated with my answer,

  yelling once more, he asked “when I take you over to the bar,

  has anyone even looked at you the wrong way, threatened

  your life in any way? So, tell me Dom’, what was the sole

  purpose of this visit, was he trying to get you both killed?”

  Shaking my head at his ridiculous suggestion, I replied,

  casually, “no Marcus, it’s where Quinn grew up, he wanted to

  show me where he came from.”

  Watching Marcus hit a new level of angry, he yelled, “bullshit!

  There is no way that he came from there. He was born with a

  silver spoon in his mouth, I know it. He’s nothing like me, he

  wasn’t raised in the streets.”

  Sure, that Marcus couldn’t bear the thought that Quinn and he, had grown up in the same settings, at different ends of our

  great city.

  Glaring furiously into space, shaking his head, Marcus

  remained seated. Then breaking his silence, he asked, “what

  did he take you to meet his family or something?”

  Shaking my head, I replied, “his family no longer live there,

  his sister, husband and their mother live in Maine, we were

  there to check in on the youth centre that his charity

  supports.”

  Watching Marcus take all of my words in, I sat there

  confused, wondering why he was taking all of this so hard.

  Walking over and sitting down next to him on the couch,

  placing my head on to his shoulder. I sighed, glancing up at

  him in the corner of my eye, I suggested, “I know that you had

  a really tough time growing up, you’ve been through hell and

  back, but just look at where you are now. I bet his life has

  been a breeze compared to yours, but honey you may be more

  alike than what you think.”

  Feeling Marcus pull me into him at force, in some kind of

  slightly protective manner. Resting his head upon mine, he

  asked, “do you really have to hang out with him Dom’? Aren’t

  there any other guys out there, anyone but him.”

  Holding his huge hand tightly, I sighed, almost pouting I

  replied, “but I think I like this one.”

  Feeling Marcus’s lips, press themselves forcefully on to my

  forehead, he suggested, “let’s just hope that it’s a passing faze

  honey. I really don’t like him.”

  Then curiously, with my eyes focused on to the tv, I asked,

  “Marcus, have you ever liked any of the guys that I have

  dated?”

  Only for him to reply, “no honey, your taste in men is worse than my taste in women. The guys that you date suck!”

  A few days later, arriving at work, we were instantly called

  into a board meeting. With our boss looking excited, yet

  equally agitated. She demanded that we all be seated around

  the table of the conference room, almost expecting the worst,

  sensing our boss’s tone change.

  Almost screeching, she explained, “the governor is having a

  ball this Saturday, I want us all to be in attendance, you all get

  to bring a plus one. But there is a catch, in order to promote

  our models, each of you will be accompanying one.”

  Feeling alarmed, wanting to scream, waiting for her to finish,

  I asked “sorry boss, but how do we decide who takes whom?”

  Watching her face light up before me, she smiled and replied,

  “I am so glad that you asked that question Miss Stone, I have

  paired each of you off with the person, that I believe would be

  most beneficial. You all need to resemble an actual couple,

  while advertising what our agency has to offer.”

  Placing a list on to the table before her, she called over to

  Marcus, as head of our security, you get to take Ellie.”

  I smiled, watching Marcus’s face illuminate, knowing that he

  had a little soft spot for our fair skinned, red headed siren.

  “Domini, you will be accompanying Jarred, and…”

  And that was the last words that I was to hear her say, as the

  world stopped turning and I fell into an abyss. I could not

  believe my ears, ‘anyone but Jarred’, I thought to myself.

  With Jarred being the one and only person, at work, that I

  had ever had a one-night stand with and now we were to

  pretend that we were dates for the evening. I often struggled

  to even make eye contact with him over at the water cooler.

  ‘How on earth was I going to be able to spend the whole evening in his company?’ I began to contemplate.

  Returning to my office, accompanied by Marcus, leaving me

  at my office door, hugging me tightly, feeling his lips press on

  to my forehead. He urged, “don’t worry Dom’, Jarred isn’t the

  brightest spark. He probably can’t even remember your

  encounter, I bet there has been hundreds since you.”

  Unsure whether Marcus’s words made me feel any better or

  worse, I sulked, slouching down into my office chair. Pouting

  heavily, like a small child, I text Quinn: -

  “Can you come and kidnap me this Saturday?”

  Taking only seconds to return my message, Quinn replied: -

  “It’s not my usual line of work, but I guess I could consider a

  side line, as its for you. Are you still free this evening?”

  Replying, I text: -

  “Yeah, what time are you picking me up?”

  For him to reply: -

  “8.”

  Days later, wanting to throw myself off of the building. I stood

  in my midnight blue ball gown, at the mirror, moments away

  from screaming and throwing myself onto the floor, in an

  adolescent heap. Hearing Marcus answer the front door,

  welcoming both Ellie and Jarred into our home.

  Turning to see Marcus stood behind me, his whole face

  smiling back at me, unsure if his grin was due to the dilemma

  that I was to face this evening. Raising my eyebrow at him in

  contempt, I asked, “what’s wrong, do I have something on my

  face?”

  Only for Marcus to shake his head and reply, “no honey, it’s just that you look breath-taking. Jarred is a very lucky guy.”

  Thanking Marcus for his kind words, reaching up and

  straightening out his bow tie, feeling his lips grace my

  forehead, he asked, “honey, are you ready?”

  Nodding my head, gathering my hair and turning so that he

  could zip up my gown. Feeling his hand reach mine, giving

  me a reassuring smile, he took me by the hand and led me

  into the living room, where Ellie and Jarred were seated;

  waiting for us.

  Holding out his hand to shake mine, Jarred introduced

  himself, confused I looked over to Marcus, who was now

  forcing back laughter. Realising that Marcus had in fact been

  correct, Jarred hadn’t a clue who I was, seemingly I was just

  another invisible notch on his bedpost. Wanting this evening

  to end before it had even begun, I turned away from them all,

  taking a sip from a hip flask, hidden within my purse. Certain

  that the liquor would take the edge of this evening.
With

  Marcus deciding that it was time for us to leave, reluctantly I

  followed them, as we made our way over to the venue.

  Seated, waiting for my date to take my hand and lead me out

  of the limousine. I watched him stroll off towards the red

  carpet, forgetting that he even had a date. Lifting up my

  gown, I got out, then stood there before the red carpet,

  repositioning and tidying my dress, ready to take the grand

  carpet alone. Watching Jarred stop and pause for the

  camera’s, almost sure that he thought that he was on some

  grand catwalk somewhere. Rolling my eyes at his vulgar

  vanity, feeling someone’s presence beside me, and them hold

  out their arm, for me to take. Hearing the gentleman’s voice

  gush “why Ms Stone, don’t you look incredible this evening.”

  Looking up, to see Quinn stood there, in the finest tuxedo that money could buy. Linking his arm in mine, he whispered, “I

  had a big plan, I was going to swoop in and run away with

  you, but I thought that you may have needed a date instead.”

  Gesturing over to Jarred, I replied, “sorry to disappoint you

  Mr H, but I already have one.”

  Trying to hide his amusement, gesturing in front of us, trying

  not to point, he asked “the guy up front with the overly

  sculptured eyebrows?”

  Reluctantly nodding, feeling quite ashamed, I replied, “Yes!”

  Only for Quinn to ask, looking overly confused “but does he

  know that he’s your date?”

  Chapter 17

  Taking the grand staircase, lifting up my dress, noticing

  Marcus over at the bar with Ellie, watching us walking

  towards him. His face clearly filled with pure annoyance,

  grunting at me as we approached him, he asked “where is

  Jarred?”

  Pointing over at Jarred, chatting to another male model over

  in the corner, shifting his focus, I took Marcus’s Martini from

  his hand and knocked it back in one. Feeling Quinn lean into

  me, he whispered, “I think that your date may be gay.”

  Shaking my head, I replied “oh… hmm… nope, definitely not.”

  Raising his eyebrow at me, curious he asked “how can you be

  so sure?”

  Noticing that he could see right through my awkward

  reaction, reaching over, I took another drink from the bar,

  knocking it back in one.

  Hearing Quinn gasp and then ask “you’ve slept with him,

  haven’t you?”

  Turning to face him, scrunching up my entire face, noticing

  Marcus smirk in the corner of my eye, I replied “maybe… just

  a little bit. Though I’m pretty sure he can’t remember a single

  thing, I am just one of many. He just introduced himself to

  me, earlier, back at the apartment, as though we had never

  met before.”

  Cringing hard, Quinn replied “ooh… that must have hurt.”

  Shaking my head, trying to appear unscathed, I reached over

  to the bar for another drink. Lifting his hand to intercept

  mine, Quinn took the drink and downed it in one. While I

  stood there, glaring up at him, completely disbelieving what

  he had just gone and done. Smiling back at me in retaliation,

  Quinn stated “I can see that you are on a Domini mission this

  evening. Mission, let’s forget that this evening ever happened.

  But please promise me one thing, if you’re to use any

  condiments or spreads on me this evening, anything other

  than peanut butter would be grand.”

  Agreeing in succession, Marcus nodded. Hearing his date

  choke on her drink. Probably wondering what type of

  relationship, that the three of us shared.

  Watching our boss hover near us, as we all remained up at the

  bar. While I began to cringe, sure that a comment would be

  passed, concerning my new date. Greeting Quinn, ignoring

  everyone else, our boss Ms Hilary gushed, “oh Mr Hamilton, I

  had no idea that you were here. It’s so lovely to see you

  again.”

  Noticing her overly flirt with him, practically throwing herself at his feet. Feeling nauseous at her advances, I turned myself

  away. Sure, that a woman of her stature and age, should in no

  way be acting like some hormonal teen. Rolling my eyes at

  her every word, noticing Marcus squeeze his lips together,

  finding my reaction hilarious, while he tried his very best to

  contain his laughter.

  When the next thing that I heard was Ms Hilary say, “come

  with me Mr Hamilton, I have some people that I would like

  you to meet.”

  Watching Ms Hilary whisk Quinn away reluctantly, I stood

  gesturing to the bartender to fix me another drink. Leaning

  into me as I turned around, watching Quinn off in the

  distance, within a group of people that I vaguely knew.

  Marcus asked, “are you jealous Dom’?”

  Scrunching up my entire face, looking completely unfazed, I

  replied, “nope, not even a little bit.”

  Confused, Marcus laughed nervously, asking, “you sure Dom’,

  not even a tiny bit?”

  Feeling someone fill the empty space between myself and the

  bar, reaching for my arm, I heard a somewhat familiar voice

  ask, “would my date like to accompany me to the dance floor.”

  Turning to face Jarred, sure that I could not think of anything

  worse, Marcus chirped in, “of course she will.”

  Almost pushing me towards him.

  Reaching for my hand, without even waiting for a reply,

  Jarred whisked me over to the dance floor. Lifting my hand

  and placing it on to his shoulder, I did everything that I could

  to keep the space between us at a comfortable distance.

  Feeling him take my waist firmly and try to pull me in closer.

  Swiftly realising that I didn’t even know where to look, I felt

  his lips reach my ear, whispering, “do you want to stay at my apartment again, like last time. Or do you want to go back to

  your place?”

  Grinning so hard, feeling my whole face ache in some way,

  thinking out loud, I whispered “I knew it! I knew that you

  remembered me.”

  When instantly he replied, “of course I remember our night.

  Domini, you’re a hard woman to forget. You know what, I

  have measured all of my other encounters on our evening and

  nothing has ever come close.”

  Sure, that right now, my cheeks were burning red, breathing

  slowly, trying to catch my breath. I heard Quinn ask, “can I

  cut in?”

  Looking up, wondering just how long he’d been standing

  there and just how much he had heard. I cringed, hearing

  Jarred agree and begin to walk away.

  Taking me into his arms, feeling my whole body pushed up

  against his, holding me so much closer than Jarred had. His

  lips so close, almost touching my ear, Quinn whispered, “well

  Ms Stone, it would seem that despite what you initially

  thought, Jarred speaks very highly of your encounter.”

  Positive that I was nowhere near drunk enough for this

  conversation, resting my head on to his shoulder. It was then

  that I noticed the glare from my boss, standing at the other

  side of the dance floor. Peering do
wn at me in his arms, he

  whispered, “so are you going to take up his offer this evening?

  Or can I tempt you into something a little more

  sophisticated?”

  Ignoring his plea, to stay with him this evening, feeling the

  uncomfortable glares from both Ms Hilary and Marcus, I

  asked, “so what do you think is wrong with them both?”

  Feeling Quinn place his lips, next to my ear, almost touching my earlobe once more as he spoke, “isn’t it obvious. He wants

  you, and she wants me.”

  Breaking away and glaring up at him, frowning, I shook my

  head and replied, “she may want you. But I can assure you,

  Marcus and I, we are nothing but friends. Period!”

  Realising that he had hit a nerve and had crossed the line,

  trying to regain my calm, he apologised. Pulling me in close

  once more, he whispered into my ear, “but what does Domini

  want?”

  Glancing up at him, feeling my whole body become stiff in his

  arms, unable to form a single word. Leaning into me, feeling

  our lips almost touch. When suddenly we were rudely

  interrupted by Ms Hilary, arms folded, grinning at us both.

  Though sensing an abrupt tone within her voice, she snarled,

  “Domini, there is someone asking for you up at the bar.”

  Knowing exactly what she was playing at, positive that from

  this moment on, she was going to make my work life a living

  hell.

  Feeling Quinn take my hand, he suggested, “Domini honey,

  let’s go and get a drink.”

  Arriving at the bar, I commanded the bartender to line the

  length of the bar with shots. Wanting to do all that I could to

  remove every memory of this evening from my mind. Taking

  the first shot, feeling surrounded, I turned to face Ms Hilary,

  Quinn, Jarred, Marcus and Ellie. Instantly coming to the

  conclusion that, of them all, Jarred and Ms Hilary looked the

  least amused of the entire bunch.

  Taking my arm abruptly, Ms Hilary demanded, “Domini a

  word.”

  Pulling me off in the direction of the ladies’ bathroom. Inside, confused, I stood there bewildered, looking at her glare before

  me, with her hands firmly fixed on to her hips.

  “Are you going to tell me how long this thing, between you

  and Quinn has been going on?” She demanded to know.

  Sure, that even though she was my boss, my personal life was

  none of her business, yet unsure what this ‘thing’ was,