by E. L. Todd
“It sucks disappointing your wife. It’s painful—physically painful.” Slade tossed the menu aside and waved down the waiter. “Shit, what do we have to do to get some service around here?”
“Chill,” I said. “We just walked in the door.”
“If I don’t get a beer in me, I’m going to dry up.” Slade continued to wave until someone came to our table.
“Give me two beers,” Slade said. “And the steak with potatoes. And throw in an ice cream sundae.”
The rest of us ordered and handed over our menus.
“Two beers?” Conrad asked.
“I don’t want to sit around and wait for the second one when I’m finished,” Slade explained.
“But then the beer is going to get hot,” Dee said.
“I’ll drink it fast,” Slade said.
“So, why can’t you have alcohol right now?” I asked.
“It hurts my sperm count,” Slade explained. “Which decreases the odds of me getting Trinity pregnant. I don’t see what the big deal is since I’m coming inside her day and night. Like she doesn’t have enough swimmers as it is.”
Conrad cringed. “Dude, censor yourself.”
“How?” Slade asked. “You’re asking me about knocking up my wife and I’m explaining.”
“So, you guys are really doing this?” I asked.
Slade’s eyes lit up in excitement when the beers were brought. “Yeah. The wife wore me down. It’s really important to her to have our kids when Skye has hers. She was really upset when I said no and was even a little depressed so I caved.”
Slade always caved when it came to Trinity. “But do you actually want kids?”
“I do,” Slade said. “I’d prefer to wait but…it is what it is.”
“You’ll be fine, Slade,” Dee said. “You can train them to be roadies for our band.”
Slade grinned. “Trinity would love that…”
Dee sat across the table from me, and she occasionally looked my way. I did everything I could to avoid her look. I couldn’t afford to give her the wrong idea. A girl like her must get hit on left and right.
When the food was brought, Slade practically inhaled it.
Conrad noticed his lack of table manners. “Does Trinity starve you too?”
“I just burn a lot of calories with all the fucking,” he explained. “Seriously, I haven’t been this sore since I started training in Krav Maga.”
“Again…censor your words,” Conrad warned.
“How’s it going with Lexie?” Slade asked. “Is she your wife yet?”
Conrad concentrated on his food as he ate. “Her parents are getting a divorce. Next time you’re around her, please be sensitive to the matter.”
“Oh…that’s so sad,” Dee said. “Sorry to hear that.”
“Thanks,” Conrad said. “She’ll get over it in a few weeks. Sometimes these things happen and you just have to get through it.”
“It’s weird,” Slade said as he chewed. “I couldn’t imagine my parents ever getting divorced.”
“Me neither,” I blurted.
Conrad shook his head. “I can’t picture it.”
“I can see you and Trinity getting a divorce.” I tried not to laugh at my own joke.
Slade stopped eating and gave me a frightening death look. He didn’t say anything, but his look was enough to make me cold.
“Kidding.” The tension was making me squirm.
“That’s not funny,” Slade said. “Don’t say that shit again.”
“I thought it was kind of funny…” Conrad shrugged.
“It’s not.” Slade returned to eating.
Dee smiled. “You’re really sweet, Slade.”
“I love my wife.” Slade spoke with his mouth full. “I don’t like it when people make jokes that imply I don’t.”
Dee picked at her salad but didn’t eat much of it. But she ate most of her fries and downed her beer faster than I did.
“So, Dee,” Conrad said. “What’s your story?”
“My story?” she asked with a smile.
“Yeah, are you from here?” Conrad asked.
“From this bar?” Dee teased.
“This city,” Conrad said. “New York. Is it your home?”
“It is,” she said. “I went away to college for a year but I dropped out.”
“I didn’t know that,” Slade said. “Where did you go?”
“MIT.” She kept eating like what she just said wasn’t a big deal.
“MIT?” I blurted. “As in, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology?”
“Yes. “She said it in a boring way. “I studied nuclear engineering.”
I couldn’t tell if she was joking or not.
Conrad stopped eating and his jaw hung. “Are you for real right now?”
“Why would I make it up?” she asked seriously.
“Why did you drop out?” Slade asked.
Dee shrugged. “I was bored.”
“You were bored?” I blurted. I didn’t mean to sound rude but it came out that way.
“Yeah, they recruited me to their school but I was pretty much bored the entire time.” She finished her fries then wiped her fingers on a napkin. “Their technology was impressive, and everything they have is state-of-the-art but it wasn’t for me.”
“Now I understand how you made your own app,” Slade said.
“An app?” I asked.
“I launched Rocket Radio about five years ago.” She downed her beer then moved onto her second one.
“Rocket Radio?” Conrad asked. “I still use that.”
“You made that?” I asked.
She nodded. “I took care of the business for the first two years but then Apple bought it from me. They offered me a lot of money so I sold it.”
It was so crazy that I couldn’t believe it. “Are you being serious right now?”
“Dude, why would she lie?” Slade asked.
“I’m not calling her a liar,” I snapped. “I’m just…really impressed.”
“I started the app for an experiment, and when it took off I saw it as an opportunity to retire. Now I teach music lessons part time at a music store and I play in Slade’s band. It’s nice being able to do things you want to do instead of working for a paycheck.”
Dee was pretty, sweet, and smart. But now she just skyrocketed to a whole new level. This girl was one cool chick.
“That’s…” Conrad couldn’t find the right words.
“Badass,” I finished for him.
“Really badass,” Slade said.
Dee blushed slightly. “Thanks…”
“I’ve been working for my dad’s company and I’ll be taking it over soon but…” Conrad paused as he took a bite of his sandwich. “But I didn’t build it from the ground up and neither did he. My grandfather did. It’s really amazing that you did that all on your own.”
“Well, my parents taught me well,” Dee said humbly.
“What do they do?” I asked.
“Dad is an inventor,” she said. “And Mom stays home. They’re both really intelligent people. Sometimes they struggle to interact with others because they’re socially inept.”
“You don’t seem to have that problem,” I said.
“Well, I am a little shy sometimes,” she said. “Especially on stage.”
“Which works out for me,” Slade said. “Otherwise, she would take my place and take over the band.”
“I’m sure Scotty and Razor wouldn’t mind that,” I teased.
Slade finished his last beer and eyed it. “I really want to get another one…but if Trinity finds out she’ll murder me.”
“Just don’t do it,” Conrad said. “She knows everything.”
“Good point.” Slade set his empty beer bottle down and didn’t order another. His phone went off in his pocket so he dug it out. “Speaking of the devil…” He took the call. “Hey, baby. I’m at dinner with the guys.”
“Excuse me,” Dee said.
&nbs
p; “Sorry,” Slade said. “And Dee.” He listened to Trinity’s response over the line. “Alright, I’ll leave right now.” He listened to her again. “Okay, okay. I’m leaving. Chill, baby.” There was another pause. “No, I haven’t been drinking.” He rolled his eyes. “Okay, fine. I had one beer. So sue me.” He listened to her response. “Okay, it was two beers. Shoot me.” He cringed as he heard her yell over the phone. “Calm the hell down! I’ll get you pregnant! Shit.” He hung up and left the booth. “I’ve got to get going. I’ll see you guys later.”
“Happy humping,” I said as I waved.
“Thanks.” He tossed the cash on the table then walked out.
Conrad eyed Dee and I before he shifted his weight awkwardly. “I should probably get going because Lexie…” He didn’t finish the sentence before he slid out of the booth. He was making it so obvious he wanted us to hit it off. “So…I’ll see you around.” He gave a curt nod before he walked out. He hadn’t even finished his food.
Dee looked like she was trying not to smile.
“Sorry about that…”
“They really think I’d be good for you, huh?”
I shouldn’t be surprised she figured it out. Since she was a super genius it shouldn’t be surprising. “Ignore them. That’s what I do.”
“Does it ever work?”
I chuckled. “No, I guess it doesn’t.”
She chuckled too, and it was a cute sound. “They seem like good guys. They’re just looking out for you.”
“Well, they need to stop playing match maker. They aren’t very good at it.”
“They aren’t?”
My eyes moved to hers and I tried to think of something to say. Her eyes were green like moss on the north side of trees. “Well…guys just want you to get laid. It’s not the same as when girls play match maker for their friends.”
“You’d be surprised.” She took another drink of her beer.
It was comfortable being around her but it was also tense at the same time. “Do you have any other ambitions other than music?”
“No.” She said it plainly and with no emotion. “Sometimes you know exactly where you belong in the world. It’s as clear as a cloudless day. You know what you’re meant to do and that’s the end of the story. That’s how I feel about music. It’s just right.”
“That’s great.”
“I know a lot of people struggle to find what they’re good at or what they’re passionate about. That’s never been an issue for me. Some people think I’m a bum who dropped out of school. But I don’t bother correcting them. You learn who your real friends are when they think you’re a nobody.”
I nodded. “That’s a good point.”
“What about you? Is that how you feel about martial arts?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Were you bullied as a child?”
“No…I guess I liked to do the bullying.” I wasn’t proud of it but I didn’t want to lie about it either. “I liked being strong and in charge. It made me feel invincible. Now I teach self-defense to people who feel weak and helpless. It’s a good cycle.”
“My brother taught me a few things,” she said. “But he’s no martial arts instructor.”
“I can always teach you a few things…if you’re interested.”
“Thanks.” She didn’t press me on it further. Her eyes moved out the window and she watched the people pass. Her skin was pale like she was hardly outside, but it had a distinct beauty to it. I wondered if her skin felt cold.
“Have you ever wanted to learn an instrument?”
I leaned back against the booth. “When I was a kid I fantasized about being a rock star. But who didn’t?”
“And as a rock star, what did you play?” She had a smile on her lips like she was amused.
“The guitar—of course.”
“The guitar is actually my least favorite instrument to play.”
“Really?” I blurted. “Then why did you audition for the part for Slade’s band?”
“Because his band is the only one I’ve heard around here that actually has some musical talent.”
Her truthfulness was refreshing. She didn’t say anything in a mean way, but she was very honest. “So, you can play the drums?”
“Yes, it’s a lot of fun.”
“What about the piano?”
“Yep,” she said with a nod. “I can play that too.”
I tried to think of something really rare. “How about the tuba?”
She chuckled. “You caught me. I don’t know how to play that.”
“I’m sure you could figure it out.”
“If you gave me enough time.” She took another drink of her beer.
It was easy to talk to her. She didn’t have an edge to her like she did when we first met. She seemed to loosen up around Conrad and I. Slade probably put in a good word for us. “What do you do when you aren’t playing music? What’s your day like?”
“Well, I wake up whenever my body is ready to start the day. I have breakfast then head to the gym. Then I do pretty much whatever I want for the rest of the day. Of course, playing music is included in there.”
“Can you read sheet music?”
She nodded. “Pretty essential in the industry.”
“That’s cool.” I couldn’t just write down direction for kicks and flips and expect them to figure it out on their own. I had to physically show them.
“Slade has told me, more than once, that you’re a really cool guy. And it looks like he was right.”
I smiled slightly and felt on display. “Well, you know Slade…he’s a little crazy.”
“He is crazy. But that’s how he fuels his artistic genius. The fact his thoughts are so sporadic and he’s so raw allows him to channel great music. Sometimes I think he has ADHD but he utilizes it to his advantage.”
No one had ever referred to Slade as a genius before. “He definitely has ADHD.”
She chuckled. “But it allows him to focus intently on things he’s particularly interested in. If he doesn’t care about something, it’s impossible to get him to participate in it.”
“You talk about him like you’ve known him for years.”
She shrugged. “When you play music with someone you get to know them in away no one else ever does. Well, Trinity probably understands him in that way too, but it’s because she’s used to the music in his soul.” Sometimes she spoke like a hippie, but it was in a good way.
“Maybe I should make music. It would help you understand me.”
She gave me a slight smile. “It’s definitely the gateway to the soul.”
I still wasn’t ready for something serious and I couldn’t picture that day ever coming. I wasn’t even ready for something casual. I tried a one-night stand and that blew up in my face. I had nothing to offer Dee so I didn’t bother. But the more I talked to her, the more I wanted to get to know her. But how did I accomplish that while keeping my distance? “We’re having a campfire tomorrow night. Would you like to come?”
“A campfire?” she asked.
“My friend has a fire pit in her backyard. We’re going over there to roast marshmallows and make smores.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“Would you like to come?”
“Sure,” she said. “Why not?”
“Slade and Trinity will be there. They’re temporarily living at the house.”
“Sounds like fun.” It didn’t seem like she thought I was hitting on her. Her body language didn’t change and there wasn’t a hint of hesitance in her eyes. She understood I asked her as a friend—and nothing more.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Slade
Trinity found a place she was interested in buying. It was in the city and I wasn’t sure what to expect. She saw an ad in a magazine and made an appointment with the realtor to check it out.
When we approached the building, I checked the location. It was near the park and next to the old high school where all of us went. And it was
close to both of our jobs.
We got into the elevator then took it to the top floor.
I held Trinity’s hand and stared at her full lips. “There’s no yard.”
“I know,” she said with a sigh. “But you have to pick your battles.”
I hadn’t spent much time imagining my life as a family man, but I always assumed a yard would be involved.
Once the doors opened we headed down the hall then entered the apartment. The realtor was already there, her clipboard in hand. She wore a pantsuit with a scarf tied around her neck.
The second I walked inside, my eyes widened. The place was snazzy. It had hard wood floors, the walls were painted gray, and everything was covered in white trimming. All the walls were made of floor-to ceiling windows that overlooked the city. They were so clean I could see my reflection in the glass.
Fuck, this place was nice.
“I’m Pam.” She shook both of our hands. “And I’m here to show you around.”
Could we even afford this place?
“Great,” Trinity said. “We’re looking for a place to start our family.”
“Oh,” Pam said. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Trinity squeezed my hand in excitement.
“Well, let’s begin the tour.” Pam led us to the left where a hallway was. She showed us the master bedroom, and the place was sleek. It contained the same expansive windows, but they could be covered with a simple switch of a button. There was plenty of room, not like a typical New York apartment. The bathroom was enormous, bigger than most places I’d seen.
Seriously, could we afford this?
Pam took us down the hall and showed us the laundry room and the other bathroom. Both of them looked nice.
In the living room there was plenty of space, and the kitchen was large enough to have an island. The cabinets were made of white wood and it matched the other appliances.
This place was a dream.
I would love to live here. It was sick. But it would never happen. While the apartment was big enough for Trinity and I, our new editions to the family wouldn’t have anywhere to stay.
“Now I’ll show you upstairs,” Pam said.
Upstairs?
Since the apartment sat on the corner of the building, there was a whole other area I hadn’t noticed before. There was a fireplace around the side and a second living room. The staircase led to a whole new adventure.