by Love, B. T.
I smiled. Vin panicked.
“Oh, I’m so very sorry Mr. Falco.”
“It’s not me who you should be apologizing to.”
Vin turned his attention to me. “Uh, sorry Amber. I got a little caught up in the moment, if ya know what I mean.”
“It’s okay. I’ll take some spinach ravioli and a water.”
“Right away.” He spun around and left us alone once again.
“So,” Trent began, “how old are you?”
“Thirty-two. And you?”
“Thirty-eight. Have you been married before?”
“Engaged. But that obviously didn’t work out.”
“Why not?” he asked, leaning forward with interest.
“Well,” I sighed in thought, “lots of reasons. The main one was that he was controlling. He always had to know what I was doing, where I was going. I never understood why he was like that.”
“Well I can certainly see why; you are a very beautiful woman.”
“Thank you,” I smiled, feeling warm once again. “But, it was a little too much for me. And he wasn’t very supportive of things I wanted to do.”
“Like what?”
“Well, I used to get things for free or really cheap and flip them. And he just, I don’t know, was irritated by it.”
“Flip things?”
“Yeah. I would get like an old table or desk and repaint it or stain it. Sometimes my mom and I would work on projects together and once we got a lot of stuff acquired we would have a big yard sale in the summer and sell it all. We made good money, too. My ex hated it.”
“Hmm. He sounds like a prick.”
“He was,” I laughed.
Trent smiled. “Flippin’ furniture, huh? Your eyes lit up when you were talking about it. You must love doing it.”
“I do. In a perfect world I would open a little shop with stuff I refinished. I doubt a business like that would make much money, though. Not enough to make a living anyway.”
“You never know. People here look for that kind of stuff. It’s unique.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Wait a minute. Were we having a genuine conversation? I was surprised by how easily we flowed into conversing like two normal people. Was I actually starting to feel comfortable with this man?
Vin rounded the wall of plants. “Here ya go,” he said, setting down my plate. “Will either of ya be needing anything else?”
“No thank you,” I said.
“No thanks,” Trent followed.
“Okay. Don’t hesitate to ask.”
Vin left and I picked up my fork. “You haven’t touched your food,” I pointed out. “I hope it hasn’t gotten cold.”
“A gentleman doesn’t eat his meal when a woman hasn’t received hers yet,” he said with a pleasant smile as he took his fork in his hand. “Now let’s try this out.” He forked a shrimp and put it in his mouth. After a few chews he nodded. “Very good.”
My eyebrows lifted with surprise. “Really? But it’s so spicy.”
“Yeah, but I like it spicy,” he said with a wink.
I about melted into my seat. God, he was just so sexy.
“Well, I’m glad you like it,” I told him honestly.
He finished another bite and then turned his attention back to our conversation. “So,” he continued, “you were saying you liked flippin’ furniture and stuff. Have you done anything recently?”
“No, not yet. But I just found a couple of matching end tables that were thrown out in an alley a few blocks away from my apartment. I was so excited when I saw them; they were in pretty decent shape. I’m getting ready to flip those soon.”
“And what’s your plan with them? Are you gonna paint them or something?”
“Well, I was thinking of sanding them down and seeing what the wood looks like. If it’s nice I might stain them purple.”
“Purple?”
“Yeah,” I smiled. “I like funky colors.”
“I can tell,” he laughed. “But purple’s nice; I like purple.”
A few moments of silence passed and we ate some more of our food. He was really starting to spark my interest and I actually wanted to learn more about him, to see if it were true that he was a good guy. After all, I didn’t really believe any of that mob boss nonsense anyway.
“And what about you?” I asked. “You’ve been married, right?”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “In my younger years I married a nice young woman and we were happy. But then I got deeper into the family business and it was a little too much for her to handle. I don’t blame her for leaving.”
“She left you, not the other way around?”
He wiped his mouth with his cloth napkin and smiled behind it. “Contrary to popular belief, it is possible for a woman to leave me.”
“And make it out alive,” I joked.
“Yes,” he laughed. “And make it out alive.”
“And you had a serious girlfriend a while back, is that right?”
“More people talkin’ about me, huh?” he smiled.
“You’re a popular topic of conversation, Mr. Falco,” I teased him.
“Don’t I know it. And yes, I was with someone for a while but I left her.”
I brought my glass of water to my lips. “And did she make it out alive?” I joked again before taking a sip.
Trent’s face hardened. “No. No she didn’t.”
My glass almost slipped through my fingers as I brought it away from the openness of my shocked mouth. “You, you killed her?” I whispered, the blood draining from my face.
Trent laughed and clapped his hands together with amusement. “Are you kiddin’ me? You have got to be kiddin’ me. You honestly think I killed her?”
I breathed out a heavy sigh of relief and realized that I was in fact still afraid of him. Maybe I did believe in the mob boss stuff. “Thank goodness,” I said. “You really had me going there.”
After a moment his laughter subsided. “Ah, that was pretty funny. Nah, I didn’t kill her; I hired someone else to do it . . .”
My eyes narrowed as he waited patiently for my response. “Oh, ha-ha,” I said.
He grinned and shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I couldn’t get you twice in a row, huh? I almost had you though, almost.”
“Trent Falco,” I said pleasantly with a shake of my head. “Handsome and a sense of humor? Amazing.”
“Handsome?” he said happily. “Well well, now the truth’s coming out. You don’t hate me so much after all.”
“Oh I can still hate you and think you’re handsome,” I smiled.
He sat back in his seat and his arms flowed back into the position I liked so much. “Touché, Miss Amber; touché.”
I looked down at my empty plate. “Well, you got your wish and had dinner with me. I fully accept your apology and now your debt has been paid.”
“I’m glad you got to see me in a different light. See, I’m not all that bad.”
I looked up at him and smiled. “No, you’re not.” Looking over at the wide wall of windows beside us I sighed at the dark. “We’ve been talking a while now; I didn’t realize how dark it’s gotten outside. I better get home before too late.”
I stood up from my chair and Trent stood with me. “Well, thank you again for having dinner with me against your will,” he joked. He seemed like he wanted to say more, but instead he ran his hand through his thick head of hair and then stuck both hands in the pockets of his slacks.
“You’re welcome, Trent.”
“Trent. I like that. No more of that Mr. Falco business with you, okay?”
“If that’s what you wish,” I smiled.
His eyes sparkled and he looked down for a second, his face warmed by a pleasant smile. “Yeah, well, drive carefully tonight.”
“Oh, I uh, don’t have a car. I’ll probably walk home.”
“Walk home?” he asked, his head snapping back up. “In this neighborhood? I don’t think that’s a very good idea. Let me drive you.”
“Oh, no, Trent; it’s fine.”
“I insist.” He pushed in his chair and picked up his phone from the table. “Besides, you have to do whatever I ask when you’re in this restaurant, remember? Vin’s orders.”
There he was with that cocky grin that I loathed once again. That cocky grin that sent my blood boiling . . . in more ways than one.
Five
“That’s your car?” I asked, dumbfounded by the sight of the sparkly orange Bentley convertible in front of me.
“Yep. You like it?”
“How could I not? It’s beautiful.”
“You should see it in the sunlight.” He unlocked the passenger door and held it open for me. “Here you go, my lady.”
“Thanks,” I laughed, sitting down on the most expensive seat I had ever sat on in my life.
He shut my door and went around to his side, getting in and sitting down smoothly in his seat. “This is my fun ride. I have others.”
“That’s cool,” I said without interest.
He turned in his seat to face me. “That little fact about me doesn’t impress you?”
“No,” I shrugged. “Not really. I’m not a gold digger.” I pulled the seatbelt across my chest and slid it into the lock. “Did you buy this with drug money?”
“What?” he asked in disbelief, looking over at me with a surprised smile. “Did you really just ask me that?”
Uh oh. “I, I’m sorry. I heard you handle business for your grandpa and I also heard that he’s involved with drugs.”
While keeping his eyes on me he slid the key into the ignition and bought the engine to life. “What other kinds of business have you heard my family is involved in?”
“Illegal gambling . . .”
“Hmm,” he said, looking back to the road. “Well, where’s home?” he asked, dismissing our conversation.
I breathed out, releasing the nervous breath I was harboring. “Straight that way. Then left two blocks down.”
He pulled onto the street and drove us along the darkened streets with the top down on his pricey convertible. The air was crisp and it stung my nose but it was refreshing. I directed him down each street and even pointed out the alley where I found the two end tables I was so excited about.
When we reached my apartment complex I had him slow down. “Here it is.”
He pulled off to the side and put the car in park. “Is this a joke?” he said happily while the top of the convertible closed over us.
“I wish,” I said, smiling at him in return. “This is unfortunately all I can afford.”
He leaned over toward me and peered out of my window up at my old weathered apartment building. “You like it here?”
“Not exactly. But I’m getting used to it. I’ve learned the ways to live safely, you know, staying in after dark, locking my windows. I haven’t had any problems so far.”
Our eyes met and we both smiled. His face was so close to mine; his body was so close to mine, so much so that I could smell his intoxicating scent. It wasn’t cologne; he wasn’t wearing any. Maybe it was his deodorant or his shave gel. Whatever it was it was alluring and it rattled my senses. It was pure man.
“You know, if I wasn’t such a gentleman I would try to kiss you right now.”
“Well I’m glad you’re a gentleman.”
He laughed quietly and sat back upright in his seat. “I’d feel better walking you in, at least to your door. I won’t even ask to come inside.”
“You know, normally I would refuse, but since you kept me out past my curfew I’m going to take you up on your offer.”
“Good,” he said happily as he killed the engine. He got out and came around to my side, opening the door.
“Thank you,” I said as I got out.
He locked the car and walked with me up to the apartment building. “There’s a guy up there,” he noticed. “Looks like a low-life.”
“Oh, him? Nah that’s just Clyde. He’s one of my only friends here.” We climbed the steps and stopped at the top next to Clyde, who was bundled in a ratty old sweatshirt with his arms crossed and his head down. “You better not be sleeping; you’re on neighborhood watch,” I said jokingly.
Clyde chuckled and looked up at us, happily at first, but as soon as he noticed Trent his eyes widened. “Mr. Falco!” he said, jumping up from the cold step. “It’s a pleasure to meet you! And to actually be this close to you, I mean, wow!”
Trent’s eyebrows pulled together. “Do I know you?”
“We’ve never met, but I, uh, I’m an acquaintance of Mikey.”
Trent’s eyes darted between Clyde and me. “Well, seeing that I haven’t heard of you before I take it that you’re doing your job well, whatever that job is. Keep up the good work.”
“Will do, Mr. Falco! Here, let me get the door for you!” He pulled open the door and Trent held his hand out, motioning for me to go first.
Trent followed me down the hall and up the two flights of stairs. “So,” he began, breaking the awkward silence, “no questions for me, huh?”
“You mean about the Clyde situation? No, not really. I’m intelligent enough to put two and two together.”
“And what did you come up with?”
“Well,” I said, stopping in front of my door, “I know Clyde is a drug addict and he buys and sells drugs regularly. I’ve also heard that your family deals in drugs and other illegal things. When Clyde saw you he treated you as though you were a celebrity, so, it leads me to believe that he works for you, although he is far far down the line since you have no clue who he is.”
“Hmm,” he said with a single nod. “Smart woman.”
“Don’t try and flatter me; you don’t have to be that smart to figure that out.” I put my key in the lock and slid the deadbolt from its chamber. “I have to warn you I haven’t lived here long so I don’t have much. No laughing, okay?”
He held up a hand and crossed his fingers. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”
I shook my head and pushed open my door. “Home sweet home.”
With his arms laced behind his back he walked into my living room and surveyed the area. “You, uh, you remodeling in here?”
“Yeah. Clyde and I stripped the wallpaper off and I’m working on painting.”
His focus landed on the two little tables in the corner of the room. “Are these the ones from the alley?”
“That’s them,” I said with pride. “Pretty cool, huh? And free; you can’t get any better than that.”
He nodded in agreement. “They are pretty cool. I can’t wait to see what they look like once they’re finished.” Once they were finished? Was he planning on seeing me again after this? His eyes then landed on my blankets on the floor. “You don’t even have a bed?”
“That is a bed. It’s just not on a mattress.”
He brought his arms to the front of his chest and crossed them, bringing his muscles to my immediate view. “I’ll have to fix that.”
“Fix what?”
“Your bed situation.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m gonna buy you one.”
“What? No, Trent. Thank you for the offer but I can take care of that myself.”
“Well obviously you can’t or else you would have one already.”
I put my hands on my hips, feeling the attitude start to rage through my veins. “Well I don’t think that’s any of your business. Maybe, maybe I have a plan. Did that ever occur to you?”
“A plan?” he scoffed. “Okay, go ahead, tell me your plan.”
“I don’t have to tell you any of my plans. You don’t own me and I don’t work for you.”
He chuckled warmly, completely unfazed by my attitude, and went over to my heater. “Does this even work?”
“Yes,” I huffed.
“You sure? Your blankets are awfully close to it.”
“Okay, I think it’s time for you to leave.”
“I’m just messin’ around,” he said, dropping
his teasing behavior. “But seriously, I would like to help you out. At least let me buy you a couch.”
“No thank you.”
“And why not?”
“What do you mean, why not? Because for one I don’t even know you.”
“You know plenty, believe me.”
“And secondly,” I continued, “I have to acquire stuff very carefully in this neighborhood.”
“What do you mean?”
I crossed my arms and looked over at my kitchen. “Well before I elaborate, would you like some coffee? It always seems to be the one constant in my life, especially when I have people over.”
“I’d love some, thank you. And you actually have people over here?”
“Yes,” I said with a roll of my eyes as I went over to my coffee pot and completed my routine. “Clyde, for one. And the hooker next door.”
“A hooker? Well now I’ve heard everything.”
I grabbed my two white cups from out of the cabinet. “She’s actually a really nice lady. And pretty, too.”
“Not as pretty as you, I’m sure.”
I smiled down at the counter. “You haven’t even seen her. You can’t make that judgement fairly yet.”
“I don’t have to see her to know that I’m right.”
I looked over at his warm smiling face. “Well, thank you.”
He nodded and looked back over at my end tables. “So, why is it that you have to acquire things carefully?”
“Oh, well, because if anyone sees me bringing nice stuff in then I’ll stand out and they will most likely try and steal it from me. It’s a lot safer if I bring in junky stuff and fix it up in the privacy of my own little junky apartment.”
“That makes sense. It’s a good idea, actually. The only thing is if you want a bed or a couch you don’t want to get something used and crappy. That would be gross. And you can’t flip those kinds of things, could you?”
The coffee pot beeped and I poured the brew into our cups. “A couch I could, yeah. I would just buy some nice fabric and cover it. But a bed I don’t think I could. I mean, I wouldn’t want to. It just seems too dirty. That’s why I just sleep on the floor. Although, my carpet is pretty disgusting. How would you like your coffee?”