“Oh,” she raises an eyebrow and holds my chair for me to sit down. “A big date? Where is Mr. Prince Charming taking you?”
“The Downtown Grill.”
“Wow, a reservation there has been impossible to get. How did you get in?” the brunette next to me getting her nails done asks, looking down at me.
Bitch, don’t ruin my hour.
“Like I said, I have a big date,” I sneer at her and turn back to Mona, who begins to work on my nails.
“What are you wearing tonight?” Mona asks once my nails are soaking in the lavender oil.
“Well,” I have no fucking clue. I have to stop at Goodwill when I leave here. “I’m not sure yet.”
“What color are you thinking for your nails, then?”
“Let’s do a royal blue. That way I’ll know it goes with anything I have.” By that I mean, the four outfits I own.
“It sounds perfect.” Mona smiles and we begin to chitchat about the weather and the new car she bought.
A car.
Oh, how I would love to have a car someday. It’s one wish I would love to have come true. I wouldn’t have to wait on the damn bus or walk everywhere. Not like I have many places to go, but it would be nice to have one.
Mona goes on talking about her kids, her husband, and her perfect life. She only does nails part-time to get her out of the house a few hours a day. She calls it her ‘play money’. I try not to roll my eyes when she says that, but really it sounds a bit ridiculous to me.
“How’s work going for you?”
I giggle. “Oh, you know, same-ole-same-ole.” If she only knew the truth. I have never told her what I really do. I mean, come on; this is my pretend time. I just tell her I work from home. I’m not sure what she thinks I actually do, but it’s not a big deal.
When she finishes and my nails are dry, I pay her and head out of the Love Spa. I walk down several blocks to catch the bus and make sure no one sees me. Once I sit down on the bus, it’s back to reality. Back to my life at Greenwood. I stare out the window and watch the pretty houses and perfect schools with Norman Rockwell families fade from downtown. With one swift turn to the left, the potholes become more abundant and the druggies start making their appearances on the corner.
I shake my head as I pull the cord for the bus to stop on the next corner. I hop off and walk over to the large Goodwill. I walk in and quickly thumb through the racks.
Fuck, I need to find something that will work for tonight. I should just suggest going to Burger King for our date. At least then, I won’t need to dress fancy.
I come across a long sweater dress for eight dollars. I have a pair of tights that aren’t fish netted that I could wear along with some boots. It’s not super classy, but it might work.
It’ll have to work because there are no other options.
I pay for the dress and walk to my apartment. I can’t afford another bus fare because I still need to get to work this week. Even though the money Valo gave me covered my rent, I need to think about my other bills and food.
The sun is slowly going down as I walk up the sidewalk to Greenwood.
“Well, if it isn’t Baby Jade.”
I groan and look up, seeing Rick on the corner with his two bodyguards.
“When you gonna leave Mike and come work for me?”
“Never,” I bark at him and start to walk faster.
“Your momma already works for me. She can show you the ropes,” he hollers at me.
I turn to him. “That’s disgusting. That’s my mother you’re talking about.” Only I can talk bad about her. I’ll beat everyone else’s ass if they do.
“Oh, right.” His smirk shows his gold teeth and he points over his shoulder. “There she is showing a young man some directions.”
Directions? Can’t he just say the truth?
Without meaning to, I look over at the beat up pickup truck he’s pointing to and I see my mother’s head bobbing up and down. I turn my head and swallow back the nastiness in my throat. It’s not the first time I’ve seen Mom in that position, but it’s still sickening.
“I’ll leave a slot open for you,” Rick says smoothly to me.
I turn my gaze up to him. “Take the slot and shove it. I’m not fucking working for you.” I spin on my heels and make a beeline for my apartment, making sure the doors are locked after I get inside.
I have an hour to get ready and get down to Valo and I don’t have a moment to spare or to think about my mom’s activities.
I style my hair and my curls seem to be out of control, even when I try to tame them. I think about going heavy on my makeup as I usually do, but stop myself and keep it light and soft. I don’t change my contacts, however. I like my purple eyes. It keeps my bluish-green eyes hidden from others. The sweater dress is a little snug in the hips, but overall fits fine. The tights are a little thin, but will have to do, and I use the black Sharpie on my ankle boots to hide the scuff marks.
I go out the fire escape to avoid everyone out front. The whole block seems to be out right now, and I’m not dealing with any of that shit tonight. I run in my heels to the next bus stop and make it in time.
Valo threw a fit because he wanted to pick me up, but I wasn’t going to let him. He doesn’t need to know where I live and all that shit. In addition, I’m sure he drives a Porsche or something crazy like that. Rick and his crew would strip it in a minute for parts and leave nothing but the frame.
I watch as the streetlights pass by like camera flashes and downtown Liberty begins to appear. It looks like a shining, thriving metropolis. If only that were true for the whole town.
The bus drops me off about two blocks from the restaurant and I walk the rest of the way. I see Valo is standing outside waiting for me. He’s in a dark gray suit. His white dress shirt practically glows in the night. His purple tie is almost lost in the glow. Valo’s blond hair is in a messy, bed-head style. On anyone else, I would think it’s an old guy trying to be young, but he has such a baby face, it works for him.
Valo turns and he catches my eye. I walk up closer to him and his grin deepens. Wow, he’s really sexy. He could almost be a model. Then again, I’ve seen him in a few ads for the clothing line LSMP, which features all the major hockey stars.
Valo doesn’t say anything to me; he merely holds out his elbow. I roll my eyes, but slip my arm through his. He guides us up the red-carpeted stairs and a man holds the door open for us. We walk into the bright restaurant. Large lights that look like white globes hang above each table. The pristine tablecloths are thicker than my blankets. The woman doesn’t even ask his name because everyone in Liberty knows Valo Manner.
We follow her to one of the tables near the back. Valo pulls the chair out for me. Wow, don’t think that’s ever been done before. Then again, can fucking some guy in the back seat of a car really be considered a date?
The chick who seats us hands us each a menu and walks away.
“Um, Valo, there are no prices on here. Did you know that?”
“Yes, I did. I’ve been here before, though not on a date.”
I look up and down each column. I’ve never been the best at reading, but I try to figure out the words. “Have you ever dated? Or do you just pick up strippers in your offseason?”
I need to buy me some time to figure out what I’m going to order. Plus, I’m curious what Valo’s love life is like. I don’t see him dating many strippers.
“I’ve dated, but haven’t had a girlfriend in a while.”
“Aw, did the love of your life dump you?” I pout my lips in a joking manner.
“Something like that.” He looks back at his menu and there’s a hint of sadness in his voice.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” I know that look. I hit a nerve. “I was being a bitch; I didn’t know.”
“Don’t worry about it. So, what are you thinking of ordering?”
“Um, well…” I know he’s changing the subject. I continue to stare at the list of food. “I told you Burger King would have been fi
ne, but um…I guess I’ll do this chicken thing here.” I know the word chicken but I’m not even going to attempt to say the word behind it.
“Mmm. That looks good. If it sucks, I’ll take you by a Burger King later,” he winks at me.
“Since I can’t even pronounce the rest of this shit, I’ll stick with chicken.” There’s no reason to hide the fact that I’m not as cultured as he is.
He chuckles, but I know that he isn’t making fun of me. “Some of it does look really difficult.” He pauses and places the menu on the table.
A small dark-haired waiter comes over to our table. Valo orders our dinner and a bottle of wine.
“You’re from here, right?” he asks me once the waiter leaves. “Did you go to the university? Or are you going?”
“I was born and raised here.” My tone tells him that I couldn’t care less about Liberty. “But I don’t need a college degree for my job. It doesn’t call for much reading. What about you?”
“No, I’ve always played hockey. You’ve always wanted to have your current job? You don’t want to go to college?”
“Are you asking me if it was my dream to be a stripper?” I shake my head. “It’s what I know. The place where I come from, that’s what you become. That or a hooker, but I’m staying off that road.”
The waiter returns with the wine. He pours a sip in a wine glass. Valo swirls it and takes a tiny sip. He nods at the waiter who then fills our glasses.
Valo is staring at me when the waiter leaves again. “Well, what do you like to do aside from getting your nails done?”
I look down at my hands. I love my nails. It’s my vice, but I love it. As for anything else, I don’t know.
“Does sleep count? I love naps.” I give him a small smile. Wow, I’m full of happiness tonight. Must be the fact that I’m getting real food for once. “I don’t really do anything, Valo. I work and that’s it. I’m sure you travel and whatever else millionaires do. I bet you love shopping.”
“Not really. I play, take care of my cat, and hang out with my teammate, who lives with me. Doesn’t sound all that exciting now, huh?”
“Wait…you have a cat? You don’t seem like a cat person.” Of all the things he could have said, I would have never expected him to say he had a cat.
“I’m not really. Honeybun showed up outside my place one day and never left.”
“Your cat’s name is Honeybun. Oh my God, are you kidding me? That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard.” I’m giggling like a little schoolgirl who has just seen One Direction. “Please, tell me you have a picture on your phone. Because if you don’t, then how do I know you really have one?”
“I don’t take pictures of her.” He looks perplexed at my behavior. “We can run by there later if you want to see her for yourself.”
“Well, I’m sure I’ll enjoy that meeting, I don’t think I’ll ever get over that, Valo. Thanks for the laugh. I don’t do that often.” My smile leaves my face as I realize I don’t have much to be happy about.
“You should.”
“I guess. So, what’s your friend like? I mean, why is he living with you? I figured your teammates could afford his own place.”
“Gus is a rookie and he’s a good guy. When he first came here, he needed somewhere to stay, so he crashed with me for a bit. Then I told him he might as well stay with me. Plus, he’d never been here before, so he needed someone to show him around.”
“That’s nice of you. So, is all your family still in Finland?”
“Yeah, everyone except my brother. He plays with the Vegas team. We try to go home over the summer to spend time with family.”
I wonder what it’s like to have a family like that. Did they have fun family vacations? Skype about their days? Share holiday meals? I’m sure they did.
“Wow, a hockey family. Nice. Do you go home a lot? Or just the offseason time?”
“Only in the offseason. They might come visit, but usually we go to them. What about your family? Do they still live here?”
“Family?” I scoff. “I can’t tell you who my father is and I have no siblings. My mother is still here. She just got out of jail and lives near me. I try to keep an eye on her, but…she does her own thing. I’ve been on my own since I could walk. Maybe even before that.” I don’t remember a time I didn’t take care of myself. It’s always been me. “We don’t do much together. Mainly, I check in on her, pick her up off the sidewalk, if needed, so I’m sure my childhood was nothing like yours.”
I can see the sad and shocked look on his face. I don’t hide who I am and I’m not going to start now.
“It doesn’t sound like it.” There’s the sadness in his voice. “If there was one thing in the world you could do without worrying about anything else, what would you do?”
What?
What kind of question is that?
Is this what people really talk about on dates?
I look at his blue eyes and blond hair and see the kindness in his face. There’s no bad in this guy. He’s not the type to be playing me for a fool. He wants dinner and sex, but he seems to care about what I’m saying. Might as well be honest.
“It’s silly to you, but to me, it would mean the world‒” I try to keep my steel walls up. This isn’t a Dr. Phil episode and I don’t need to have anyone feeling sorry for me. “I would like to have a full night’s sleep in a bed without worrying about someone breaking into my place, or a shooting outside, or any of that shit. I just want to sleep.”
Valo blinks a few times. His face is slightly pale and he studies my face. He doesn’t understand. He doesn’t know what it’s like to live in Greenwood. He’ll never be in my shoes.
“Have you ever thought about leaving Liberty? Going somewhere else and starting over?”
“Valo, it’s not that easy. I barely make enough money to feed myself or pay my rent. Do you think I have the resources to up and leave? Trust me, it would be nice, but that’s a dream I’m never going to see come true.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Thankfully, our food comes and I’m trying not to drool on myself as I see a massive piece of chicken, fresh spinach, and asparagus. It smells heavenly. My stomach grumbles because it wants the food as much as I do. I need to eat slowly and I’m tired off all the talking about feelings, hopes, and dreams. I pick up my fork and knife and look up at Valo.
“Okay, can we get off all this heavy shit? I mean, I’m really only here for the food. I don’t need a therapy session. So, tell me your favorite movie.” I cut into the juicy meat.
“Hm. I don’t know. I like war movies, that’s as close to a favorite I get. You?”
“I’m not a big movie buff, but I love 80’s and 90’s sitcoms. Friends, Seinfeld, Full House, Family Matters, all that crazy shit. I like to laugh and pretend those lives and the people are real. Well, as real as real can be.” I try not swallow the chicken whole and chew more slowly.
“I only seen one of those and it was for like ten minutes. I saw some of Friends.”
“I lived in a lot of foster homes as a kid when my mom was in and out of jail; those silly shows helped a lot. So, if I can afford cable for a month, I try to binge on them as much as possible. You should watch them. They might even help with your English,” I tease him about his choppy English, but it’s not horribly bad.
“What’s wrong with my English?” He sounds hurt, but the twitch of his lips show he’s trying to hide a smile. “It’s a lot better than it used to be, you know. Took a lot of work to get to this point and now you tell me there’s still something wrong with it?”
“Yep, I am. I mean, I can understand you, but I bet a little bit of 90’s slang will sound hilarious with your accent.” I laugh because I can only imagine how funny that would be.
He smiles. “Give me a few examples, and we’ll test it out.”
I think for a moment, but I already know which one I’m going to use. “Joey, from Friends, would pick up girls by saying ‘How you doin’?’ Try that.” I
put down my utensils and try to stop the laughter that’s already building up in me.
Valo laughs with me. “I can already tell you it’ll sound hilarious, but for you, I’ll say it anyway.” He takes a deep breath to compose himself and gives me a serious look before saying, “How you doin’?”
I lose it. I burst into the loudest laugh I think I’ve ever had. I cover my mouth and grab my side. I almost fall out of my chair, and the people at the next table stare at me as if I’m the Mad Hatter at a tea party. I can’t stop laughing as the tears roll down my cheeks.
“Please, for the love of God, please don’t ever do that again. I think I cracked a rib.” I wipe the tears and sniff. I try to act normal again, but it’s hard. “That’s the greatest thing I think I ever heard. Thank you, Valo. I really, really needed that.”
“Any time. Glad my accent can do more that make girls pick on my English.” He is still smiling at me.
“I’m not making fun of you, Valo. I swear, but that’s priceless. I mean, I need to record that one day. I’d make millions on YouTube.” I’m cracking myself up.
“It could make millions. I’d say it again, but you might fall out of your chair. I think that means I can officially call our date a success.”
“Success? I haven’t given you a hand job, blowjob, or fucked you yet. Wouldn’t that mean it’s a success?” I tilt my head. We haven’t touched yet. Well, only when he took my arm.
Valo begins to choke on his wine. He’s coughing loudly and tries to regulate his breathing. “That’s not how I define a successful date.”
“Oh, well, then what do you want? I mean, you bought me dinner, and really expensive wine. So…” I stare at him, waiting for him to tell me what he wants. Oh shit, maybe he’s one of those kinky guys. Ugh! I hope not.
“All I wanted was your time over dinner, Jade. I wasn’t expecting anything afterward.”
What?
Did I hear him correctly?
I wait for him to tell me he’s joking or pulling my leg, but he says nothing.
“Wait, you’re serious. You really aren’t expecting anything.” My mouth drops open in shock when I finally figure it out. “I think that’s a first for me.”
Tainted (Oh Captain, My Captain #7) Page 3