Imperfections

by Shaniel Watson

  "Good afternoon, ladies."

  That's all Chloe needs, she springs to her feet and leans over the table so he can get a look at all her perkiness. I can barely keep my eyes from rolling back in my head; she has no shame when it comes to men. I want to yank her back down in her chair and zip her sweatshirt up under her chin.

  "Hello, my name is Chloe, is there something we can do for you?"

  "Hello, Chloe. The gorgeous young lady you're sitting next to is my cousin."

  She smiles, sits down in her chair and turns to Ava. "Ava, why didn't you tell me you had a cousin this handsome?"

  I don't need to turn around to know Nick is smiling at Chloe. I can hear it in his voice. Ava gets up from the table and puts her hand around Nick's arm. Looking at Chloe, she brings him over to stand between me and her. Damn, they are right; he looks really good in his suit and tie. A designer suit, tailor-made for his body. On another man it would look good but on Nick it looks downright sexy.

  "You have enough handsome men already swirling around you. I don't think you need another one, Chloe."

  "You can't have too many of those. I'm starting to see that quality is better than quantity."

  "Hmmm, I'm sure you are." Ava presses her lips together, bats her eyelashes at Chloe and flips her hair over her shoulder. "Nick, you can take my seat on this side next to Cat and I'll sit next to Chloe."

  Nick gives Chloe a dazzling smile before he sits down. Ava takes a chair from the next table and forces it between Chloe and Nick, and that's when Isabelle stops staring and introduces herself.

  "Hi, I'm Isabelle."

  "It's nice to meet you, Isabelle, I'm Nicholas but you can call me Nick."

  Looking at Nick and Ava side by side would make anyone feel like they are lacking in the looks department. "What an amazing coincidence that of all the restaurants in Manhattan you just happen to come into the same restaurant we're at," I say, looking at Ava. Coincidence my ass; this has Ava written all over it. God, when he smiles at me like that it drives me crazy, especially when I want to give him and his cousin a piece of my mind.

  "It's not a coincidence at all, Catherine."

  "Catherine?" The only time he calls me by my full name is if he's introducing me to someone I don't know.

  "That is your name, right? When I spoke to Ava she said she was going to be with three friends and one of them if I'm not mistaken is named Catherine."

  Oh, he wants to play!

  "Nick, are you going to join us for lunch?" Chloe asks.

  "Unfortunately I can't. I have to get back to work, I only have time to grab something to go."

  Isabelle rests her arms on the table to ask him a question and twirls a lock of her blond hair around her finger. "Where do you work if you don't mind me asking?"

  Leaning back in his chair like he doesn't have a care in the world, he gives her his full attention. I can see Isabelle is caught off guard, looking directly into his unusual clear gray-blue eyes. I know how she feels; those eyes have had the same effect on me for years. All he had to do was look at me and I would have given him anything if he would have asked. Poor Isabelle looks like she's blushing from his full attention. I wish he would answer her question, he's acting like he's about to make out with her.

  "I don't mind at all. I'm a lawyer on the upper east side."

  "You must really like the food here; it would take you at least forty-five minutes to get here."

  "When I find something I like it doesn't matter how far I have to go to get to it. I'm a man who knows what he wants and what he likes. If I can't get it to come to me, I'm going to go get it."

  With that he turns his head and looks directly at me and so does everyone else. He is not subtle at all. I know I've been ignoring his calls. After Kate and I had the talk about Ava, I didn't feel like talking to him. I didn't even tell Ava about it yet.

  "If you're this passionate about your food, you must be equally, if not more, passionate about everything else you do," Chloe says, pulling her hair behind her ears.

  Here she goes, she's my girl and I know if I needed her she would be right by my side, but damn, back off, you have plenty of men to pick and choose from. This one's taken.

  "Yes, without a doubt. I'm vigorously passionate in everything I do. I like to be satisfied and I aim to satisfy." He looks at Chloe, putting one strong capable hand on the table.

  Chloe runs her finger across the top of her exposed breast speaking huskily. "I think I might need legal representation in the near future. If I do, could I call on you for a consultation?"

  Ava sets her glass on the table, looking at Chloe. "For what? Sexual harassment? If only I could be so bold I would have a man now."

  Nick clears his throat and smiles at Chloe with her eyes narrowed staring back at Ava. "Anytime you're ready. Ava has my number, you can get it from her."

  "Yeah, sure, I'll do that," Ava says.

  Ava's not going to give Chloe anything except a piece of her mind. Nick's phone rings and he looks down at it. When he looks up he's smiling at me.

  "What?" I snap, irritated with him. Everyone looks at me and I feel the need to explain myself. "Both of you can stop looking at me, I'm not being rude. Nick and I have actually known each other for years. He likes to push my buttons."

  "Cat and I actually do go way back. So please excuse her rudeness," he says smoothly.

  Isabelle and Chloe look at each other. Ava takes a bite of her chicken salad and smiles at them. He does this to me every time. One minute all I want to do is stare into his eyes, the next minute I want to throw my drink at him for getting to me.

  "The last time we talked you said you had some job interviews lined up, how's that going?"

  I clear my throat, put my napkin on the table and fold my hands in my lap to answer his question. I try to feel less inadequate with him smiling at me like nothing happened while my friends, quiet as mice, take a keen interest in what Nick and I are saying to each other, instead of every word coming out of his mouth alone.

  "Fine. I'm pretty sure I'm going to get the position I interviewed for yesterday. It's a Catholic school and I'll be taking over for the kindergarten teacher when she goes on maternity leave."

  "That's great." He looks down at his phone and taps the screen a few times.

  Ava asks, "Is it the second teaching position you applied for?"

  I nod my head yes. Nick's phone rings, he says excuse me and answers it.

  "What's up? Yeah, I can make it tonight. I'm at lunch with Ava and your sister. You know those two wouldn't be caught dead together. Your other sister. Yeah, I'll let her know." He puts his phone down and turns to me. "That was Chris. We're going to meet up with some friends at a club in the city tonight, you should come."

  "I don't know." I'm not sure I want to spend all night staring at him, and who said my brother wants me hanging with him and his friends while they pick up girls. There's no doubt in my mind that's what they'd be doing once the drinks kicked in.

  "I would love to come; you don't have to ask me twice, I'll be there." Ava clasps her hands together on the table and beams at Nick.

  The corner of his lip turns up when he looks at her. "I'm sure Chris would love that."

  "I'm sure he will," Ava says.

  He turns to Chloe and Isabelle. "If you ladies don't have plans tonight, you're more than welcome to join us. There is nothing a man likes more than to be surrounded by beautiful women."

  They both smile at him like two school girls with their first crush.

  "Thank you, but I can't. I have to go home and make dinner for my husband and baby boy who I miss already," Isabelle says.

  Chloe pushes out her bottom lip in an attempt to make a sexy pout which looks ridiculous. "Thank you, but I can't either. I already have plans for tonight. Bummer, but I'll take a rain check."

  "No problem. So, Cat, what about you? Chris told me to let you know."

  "Come on, Cat, I'll be there with you, we'll have a few drinks and dance the night away.
Who knows, maybe we'll pick up some fine-ass guys that look like Brad Pitt and Ian Somerhalder. Now that's my idea of a good night; looking into those eyes all night while we do some other things, rated R for raunchy."

  I laugh at the way Nick's eyebrows pull together squinting at her. That's his shut-the-hell-up look. She gets the picture and presses her lips together.

  "What? I'm just saying. Can't a girl think out loud?"

  "Yeah, as long as she's speaking for herself and about herself."

  "Well excuse me."

  "Okay, you two, simmer down." I feel like a school teacher scolding my students in the caféteria at lunch time. "I'll come with you, Ava, and I will not be scoping out the place for hot guys tonight." Nick visibly relaxes and Ava rolls her eyes and flips her long hair over her shoulder in Nick's direction. The closest she could come to flipping him the bird.

  "I have to get back to work."

  "Okay, I'll see you tonight," I say.

  "I'll text you and my overheated little cousin the address," he says, looking in Ava's direction.

  "Whateva."

  "Yeah, whateva." He leans over Ava as he gets up from his chair and gives her a peck on the cheek with a little smile. "You're lucky I love you."

  Ava smiles back at him. "No, you're lucky I love you. See you later."

  "Ladies, it was nice meeting you. Enjoy the rest of your day."

  "I will and I'll be getting that number from Cat. I doubt I'll be getting it from Ava anytime soon," Chloe says, smiling at him.

  He catches me and everyone else off guard when he leans down and gives me a quick peck on the cheek too. Without a backward glance, he strolls past me out the door with a smile on his face.

  "Oh my, Cat, you naughty girl; is there something going on between you and who I thought was going to be my future baby daddy?"

  "No, Chloe. We're just friends. We've been friends for years, nothing more."

  Twirling a lock of her curly hair around her finger Isabelle says, "I'm not so sure, Chloe was trying but I think he was more into you."

  "Hey, he gave me a look or two," Chloe says defensively.

  "We're just friends and he's involved with someone already."

  "There was no ring on his finger and if he doesn't have a ring, in my book he's fair game. If he was happy with what he had at home, he wouldn't be looking at you like he wanted to strip you naked and have his way with you. Trust me I know that look. I get it all the time in the store."

  "It's not like that with us, Chloe!"

  "Okay, but I'm just letting you know what the rest of us saw."

  Isabelle's phone rings and we look at her. Her ringtone is "Rock-a-bye Baby".

  "What? It's my babysitter. Shoot, I'm late." She jumps up, grabs her purse and puts twenty dollars on the table. "Guys, I'll see you later, call me and let me know how tonight goes. I have to live the night life through you guys for a while. I'm happy with my little man and my big man but once in a while you need to get away from your own life.

  "Later." Chloe waves.

  "Bye," Ava and I say.

  "I would love to keep talking men with you two skanks but I also have to go." Chloe grabs her purse and throws some money on the table.

  "It takes one to know one. Where the hell you off to?" Ava says to her.

  "I have to classy myself up for tonight and act like I'm a refined young lady. Don't forget to send me your cousin's number because if Cat doesn't want him I'll definitely pick him up. I know exactly what to do with his fine ass."

  Ava stabs a cherry tomato with her fork and points it at Chloe before looking up at her.

  "You keep waiting for that."

  After she leaves, Ava leans forward in her chair staring at me. Not saying what's on her mind.

  "I know you want to say something, what is it?"

  "See, I'm not the only one that can see Nick has a thing for you."

  "Stop it. I should tip over your chair and knock you on your ass for telling him to come down here."

  "I did no such thing. He asked me what I was doing today and I told him. I swear to you I did not invite him. He said he was hungry and he liked the food here. I didn't even know he was going to show up."

  "I'm sure you didn't."

  "I didn't, but I'm glad he did. Now I get to spend the night with Chris."

  "And his friends. It's not a date."

  "I will take him anyway I can get him. You never know what a night of drinking can lead to; hopefully it'll lead to his lips on mine."

  This is going to be like watching an episode of Tom and Jerry. "Do me a favor? Don't try to push things with Nick and me tonight, I want to hang out and have fun."

  "If you promise me that you will have a few drinks, and I mean real drinks; none of that fruity girly stuff you usually drink, and find yourself a hot guy to bump and grind on the dance floor with. Okay?"

  "I can't make any promises with my brother there when it comes to the drinking but I wouldn't mind bumping and grinding with a hot guy. That's one thing I'm seriously in need of."

  "Hell yeah, you are and don't worry if you can't find one. I'll find one for you, I mean really, what else are friends for?"

  "Come on, skank, let's get out of here, I have to get ready for tonight. I don't even know if I have anything to wear. I might have to go shopping."

  "Honey, please, whether you have something or not we're going shopping, don't say anything, it's on me."

  "I can't let you do that." She grabs my hand and drags me toward the door.

  "Hush up and let's go, my treat. Besides, I have my own boutique, it's a business write off. You have to spend money to make money, I can afford it."

  Chapter Five

  Nick

  Chris and I are sitting in a booth with two friends we went to high school with at Clutch, a new club. It's supposed to be one of the hottest spots. The bar is packed and the music is pretty good, loud as hell though. Hot, scantily dressed women who think they're God's gift to men are waiting for a rich sap or a wannabe baller to buy them a drink. They'll shake their asses for them once or twice on the dance floor to make them feel good. They're more artificial than a Twinkie, but unlike the Twinkie, their shelf life is ten years from the day they turn eighteen. By then they've partied so hard to try and catch a man with all the nips and tucks they look like they're about fifty going on sixty.

  Looking around the room I scan the crowd on the dance floor to see if Cat is here yet. She was supposed to be here an hour ago with Ava who has probably changed outfits a hundred times by now. I know Cat's not high maintenance; that is one of the things I like about her. She always looks good in whatever she wears. At twenty-four, she can pass for seventeen without makeup. I would love to see her face first thing in the morning as she's waking up after I've made love to her; lips full and swollen from my kisses and the taste of her on my lips, mmm… I've got to stop this line of thinking or I'll never be able to get up from this booth. I might never get the chance to know if she finds out about this fucked up situation with her sister. First thing tomorrow, research paternity test options.

  "Nick, did you hear me, man?"

  "What?" I didn't hear what the hell Shawn said to me. Shawn and Matt were debating about which girl in high school had the hottest body and who got the most girls.

  "Get the fuck outta here, man; that shit didn't happen." Shawn raises his voice over the music.

  Matt raises his hand and tips his beer bottle to his mouth. "Nick, tell this guy he didn't get to Megan Jordan first, you were there when we hooked up in the bathroom at that party. She was all over me, dude."

  "Chris, you know I hit that, you're my witness!" Shawn says.

  "No one's saying you didn't. I'm just telling you I got there first," Matt says, putting the bottle down.

  Neither one of them got there first. They don't know I had sex with her months before they even had a chance to touch her. We had a thing going where we would hook up in random places; it lasted for a month until she started getting
too clingy. She wanted to tell me which girls I couldn't hang out with and Cat was one of them. I wasn't having that shit. That's why she gave it up to these two; she was trying to make me jealous after I dropped her ass. I have no doubt she would have eventually made her way around to them. Me dumping her speeded up the process. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a desperate woman.

  Chris laughs and finishes off his drink before answering. "Man, I didn't smash her so I don't care which one of you got there first. You're talking about old ass from high school who probably looks like the crypt keeper now. Look at all these fine-ass women in here. You guys can keep talking about Megan but I'm going to get me another drink and that fine-as-hell girl dancing over there."

  I watch him make his way through the crowd. He's right, the girl on the floor looks attractive, at least from the back everything is right. He better enjoy himself before my cousin gets here.

  Shawn asks if we want another drink from the bar since he's headed in that direction. We shake our heads. "Nah, I'm good for now."

  "Gentlemen, I see a damsel in distress that needs my immediate attention." Shawn takes a shot of his Patrone and grunts. "As an officer of the law I'm fully qualified to handle that."

  I watch him walk off leaving me and Matt at the table.

  "You the man these days, I hear your legal expertise is in high demand," Matt says over the music with the empty beer bottle in his hand.

  "I'm not doing bad."

  "Understatement, own your success, I'm happy for you. When we were young we did some crazy shit. I never thought you would follow in your father's footsteps and become a lawyer."

  "Well I never really thought about it, it wasn't my intentions to become a lawyer. I took a law class freshman year and I liked it. The only reason I was so good at it was because I was a paid intern every summer and one weekend a month at my father's law firm."

  "Yeah, I remember that, you hated it. Every chance we got we rubbed it in your face; while we were hanging by the pool twelve in the afternoon every day, you were slaving away in an office running errands and shuffling paper."