Losing His Shirt

by Linda Fausnet

  Rosemary and I both laughed. She kissed me and said, “That’s for damned sure.”

  Chapter 23

  Johnny texted me on a Tuesday night and asked me to meet him at Pizza Hut. We usually didn’t have time to get together during the week, so it was a nice change of pace. For once I didn’t have rehearsal, so I could actually go and see him.

  He was already sitting in a booth when I got there. He brightened as soon as he saw me, and I felt relaxed and happy just seeing his handsome face. Every girl should be lucky enough to find a guy who looks at her like Johnny looked at me. He got up and kissed me hello before we settled into the booth.

  We put our food and drink orders in at the same time because we were both starving. Once the server walked away, Johnny grinned at me.

  “This reminds me of the first time I brought you here after you’d been helping me get back on my feet. I was so nervous, and I wanted so bad to impress you. Then you told me my cologne made you sick to your stomach.”

  I laughed. “Oh, I forgot all about that! Well, I love the stuff you wear now.”

  “Cool,” he said, then took a deep breath. “I have to admit, I’m a little nervous this time, too.” Johnny reached over and took me by the hand. “Princess, I have something important to tell you.”

  I felt my body tense. He looked anxious, and not in a good way. I had a feeling I knew what he was going to tell me.

  “I wanted to make sure I got to tell you before you heard it on the news …”

  Yup. It was what I had expected. And feared.

  “My dad was cleared of any wrongdoing. They traced everything back to his business partner.”

  “So you’re rich again.”

  Johnny nodded slowly. “Yes. All his assets have been unfrozen.”

  I saw both worry and immense relief in his eyes, and I found I was happy for him. This was what he wanted, and I wanted Johnny to be happy. I drew in a deep breath. I wanted to reassure him that everything was okay, but I wasn’t entirely sure it would be. This would mean a huge change in his lifestyle. Now he could do absolutely anything he wanted. Maybe he would decide that hanging out with me and my friends at the karaoke bar wasn’t so appealing anymore.

  Johnny was still holding my hand. He squeezed it tighter, gazing at me with those gentle gray eyes of his. “My dad put a ton of cash back into my account, and my gold card is working again. I could have taken you the fanciest restaurant in all of Washington, but I brought you here because I want you to know that everything will still be the same with us. I even got my car back! Believe me, it was the first thing I did once I found out the Feds still had it in their possession, and it hadn’t been auctioned off or something. But guess what? I still took the Metro to meet you here. I love you so much, Rosemary. Rich or poor, that’s never gonna change.”

  The server brought our drinks, which bought me a little more time for the news to sink in before I had to respond to Johnny. We thanked the server and she walked away.

  “You all right?” Johnny asked.

  “Yes, I’m fine. Really. I’m happy for you, Johnny. I want you to have everything you want in life. I hope you know that.”

  “Thanks, baby. I can’t tell you that nothing in my life—our life—will change. I guess it’s kinda like winning the lottery. A huge change, but it won’t be a bad thing.”

  I nodded, taking a sip of my Diet Coke. I knew Johnny had only just gotten his money back, but so far there was no sign of Johnny Creep in his eyes.

  “I, uh, should tell you that I gave my two weeks’ notice at my job today,” Johnny said.

  “I’m surprised you didn’t just tell off your boss and leave today.”

  “Please. What kind of person would do a thing like that?” He winked at me. “Nah, unlike you, I had a nice boss. I hated my job, but that’s not his fault. I wanted to give him some notice so he’d have time to replace me. Didn’t want to leave him in the lurch.”

  “That’s nice, Johnny. I’m glad you did that.”

  “Things are gonna be different this time around, Rosemary. I promise. I don’t want to go back to being one of the idle rich. I want to do something with my life. I’m not sure what yet, but I know I don’t want to be a used-car salesman.”

  “I know.”

  The food came, and we relaxed and ate for a little bit. My boyfriend is a billionaire. For a lot of people, that would be a dream come true. I always prided myself on being a strong, independent woman. There was no way in hell I was gonna be some guy’s rich, spoiled girlfriend. I was not gonna be one of the ladies who lunch. The thought made me chuckle.

  “What?” Johnny asked.

  “There’s this great song—a showtune of course—called “The Ladies Who Lunch.” It’s all about how the wives of rich guys spend their days going to fancy brunches and art shows, blowing through their husbands’ money.”

  “And that’s what you wanna do, right?” Johnny asked with amusement in his eyes.

  “Ugh, can you imagine?”

  “No,” Johnny said definitively. “That would never be you in a million years. Not my fiery, independent Rosemary.”

  I smiled at Johnny, feeling some of my tension slip away.

  “That doesn’t mean I don’t want to spoil you. If you’ll let me. I would love to buy you some really nice jewelry. Maybe an emerald necklace to match your eyes. A green necklace like that guy gave that lady in your show, you know?”

  I sighed happily, feeling like I was falling more in love with Johnny every day.

  “I know you’re uncomfortable with my money—you know, my dad’s money—so I didn’t want to go and buy you anything without asking you first. I really hope you’ll let me get you a pretty necklace sometime. Maybe we can go pick something out together.”

  “That would be lovely, Johnny. Thank you.”

  “And I hope you’ll let me take you out to a really nice restaurant some time. But, you know, not until you’re ready, okay?”

  I nodded, touched by his thoughtfulness. I couldn’t help but see the excitement in his eyes. He really wanted to share some of his world with me.

  “I wanna be a cool rich guy this time around. I know what it feels like to be broke, and I’m not gonna forget it.”

  “You know who’s a really cool rich guy? John Guillott.”

  Johnny furrowed his brow. I could see the name was familiar to him, but he couldn’t quite place it.

  “He’s one of your dad’s old colleagues.”

  “Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember him.”

  “He used to place a lot of orders at Affluent Accents Accessories, usually on the phone or online. Once a year, between Christmas and New Year’s, he’d come by the office. He tipped all the stock guys and me, and everybody in the office. And he gave us each a bottle of champagne.”

  “Wow, really?” Johnny asked, looking impressed.

  “Yeah, it was so sweet. I certainly couldn’t afford champagne, but I always had a bottle to open on New Year’s, thanks to him.”

  “That is cool. And yeah, Rosemary, that’s how I wanna be. It’s like I get it now. I understand how lucky I am, and how much I have that I can share with other people. I don’t deserve to be rich any more than other people deserve to be poor. But I can help now, you know?” Johnny paused for a moment. “I still think about that kid with the video game. I wonder how he and his mom are doing every time I go to the karaoke bar.”

  “That’s wonderful, Johnny.”

  For the first time, I felt like everything was going to be okay. Johnny was rich, but he was still wonderful. That feeling of contentment barely had a chance to settle over me before something suddenly occurred to me. A sharp stab of anxiety pierced me.

  “Johnny, what about New York?” I blurted out.

  “What about it? I told you, you say the word and we’ll go,” he said with a smile. “I’m just waitin’ on you to pull the trigger.”

  I felt tears form behind my eyes.

  “We’ll still go. We can just li
ve in style, and you won’t have to work. You can focus totally on your career.”

  That thought horrified me, and I wasn’t sure why. I always thought I would love to dump my day job so I could just focus on auditions, but the idea of everything just being handed to me on a silver platter was unsettling. I was supposed to work my ass off for my big break. Wasn’t I?

  “Hey, it’s okay, baby,” Johnny said, looking alarmed. “Rosemary, you don’t have to let me pay your way if it makes you uncomfortable. Not like I’m gonna say, ‘No woman of mine is gonna work!’”

  I actually laughed out loud. No, Johnny would never say anything like that.

  “Rosemary, you’re the strongest, most determined woman I’ve ever known.” Johnny lowered his voice and said, “And that is sexy as fuck. If you want to go to New York and pay your own way—or at least your half—I get it, okay?”

  “Thank you, Johnny. You’ve been so wonderful about all this. I’m sorry I’m so high-strung about the whole money thing. I’ll get over it. I promise.”

  “Good,” Johnny said with a grin, then took a bite of pizza. I gazed at him in wonder. He actually took the Metro, even though he didn’t have to tonight. That car was his baby and he must have been dying to drive it around, but he knew picking me up in a Lamborghini would be too much, too soon for me. He’d been so gentle tonight, easing me into the idea of him being a billionaire again. I loved him for being so thoughtful and understanding.

  “Johnny, you’ve been so great about … just … everything. And not just tonight, either. You’ve always gone out of your way to fit in with my friends. I think it’s about time I returned the favor. You name the time and place, and we’ll go to whatever fancy restaurant you want.”

  “Really?” Johnny asked, his eyes lighting up.

  “Sure,” I said. “You can even pick me up in the Lambo.”

  “Ahh, so cool!” he said, looking like an excited little kid. “Thanks!”

  I giggled at the absurdity of it all. “Oh yes, I’m a wonderful girlfriend since I’m allowing you to take me on a very expensive date.”

  “It’s a big deal, baby. I get it,” Johnny said, his eyes twinkling.

  “You have to help me, though,” I said, my anxiety building already. “I won’t know what fork to use, and I probably won’t be able to pronounce anything on the menu.”

  “Don’t you worry. I’ll take good care of you, baby. You’re in good hands.”

  “I know,” I said, smiling at him. “I know.”

  *****

  I glanced out my apartment window and saw Johnny pull up in his dark blue Lamborghini Huracan Spyder. I’d never tell Johnny this, but I had a freak-out moment and felt the same kind of nausea I had when I smelled Johnny’s old cologne. After all, my stomach always sank when I saw that blue car pull up to the office. It meant Johnny Creep had arrived, and who knew what fresh hell awaited me and my coworkers.

  I jogged down the stairs to meet Johnny so he wouldn’t have to come up to my apartment. A fresh wave of nausea hit me when I walked up to the car on the street.

  Then Johnny stepped out of the car with that familiar, adorable grin on his face. He gazed down at me with those sweet gray eyes and just like that, the sick feeling in my stomach was gone. We weren’t at work, and he wasn’t my boss anymore. Johnny wasn’t even the same person anymore. He was my boyfriend, and I loved him.

  Johnny was a vision of delicious manhood in his suit and tie, and I found I was starting to look forward to tonight. He looked me up and down, and smiled.

  “You look so beautiful, Rosemary,” he said.

  I hoped I looked okay. I certainly didn’t own any super fancy clothing, but this was my favorite green dress. It was knee-length, kind of shimmery, and the color really brought out my eyes. I think he noticed; after glancing at my chest, he looked up and lingered on my eyes.

  Johnny smiled happily when he walked around the car to open the door for me. He helped me in like a gentleman, and made sure my dress was inside the car before he shut the door.

  “Wow, this thing is amazing!” I told him when he slid behind the wheel. It was a little cramped, but it was low and sporty like a sports car should be. It had a black and blue interior and a million different controls. “I feel like I’m in the cockpit of a plane!”

  “I know—it’s awesome, isn’t it?” Johnny said with a grin. I watched him with amusement as he drove. He was adorable, the way he was so excited to take me out and drive me around in his car. There wasn’t even a hint of the old Johnny. This was a newly rich Johnny, and hopefully one who would never again take his wealth for granted.

  “So where are we going?”

  “To this great place called The Federal. I used to go there all the time. They have my all-time favorite dessert ever. It’s this chocolate pistachio thing. You have to try it. Order anything you like, but you have to save room for dessert.”

  “Okay, Johnny. I will.” He was so damned cute I wanted to pinch his cheeks. “But you have to help me with the ordering. I mean it, Johnny. I don’t know how these places work.”

  “Princess, you have nothing to worry about. All the servers will take good care of you. Believe me, these people are paid very well to kiss your ass all night.”

  I was still pretty nervous about going to a place where I would be completely out of my element, but I trusted Johnny. He would take care of me and wouldn’t make me feel stupid if I made some kind of etiquette mistake. He would understand.

  When we got near the place, I wondered if we would be able to find a parking space. If we did, I hoped we wouldn’t have to go far, because my green pumps were not fun to walk in. Johnny double-parked right in front of the restaurant.

  “Wait here just a sec,” Johnny said, as he jumped out of the car. I watched him hand the keys over to a valet. I shook my head and laughed at myself. Valet parking. Of course. Billionaires don’t park in city garages. Johnny walked over to my side, opened the door, and offered his hand to help me out of the car. Good thing, because it wasn’t easy to exit a vehicle that was so low to the ground, especially in a dress.

  Johnny put his hand on my back and led me into the restaurant. My eyes opened wide as I looked around the place. I should have tried to play it cool, but I couldn’t help myself.

  “This place is beautiful,” I exclaimed. The host—or maître d—smiled when I said that, instead of being annoyed.

  “It is, isn’t it?” Johnny said with a smile. He watched me as I scanned the gorgeous restaurant. I could see he was enjoying my pleasure. I’d never seen a restaurant so big in my life! There were dozens of tables and a bar that ran down the side of the restaurant. All the tables were set beautifully, and everything was light and lovely and elegant.

  “Nice to see you again, Mr. Creel,” the maître d said.

  “You too,” Johnny said with a grin. “I’ve got a reservation for two tonight.”

  “Yes, sir. Right this way,” the guy said with a smile. I didn’t know what I was expecting, but I was relieved that he seemed genuinely nice and not snooty at all. I always pictured the staff in fancy restaurants to be like that stuck-up waiter in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing when I pictured the tall, snobby guy from the film.

  My heart clenched in my chest, and I felt a little faint when just about every head in the room swiveled around to stare at us. Oh God, my dress isn’t tucked into the back of my pantyhose or something, is it?

  “Johnny,” I whispered. “Why is everyone staring at us?”

  “I’m sorry, Rosemary. I should’ve warned you. I’m just so used to it,” Johnny said as we followed the maître d to our table. “I’m kinda famous, especially with all the drama with my dad, and we just got our money back and all …”

  Great, I thought. Not only was I sure to embarrass myself in this hoity-toity place, I would do it with a huge audience. When we got to our table for two, the maître d pulled out my chair for me and Johnny took a seat opposite me.

>   “Your server and your sommelier will be right with you,” the maître d said with a smile.

  My stomach tightened a bit. Sommelier? Already I word I didn’t know. I glanced down at the table. It looked lovely yet utterly intimidating. Dishes and utensils and crystal everywhere.

  “I’ve never seen so many dishes in my life,” I said to Johnny in a hushed voice, not wanting the whole restaurant to know how dumb I was.

  “Rosemary,” Johnny said, taking my hand from across the table. “Nobody’s gonna get mad at you if you use the wrong fork. And I’ll help you, okay? Here’s what will probably happen. Our regular waiter will come up and introduce himself or herself, then they’ll send the sommelier over. ‘Sommelier’ is just a fancy name for the wine guy.”

  “Will I have time to look at the wine list before he comes over?” I asked, feeling like I was getting ready for a test.

  An older man walked up to our table and smiled. “Good evening. My name is Francis, and I’ll be your server for the evening.”

  I smiled and nodded, feeling grateful that he wasn’t some gorgeous young guy or even a young girl, for that matter. He seemed less likely to laugh at me when I inevitably made a mistake.

  “Is this table to your liking?”

  “Oh, it’s beautiful!” I blurted out.

  Francis smiled warmly at me, and I noticed he had the same fond look that Johnny had been giving me since he first picked me up tonight. Like he thought it was kinda sweet that I wasn’t jaded by all this opulence. He probably had to put up with a lot of snobbery in his job.

  “Excellent. Please be sure to let me know if there is anything I can do to make you more comfortable, and don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything. Just ask for Francis.”

  “Thank you,” I said with a smile.

  “Here’s the wine list if you’d like to take a look,” he said, handing us each a copy.

  “Oh, I don’t think I could pronounce any of these if my life depended on it,” I muttered to myself.

  “My dear, I’m not so sure I could either,” Francis said, opening his eyes so wide that it made me laugh. “That’s why I’m not allowed to be the sommelier.”