by Laura Lee
Dylan sinks down into the small chair we have propped in the corner. “Well, shit.”
I laugh. “Sorry, bud. Raincheck?”
“Yeah, I guess,” he pouts. “What’s the deal, Kat? You okay?”
The nice thing about Dylan is that his concern is genuine. I’ve learned that I don’t need insincere people in my life anymore so I’m selective with my friends. His honesty is what makes him one of the chosen few even if he does think with his dick more often than not.
“Yeah, I’ll be okay. I’m just preoccupied with other stuff.”
“Like what?”
“Well, whether or not I’ll have a job at the end of the day for one,” I reply. “My reunion with Cybil didn’t go so well either. She actually got engaged while I was staying with the Martin family. He’s some rich guy that owns the big strip club in town. She said she’s moving into his giant house on the bluff next month. Can you believe that?”
He thinks about that for a minute. “Wait a minute…where does that leave you? Where are you going to live? You can’t afford rent without her assistance from the state, right?”
“Right,” I confirm. “They said I can move in too but I’m not sure I’m okay with that option. Her fiancé, Marcus, doesn’t give off the best vibes, ya know? The dick actually offered me a job as a stripper in his club. If wanting to see your soon-to-be stepdaughter naked isn’t sleazy, I don’t know what is.”
“Babe, that sucks. Are you sure you don’t want me to talk to my mom? Maybe if she knew the situation, she wouldn’t be so hard on you. Maybe she could even give you more hours.”
I take his hand. “Dylan, that’s sweet. I appreciate the offer; I really do. But I’m a big girl and I need to figure this out. I’ve been through worse. In the grand scheme of things, this is nothing.”
He narrows his eyes. “What does that mean? What worse things have you been through? Are you talking about all that shit that went down a few years ago?”
He’s referring to the time when I was rumored to have willingly filmed a gang bang with half the soccer team in the locker room during my freshman year of high school. We weren’t friends back then, but there wasn’t anyone in town who didn’t hear about that. While the story was false, there’s usually an element of truth in any lie. That was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life and rumors had nothing to do with it. The truth is what scarred me so intensely that I feel sick just thinking about it. I try my best to lock that shit up in the deep recesses of my brain so I don’t wind up in a mental institution.
“Yeah, well, that time in my life wasn’t exactly fun. It still follows me. You know that, Dyl.” I don’t bother correcting him; it’s better to let him think that was my problem. It’s actually the reason I don’t give out my real name when I hook up with a guy. The people in this town certainly don’t need any more fodder for their gossip circles. My Scarlet Letter is big enough already.
“Shit, my mom is here,” Dylan mutters.
I look at the clock and notice that Marilyn is early. We watch as she parks her car and walks to the trailer.
She peeks her head inside the door. “Dylan, what are you doing here so early?”
“Hey, Ma. I was bored so I thought I’d come in.”
She scrunches her brows. “Well, honey, I need to speak with Kat for a bit. Privately.” She looks around the coffee cart. “As you can plainly see, there isn’t any room for that to happen with you here.”
Dylan gives me a worried look and then stares at the floor. “Uh…okay. I guess I’ll go grab a quick lunch and come back.” He glances my way again. “You sure you don’t need my help, Kat?”
I gulp. “I’m fine, Dyl. Go on.”
Marilyn is carefully watching our exchange. “Yes, Dylan. Go enjoy your lunch. We shouldn’t need more than thirty minutes or so. I’d like to take advantage of our low-traffic.”
Dylan exits the trailer and slips into his truck. Marilyn waits to speak until he’s pulled away. “Why don’t you gather your things, Kat?”
I tighten my ponytail. “Um, my shift isn’t over for almost an hour. What about the customers?”
She waves her hand dismissively and ties an apron around her waist. “I’ll take care of any customers that may come by. Just gather your things and have a seat so we can talk.”
I quickly do as she asks and take a seat in the corner. “Look, Marilyn, I really am sorry about this morning. I’m not sure how, but I turned off my alarm at some point.”
She wipes down the counter and begins rearranging the syrups. “Well, be that as it may, you and I both know this isn’t the first time this has happened. In fact, it’s the third time. You know what they say about three strikes, don’t you, Kat?”
A car pulls up, putting my defense on hold. After the customers drive away I say, “Please, Marilyn, I really am sorry. I promise I won’t let it happen again. I need this job.”
She rolls her eyes. “And I need a reliable employee, Kat. You made the exact same promise last time. It’s nothing personal, but I’m going to have to let you go.”
“Nothing personal, my ass,” I mutter.
“Excuse me?” Marilyn shrieks.
“Nothing.” I grab my purse off the nearby hook and stand. “So that’s it?”
“Your alarm passcode has already been disabled and I have a locksmith coming later today. I’ll have your final check ready for you by tomorrow. You can swing by to pick it up or I can mail it to you. Which do you prefer?”
Wow, she’s efficient. I guess I really didn’t have any hope of keeping my job. “I’ll stop by on my way to the bank tomorrow.”
She nods. “That will do.” I place my hand on the doorknob when she says, “Oh, and Kat?”
I turn toward her. “Yes?”
“I know you and my son are...friends.” She says the last word like she ate a piece of bad fish. “He’ll be eighteen next month and capable of making his own decisions, but I’m going to ask this anyway.”
Oh, this is gonna be good. “And what’s that?”
“Well, with you leaving Perk Up, there’s really no need to continue your association with him. He needs to focus on his schooling this year and you seem to be a rather large…distraction in his life.”
“A distraction,” I repeat.
She stiffens her shoulders. “Yes, an unnecessary one in my opinion. I’m not stupid; I know what teenage boys think about all day long. I was your age once too, you know. But I don’t think Dylan needs to buy what you’re selling, if you catch my drift.”
I mirror her stance. “I’m not selling anything, Marilyn. To Dylan or anyone else.”
She gives me a condescending glare. “You know what they say…about the apple falling close to the tree?”
I return her glare. “Wow, so that’s what this is about. Let me guess, your husband had an affair? With my mother perhaps? Or someone like her? Is that why you just got divorced? Is this some sort of revenge?”
“How dare you!” she shouts. “You little—”
I hold my hand up. “You know what, Marilyn? Save it. I have enough people looking down on me in this town. I’m outta here.”
I barely make it to my car before the angry tears break loose.
“STAN GIVE ME ANUTHA’,” I slur.
Slimy Stan releases a hearty laugh, revealing a mouth full of metal fillings. “Sweet thing, you’re cute as hell like this, but you are three sheets to the wind. You’ve been here for almost five hours. I feel like it’s my professional and ethical responsibility to cut you off.”
“Oh, don’t bullshit me,” I say. “We both know your moral code is lacking.”
He places a glass of water on the bar. “Here, honey, drink this and I’ll call you a cab.”
“I don’t have money for a cab,” I complain. “Hell, I don’t have any money to pay for the drinks that are making me all spinchy. Why is it so spinchy in here anyway?”
He laughs again. “Are you trying to say spinny, darlin’? Is your head spi
nning?”
“That’s what I said! SPINCHY!” I clunk my head on the bar. Ouch.
I can feel Stan’s foul breath on my neck. “Darlin’, I ain’t running a free watering hole here. Why don’t you go sleep it off on the couch in my office and we can discuss payment after closing?”
“Run my card,” a deep voice demands. Hey, I know that voice. I crack one eye open as I see him come into my peripheral. Gavin removes his wallet from his pants and practically throws his credit card at Stan. “Charge her entire tab to my card. I’ll take her home.”
“Now look, buddy—” Stan begins.
“No, you look,” Gavin leans over the bar and lowers his voice, somehow making it sound even more menacing. “Don’t think I’m afraid to report what I just witnessed here. I’m sure that wouldn’t be good for business. Am I right, buddy? Now run my damn card and I will take her home.”
“You okay going home with this guy, Princess?” Stan asks.
I lift my head off the bar and smile at Gavin. “You’re soooooo sexy. I’d go home with you any day. Oh wait, I’ve already done that.” I giggle as I turn toward Stan. “It’s all good Spinchy Stan. Sparkles can take me. He’s really pretty. And he has a really big d—”
“That’s enough, Kat,” Gavin scolds.
“I’ve always wanted a cat,” I sigh wistfully. “I could never have one though because my mom would probably forget to feed it when I got sent away. Gavin, you should totally get a cat! Then I could pet your pussy! Get it? Pet your pussy? It’s funny because I’m the one th—”
“Just keep your damn mouth shut until we get out of here,” he growls.
“I should change your name to Grumpy Gus,” I mumble.
Gavin signs the receipt and grabs my arm to pull me off the stool. “Let’s go.”
I stumble as he drags me behind him. “Slow down there, Sparkles. You’re like, a foot taller than me. I can’t walk as fast as you.”
I yelp as he lifts me up and throws me over his shoulder. “Problem solved,” he grumbles.
“Ooh, are we going to role play?” I ask. “Are you pretending you’re a big, strapping fireman? Because I could totally get into that.” The blood starts rushing to my head making me feel sick. “Oh God, I think I’m going to puke.”
I feel a blast of cool air as I’m deposited onto the concrete just in time to ralph up everything I’ve eaten today. “Unh,” I groan.
Gavin holds my ponytail back as I continue to barf in the middle of the parking lot. And a little bit on my shoes. “Jesus, Kat. What the hell were you thinking getting drunk alone in a place like that? Do you always behave so dangerously?”
“What were you doing there anyway?” I manage in between retching.
“I spotted your car in the lot as I was driving home,” he replies. “I thought I’d drop in to see if you had an explanation for sneaking out on me the other night. Considering the fact that you reek like a distillery and vomit, I’m guessing now’s not a good time.”
“Can we save the verbal spankings for later?” I ask weakly. “Like when I’m not heaving up a major organ?”
“Somebody’s ass definitely needs a spanking around here,” he grumbles.
“Oh, and let me guess…you know just the person for the job, right?”
“Are you done?” he asks impatiently. “Do you think you can handle the drive home?”
I stand up and walk fifty feet or so before reaching his car. “Yeah, I think I’ll be okay. You might want to keep the windows down just in case.”
He helps me into the passenger side and buckles my seat belt. “Where do you live?”
I fling my arm out in the general direction of my apartment. “That way.”
Gavin sighs. “That’s not very helpful. Give me your license; I’ll get the address from that.”
“No can do,” I say, “It’s a fake. My real address isn’t on that license.”
He furrows his brows. “What? What’s a fake? The address on your license? Why would you have a fake address on your license?”
Oh shit. Clearly I’ve become a little too loose-lipped in my drunken state. “Go toward downtown, take a right on Collins. Shitty white apartment building five blocks back from the main road. Can’t miss it. It’s right behind the old Baptist church.” I lean my head against the open window, gulping in the salty air.
“Kat, wake up.”
“Wha—” I jump awake, looking around to gather my bearings. Apparently I passed out on our short drive to my house.
“Is this the right place?” Gavin asks as we idle in the driveway to my complex.
“Unfortunately,” I mumble.
He pulls into the lot. “Which apartment is yours?”
I point to the left. “Number three. Ground floor.”
He heads toward the empty spot marked for my unit and parks his car. “Do you live with anyone? Is there someone home that can take care of you tonight?”
I laugh. “Cybil might be there but she wouldn’t know how to take care of me if her life depended on it.”
“Cybil?”
“My mo—, um, I mean, my roommate. She’s pretty useless.”
He frowns as he pulls his keys from the ignition and gets out of the car. I stare blankly as he walks around to my side and opens the door. “C’mon, Kat.”
“What are you doing?”
He sighs. “I’m making sure you get inside okay.”
I gesture to my building. “You can’t go in there.”
“Why not? Got something to hide?”
“You have no idea,” I mutter.
“What?”
I give up and get out of the car. He’s already seen me shitfaced; how much worse can seeing the inside of my apartment make things? “Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Sparkles holds his hand out expectantly. “Keys?”
I dig them out of my purse and hand them over. I take deep breaths to prepare for what he’s about to see. As the door creaks open, I’m hit with a cloud of smoke and raucous laughter. Awesome, Cybil has company.
Gavin cautiously steps inside with me close behind. I look around his big body to see what we’re dealing with. Mom and two of her friends are sitting around the coffee table smoking cigarettes and drinking beer. Oh well, it could be worse…at least they’re fully clothed. Gavin’s eyes narrow on the center of the table. The exact spot where Cybil’s friend—Mandy, I think—is leaning over, snorting white powder up her nose through a hollowed-out pen. Even in my current state, I can see how bad this looks. Fuck.
Gavin glances back at me and glares. “Friends of yours?”
I nod toward Cybil. “Friends of hers.” I step in front of him and begin pulling him toward my bedroom. “This way.”
“Baby Girl!” Cybil calls. “Who’s the hot piece of ass?”
“None of your business, Cybil!” I shout behind me. All three women cackle maniacally in response.
I peel Gavin’s clenched fist open and grab my keys to unlock the door to my room. I see the question in his eyes but he doesn’t say anything. All bets are off once we’re closed inside and I turn the locks.
“What the hell is going on here, Kat? What was that out there? Is that what you’re into? And why the hell do you have a goddamn deadbolt on your bedroom door?”
I flop onto the full-sized mattress perched on the floor and groan as a fresh wave of nausea hits me. “Sparkles, please not now. I feel like ass.”
I feel the bed sink as he sits down and sighs. “Kat, I can’t do this. I can’t…be with someone that has an addiction.”
I roll onto my stomach and shove a pillow over my face. “First of all, we’re not dating, so you have nothing to worry about. Secondly, that’s her thing—not mine. I’ve never touched a single drug in my life.” Not willingly anyway. “As you can imagine, her lifestyle comes with certain…challenges. The lock is there because I believe in taking precautions.”
He lifts the pillow off my head. “Care to elaborate?”
&nb
sp; “Not really.” The fog surrounding me is getting thicker by the second, making it increasingly more difficult to keep my eyes open. “Look, Sparkles. I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine. I think it’s time for you to go. Thanks for the ride…and the drinks. Although I’m seriously regretting the drinks right now.” I feel like I’m recovering from dental surgery. I know I’m slurring—my mouth feels thick with cotton—and I may or may not be drooling.
“Good,” he says. “Maybe you’ll think about that next time you decide to do something so colossally stupid. Jesus, Kat. What if I didn’t show up? What would you have done with that bastard who was propositioning you?”
I curl into a ball, desperately wanting this conversation to be over. “I would’ve figured something out… I always do. Besides, I don’t normally drink like this. It’s been a really bad day.”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t want to be a stripper,” I whine. I roll over and instantly regret it when the ceiling starts spinning again. “Ugh, I’m going to throw up.”
Gavin jumps off the bed and before I can figure out what he’s doing, he’s shoving something in front of me. “Here.”
He grabbed the small wastebasket from the corner of my room. As I’m puking up what’s left in my stomach, he leaves the room and returns with a cool towel that he places on the back of my neck. At first, I try to resist the help, but truth be told, it’s kinda nice.
“Shh, it’s okay, Kat. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll take care of you.”
The last thing I remember is thinking how much I wished that could be true.
YELLOW SUNLIGHT STREAMS THROUGH THE WINDOW as a chill breaks out over my skin. I stretch and realize that I’ve stripped down to my bra and underwear. When did I do that? I glance around my room and thankfully, find it empty. I get out of bed, wrap an old afghan around my body, and stumble down the hall into the bathroom. I feel slightly more human after brushing my teeth and showering, although my head is still pounding.
I practically leap out of my skin when I step into my bedroom and see Gavin sitting on the edge of my bed.