I regarded my discarded purse on the floor. Okay, so maybe I over reacted. Inhaling deeply through my nose I blew out the hot stream of air, closed my eyes and counted to ten. I could do this for Declan. She’s done a lot for me and who knows, this thing with Colton might not work out. First dates were always exciting. Casper was just jumping ahead in thinking this was going to be something more than what it was.
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As much as I hated to admit it, Casper was right. Declan and Colton were inseparable. When Colton wasn’t at our place she was at his. The most time I saw her was at work or when she was with Colton at our place. She went to every one of their shows, leaving me home alone to channel surf and wear down the buttons on the remote. I wasn’t twenty-one yet so I couldn’t go along – not that I wanted to – but at least I was able to catch up on my Netflix, officially making me the biggest loser ever.
I tried to pick up some extra nights at work to keep myself busy and make some extra money, but unfortunately that just meant more time I had to spend with Casper. We kept up with our truce – sorta. For the most part we just left each other alone and only would sling the occasional insult. It started to become a routine. He would usually greet me with one of his ‘pet names’ and I’d fire one back. I was starting to begin to enjoy our insult exchanges. I even spent some of my nights alone just coming up with new ones and got excited when I got to use them. I know. I needed a life.
I had more fun when Casper was trying to take a girl home. I always made it my personal mission to destroy his attempts to hook up with a girl. Not that I cared if he went home with anyone or not. I just got enjoyment out of messing up his chances. The more pissed off he got the happier I was. I finally was starting to like him, well, I liked torturing him.
Tonight Gus let me go home early. It wasn’t busy and I was basically spending my time just standing around staring at the clock. I grabbed my bag from the back room and ducked under the bar to head out the front exit. “Hey Katherine,” Casper called. Katherine was one of his ‘pet names’ for me. When I asked him the meaning behind it he came in the next weekend with a copy of Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ and threw it at me. Katherine plays the shrew.
“Yes, Petruchio?”
“Since you scared off my date I think it’s only right you take her place.” He tried to give me one of his cocky smiles, but the effort seemed forced. He was half holding on to the bar. I knew he had one too many but I found it to be entertaining to watch him strike out. He doesn’t fare so well with the ladies when he was drunk. He just ended up being the creepy drunk guy who hits on anything with tits.
“I’d rather mace myself, but thanks for the offer. And I did you a favor. That chick was a walking ad for Abrevia.” His face contorted into confusion. “That extended lip liner was not an attempt to make her lips look fuller. It was to cover up a massive case of herpes.” He pressed his fist to his mouth as his skin turned a pale shade of green. For a moment I thought he would lose the contents of his stomach. “You all right there?”
Extending a finger, he closed his eyes. “I’m good.” He stood up, stumbled and then reached over the bar for his keys.
“Uh, how about I call you a cab instead?” I wasn’t so concerned about him, but more about the innocent person he might hit.
“Back off, Diablo.” I rolled my eyes and reached for his keys. Extending his arm above his, he dangled the keys just out of my reach, laughing as I tried to jump up and grab them.
“Knock it off Casper. You’re too drunk to drive.” I stretched high, but even with heels they were just out of my grasp.
“Isn’t it your job as a bartender to flag someone when they’ve had enough?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Cas,” I warned. I jumped and he leaned to the side, holding the keys over the bar. My heel slipped on a bottle cap, sending me backwards. Casper swung his arm out and caught me, pressing me up against the bar. The weight of his body was crushed up against mine and our faces were merely inches apart. His alcohol cloaked breath brushed across my face in tiny pants. Our eyes locked. I gazed into his glossed over blue-grey eyes. They looked like the sky just before a storm. I found myself trapped.
Gus grabbed the keys from Casper breaking the spell. “You’re not driving and you’re taking him home,” he pointed at me.
I flung away the arm that was barricading me and whipped my eyes on Gus. “What?”
“You heard me. He’s right. He should have been cut off an hour ago. So now he’s your responsibility.” I opened my mouth to argue. “If you want to keep your job you’ll do it.”
“That’s blackmail.”
“Yep,” was all he said, smiling. I turned back around to Casper who had this goofy grin on his face. I needed this job and was not going to get fired over this asshole.
“Fine, let’s go,” I growled.
“One more for the road.” He held up his hand to order another.
“NO!” Gus and I said together. Casper grumbled something under his breath and waved us off. Not watching where he was going he tripped over a stool, fell on his side, and rolled over on his back, laughing. “You got to be F’in kidding me.” I looked to Gus for some help, but he just laughed and walked away.
Just-fucking-great.
I kicked Casper with my shoe. “Casper, get up.” Turning on his side, Casper folded his hands under his cheek and closed his eyes. Oh hell no. “GET UP!”
When he didn’t move, I bent down and rolled him onto his back. He grumbled in protest. I pushed him up into a sitting position. “Casper, wake up!” I slapped him and his eyes sprung open. He pulled back and shook his head. “Let’s go.” I slung his arm over my shoulder as I tucked mine safely under his to help him stand. Then I carried his wobbly ass out.
“I figured you to prefer them a little more lively,” Larry, the bouncer joked as he held the door open for us.
“You know, you could help me,” I growled. He rolled his eyes and threw Casper over his burly shoulder. Larry was built like a bear. Even though Casper wasn’t small, he was still nothing to Larry. He easily picked him up like he was a small toddler. I flashed the lights on my brand new SUV and opened the door for Larry to stuff Casper in the front seat. “Thank you,” I said as Larry walked back to his post at the entrance. I yanked on the seatbelt and stretched it over Casper’s lap to click the latch.
“A little to the left.”
I turned my head to look up at Casper. “What?”
His cocky smile was dancing on his lips. “Didn’t know you were that kind of girl. If you wanted to, all you had to do was ask.” I let go of the seatbelt, letting it smack him in the face. He groaned placing his hand on his jaw. Good. Slamming the door shut, I walked over to the driver side.
I slapped on my seatbelt and suggested he do the same. “It was just a joke, Alex.”
“You puke in my car and I will kick your ass.” He put his arms up in surrender, clearly not in the best state to argue. He rested his back against the headrest and I dropped the gear into drive. His steady breaths let me know he had passed out again. Luckily for him I knew where he lived because of Declan. I was halfway to his place and stopped at a red light when he sat up abruptly. He took off his seatbelt and fumbled with the buttons on the door. “What are you doing?”
He managed to find the correct button. The window moved down and he stuck his head out the window to vomit. The splatter as it hit the concrete was like a bucket of water being dumped. I leaned my elbow on the door and rested my head in my hand. This was not happening. He sat back and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “You done?” I asked, trying to hold my breath. He nodded. I put up the window and took off. I stepped on the gas keeping as close to the speed limit as I could. I did not want to spend another minute with him in my car, but I also didn’t want to get a speeding ticket.
Finally at his place, I turned off the car knowing this would take a while. I got out and walked over to
the passenger side. I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes trying not to scream when I saw the vomit splattered door. I couldn’t even open it because he managed to hit the handle as well. “Casper, you have to open your door.” I was starting to lose him again. “Casper,” I knocked on the window. He stirred, turning his head slowly, and looked at me confused. “Open, the door.” I felt like I was talking to a child.
“Why can’t you do it?”
“Because you puked on my car!” I yelled, losing control of my anger.
“But I didn’t puke inside it,” he said, like I should be happy about the alternative.
“Just open the door!” He had about ten seconds before I left his ass on his front steps.
The door swung open and he stumbled out, falling back against the car. I sighed and wrapped my arm around his waist. Then I used my foot to close my door. “Whoa, what happened to your car?” Casper asked, having completely forgotten.
“You happened,” I mumbled. He flung his arm over my shoulder as I half dragged him to the front door. Then I remembered he didn’t have his keys. Just my luck. I leaned him up against the door ready to text Declan when he tapped me on the shoulder. “What?” I snapped. He pointed up to a ledge above the door, higher than both of us could reach. “How the hell am I supposed to get that?” He knelt down and clasped his fingers together. “You’ve got to be kidding me?”
“I won’t drop you. You gotta weigh, what, like 200 – 220?” I shoved him so hard he fell back into the bushes.
“You’re a dick.” I searched the area for another option while Casper tried to pick himself up out of the bushes. I found a small bench on one of the neighboring porches.
“What are you doing?” he asked, brushing himself off. “Are you stealing Mrs. Roper’s bench?”
“No, I’m just borrowing it. Wait, your neighbor’s name is Roper? Let me guess, you and Colton are the gay neighbors?” I giggled. He creased his brows not getting my ‘Three’s Company’ reference. “Never mind,” I said, placing the bench in front of the door. I felt around the dirt filled ledge until my fingers touched metal. I took down the key and unlocked the door. Then I returned the bench and handed the key to Casper. “Can you manage it the rest of the way?” He stumbled past me, falling into the wall. I rolled my eyes and gripped his waist. He leaned into me as I helped him up the steps.
“I am sending you a bill from my chiropractor along with the bill to clean my car,” I grunted as I dragged him up the steps.
“Bedroom is at the end of the hall.” I hoisted him up a little and carried him into his bedroom and threw him down on the bed. He was lying on his back, his eyes closed. He looked almost peaceful. I was about to go when I suddenly felt guilty about leaving him like this. I would feel bad if he got sick in his sleep and choked to death on his own bile. I rolled him over on to his side and stuffed some pillows on each side to keep him rooted in place. Then I searched the room for a trash can. I couldn’t find anything and was about to give up when I noticed he was sitting up.
“What are you still doing here?”
“I was looking for a trash can in case you got sick again.”
“Bathroom,” he pointed behind him. I nodded and made my way over to the door on the other side of the room. I found it stuffed under the cabinet beneath the sink. I stepped back out into the bedroom and left the door open in case he decided he wanted to try to make it to the bathroom. My heel snagged on the plush, cream carpet. I bent down to release it when I spotted two bare feet in front of me. My eyes traveled up the semi tattooed legs, past the pair of boxers, and bare chest, stopping on the beauty that had erupted in front of me. In the short amount of time it took me to search for the trash can Casper had managed to strip himself of his shoes and clothes. His stormy eyes met mine. He looked almost tranquil as he raised his hand to my cheek, pulling off my mask.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. My breath caught in my throat. He pulled gently at my wig, causing my hair to fall into waves down past my shoulders. “That’s much better,” he smiled, running his fingers through my hair. “So soft, just like I imagined it.” He twirled a piece between his fingers. I was frozen in place.
“Casper…”
He pressed his fingers to my lips. “Shh, it’s so much better if you don’t talk.” I smacked his hand away and shoved him out of my way. “What?” he asked innocently.
I stomped over to the bed and put the trash can down on the floor. He crawled across the luxurious black comforter and reached for me. “Alex, wait.” I pulled away but he still was able to get a good enough grip on my arm to pull me down on the bed, falling on top of me. “Don’t leave me.” The pleading in his voice almost seemed desperate and for a second I felt sorry for him. He brushed a piece of hair off of my face making me shiver. I bit my tongue. “Please, stay. Just lay with me.”
“Casper, I can’t.” I rolled him off of me, but in his attempt to capture me again I got an elbow instead. I yelped, throwing my hand up to my eye.
“Oh shit, I’m sorry.”
I stormed out of there. “You might want to sleep on your side so you don’t choke on your own vomit,” I growled before I slammed the door and left.
The first thing I did when I got home was scrub off all my war paint. I winced when I had to clean the eye Casper elbowed. I hated wearing all this makeup, but it went along with the part I played at work. My eye was sore and red. I cringed at the thought of a bruise developing. I peeled off my uniform and changed into some comfy sweats and a tank top. Then I threw my hair into a ponytail and headed out to the kitchen to get some ice for my eye.
Halfway through ‘50 First Dates’, Declan finally returned home. She jumped when she saw me on the couch. “What are you still doing up and what happened to your –” she gasped when I pulled the ice pack away.
“Some asshole from the bar.” I didn’t really care to go into too much detail at the moment.
“Alex, I told you. One of these days those guys would fight back. You’re not as tough as you think you are.”
I stopped her there. “Declan, stop. I can handle my own and it was an accident.” She looked like she didn’t believe me. “I’m tired. I’m going to go to bed.” I turned off the TV and dumped out the half melted ice in the sink.
Sometime around noon there was a knock on the door. I moaned, kicking back the covers, and got up to answer it. My eye was killing me. I fought the urge to look in the mirror. I knew it would be bad but I couldn’t bring myself to look at it. Declan crawled out of her room, rubbing her eyes. “Is someone at the door?” she asked between a yawn. I swung the door open, surprised to find Casper.
“What happened to your eye?” No hi, I’m sorry, or here’s money to get your car clean. No. He was completely clueless.
“You don’t remember?” I asked, trying to keep my anger in check. He shook his head no. “You did this, Jackass. You elbowed me in the eye last night.” He covered his face as if he suddenly remembered the horrible disaster.
“Shit, last night is a little hazy.” I stood with my arms crossed waiting for an apology. “I wanted to return this.” He handed me my red wig and mask. I snatched them out of his hand Just as Declan reached the door.
“Hey Cas, what are you doing here?”
“I was just dropping something off that Alex left at my place last night.” Declan’s eyes went wide.
“And now he was just leaving.” I went to close the door but he stuck his hand out stopping it halfway. I narrowed my eyes at him.
He leaned in close and whispered, “We didn’t, you know…”
“God no!”
He ran a hand through his flat, messy hair, looking a little relieved. “I’m sorry…I feel horrible.”
“Good, you should.”
“No,” he put a hand on his stomach. “I mean, I don’t feel so good. You think I could use your bathroom?” I slammed the door in his face and walked back to my room. The nerve of him. Seriously.
I fell, face
first on my pillow and screamed. “Feel better?” Declan asked. I rolled over to face her.
“No.”
“Want to tell me what that was all about?” She leaned up against the door with her legs and arms crossed.
I sat up and blew out a breath. “Casper got really drunk at the bar last night and Gus made me drive him home.”
She stood up straight. “Wait, why would Gus make you drive him home?”
“I don’t know!” I threw my hands up. “To torture me.” She tilted her head to the side and raised a brow. I rolled my eyes and told her the truth. “I offered to call him a cab and he made some comment about being the bartender’s job to cut him off and Gus agreed so as punishment I had to take him home if I wanted to keep my job.”
“He can’t do that.”
“Can and did.”
“What else are you not telling me?”
“Nothing,” I said, lying back down.
She crossed her arms again not satisfied with my answer. “Clearly something else happened. Why did Casper have to return your wig and why did he tell me to tell you he would pay to have your car detailed?”
I sat up. “He said that?”
She nodded. “I opened the door after you stomped off. Cas told me to tell you he’s really sorry and he promises to make it up to you by first getting your car cleaned. Now care to tell me what really happened?”
I pulled my legs up and patted the bed. “He puked all over my car.”
“Eww, oh Alex I’m sorry. I hope you left the windows open to air it out.”
“No, he somehow managed to keep it outside the car, but still on the car.” She stuck her tongue out in disgust. “I carried him up to his room and then positioned him so he wouldn’t choke on his own vomit. Then I searched for a trash can just in case he felt sick. When I came out of the bathroom he was wearing only boxers.”
She covered her mouth, eyes wide. “Oh my god. What happened then?”
“Then he hit on me. I turned him down. He pulled me down on the bed. I tried to push him away and I ended up with a black eye.”
She sat up straighter. “He didn’t try to force himself on you, did he?” Declan didn’t get angry often, but when she did she was a force to be reckoned with.
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