by Robin Hart
“How so?”
“We’re being honest with each other, and we can see each other in person.” He said. “I think that’s how friendship was supposed to go anyway. It’s how we did it as kids.”
“I see.” Nicole said. She had agreed, had thought the same things herself but wanted to hear them from his mouth, wanted to know they were starting out from similar viewpoints this time. No expectations. She headed towards him. He held out a hand, noticing she was wobbling in the sand. She turned it down, and then re-decided to grab it. He grinned, pulling her along.
“Just like old times, right?”
“I don’t remember holding hands then.”
“Well, we didn’t have a beach in Idaho with treacherously soft sand.”
She smiled and gave his hand a squeeze. When they reached the road, she let go. “It’s late, I’ll just go get my keys if you wait here. I’ll just be a minute.”
He waited while she quietly unlocked the front door and slipped in. With her gone, he was struck by how much had changed tonight. He hoped they would both be this mature with things, as comfortable, tomorrow when they both woke up, alone, with their own conclusions and no comforting hand to hold to reassure them that things would be alright.
But if not, this still felt better somehow, and Sean was looking forward to the next adventure, instead of wondering when he’d be crushed by it. That was worth everything.
Chapter 7: Tests
Three days later, Nicole watched Sean laugh at one of Justin’s jokes, and smiled. He had the cutest dimples. No, he was her best friend. Even better friends now that they hung out in person. And things needed to stay that way for her sanity. So what if thoughts about what being with someone like him tried to creep around in her head when she wasn’t guarding against them. Not for her. Not for her. It would never work. She looked away from Sean and tried to wipe her mind to a clean slate, one that was only thinking of how to spend the next few hours with her friends and the gorgeous boys in the club.
It had occurred to her, as she’d bonded with Tina and the other women, that this could be addictive. The feeling that these men cared for you, were interested by you, and wanted to be around you, no matter how you acted or looked. Sometimes she wondered if this was really helping her adjust to normal men or just helping her hide from them. Tina said something that made the group laugh, and Nicole looked up, trying to figure out what it was and look interested so as to not give away that she’d been zoning out.
“What’s so funny?” She asked.
“You missed it.” Tina said, putting her hand on Sean’s knee. Nicole tried not to stare. “What did I even say that was so funny?”
“I don’t even remember.” Sean said, putting his arm comfortably over the top of the couch, over where Tina was sitting. His large shoulders pressed against the purple dress shirt he was in tonight, which looked good against his tanned skin. Since when had he gotten more comfortable with other women? “I think we’re all a bit punchy tonight.”
Justin put his arm similarly over the top of where Nicole sat. “I gotta say I’m glad you two came clean with each other. It’s a lot more fun like this.”
Nicole and Sean looked at each other.
“Yeah, it is.” Tina said. “Gosh Nicole, how could you not know it was him? He’s gorgeous.”
Nicole shrugged and ignored Justin’s arm above her. He was like a sister to her. “I guess he’s just a lot, well, bigger than he used to be.”
“But you couldn’t have guessed from the face?” Tina looked up adoringly into Sean’s face and Nicole wanted to punch her. For no reason.
“Well I tried to, when I first saw him, but he lied.” Nicole glared at Sean and he raised his hands. “My bad.” He bumped Tina’s hair as he dropped his hands.
“Stop it, that tickles.” Tina said. She pulled his arm down around her shoulder. “That’s better.”
Nicole watched Sean carefully. Normally this would have made him blush, but he seemed unmoved this time. He simply left it there and let his eyes wander around the bar. Did he not care? Nicole didn’t like this new Casanova Sean. But a moment later he excused himself to get a drink. Maybe an excuse to get out of an awkward situation without hurting Tina’s feelings. Nicole felt appeased, then angry at herself for caring what he did with other women. He could do what he wanted.
Sean headed for the drink bar. Chuck was there.
“Can you hand me an apple juice?” Sean asked, leaning on the bar.
“Sure.” Chuck bent to pull one out. One of the more average looking members of the club, Chuck was less intimidating to the women, and often ended up as the friend and guy advice person for them. Sean liked him.
“Rough night?” Chuck asked. He smiled and passed a juice over.
“You know it.” Sean said. “You know, you could be a bartender with how you read people.”
“I know that if someone wants something stronger than what they usually get, they are probably trying to avoid something. And you always get water.”
“Water’s good for you.”
“So is juice.”
“It’s all sugar.”
“You want that apple juice or are you going to whine about it?”
“I want it.” Sean laughed.
Chuck shook his head. “Alright. Well, I’mma get back to my ladies.”
“Thanks again, Chuck.” Sean said. He walked back to the girls with his juice. He sat on the end of an ottoman facing the couch where the other three sat, trying to avoid another awkward moment with Tina. He didn’t want Nicole to think…wait…it didn’t matter what she thought. He needed to not think of that anymore.
“Thanks for asking if we wanted something.” Nicole said, folding her arms and leaning back against Justin.
“Sorry.” Sean said. “Would you like something? I’m used to you asking if you do.” He winked at Tina. “You ladies aren’t shy about getting what you want.”
“Well I’d like a juice, Justin.” Nicole said, brushing Justin’s knee with her hand. Sean glared at the offending knee.
“It would be my pleasure.” Justin said, bringing her hand up to mouth and lightly kissing it dramatically.
“Drama queen.” Sean said. “Seriously how can you guys stand so much cheesiness.”
“And when did you become the expert on what women want?” Justin asked, stretching. “You stop tricking one for a few days and suddenly you’re Casanova?”
“Maybe I’m just a natural.” Sean said, finishing his juice. “Don’t be jealous.”
Justin laughed. “Okay. I’ll try. It’ll be hard though, seeing as you’re so smooth and worldly now.” Then he coughed something over his shoulder that sounded like ‘virgin’.
Sean nearly spat out his juice, but managed to keep it in his cheeks.
“Did he just say virgin?” Tina asked, looking from Justin to Sean with an intrigued face. “Sean-”
“He means our drinks.” Sean said, pushing the ottoman further from the couch. “They are all virgin.”
“I don’t think that’s what he was saying.” Tina said, scrutinizing Sean. Sean avoided her eyes. They were a pretty brown, but a lighter amber brown, and Sean preferred a deep root beer color that sometimes looked almost black. Dark chocolate could also have described Nicole’s eyes, but root beer sparkled more, so root beer it was. He looked over at the root beer eyes to see how they were taking this conversation.
“Sean’s religious.” Nicole said, focused on her bracelet, only looking up for a second to gauge how Sean was doing. “Leave it alone.”
“A religious male escort?”
“Hey.” Justin said, coming back with his drinks for himself and the girls. “We aren’t prostitutes.”
Tina put up her hands defensively. “I’m not saying you are. Would your church really be okay with you working here?”
“Why wouldn’t they be?” Sean said. “There’s nothing wrong with it.”
“I guess.” Tina said, sitting back with her cheeks in
her hands. “It seems kind of against the principle of the thing, selling your attention.”
“Are you saying we’re immoral then?”
“No!” She laughed. “I guess it’s just a very liberal thing to do, and well, liberal isn’t the first thing I think of when I think of church.”
“Ah.” He said.
“So is it one of those things where you can’t have sex before marriage?”
“I don’t want to have sex.” He said. “Not until it’s in the right place and the right time. Which I feel is married.” Sean looked around the room, making sure others hadn’t yet tuned into the conversation. “Anyway, Hope would kill me if she knew we were having this conversation. Let’s change the subject.”
“I agree.” Nicole said. “Leave religion out of it. I’m here to have fun tonight.”
“I think finding out that a super hot guy who works at a host club is completely surprising in his views on sex IS fun.” Tina said. “I mean isn’t it ironic, that he’s liberated enough to work here, but stuck in the Stone Age when it comes to sex? Seriously, I’d like to just put him on a shelf somewhere as a trophy, or some kind of relic or oddity.”
Sean looked at Nicole, who looked like he felt, nervous and bored. Justin returned with their drinks.
“Can I have my juice?” Nicole asked.
Justin handed the girls their juice. “Should we play a game?”
“No.” Tina said. “I’m enjoying talking.”
“You mean pestering Sean.” Nicole said, nudging her friend in the ribs.
“I’m not pestering, I’m just curious.” Tina said. “Besides, I’m the one paying here. The least they can do is answer a few questions.”
Sean shrugged, but Justin’s eyes turned frosty.
“We are still people. We still get to decide what we want to answer.” Justin perched on Nicole’s chair but didn’t touch her. His pretty face took on a cold, sharp quality that made Sean want to pull Nicole away from him.
“Sheesh.” Tina said, standing up and walking to Justin. “Okay Mr. Sensitive, what would you like to do then?”
“Sorry.” Justin said, giving them all an evil smile.
The whole group groaned and shook their heads, then, seeing each other’s reactions, laughed.
“Okay what would ya’ll like to play then?” Justin said.
“Anything but Sorry.” Nicole said, smiling at Sean. “I think we’ve played it enough. Besides, someone always gets picked on.”
“And that’s probably not a good thing considering someone is already touchy tonight.” Tina said, nodding sideways at Justin
“Aw Tina.” Justin narrowed his eyes on her. “I’m not the one sulking because I don’t get to ask more awkward questions.”
Her eyes narrowed, and a little line appeared on her forehead. “I don’t like this.” She said, standing.
“Whoa whoa whoa.” Justin said, quickly moving to extinguish the fire. He put an arm around her shoulder and started to escort her to the game cabinet. “I’m sorry Tina, that was out of line. If you promise not to rat me out to Hope, I’ll let you choose the game.”
Tina sighed, knowing she was beaten, and glad to be reminded that she was in control and could likely get him fired if she wanted to. “Alright, let’s go look at the games.” She looked back towards Sean and Nicole, who were talking and laughing about something. “Those two need to get a room.”
“Agreed.” Justin said.
“Well at least we agree on something.” Tina said, hooking her arm through his so they could march together to the games.
Nicole finished getting ready before the doorbell rang. She looked out the window to see Sean’s jeep outside, and hurried to grab her earrings from her dresser. She put them in and rushed to the mirror for a final look at the finished product. It was interesting how going out with an escort still felt like a date, still led to a lot of excitement and anticipation, still made her feel giddy and nervous to impress.
She liked what she saw in the mirror. She pulled back a wayward curl into the mass at the sides of her face that cascaded down to her shoulders in bouncy ringlets. She loved her hair now that she’d figured out how not to straighten it, trying to make it look like the other girls in Idaho. She felt stupid even thinking about Idaho, given how long ago that was, but she was seeing Sean, and she had learned that it was more likely than not that she was reverted somewhat when seeing Sean. She gave herself one last smile for confidence and went downstairs.
She was pushing down the back of her underwear on the way down the stairs when her aunt coughed. Nicole looked up and realized Sean had been let in while she’d been making him wait, and was now looking at her agape.
“What are you looking at?” She said, straightening her shirt. “Can’t a girl get some privacy?”
“Maybe you should have looked around you before you started something that needed it.” Mary said.
Sean looked away. She couldn’t tell if he was blushing.
“I’m sorry Nicole, but it’s hot out there. I didn’t think you’d want your guest just left on the porch.” Mary came around and sat by Sean on the couch. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your hot friend?”
Nicole came over to Sean. She put a hand up on his shoulder. “This is Sean.”
Mary’s eyes popped wide open, her whites stark against her dark eyelids. “Are you serious? The Sean?”
“Yes.” Nicole said. “We met up again.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“Well we haven’t been crossing each other’s paths much lately.”
“True, I’ve been busy, but.” Mary looked Sean up and down, and then circled him. “Seriously?”
Nicole laughed. Mary had always been more frank with men, more appreciative of them. Nicole stifled a chuckle at how confused Sean looked. He was doing a good job of hiding it, but she’d seen it enough times at the club that she couldn’t be fooled.
“This is the kid who was sitting on the curb when you left? Girl you better get on that!” Mary said, finally giving Sean a quick hug. “Thank you for always being such a good friend to my niece. I’m sorry she’s so stubborn and can’t see what a dish you are.”
Sean didn’t know what to say to that. He gave her an awkward pat on the back, and when she stepped back, opened his mouth a few times hoping the right thing to say would come if he did, but nothing did. “Er.”
“Sean, she’s just messing with you.”
“Am not. I know a dish when I see one.” Mary headed into the kitchen. “What would you like to drink?”
“We should probably head out.” Sean whispered to Nicole. “This is awkward.”
“I know.” Nicole said. “But just give her another few minutes. She’ll calm down.”
They sat and Nicole took the moment to look Sean over. He was wearing a polo shirt, white with light blue stripes that matched his eyes. His tan looked incredible in it. They’d probably have beautiful babies together if it ever went that way. Which it wouldn’t. She’d never asked his heritage, just like he never asked hers. They just knew they were different than the other kids, and more similar to each other with their dark skin, and that had been bonding enough. He hadn’t asked why she didn’t look like the dad she lived with, she hadn’t asked how he had blue eyes. He looked good in jeans, muscular, wearing a baggier style. Not the woman-jeans she saw so many men squeezing themselves into. Gross. He had casual shoes on, something to walk in that didn’t look nerdy like a running shoe. She laughed remembering his fashion as a kid. Then again, who was fashionable as a kid? Probably only people even more messed up than they were.
Sean snuck a narrowed glance at the kitchen. “She’s acting crazy. You’d think you’d never brought a guy home.”
“Well.”
“What?” Sean’s eyes widened.
“Well-the guys I dated, I always kind of kept them away from my aunt. Went to their place, had our own place, etc. I just didn’t want her to meet them.”
“W
hy?”
“I didn’t want her to look at me differently. Not that she didn’t see the fallout and support me when things went wrong with the guys, but I didn’t want her to see for herself how plain it was that they were bad, and think I was stupid for not seeing it.”
“That makes sense…in a weird way.” Sean said. “Then again, that’s how you always made sense.”
She gave his arm a little punch, and he laughed and rubbed it. They both looked up at Mary who was coming towards them with a tray and a pitcher and several glasses.
Sean Jumped up and went to take it from her. “Allow me.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Mary said, handing it over and checking Sean out again. “I like this one, let’s keep him around.”
Nicole put her hand over her face for a moment, but removed it when Sean set her drink in front of her. He put another next to her where he’d sit, and another on the table by the sofa where he assumed Mary would sit. She did.
“Am I missing something here?”
“He’s just a friend.” Nicole said.
Mary looked quickly to Sean, wondering how he’d take it. In her view, men did not come over dressed up to meet the family of a ‘just friend’, and she hadn’t yet met the man who was happy to hear he was friend boxed by a cute girl like Nicole. She could see why the two had gotten along well. They even looked somewhat alike, though his tan skin and blue eyes looked somewhat Polynesian or Asian, along with whatever else was mixed in there, where Nicole was just a beautiful, black woman.
“I’m sorry for springing my visit on you like this.” Sean said. “Nicole and I are just going on a double date with her friends.”
Nicole looked flustered.
Mary looked smug. “No problem, friends of Nicole are always welcome here. Plus it’s about time I met one of her men.”
Sean just looked at his watch and said, “Time to head out, if we don’t want to miss them.” He didn’t feel at all sorry for rebutting Nicole’s friend statement. He didn’t know what they were, but she didn’t need to friend box him right in front of her aunt, not when they in truth were going on a date. He stood and held his hand out to help her stand. She didn’t take it and stood on her own, then stuck her tongue out at him. He opened the front door, gave her aunt one last smile and wave. Nicole walked under his arm out the front door and he looked her over without consciously thinking about it. She was gorgeous. She made his breathe stop at his throat for a moment and refuse to go out as long as he was looking at her. Her hair, her face, her body in that outfit. What he wouldn’t give.