by L. T. Varner
The host chuckled and said, “Well, you played the character very well. I could see a lot of chemistry between the two of you.”
Collin started laughing, and I noticed Daniel was not looking pleased. Then they went to a commercial break, and Mike turned the television off, obviously upset, as well. I sat back on the couch with all these thoughts going through my head. I finally whispered, “He only sees me as a victim.”
Mike and I sat there trying to figure out what had just happened. Mike jumped as his phone started ringing. After picking it up off the end table, he answered it without any enthusiasm in his voice. He listened for a minute and then he said, “Yes, we saw it. I will tell her.”
After putting the phone down, Mike said, “That was Daniel. He was hoping you missed the interview. The things Collin said were news to him, too. He didn’t know Collin was going in that direction. He asked me to tell you that he and Jake are very sorry.”
I knew Daniel had nothing to do with it, but Jake apologizing, as well, surprised me. He was always so quiet around me, and I assumed he didn’t like me. I sat there staring at the ceiling, not able to pinpoint a single thought, even though I had a million of them going through my head. The only thing that stood out was Collin. He simply thinks of me as a victim.
Mike stood up and mentioned that we needed to get ready for work. He headed downstairs to shower knowing I needed a couple of minutes to take it all in.
I got ready in time to go to work as neither Mike nor I brought up anything about the interview on the way to the bar. Once we got there, he started organizing our office. This was something he did since we were little. When he was extremely upset, he organized instead of reacting. I thought maybe he was more upset than I was when he started cleaning out my desk after thoroughly organizing his.
I accomplished a lot over the next two hours. I finished payroll, paid our vendors, approved vacation time, and got some supplies ordered. Why can’t I get this much work done all the time? I knew exactly why, I had left my phone on the counter at home. I knew I would miss Daniel’s call, and he would be concerned. Then a knock at my door scared the crap out of me, and I spilled my cup of tea on my desk.
“Sorry, Danni, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Nick said as I jumped up to avoid the river of tea running toward me. After cleaning up my mess, Nick and I decided to walk to the restaurant to have dinner instead of drinks. It was only two blocks away, and it gave us a chance to talk. As we talked, we discovered that we were both runners, and we compared our times. He told me that he liked to run marathons and if I wanted to, he would help me prepare for the upcoming one. I said I would have to think about it, knowing I may not be dedicated enough to do it.
Nick and I ended up having a lot in common. He told me all about his family and how his dad was the founding partner of his firm with offices all around the country. It was apparent by the way Nick talked about it that he liked his job.
We discussed how I had grown up with a famous dad and the ways I had managed to keep myself out of the spotlight until recently. He briefly mentioned he was sorry to hear about the events that had happened to me in the last year and a half. He genuinely hoped things would get better. Wow, this guy is actually charming and smart.
He reached over and held my hand, and I was enjoying it until I realized it was time to leave. We made our way out of the restaurant, and I was surprised when I looked at my watch and realized I had just had a three-hour dinner date with Nick. He held my hand as we walked back to the bar.
I was a little giggly when he asked, “Why do you seem so nervous?”
I laughed and said, “It has been a very long time since I had a regular date. This is strange for me.”
“I hope it’s a good strange,” he said, stopping in front of the bar and turning to face me.
“Nick, this is a very good strange,” I said as we both stepped closer together.
My mind went blank as he slowly leaned in and kissed me. He was an excellent kisser, but my mind flew instantly to Collin and his passionate kisses. I tried not to let that thought ruin the moment when Nick pulled back.
“I had a great evening with you,” he said, still standing close to me. “I hope we can do this again very soon.”
“I would like that, Nick, very much.” This time, I leaned up and kissed him.
After he had walked down the street to his car, I stood there for a moment trying to gather my thoughts. I wondered what exactly I was doing.
As I walked into the bar, Mike was smiling and said, “That looked like some kiss.”
I couldn’t help but laugh as I kept heading to my office with Mike following me.
He leaned on my desk and said, “Details please.”
We had always talked about the intimate details of our lives, nothing was off limits. Since the assault, I was more guarded with him. I hadn’t told anyone about so many details from the night of the assault, and it made me feel guilty to think I was keeping things from my best friend. So, I thought I could try to tell him about the date.
“Nick is a great guy and sexy as hell.”
Mike stopped me and said, “Why do I hear you dragging your feet then?”
Sometimes Mike knowing me so well worked against me. I answered, “I’m not, Mike.”
“Yes, Danni, you are. What is the problem?” he asked as he leaned on my desk in front of me and I sat down.
“I don’t know what I want, Mike. This whole Collin mess has just got my mind going in so many different directions. I don’t know how or what I feel.”
Mike quietly said, “It’s not like you have to marry the guy. Just try dating him and see what happens. No expectations.”
“I don’t want to do to him what Collin is doing to me by stringing me along. All this time I thought maybe he felt something for me, but he just sees me as a victim. He only felt sorry for me,” I said, realizing I sounded like a victim, too.
Mike stood up and yelled, “I am so glad Collin is a thousand miles away, or I would kick his ass.”
I laughed at the thought of Mike hurting anyone. As many things as I tried to hide from him, I knew he was onto all of them. After he had taken a few calming breaths, he continued, “I told Daniel you would call him later no matter how late it is. He is upset and wants to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’ll call him when I get home. By the way, you didn’t tell him I was out with Nick did you?”
He grinned before leaning down and kissing the top of my head.
It was two in the morning when we got home. I decided it was too late to call Daniel back. I lay in bed looking through my missed calls and text messages. Daniel texted me insisting I call him back, or he would keep calling, and that was only twenty minutes ago. Nick had left a nice voicemail saying again he had a great evening and was looking forward to seeing me again. One last text that stood out from the others was from Collin with one simple word.
Collin: Sorry
Mike was lying beside me at this point and said, “I would be happy to respond to that message if you want me to.”
I hit delete and decided I was going to put it out of my mind and go ahead and give Nick a chance. Mike was glad to hear that. My phone rang, and I saw it was Daniel. I debated answering but, knowing Daniel, he would keep calling unless I picked up.
“Hey, Daniel,” I answered, trying not to yawn.
“Did I wake you up?” he asked, sounding just as tired as I was.
“No. We just got home a little bit ago.”
Of course, he had to make it dirty by asking, “So, did Nick wear you out?”
I laughed and said, “Shut up, Daniel. Nothing happened but a goodnight kiss. He is a gentleman. This is how adults date.”
He laughed and said, “I like how I date better. I want a goodnight blowjob, not a goodnight kiss. Pffft that is lame.”
After laughing at each other, we talked about him heading back home. With a lot of irritation in his voice, he explained that Collin’s bus had broken down. They
had only taken two buses to the show, so now the whole band and the girlfriends were on his bus. I was hoping Collin wasn’t listening to our conversation.
I tried not to talk about Nick as Daniel asked me more about him, so I had a feeling Collin was, in fact, listening in. I mentioned I didn’t want to talk about Nick, but Daniel kept going on. I started laughing when he asked if Nick looked as good naked as he does. I knew exactly why he said that as he went on to have a five-minute pretend conversation with me about it. He was trying to piss off Collin, and I loved him a little more for that. We had talked about little things for the next hour before I told him I needed some sleep. He laughed and made a joke about how having hot sex for hours can make you tired.
Mike had taken off the following weekend to work on wedding stuff with Mark, so that meant I had to cover at the bar. I liked anything that would keep my mind busy, but instead, it turned out to be a quiet weekend with not much happening.
I had even taken the time to go to the spa and do all the things they managed to do to me at the video shoot. It did make me feel a little better about myself.
I had talked to Nick multiple times, and I was starting to like him. As I drove home from the spa, he called saying he had good news for me and a personal question, as well.
“I’ll start with the good news first. I got your probation lifted on account of the judge not offering you diversion classes, he was obligated to since you’re a first-time offender.”
“Really?” I asked, shocked. “It’s over just like that?”
He laughed and said, “Yes, your record is clean once again, so stay out of trouble.”
He went on to tell me, “We settled the case with Jerry.”
In-depth Nick explained that instead of me settling with him, Jerry was settling with me. He finished by saying that his band was on the rise and hitting a girl was not something his record label would want the world knowing. So, he was paying me as long as I signed a non-disclosure agreement preventing either of us from talking about the incident.
I was so grateful to have the whole incident behind me and thanked Nick for that.
He said, “Now, I have two personal questions for you. Would you be interested in being my date next weekend for two reasons? One is for a benefit dinner, and two is because Collin is throwing a surprise birthday party for Daniel. He asked if I would let you know.”
This upset me. Couldn’t Collin even call me himself? What an ass.
“Nick, I don’t know about the dinner thing . . .” I said, discouraged at the idea of a stuffy dinner function with people I didn’t know.
“Come on, Danni. You can put on a nice dress and look beautiful for me.”
“Do you know how hard it is for me to keep something from Daniel?” I mumbled.
“Collin mentioned that to me, as well, so I can’t give you too many details,” Nick said, almost laughing.
I knew I couldn’t skip it. I had to be there for Daniel, so I agreed to both dates with Nick. He was thrilled and excited to see me.
The next day Mike was happy to take me shopping for a dress to wear to the benefit. It was a black tie dinner, and I thought maybe I had bitten off more than I could chew. I sat in the chair of the changing room playing on my phone, waiting to see what Mike had found.
He held up a black satin number with the straps covered in crystals that ran all the way down the sides of the backless dress. I started laughing at him and called him a dumbass. He looked confused by my reaction.
I said, “I will practically be naked in that. Remember, I have a scar on my back? I want to cover it up, so look for something else.”
He glared at me in frustration and said, “If you don’t at least try it on, I will call Daniel and tell him all about the party.”
I knew he would, and I didn’t want that, so I took the dress from him. It irritated me more when I realized it was a dress with which you couldn’t wear a bra. I slid it over my head and tried to figure out the straps. Hearing me cussing to myself, Mike barged in. He helped me put the straps on the right way and stood back looking proud of himself.
“I wish I had picked this dress for the wedding. You look gorgeous in it,” Mike said smugly.
“You don’t want me to look better then you on your wedding, do you?”
He started laughing at me and then said, “No. I want Mark to marry me. Not you.”
I had to admit the dress fit perfectly, but it made me nervous how much skin it showed. Also, both scars on my back showed clearly.
I asked the sales lady, “How do you move in this and not show everything?”
She said, “Double-stick tape, honey. It holds everything in place.”
“Won’t that hurt to remove?” I grumbled, not liking her idea.
“I think someone will have a lot of fun removing it,” Mike said, laughing.
Chapter 23
Surprise
As the plane touched down in Seattle, I couldn’t wait to see Daniel. It had been a month and a half since I had seen him last. I wasn’t black and blue anymore so that he couldn’t make fun of me for that, at least. Nick was waiting for us when we got to the baggage claim. He pulled me into his arms as we hugged and kissed. I was glad to see him, too. Mike introduced Mark to Nick after I realized from Mike’s dirty glare that I had overlooked it. I wasn’t trying to leave Mark out, but I was anxious, and we both knew it had everything to do with Collin. I spotted my bag and grabbed it, pulling myself back into the present.
We got to our hotel, where the party was taking place and got checked in. I decided not to share a room with Mike and Mark. After a couple of drinks, they always got a little touchy with each other, and I didn’t want to witness it. Daniel’s party was tonight, and the benefit dinner was tomorrow night. Two seconds later my phone rang, and it was Daniel. It had been so hard not telling him I was coming to see him.
“Hello, dirty boy,” I said sitting down on my bed.
“What are you doing, dirty girl? Are you naked in the tub?” he asked, sounding hopeful.
I realized he had never once let on that it was his birthday. I wondered why he had never said anything before. Probably the same reason why I hadn’t mentioned mine that year. I had never liked a big deal made of my birthday. It was simply another day.
We talked for a little bit about the bar and the schoolhouse. He sounded off, almost like he was upset about something. Soon he answered my assumption.
“Collin is a dick. He said I was grounded and needed to stay close to him because of some stupid party or something tonight. I don’t know. I wasn’t listening to him much. He irritates the shit out of me most days.”
Being mischievous I said, “If you’re not doing anything tonight, you could watch us play at the bar.”
He laughed and said, “I have other ideas that involve naked, hot women. Sorry, you’re on your own, dirty girl.”
I laughed and said, “Well, have fun with that and use a condom.”
He laughed loudly and said, “I always wrap it. Don’t want any little Daniel’s running around. That could be dangerous. I will send you videos later, but send me one back this time.”
I laughed as I hung up, knowing he would send something. I loved Daniel, but I didn’t need to see him naked again.
Nick went back to his office to finish a few things after he told me he was glad I was there. He gave me a pretty passionate kiss before he shut the door behind him. I liked Nick, but the realization was setting in that I didn’t feel much more than that for him.
I took a shower to try and calm my nerves. The thought of seeing Collin made me a little sick. I started thinking back to that stupid interview on the talk show. His words still hurt just like they did when I heard them come out of his mouth. I told myself that tonight was about Daniel. I wouldn’t let Collin ruin that, and I would avoid him at all costs and make the best of it.
I had been racking my brain for gift ideas ever since I had found out Daniel’s birthday was coming up. Neither one of us wa
s the regular gift-giver, so I decided that keeping our competitive streak going would be fun. I would try to talk him into doing something neither one of us had ever done, but something I had always wanted to do. Knowing Daniel and his aversion to blood, I thought I could win this one, considering he had passed out at the hospital the last time he saw blood. Nick had helped me arrange the whole thing last week, and I was so excited about it. I looked at the red envelope that enclosed the details and got super excited. Mike knew what I was up to and had even mentioned he had thought about it one time, and maybe he would do it, too.
I got dressed in the clothes Mike had picked out for me. Once again, knowing I would have worn jeans and a T-shirt, he had packed me a short black skirt and a red tank top that had part of the back cut out. Of course, my outfit included those stupid, black strappy heels. I tried to throw them away a couple of different times, but they always came back. After getting dressed and putting my hair in a messy knot off to one side, I was ready. Mike decided to put a red flower thing in my hair, saying it complemented the outfit; Mark agreed.
When Nick showed up, we were all finally ready to go to the party. They had all cleaned up nice too, though I pointed out how unfair it was that they got to wear jeans and I couldn’t. Mike fired back at me saying this was because I was a girl and had lovely legs. I stuck my tongue out, and he rolled his eyes in frustration.
Walking downstairs to the party, Nick reminded us that Daniel still didn’t know we were in town or what was going on. Then he explained that they had told Daniel the record company was having a party for them in honor of the success of the video, so Daniel was under the impression that it was something work-related. I was so excited.
We went in through the staff entrance and were taken to a room with lots of other people already waiting.
We were standing around talking when I caught a glimpse of Steph pointing at me and talking to an older woman. Great, this can’t be good. The older woman started walking toward me. Shit! She’s probably coming over to yell at me on Steph’s behalf. I tried to move behind Mike as he looked at me like I was crazy. Mike moved after he noticed her and she stopped in front of me, smiling.
