“You are not giving in to Duncan,” he warned. “He’s baiting you, Elizabeth. You are not getting drunk with Duncan today or any other day.”
“It’s not your decision. I can do what I want, Daniel,” I said defiantly. “I’m tired of Duncan laughing at me. Lois Lane. Yeesh!”
“Not today,” Danny insisted. “Elizabeth! Listen to me,” he demanded. Then Danny winced. “Ouch, my face hurts so much.”
“Honey, I’m so sorry.” I lifted the ice and saw the even deeper purple Danny’s cheek had become. I pressed my lips to the bruise. “Does that help?”
“Not really, but it’s nice,” Danny smiled as best as he could. “That’s why you’re not drinking this afternoon. I need you, baby.”
“You do, don’t you?” I smiled. I liked being needed.
“I hurt more than you realize. You getting into a drinking match with Duncan… You’ll lose big time and I’ll have to babysit you.”
“Okay. I get it. But when do I get to have any fun?”
“Tomorrow. If I make it.” Danny squeezed my hand. “I hurt so much, I can’t even kiss you,” he complained.
Everyone at The Cellar applauded Danny’s grand entrance. We strode in, holding hands aloft and bowing. Like a decorated hero returning from war, he ate it up.
Pitchers of beer were already at the table. I ordered Danny into a chair while I went to the bar for ice. When I returned he had already chugged his first beer and was pouring a second.
A girl wearing a tight green sweater had taken up residence in the chair next to Danny and was fawning over him, batting her long eyelashes. Would it always be this way?
“Thank you for saving my seat.” I smiled at her and I applied the ice pack to Danny’s face. He winced from the cold, but he kept his hand over mine. Tight sweater got the hint and left. I dreaded the long night ahead.
By seven, I felt like a failure. I had no idea how much beer Danny had consumed, and despite being blitzed, his face still hurt.
We had danced a few times, but in Danny’s inebriated state this meant he held me as tightly as possible while we swayed to the beat. His hand rested unwelcome on my rear, but I was powerless to remove it.
I felt tawdry and cheap, but I had promised to take care of Danny so I couldn’t do what I wanted to do – flee. I was fed up with Danny, but most of all I was fed up with myself.
I would never put myself in this position again. After tonight, if Danny wanted to get blitzed, count me out. This was not the Danny I loved. This Danny I didn’t know, and I didn’t like. If we made it through tonight, I knew I wasn’t ready for a committed relationship with him.
Somehow we adjourned to Duncan’s suite in Daughtry House for part two of the never-ending evening. If it wasn’t enough to be drunk, why not follow it up by getting wasted. Oh joy!
As the only person not partaking I was bored. So while everyone else shared joints, I sat on a bed propped against a wall and contemplated life. Danny had warned me, but talk had not prepared me. It tortured me trying to reconcile the two Danny’s. Tears that none of the besotted souls in the room noticed, trickled down my cheeks.
Soon Danny had had enough of smoking pot and remembered he had a girlfriend. He climbed on the bed, kissed me, and laid his head in my lap. Then Danny took my hand and played with my fingers while I stroked his sweat-dampened hair.
His cheek looked awful although the swelling had stabilized. Wasted Danny was mellow. He gazed up at me with contented, angelic blue eyes and smiled. Danny was in no pain, but he was clueless about mine.
Duncan appeared and squeezed in beside me. Danny’s glassy eyes acknowledged him and in a dreamy voice he said, “Eli’s my best girl.” Then he kissed my lips and added, “She even tastes good.”
“Let me try,” Duncan said in his wasted stupor. He grabbed my face between his hands.
“Get away!” I exclaimed, and I shoved Duncan who toppled over on to the mattress. I moved Danny aside more gently and jumped up. “I am so out of here! Danny, let’s go.”
Danny was too wasted to object. I grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door, leaving a room of stunned, wasted people in our wake.
When we reached Berkeley Hall after walking across the quad in stony silence, Danny embraced me for a kiss. I pushed him away. Ew. Vile. Danny still wore dirty rugby clothes. The stench of old sweats, stale beer, and pot was a nauseating combination.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, oblivious to reality. “Are you angry?”
In his state, I decided to focus on the issue that required less of an explanation.
“Danny, you reek. You’re wearing a soiled rugby uniform.”
The usually fastidious Danny looked at his clothes and frowned, clueless.
“I’ll shower upstairs.”
“And brush your teeth.” Danny grinned, a mischievous little boy grin. “I’m serious,” I added with icy regard.
Danny wobbled up the front steps. He clung to me. I helped him to the elevator, praying his larger size wouldn’t knock me over. Stumbling through the hallway, I cautioned him to be quiet. Then I realized it was 10:30. Nobody was sleeping. It was Saturday night.
Once inside Danny’s room, I found clean sleep pants, a t-shirt, and underwear in his bureau. I pushed Danny into a chair and pulled off his muddy cleats and socks.
“Ugh! This is gross.” I scrunched up my face. He smirked. I scowled. Then I threw the socks in Danny’s face and he sniffed them.
“You’re right. These are gross,” and he threw them in the corner.
I pulled Danny up by the hand. “Shower,” I announced, and I marched him down the hall to the bathroom.
I handed Danny the clean clothes and turned on the water. “Do not come out until you smell sweet again,” I ordered.
Danny reached for his towel and soap, and before pulling the outer curtain closed issued me a challenge, “Join me, Eli? You can tell me when I do.”
“No way,” I laughed and I pulled the curtain closed. Not tonight.
Ten minutes later Danny emerged sparkling clean, wearing fresh clothes and smelling of Bumble and Bumble.
“Better?” he asked.
“Almost.” And I handed him his toothbrush and toothpaste. Then he went to the sink and brushed. Danny didn’t even glance up.
“Have you even looked in the mirror?” I asked.
Danny glanced up and examined his reflection. His eyes opened wide in shock.
“E, have I looked this bad all day?”
I nodded yes. Then I added, “The swelling’s stabilized, but it’s more purple now. Why do you think I’ve been so worried?”
“I didn’t know…” For the first time he was concerned.
“Of course not. You were wasted.”
Danny tapped his cheek with his fingertips and winced. “E, that’s wicked. Do you think anything’s broken?”
“Let me see. I’ll be gentle.” My fingertips skimmed his cheekbone, but Danny grimaced. Even my light touch hurt.
“Enough! Ouch!” Danny exclaimed and he yanked my hand away.
“I think it’s just bruised.”
I rummaged in my purse and found an Extra-Strength Advil bottle. I shook out three caplets and handed them to Danny.
“The only drug you should have taken.”
“Point made, Elizabeth.”
Danny swallowed the caplets and washed them down by cupping his hands under the spigot. Then he patted me on the head like a good puppy.
“Thanks, Mom… Mom.” He stopped short. “My mother will freak. Promise me you will not tell your parents. You know they’ll tell mine,” he pleaded.
“I promise. I won’t say a word.”
Danny remained unsteady as we returned to his room.
“E, I don’t feel well,” Danny said with slow deliberateness.
“Are you going to barf?” I asked.
“I don’t think so.”
“Too bad.”
“You’re angry.”
“Disappointed.” I
sat down on Danny’s bed. “You put me in a compromising situation today. You exposed a side I didn’t like. I’ve had to tolerate girls hitting on you, and then us hanging with wasted people. And Duncan tried kissing me!” I wept.
Danny wrapped his arm around me. “Was it that bad, baby?”
“Yes,” I sobbed. “I don’t even like you anymore.”
“Yes you do.”
“No, I don’t.” I wiped my eyes with my hand.
“Then why are you here?”
“I owed it to Ellen.”
Danny let out a whoop of laughter and winced from pain. I sneered.
“If it helps any, even for me I was bad today. I tried everything to stop the pain. You were right. I should have taken Advil. It’s starting to work.”
“Good. Shift over. I’m going.” And I rose.
“Don’t go. I feel awful,” he pleaded. Danny pulled me to the bed and started tickling me with my hair. “C’mon Eli. Don’t be mad. You’re my girl. You kept me safe.”
“I don’t know about that.”
Danny lifted my chin and kissed me. “How about now?”
“I’m angry.” Danny kissed me again. “You’re making anger difficult.” Danny trailed kisses down my neck eliciting shivers of arousal. “That’s not fair.”
“I don’t play fair,” he flirted.
“You’re impossible.” I succumbed and kissed him.
Then Danny shoved me aside and bolted for the door. He returned a while later looking white as a ghost.
“Are you alright?”
“I think so.” Danny lay down on the bed, shaking. I covered him with the comforter. “I’m so sick, hon.”
“I should go. You need to sleep.”
Danny took my hand. “Don’t go, Eli,” he pleaded. “I hate being alone when I’m sick. It scares me.” Danny quivered. How had he managed all those other times?
I removed my sweatshirt, slipped on his shirt that came down to my knees, and shrugged of my jeans. After turning off the desk light, I climbed in beside Danny. He wrapped his arms around me, a human blanket, and kissed my shoulder, holding me closer.
Soon, Danny fell asleep, but sleep did not come easily for me. In his condition nothing was going to happen between us, but this was Danny. Even with him sleeping it off, the electricity generated between us was potent.
When I drifted off, my sleep was shallow, not restive.
CHAPTER 27 - ELIZABETH
“Hey sleepy head.” A happy voice greeted me upon waking.
I blinked. Sunlight flooded the room. Danny and I had forgotten to pull the shades down last night.
“I thought it was a dream, but you’re here,” he said
Those gentle words, like magic seduced my ear and touched my heart. Danny’s easy smile warmed me. His soft hand skimmed my face.
“Yeah, I’m here. Like I promised.”
“I’m glad,” Danny whispered, and he kissed me, sending my head spinning.
“How are you doing?”
Danny touched his cheek and winced. “I need more Advil.”
“After breakfast or it can hurt your stomach.”
“Then we better get some food.”
I yawned. “Not yet.”
Danny pulled me even closer and grinned. Our lips joined while he stroked my thigh.
Danny’s finger traced the contours of my jaw and lingered on my lips.
“I know what else will wake you up,” he suggested.
“Daniel, I am not some girl you picked up at a bar. You’re the one who wanted to wait. After yesterday, I have to agree. Before you ever have a chance at loving me you have to commit to getting your act together.”
“Ouch. Elizabeth, you’ve ruined my day.”
“No I didn’t. You knew my answer before you even asked.”
I rose from the bed and put on my jeans, hoodie and shoes. Danny followed me to the door and he kissed my hair.
“Ew, babe. You smell like a party,” Danny laughed. I frowned and left him.
Danny was right. The stench was not confined to my hair. My clothing reeked of pot. The fabric had absorbed yesterday’s pungent odors. In my room, I stripped, threw everything into the laundry bag, and showered, lathering my hair twice.
Overnight it had cooled considerably. Indian Summer over, I chose a snug-fitting marine blue V-necked cashmere sweater. It looked great over skinny jeans.
Soon Danny arrived to accompany me to brunch. He took my breath away. Dressed in a cotton shirt the color of his eyes, worn over faded jeans and topped off with a heavyweight denim jacket, its simplicity revealed perfection. I was speechless. I kissed Danny’s cheek before grabbing my jacket and keycard.
I got a funny vibe as we waited in the hot food line.
“I feel everyone starring at us,” I whispered to Danny. He furtively glanced around while I mindlessly loaded my plate with waffles, bacon and eggs.
“It must be your mountain of food. Eli, you can’t possibly eat that much.”
Danny speared my waffles and put them on his plate. To this he added eggs and bacon. I glared and retrieved one of the waffles.
At the fruit station I again whispered to Danny, this time with urgency, “Why are people starring at us?”
“I don’t know that they are,” he whispered back, “If so they’re probably wondering how a guy with a mottled face could land a babe who looks like a model.”
“A model?” I was a lot of things, but definitely not a model.
“Babe, you must never look in the mirror, because I see a model.” I blushed.
Danny and I cleared check-out and went to our usual table which was oddly empty.
“Well, if I’m a model, then you’re looking rakishly handsome this morning,” I smiled as we sat down next to each other.
“Rakishly? Like a pirate?” Danny asked, surprised.
“Yep, my own personal outlaw. Waffle-thief.”
I lifted a crispy waffle to my lips, and Danny squeezed my free hand as I bit in.
I blushed as Cam, Shane, Chloe and Rachel suddenly appeared with their plates.
“Danny, your face!” Rachel exclaimed as she sat down.
“You look awful,” Chloe agreed.
“Danny does not look awful,” I defended. “He’s rakish.”
“Ah, love is blind,” Rachel teased.
“Danny does look awful, Elizabeth,” Shane clarified.
“You’d better take good care of Danny,” Cam added. “We wouldn’t want him getting more bruises.”
“You too, Danny,” Chloe added. “Take of Elizabeth.”
Chloe’s eyes focused like lasers on the neckline of my sweater
Even Danny could not stifle his laughter. I frowned.
“Nothing happened,” I said forcefully. “Danny was ill. I took care of him.”
“Nothing?” Chloe giggled. She pointed to my collarbone. “Vampire attack?”
Cam and Shane couldn’t hold back anymore. They burst into raucous laughter. Even Rachel joined in.
“Hickey?” I asked, embarrassed.
CHAPTER 28 - ELIZABETH
Three weeks later we left for New York to celebrate Thanksgiving. Danny and I planned on arriving before lunch to spend Wednesday afternoon together.
Our parents were arriving later. It had been so long. Just the same, I was anxious. Several times Danny and I had discussed what we thought our parents suspected about us, and when we would tell them.
“Mom will take one look at us and she’ll know,” I had fretted.
“Randi will approve. She’s known me all my life,” Danny pointed out.
“Which is exactly why she won’t approve. Mom knows everything about you.”
“Eli, your parents love me.”
“Not this way. Mom and Dad have never once said, ‘Elizabeth when are you and Danny hooking up?”
Danny laughed. “Eli, you’re embarrassed. You don’t want your parents thinking that you’re, that you and I are… Eli, you’re almost nineteen years o
ld!”
“Enough! Okay. You’re right!” I had protested.
Danny couldn’t stop laughing. He’d hit a sore spot. Danny and I had been together for nearly a month. Why hadn’t we had sex yet? I certainly wanted to, and I feared what Danny might do if we didn’t.
All the staff at The Regency knew Danny and I. Whenever we were in New York, the Jacobs and the Newmans stayed at the elegant hotel on Park Avenue.
The expertly professional staff greeted us warmly. My favorite bellman that I’d known since toddlerhood hugged me as he took our bags. The front desk manager who had known us even longer was equally happy. She embraced us and squealed, “How great to see you! Your suites are ready.”
Our parents had each reserved spacious two-bedroom suites. The bedroom with the two queen-sized beds was mine. Mom and Dad would take the large master. The Newman’s had the identical set-up down the hall. It was childhood all over again.
My cast had been removed on Monday. I could wear matching shoes again! I felt so free slipping my hand in Danny’s while we playfully strolled the avenue me in flat black ankle boots. It was cathartic.
Our first stop was Bergdorf Goodman’s. I loved their cozy restaurant where you could order the Gotham salad, their take on a Cobb.
“I know where you can get the best Cobb Salad in every city in America,” I boasted and Danny laughed good-naturedly.
“So who makes the best one, Eli?”
“The Polo Lounge, of course!” I declared.
Next up, the fifth floor where the trendy designers are sold. Danny attacked a section of blouses with gusto and pulled several off the rack.
“Size zero, right hon?” he called to me.
I was a few feet away deciding between two sweaters. “Or extra small,” I added.
“Try these,” Danny suggested, and he thrust hangers at me. The sales girl promptly took them to start a dressing room. I loved shopping with Danny! He made it fun!
Then it was on to Barney’s where I enjoyed selecting clothes for Danny. I was pleased that he liked my taste. With his physique, everything looked exquisite, though Danny’s bruised cheek was the one feature that kept him from being truly perfect.
When we returned to The Regency, it was time to unpack and wait for our parents.
Luggage emptied, I crossed the hall to Danny. He was calmly lying on his bed reading a book. Danny smiled and took a swig of beer. I sat down on the edge of his bed and held my head in my hands. Danny put down the beer bottle and rubbed my neck and shoulders. His firm kneading ordinarily relaxed me, but not today.
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