Fighting Dirty

by Sidney Halston

  “Do you think you should be doing it for a man?”

  “It’s not. I’m not, I mean. I’m doing it for myself. For my children. Travis won’t even acknowledge me, you know?”

  “Yeah, I know. He’s got good reasons. So do I,” JL said.

  “I know, honey. I want to tell you how sorry I am for everything. I’ve been a terrible mother. The worst. But I want to make up for it.”

  Penny dropped off their order, and JL took a bite of her pie as she contemplated what to say. On one hand, by making selfish and toxic decisions Rita had changed the course of JL’s life forever. It would be understandable for JL to hold a grudge against her mother forever. On the other hand, it sometimes took more energy to hold a grudge than to forgive.

  “Don’t know, Mama. We’ve been here before. I’m not going to make light of the situation by saying that you haven’t been that bad. You have. The things you’ve made me go through…” She shook her head as if that would get the thoughts out of her head. “But I’m willing to give you a chance, a very arm’s-length chance.”

  Rita’s eyes shimmered. “Thank you, Jamie Lynn. I promise I won’t let you down.”

  At that moment JL’s phone chirped, and she looked down and smiled at a text from Enzo that said, Miss your face. Then it chirped again. I’m lying. I actually miss your naked body lying on a bed of Oreo crumbs. She chuckled before slipping it back in her purse.

  “Who’s the guy? Same one who answered your phone the other day?”

  JL hesitated a moment. In the past her mother would put her down whenever she was happiest, and she didn’t want anything to ruin her mood.

  “You don’t have to tell me,” Rita went on. “None of my business. But whoever is making you smile is someone I’d like to meet one day. You look happy, honey. I’m real glad for you.”

  “It’s nice to see you sober, Mama. I hate to cut this short, but I have to work tonight and I have to go buy a dress before then.”

  “A dress?” Her mother’s eyes lit up. “Maybe I could go with you?”

  “I…uh…”

  “Come on, honey. You need another set of eyes while you’re choosing, and someone to help zip you up.”

  JL closed her eyes and hoped she wasn’t making a mistake. When her mother was concerned, she usually was, but…“Yeah, okay.” JL signaled for the check. “I’ll drive.”

  —

  “I’m so damn tired,” JL groaned four hours later as she dropped Rita off at EE’s to retrieve her car.

  “I can’t remember having a better time. Your man’s going to love the dress,” Rita said.

  “You think so? Is it bold?”

  “No. Not at all. It’s beautiful. I hope it goes well at the party, darlin’.” She leaned over and kissed JL’s cheek. “Can I call you Sunday to ask how it went?”

  “Yes. Keep it up, Mama. I’m proud of you.”

  Her mother got out of the car, and JL rushed to the Pier. It had been a surprisingly wonderful and eventful day. Her mother had been remarkably helpful and surprisingly uncritical. She walked into her shift with an extra skip in her step. Life was good.

  —

  It had been nonstop for Enzo for the last two days. He’d made calls and conducted meetings and written proposals until he’d finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel. One of the investors, Luis Rommel, a laid-back San Diego native, loved Enzo’s new progressive plan for the Design District. Instead of a big commercial mall, his new idea was to build small cafés and mom-and-pop-inspired shops centered around the Walls—basically rejuvenating the area using what was already there instead of destroying it, and making the Walls the central focus of the area. It would cost a fraction of the price of a mall, and it would allow for a different market, one more in keeping with the small Florida town. Once he had Luis on his side he had no doubt the other investors would fall into line, and Luis was as excited about the new project as Enzo was.

  Enzo had done all of this without contacting his father. He wanted to have everything in order before he had that conversation, because at the end of the day, his father and his father’s business partner, Marianna’s father, only cared about the bottom line, and if the bottom line was millions in profit, they wouldn’t care if it was a surf shop or a Walmart.

  Truthfully, Enzo had done so well during the last seven years that his father couldn’t steamroll his ideas anymore. These last two days had taught him that he had enough influence on his own that even if his father fired him, he would be fine. Or so he hoped. Regardless, he had other deals on the back burner all over the nation, and he needed to discuss those with the investors going to the gala that evening, or at least schmooze enough that if the Design District deal didn’t end well, they’d still be onboard for his other projects. He didn’t want to be completely shunned if his father pulled the trigger and fired him.

  That evening he walked into his house to get dressed for the gala with a little extra skip in his step. Things were looking as if they would all work out. Life was pretty damn good.

  Chapter 15

  “Whoa!” Enzo said as Jamie Lynn twirled in her floor-length, long-sleeved red gown that became sheer from the knees down but looked painted on her slim body from her knees up. The other women he’d dated never would have worn such bold colors, but the fact that she wore red made him happy. The most shocking part, though, was her soft blond hair, swept smoothly to one side. She looked young and fresh; her heavy makeup was gone, making her flawless skin glow. She was stunning, but he felt something was off with her. Maybe he just wasn’t used to seeing her like that.

  She’d obviously done this for him. It wasn’t necessary; he didn’t need her to change for him. He was proud to stand next to her, whether her hair was green, blue, or purple, tattoos visible and all. But knowing that the most confident and nonconforming person he’d ever met would be willing to change, even for just an evening, in an attempt to please him…well, it made him want to pound his chest. “You look absolutely gorgeous, Jamie Lynn.”

  She smiled and did a little curtsy. “Thank you, Pretty Boy. And you look as dashing as always,” she said in her Texas twang.

  “Well, with a nickname like Pretty Boy, I have to keep up appearances.” He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to him. “You didn’t have to cover up your tattoos for me.”

  “You don’t like it?”

  “I do. But you do know, I hope, that I like you with the tattoos, the lipstick, the liner, the attitude—the whole badass-pixie package. I like you any way I can have you, sweetheart.”

  “Well, that’s good to know,” she said awkwardly. He was unsure what was going on in her mind or why she’d decided to go looking so different, but whatever her reason, he’d make it up to her later, when they were both naked on his bed.

  —

  Enzo helped her out of the house and into his car. He held her hand the entire thirty-minute drive to the hotel where the gala would take place and kept complimenting her. Without her normal clothes and hair, she felt disarmed. He hadn’t asked her to change for him, but these were the people he worked with, and for the first time in her life she wanted to fit into his world instead of making a statement. Tonight was about him, and she would show she was the perfect supportive girlfriend. She wasn’t sure which one of them she was trying to convince, him or herself.

  “Why blond?” He glanced up to her head.

  “I figured this is important to you, and so I thought I’d tone it down a little. It’s my natural color.”

  “You mentioned that before. I find it hard to believe.”

  “Why? What color did you think?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know. In the last year I think I’ve seen it in every shade of purple and blue, some shades of red and pink. I don’t know…maybe I thought brown, black? But blond?” He shook his head. “No. Not blond. My mind’s kind of blown right now.”

  She laughed. “Well, then, I guess mission accomplished.”

  —

  The po
int had been to get in, kiss some ass in order to impress his current and future colleagues, and then get out. Had he really thought it through, he’d never have brought Jamie Lynn.

  Jamie Lynn and Enzo were leaning against the bar with cocktails in their hand, discussing how long she could tolerate being in the high heels she’d chosen before she had to be lifted and carried home.

  “Boa noite, Lorenzo.”

  His head whipped back, almost causing his drink to spill. “Marianna?” His eyes were the size of saucers, he was sure. “What the hell are you doing here?” he asked.

  “My daddy’s not leaving this deal up to you. He heard you’ve been trying to change the terms of the deal, so he sent me here to fix it.”

  “You must mean kiss someone’s ass, because in all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never set foot inside the office. You don’t know one thing about my business.”

  She inched closer. “Our business, meu querido,” she clarified.

  “Oh, querida,” he spat back, “the only thing you’re good for is feeling up the potential business.”

  “You’re still pining for me. Cute,” she said, and she moved toward him, intending to poke his nose—that condescending thing she’d always liked to do to make him feel small. Instead he quickly sidestepped her, almost pushing Jamie Lynn out of the way in the process.

  “Shit. Sorry,” he hissed.

  “Oh, and who’s this?” Marianna asked.

  The thing he liked most about Jamie Lynn was the way she could handle herself. She wore permanent armor around herself and even though she was the tiniest thing he’d ever met, you could pick up the don’t-fuck-with-me vibe from a mile away.

  Extending her hand, she said in a surprisingly cordial voice, “I’m Jamie Lynn Calhoun. You must be Marianna.” Then she added, with a heavy dose of snark, “The ex.”

  Marianna delicately touched the tips of Jamie Lynn’s fingers in a fake and entitled shake he’d seen her do countless times. “Charmed, I’m sure,” she practically purred, eyeing Jamie Lynn the entire time. Instead of quivering, as Marianna’s heated glare did to many women, Jamie Lynn stood taller, head held higher. His woman was something else, and she was not going to cower before his ex-wife. Enzo wrapped an arm around Jamie Lynn’s waist, brought her closer, and proudly planted a kiss on top of her head.

  Marianna’s scathing look instantly dissipated when a man walked by and handed her a flute of champagne.

  “Lorenzo, hello.” He extended his hand, but Enzo didn’t take it.

  “Still upset, I see,” the man said, shifting to extend his hand to JL. “Hi, you must be Lorenzo’s date. I’m Gino Costa.”

  Jamie Lynn shook his hand, and then, in an almost visceral reaction, her eyes widened as the scenario clicked. “Oh…oh!”

  “Yep,” Enzo said, looking at Marianna and Gino. “This is my ex-wife and my ex–best friend, who, incidentally, fucked her in my home for two years while we were married.”

  —

  The woman standing in front of JL was straight out of some international model catalogue. She reminded JL of Francesca—tall, voluptuous, and not a hair out of place—except that this woman was a snake wrapped up in pale pink chiffon Valentino. She exuded venom. Standing as tall as she could in her high heels, JL barely reached the woman’s shoulder.

  “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to grab another drink,” Gino said, looking embarrassed and cowardly.

  “The ink is barely dry on the divorce papers, meu amor,” Marianna said, stepping in front of Enzo and completely ignoring the fact he was there with Jamie Lynn. She leaned forward and whispered into his ear, loud enough for Jamie Lynn to hear, “And it’s never too late. Remember all the fun we used to have?” She nipped his earlobe and ran a long, perfectly sculpted nail down his neck before turning to walk away.

  Enzo seized her forearm and pulled her close. “I’m not your love, so don’t call me that again. I’m with Jamie Lynn, and you’re being a disrespectful bitch.” Marianna flinched. “And no, I do not remember the fun we used to have, because you and I never had fun. Not once.”

  He was surprised to see Marianna looking hurt, but he couldn’t seem to find it in his heart to care much. “Oh, and you’re having fun with this…person?” Marianna spat out, gesturing toward JL. “What will your parents think? She’s wearing a red dress. How uncouth. And I think I saw a tattoo on her ankle and wrist. Lorenzo, really?” She sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. “You traded me for this? This is fun?”

  Enzo had never been so angry in his entire life. He had never hit a woman before and thought he never would. But right now…

  Jamie Lynn inserted herself between Enzo and Marianna. “Let’s go, sugar. She’s just being a cunt.” Marianna flinched at the word. “Maybe we can have some fun in the bathroom, like we did in the shower an hour ago, or in the car on the way here, or—”

  “I can’t believe you said the c-word. I knew you were disgusting,” Marianna hissed. “You’re nothing but a dirty slut.”

  “Only for him, darlin’,” Jamie Lynn said with a wink, completely composed. “That’s how he likes it, a little dirty.” She was getting under Marianna’s skin, and Enzo loved it. “Don’t you, darlin’?”

  “Absolutely,” Enzo said with a smile, and kissed Jamie Lynn’s cheek. Marianna grunted something under her breath and stomped away. “Damn, baby. That was—”

  “I guess now you owe me sex in the shower and in the car. You know…so that I’m not a liar.” She winked.

  He caught her face in his hands and kissed her softly on the lips. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

  “Actually, yes. Yes, I do know that,” she said as they walked to their assigned table and he pulled out the chair for her.

  “I’m sorry about what she said.”

  “Oh.” She waved it off. “I’m used to that kind of thing. No worries.” She smiled, but for the first time in all the time he’d known her she lied to him, and he knew it. It was obvious to him that Marianna’s words had affected her, and deeply. He had to make it up to her as soon as they got home. He had to tell her how he felt about her.

  Marianna continued to give them the evil eye throughout the night, and Gino ran the opposite way every time they neared. After dinner, Enzo was ready to take Jamie Lynn home and make sure she wasn’t a liar, but he still hadn’t sufficiently chatted with Dan, the primary investor from BIA Inc., and he wanted to make sure that everything was set for the change of plans on the Design District project as well as other projects he had going on elsewhere.

  “I’ll be back, babe.” He kissed her head as she ate his serving of dessert.

  She closed her eyes and savored the rich chocolate mousse. “Take your time. Your dessert and I are having a moment.” He laughed as he walked away.

  —

  She was in a haze of chocolatey goodness when she felt a shadow over her. “You think just because you do whatever crazy thing you’re doing to get him hot and bothered, you’ll be able to keep him?” Marianna’s voice was glazed with envy and jealousy. JL took a final decadent bite before pushing the empty plate back and crossing her arms over her chest. She turned back and said, “Listen, you had him. It didn’t work out. I appreciate that it’s probably difficult to see him here with another woman. But that’s got nothing to do with me, and I don’t particularly want to be involved in your drama. Please, just go enjoy the party and your date and leave us be.” She was proud of herself. She usually had a loose tongue and little patience.

  “No. I will not sit back and watch him throw away his life. Lorenzo and I have known each other our entire lives. We were supposed to still be married. We were supposed to have kids.”

  “Probably shouldn’t’ve fucked his best friend, darlin’,” JL said calmly.

  The woman looked like she’d been slapped. “What did or did not happen between us is none of your business. How crass of you.”

  “I’m just stating facts.”

  “Well, the fact is, he wa
s too boring in bed and wasn’t ever there for me. But it’s not my fault. Things happen. It doesn’t mean we’re over.”

  “Boring in bed? Enzo?” JL snorted. “And, honey, divorce is the definition of over.”

  “Oh, you think you know better? He’s smitten with you because you’re different. He’ll get over that. I had my fun with Gino. He had his with you. Enzo and I are meant for a certain kind of life you know nothing about. At the end, it’s Enzo and me. That’s how the story ends. You’re nothing but trash. You think he’ll ever take you home? There’s absolutely no way he’ll let you meet his parents.” She let out a brittle laugh. “No way. Once I undo the mess he made at the Design District and we break ground, he’ll leave this shitty little backward town and come home. He’ll realize what a colossal mistake he made and he’ll be back in my bed.”

  All JL heard was “Design District.”

  “What did you say? Design District?”

  “Of course, he doesn’t even trust you with his business.” Marianna rolled her eyes before strutting away.

  JL felt a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach. Something was off.

  She searched the room for Enzo until she found him by the bar speaking with Dan.

  “Hey, sweetheart,” he said, pulling her close. Then he continued chatting about his family back home with Dan.

  “So, tell me about the Design District plans,” JL interrupted, looking up at the men through her lashes. Enzo tensed, but Dan seemed completely unaffected.

  “You know that area between the old railroad tracks and downtown Tarpon Springs? The area covered in graffiti, with all those homeless people? According to Enzo here, that’s the new up-and-coming area. Can you believe it?” Dan grinned. “Until I saw the projections, I didn’t believe it myself. Who’d have thought?”

  “Yeah, who’d have thought?” JL repeated dryly.

  “Months of market analysis and research suggest that’s the new millionaire’s row. But first we need to get rid of all the trash who’ve been spray-painting and vandalizing it.”

  “Dan…,” Enzo warned.

  JL put her hand on Enzo’s forearm. “No, sugar. I’m so interested in what Dan has to say. Please, go on. You were saying something about getting rid of all the trash?”