Pieces (Riverdale #1)

by Janine Infante Bosco

  It was obviously going to be a long night, so she poured herself another shot. Sam slid her glass towards her, signaling she, too, wanted a refill.

  “Here you go.” She slid the glass towards her. “And for the record, I can’t just pick up one of my customers and take them home with me.”

  “Sure you can!” Sam said enthusiastically.

  “How do you suppose I do that? Next time someone asks for a beer, should I tell them I come with it?” She groaned and downed the shot. This was not getting better.

  Sam leaned over the bar, splaying her palms flat across the carved wood of the bar. “I’ll help you! The next pair of guys that sit at this bar; will be putty in our hands.” She winked at Cara.

  “I hope they are gay.” Cara mumbled and nodded at the group of guys at the end of the bar that were holding up their empty beer mugs. “Be right back.” She said as she sauntered over to her regulars.

  After Cara had poured their refills she involuntarily made her way back to Sam. Who was applying a fresh coat of lip gloss. She looked up from her little compact mirror and puckered her lips before handing the tube to Cara.

  “I’m not putting lip gloss on for the gay couple that is going to make their way through those doors, and offer myself up to them on a silver platter. My luck they’ll ask me to be their surrogate or something.” Cara crossed her arms underneath her breasts, defiantly.

  “Come on Cara, have an open mind. You are not leaving here alone tonight, I guarantee it!” And then her eyes widened. “Unless of course you’re shutting me down because you’re, already hung up on somebody!”

  “What? No!” Cara stuttered and grabbed the tube of lip gloss out of her hands. She turned her back towards Sam and looked at the mirror behind the bottles that lined the shelves. She started to apply the gloss. She’d play by Sam’s rules as long as she didn’t have to admit to her that was in fact hung up on someone, someone that she had no business being hung up on.

  She smacked her lips, and even gave her hair a little fluffing. “Ok, fine, I’m game. If you really think this is going to get me lucky—“She turned around and Sam had her head in her hands. Then she realized there were two men beside her. Her cheeks reddened as Jake stared at her.

  “I take it back.” Sam mumbled into her palms.

  Nick, who was too polite to laugh in her face, covered his mouth with his hand and pretended to cough while Jake’s gaze bore into her, something fierce.

  “Uh, Sam was just, well I was. You guys aren’t gay and in need of a surrogate are you?” Cara asked hopefully, and swallowed her embarrassment.

  Sam sighed and turned to Nick and Jake, “What’re you two doing here anyway?”

  “Obviously interrupting your mission to get ‘lucky’,” Jake said, but his eyes didn’t leave Cara.

  Nick slid onto the bar stool next to Sam and smiled at her. “Are you looking to get lucky, Sam?” He said his voice all silky and husky.

  “Not by the likes of you.” She said, rolling her eyes. She glanced at Cara. “Cara, can I get another shot please?”

  Cara broke her stare off with Jake and glanced at her. Sam eyed her curiously, but mouthed ‘I’m sorry.’ Cara let out a shaky breath as she poured the shot. Her hands were shaking, and she got more liquor on the bar than in the glass. She quickly wiped it up with the rag that she kept tucked into the back pocket of her midriff baring jeans. She didn’t dare lift her head as she spoke. “Can I get you guys anything?”

  “I’ll take a beer.” Nick spoke up, as he draped his arm around the back of Sam’s stool. “Actually, Cara, I came by to talk to Rudy about the apartment upstairs.”

  Sam groaned, and pried his fingers from the back of her stool, shooing him away like he was a fly. Cara found comfort that she was just as miserable as she; after all, this was all Sam’s fault. Yep, that was her story and she was sticking with it.

  She lifted down the tap, and watched the mug fill up. Once the froth threatened to spill over she lifted the tap. “Rudy won’t be in for another hour, mind sticking around?”

  Sam shot her a look, that if looks could kill, Cara would surely be six feet under with daisies sprouting over her grave. Cara feeling the effects of her two shots took a chance and glanced at Jake. “What about you?”

  “What about me?” He bit back.

  “Do you want a drink?” She asked, not liking the attitude he was giving her. “Or did you just come to hold Nick’s hand.”

  Nick cleared his throat, obviously trying to break the tension between them. “I can hang around for a bit. Jake, do a shot with me.”

  Jake nodded curtly and took a seat. “Hope we’re not ruining your night.” He looked over at his sister and Cara was never so happy to have those blue eyes off of hers. She poured their shots and watched them disappear down their throats.

  “Actually, you are. Cara and I were having a private conversation before you parked your ass in the middle of it, and brought him along for the ride.” She said, pointing towards Nick.

  “I’m going to get a big head with all the flattery you’re throwing my way, sweetheart.” Nick said sarcastically and chugged his beer.

  “Don’t call me that.” She spat.

  Nick rolled his eyes and nudged Jake with his elbow. “Why don’t we play a game of pool? I don’t think I can take all the love and affection your sister is spewing.”

  Jake gave Cara a long, lingering look, before nodding towards Nick. “Yeah, let’s do that.”

  Sam waved goodbye as they stood and sauntered over to the pool table. Cara watched Jake walk away from her, like she was the devils spawn.

  “Who the hell does he think he is?”

  “I know right! He thinks I’m still in love with his ass and he can just play with me.” Sam said as she slapped her hand on the bar, outraged. Cara looked at her confused, and then realized she thought she had been referring to Nick.

  “I was referring to your brother.” She said as she poured herself a beer. Apparently she was getting sloshed at work.

  Sam’s eyebrows furrowed. “Oh, well, I guess he was being a jackass too.”

  “You know what you’re right. I need to have some fun and I am going to do just that.”

  Cara looked over at her fellow bartender. “Tom, I’m taking my break.” Not waiting for him to reply, she lifted the arm of the bar and stepped out from behind it. Sam swirled around in her bar stool.

  “Cara? Where are you going?”

  “See that group of guys playing darts? I’m going to go play nice with them. Are you coming?” She said as she threw her hair over one shoulder and started for the dartboard.

  Sam hurried off the bar stool and followed her. “Wait for me!”

  Jake watched Cara walk over towards the guys that were surrounding the dartboard. He didn’t know what the hell she was up too, but he didn’t like it. She never mixed with the crowd here; claiming she didn’t want any complications at work. Yet there she was grinning like a banshee and fluttering her eyelashes at a group of men, that he knew were regulars. He was going to kill his sister, pinning her as the culprit behind Cara’s sudden flirting.

  Cara was a decent dart player too, knowing she had the upper hand, only made his blood boil more. He watched as she drew her arm back, aiming at the board, her shirt lifted revealing her taut stomach. If she lifted her arm any higher, the swell of her breast would be on display. The breasts he held in his palms yesterday, and dreamed of all night. What a joke this had become. He copped one feel and now he was so fucked. She released the dart and it flew through the air, pinning the center, which he was pretty sure she envisioned as his head.

  Nick cleared his throat, startling Jake out of his angered trance. “Man, you’ve been chalking that stick for five minutes. There’s nothing left but a pile of dust on your boot.”

  Jake tore his gaze from Cara as she high fived Sam and glanced down at his chalk covered boot. He shook his foot, letting the dust fly off and scowled at Nick.

  “Is that why y
ou’re always here?” Nick asked. “Afraid someone is going to scoop her up?” He motioned towards Cara and Sam. Cara was talking to one specific guy from the group now.

  He knew he must’ve looked completely unhinged to Nick. He barely took his eyes off of her to make his shot. “No, I’m here, because it’s where I want to be.”

  Nick nodded, accepting the answer.

  “She doesn’t usually get like this.” Jake threw him a quick feeling like he had to explain his behavior.

  Nick simply nodded, drinking his beer. He put his mug on a table beside the pool table. He sauntered around the table, figuring his next shot. He crouched down and eyed the ball, but glanced up at Jake. “So, she usually doesn’t flirt with guys, is what you’re saying?” The pool stick connected with the ball and it rolled into the pocket.

  Jake flinched for two reasons, first one being Nick hadn’t missed a shot yet, and second his words made him feel ridiculous. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say he sounded like a jealous fool. “No, that’s not what I’m saying.” But it was. “She doesn’t usually drink and she doesn’t like to tangle with the guys in the bar.” When one of the guys took her hand, Jake clutched his beer tighter.

  Nick walked up behind him. He could’ve cracked a bottle over his head and he wouldn’t have even flinched. “Why watch from the sidelines?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Jake asked, acknowledging he was behind him.

  Nick shrugged, choosing his words. “You joke about me and Sam, dancing around each other, when it’s exactly what you’re doing with Cara.”

  “No, it’s not. Me and Cara…, we’re different. She does her thing and I do mine. I’d cut off my left nut for her, but we’d never work.” He forced himself to turn around and look at Nick.

  “Why’s that?” It was a simple question, a valid one at that, but he didn’t have an answer. For as long as he could remember, when anyone questions why he and Cara had never made a go for it, they had one answer. It would never work. The four words had seemed like the perfect answer, and it shut people up for a while, but Jake had no idea why they actually wouldn’t.

  “What the fuck are you Dr. Phil or something?” He looked at Nick. “I’d be a pile of shit if Cara wasn’t in my life. She’s my voice of reason, take that away from me, and all hell breaks loose.” That was the best he could come up with, and it wasn’t a lie. If things went sour with them and she wasn’t in his life, he’d be a fucking mess.

  “Ever wonder what happens when she meets someone, gets married, and has a family?” Nick asked curiously. What the fuck was with this guy and his questions? Jake wanted to punch him, for the mere fact he was asking all the questions that Jake often wondered when he was by himself. The questions he dreaded knowing the answers too.

  “I’ll be Uncle Jake.” Unless, of course, in five years they found themselves in a little chapel, going through with their contingency plan, but he wasn’t about to fill Nick in on that, he’d think he was really a goner then.

  “She won’t be there all the time to be your voice of reason, if she has a family to put first.”

  Jake shook his head. “You’re killing my buzz, Nick.” He raked his gaze over Cara, who was looking back at him. Their eyes met for a moment, before she glanced back at the dart board. “Fuck this.” He threw his pool stick down onto the felt table and looked back at Nick. “I’m getting out of here.” Figuring he’d get the hell out of there before things turned ugly for him and Cara. He just needed some space to cool his heels. Whatever game Cara was playing she’d have to play alone. “Tell the girls I said goodbye.” And with not so much as a glance their way he left Nick alone, holding his pool stick.

  Cara watched out of the corner of her eye as Jake rushed out of the bar, she felt her shoulders slump and the frown threaten her face. She didn’t know what bothered her more, the fact that he left without saying goodbye, or that he hadn’t been affected by her not so subtle attempt to find a bed buddy. She didn’t know why she was surprised he never really reacted when she was with another guy. Even when she had a date, he never asked how it went. He only knew of a few of the men she had dated, and never said anything until the relationships were over, assuring her they weren’t good enough for her. She blew out a breath when one of the guys wrapped their arms around her waist. She had no desire to play nice anymore, and unraveled herself from him before walking back towards the bar.

  Chapter Six

  Jake had canceled his clients for the day. He couldn’t bring himself to get out of bed, he was just physically and mentally shot. He wasn’t sure that staying in bed all day would be the remedy for his troubles. Sure he was able to sleep here and there when his mind permitted. The last few days said mind, had taken on a life of its own and it revolved around a certain raven haired beauty that was on a mission these days to find herself a mate.

  He told himself he had no right to be mad, but he didn’t mind being a hypocrite, a selfish one at that. He drummed his head, trying to understand why he felt it was okay for him to date and fuck around, but the minute Cara did, or attempted to, he felt shunted, he’d even use the word betrayed. She was his, maybe he hadn’t claimed her yet, but hey, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Or a decade, right?

  One thing was certain, he needed to get a grip on this thing sooner rather than later, or he was going to combust, physically. The warning signs were there, the constant fatigue, the loss of appetite, just last night he woke, drenched. He had sweated through his sheets. There were times when his chest constricted so tightly he was tempted to drive himself to the nearest emergency room. Then he thought what he would tell the doctor. Hey doc I’m in love with my best friend, but I’m too much of a pussy to tell her so I’ll just make myself sick instead. Yeah, he opted not to go the emergency room.

  He pushed himself out of bed, figuring he should probably try to eat something. It was slim pickings when he looked into his refrigerator and decided a bowl of corn flakes was probably the safest bet. He just hoped the sell by date on the milk wasn’t last week. He grabbed a bowl when he heard a knock on the door.

  It was probably one of his family members, bugging him. He had stopped answering the phone to them yesterday because he could not take it anymore. First, it was his mother insisting she bring him some food. Then, it was his father yelling that his mother was worried sick, let her bring the damn food. Sam followed suit, reminding him he had another two days before Ava’s birthday party to snap out of it. Luke’s call had been the last one of the parade of phone calls, begging him not to ignore their parent’s calls, because every time he didn’t answer, they called him to see if he had heard from him.

  He pulled open the door and was pleasantly surprised that it was Cara. She was carrying two brown paper shopping bags of groceries and smiled up at him. He went to take one of the bags from her, but she pushed past him into his apartment. “Hope you’re hungry.”

  He shut the door and leaned against it, watching as she began to pull things out of the bags. “I was just about to eat.”

  She eyed the expired milk on the counter and looked back at him. “Then I came just in time.”

  He knew she hadn’t meant it as a sexual innuendo, but his dick still did a happy dance, having a mind of its own. He pushed off the door and strode towards the breakfast bar. “What’d you bring?”

  “I’m going to make chicken cutlets, and if you eat all your dinner like a good boy, we’ll bake a cake for dessert.” She winked at him and began to make herself at home in his kitchen.

  He made himself comfortable on one of the stools. “Which one of them called you?”

  She laughed and stood on her tip toes to grab two bowls. Her shirt riding up as she stretched her arms to reach, baring her back. He couldn’t help himself and his eyes traveled down the length of her slender back to her ass. Her pants looked molded against her, and he sighed appreciating the view. “Actually, they all did. But when you didn’t answer my text I figured I’d stop by.”

  He
looked around; he didn’t even know where he had put his phone. He reached for his pockets, and realized he was barely dressed. He had no shirt on and a pair of sweats on, no pockets, and definitely no phone. “I may have thrown my phone out the window.”

  She laughed and bent down to grab a frying pan in one of the lower cabinets. He leaned over the counter, not able to resist that ass. He leaned back when she began to rise and glanced at the clock. “Don’t you have work?”

  “I’m off this weekend, remember? We were supposed to go out tomorrow night after Ava’s birthday.” She said as she heated the oil in the frying pan. Then she looked over at him. “Think you’ll be up to it?”

  He nodded shortly, “I’m feeling better.” And he was since she arrived and decided she was just what the doctor called for. “Can I help you?”

  She looked at him from under her fringe of lashes and gave him a soft smile. “Sure. You can crack the eggs.” She slid the dozen of eggs towards him along with a fork and bowl. She began to pour bread crumbs into another bowl.

  He busied himself with the task she appointed him stealing a glance at her after each egg was cracked. “So-“He began and began to beat the eggs. “How’s your fishing expedition coming along?”

  She didn’t stop preparing the food to look at him she merely shrugged and began to pound the chicken. “It’s a work in progress.”

  Hmm, she didn’t play dumb to his question or pretend she wasn’t sure what he was referring to, he didn’t know what to make of that. “So the dart guys from the other night?”

  “What about them?” She took the bowl from him and began to dip the chicken in the egg mixture.

  “They didn’t fit the bill?” He asked casually and wiped his hands on a dishtowel. She still hadn’t made eye contact with him.

  “They were fun.” She paused to ponder a moment. “I guess that’s good since I’m looking for fun.” She shrugged and continued to bread the chicken, placing some into the pan of hot oil. And finally she glanced over her shoulder at him. Her eyes were blank, but she smiled. “Enough about me, how are things going with Joanna?”