Miss February

by Karen Cimms

  “You really should use sun block,” he said before turning away and looking for something to clean his hands.

  I went straight home after the race. I was disappointed Rain hadn’t come and disappointed that she and Preston had made up. And I was more than disappointed with myself. I had rushed headlong toward her, knowing she was in love with another guy.

  I pulled a bottle of whiskey from the cabinet over the sink, then filled the glass halfway. I stretched out on the couch to watch the end of the Phillies game, but when the closer blew another save, I nearly put my foot through the set.

  Disgusted, I turned off the TV, picked up my cell phone, and pulled up the picture I had taken of Rain on the beach just after we’d watched the sun rise. Her hair was blowing in the breeze, some of it across her face. Her smile was wide, and her eyes matched the morning sky behind her. I had every intention of deleting that photo, and if I had a brain, I would have.

  But I didn’t.

  Instead, I stared at the image for so long, I heard the pounding of the surf and the cry of the seagulls. I tipped my glass, finishing off the whiskey, then I powered down my phone and tossed it on the glass-topped coffee table.

  Too bad there wasn’t some way for me to power down the memories.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  I stayed away from Blondie’s for two weeks. Rain knew where to find me if she was interested. Considering she didn’t show up at the track or at Diane and Wally’s once while I was there, I assumed she was avoiding me too.

  I was a little sick about the whole thing and more than a little lovesick in general.

  That Saturday, we got rained out. The crew was heading to Blondie’s, and since Rain didn’t work every Saturday, I figured I’d take a chance.

  I heard her laugh before I saw her, but I couldn’t leave now. If I walked out, it would be too obvious. I’d already taken enough ribbing from the guys, who’d figured out the matching raccoon masks.

  She turned toward the door as we walked in, and in that instant, I was certain she knew I was there before she saw me.

  I led the way to the far corner near the pool room, not knowing if she was working that end of the bar or not, since Lynette was also on. At least here, I could escape to shoot pool easily enough if I felt the need.

  Turned out Rain was working the other half of the bar, but she came over to say hello.

  “How are you?”

  In her eyes, curiosity mixed with regret, only I couldn’t tell if the regret was over what had happened between us or what hadn’t happened since.

  “Good. You?” I sipped my beer and tried to look nonchalant while waiting for her answer. It wasn’t easy.

  “I’m okay.” She was being honest. She didn’t smile or flirt, and she wasn’t looking for my sympathy, which she’d be hard pressed to get.

  Oh, who was I kidding? For as much as I cared about her, I didn’t want to see her hurt, even if it meant that jerk was the one who was making her happy. But to be honest, she didn’t look all that happy.

  “Hey, darling.” Wally said. “Where’ve you been hiding?”

  She flashed him a wide grin, and the mask slipped back into place. Her eyes even regained their sparkle. She had shown me her true self, and in spite of everything, I tumbled a little harder.

  I excused myself to the back room, where Fish and Dennis were racking up balls, and slapped a few quarters on the table, intending to play the winner.

  My mind wasn’t on the game or even in the room. The only entertainment there was Fish, staggering around the table.

  While the two of them were settling up, I ducked out to grab another beer. Rain was on her side of the bar, waiting on a group of women, several of whom were noticeably drunk and giving her a hard time.

  Wally was watching the scene unfold.

  “This isn’t good,” he said quietly. “I think that’s Preston’s old girlfriend.”

  A short girl with long, dark hair had climbed onto the rail and was leaning across the bar, while Rain stood stiffly in front of her. I carried the Heineken Lynette had just handed me further down the bar and sat where I could hear what was going on.

  “Yes, girls,” the woman said, slurring her words slightly and taking in the bar with a sweep of her arm, “this is what slumming looks like.”

  “What would you like?” Rain asked, her voice tight.

  “Hmm. First, I’d like a cosmo. And second, I’d like you to stay the hell away from my boyfriend.”

  I glanced at Wally. With a quick nod, he headed for Lynette.

  Rain leaned closer, although she spoke loudly enough.

  “The thing is, he keeps coming after me. Where do you think he was last night, you cold-ass bitch?”

  Lynette and Irena were moving toward Rain, but it was too late. The girl reached out and grabbed a handful of Rain’s hair. Rain pulled back her arm, her hand clenched in a fist. It was go time.

  I scaled the bar and reached her just before she could connect. I carried her off kicking and swearing, almost taking out an entire shelf of bottles on the way. I didn’t stop until I had her inside the pool room.

  I turned in time to see two of the girl’s friends barreling toward us. The girlfriend, or ex-girlfriend, whatever the fuck she was, was howling on the other side of the bar, claiming Rain had hit her.

  “Wynocha! Out!” Irena yelled.

  Judging by the sounds coming from out there, more people had jumped into the fray. Rain was pushing against me, trying to escape, while the two girls on the outside were calling her a variety of unsavory names.

  I tossed Dennis my keys.

  “Bring my truck around back to the kitchen door.”

  Rain was still trying to get back into the bar. I was afraid that if she did, all of her anger and frustration with Preston would come pouring out and she’d end up in jail.

  I was relieved when Wally’s enormous shadow filled the doorway.

  “Keep them away,” I called over my shoulder as I picked Rain up and moved her to the back of the room.

  “Hey!” I yelled, setting her down. “Knock it off.”

  She looked so stunned that I’d shouted at her, she stopped fighting me.

  “That bitch is claiming you hit her,” I said, “and even though she’s lying, if she presses charges, she’s just going to cause a huge mess for you. And I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what she’s angling for.”

  “I never laid a hand on her! You pulled me away before I could deck her.” She stood on her toes and shouted over my shoulder. “You fucking bitch!”

  “I know that, but it’ll be your word against hers. I’m betting her posse out there is going to claim you hit her—or at the very least, say that they didn’t see, which still leaves it at your word against hers.”

  “She started it! She came in knowing I was here.” Her face crumpled, and she started to cry. “She pulled my hair.”

  “I know,” I said in my most soothing voice. I put my arms around her.

  “Then why can’t you say that I didn’t hit her?” she sobbed into my chest.

  “I will, but that doesn’t mean they’ll believe me.”

  The sound of a siren grew louder and Rain’s sobs with it.

  “I can’t go to jail. I can’t afford a lawyer. I don’t even have bail money.”

  “You’re not going to jail,” I assured her, although depending on what the women told the police, she could get nailed with a battery charge.

  Dennis returned and handed me my keys. “Can you believe someone called the cops?”

  “Who is it?” Rain asked, dabbing at her eyes with the edge of her shirt.

  “Staties,” he said. “Local cops must be busy.”

  “Oh, swell,” she muttered. “Just put the cuffs on now.”

  “The state police have it in for you?” I asked, doubting that seriously.

  She frowned. “Just some of them.”

  Dennis patted her on the shoulder. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

&nbs
p; He pulled a chair over, and I had her sit. I squatted in front of her.

  “You need anything?”

  “Yeah, a shot of tequila and a public defender.”

  I laughed in spite of the potential seriousness of the situation, glad to see a bit of her usual sparkle had returned.

  “I promise if they throw you in jail, I’ll bail you out, get you a lawyer—whatever you need, okay?”

  She made a face. “I can’t ask you to do that.”

  “You didn’t. Remember? I’m one of the good guys.”

  “I keep forgetting.” She smiled, although briefly.

  Dennis stuck his head around the corner, then called over his shoulder. “I’m not sure I recognize either of them, so you should be okay.”

  “What the hell did you do that you have to worry about the state troopers?” I asked.

  Dennis chuckled, and she shot him a dirty look. “It’s not funny.”

  “Sorry.” He ducked back into the bar.

  When she realized I expected an answer, she explained that she’d briefly dated one of the troopers, and because of Preston, it hadn’t ended well.

  “I didn’t mean to lead him on. I liked him, really. He was very sweet.”

  “I told you, nice guys finish last.” Would she be talking about me some day, saying what a nice, sweet guy I had been?

  Two uniformed troopers entered the pool room. One was older, maybe mid-forties, but the other looked to be in his mid-twenties and was a dead ringer for Matt Damon.

  Rain groaned, then stuck her arms out to be handcuffed. I should’ve recognized another nice guy when I saw one. Maybe we should form a club.

  I stepped aside as the troopers approached. The older one looked puzzled at Rain’s submissive behavior, but the younger one frowned.

  “Knock it off, Rain,” he said quietly. “I just need to ask you a few questions.”

  He listened intently as she explained what happened, including balling up her fist to hit Suzanne and how I had grabbed her and carried her out before she could do so.

  “She claims you landed a punch on the side of her head.”

  “She’s a liar,” Rain said.

  I kept my mouth shut, but when he looked at me, I shook my head. “Rain didn’t touch her. In fact, the other girl reached over the bar and pulled Rain’s hair. That’s when I went over the counter and grabbed Rain, because I figured that was exactly what the other girl was looking for, to start trouble. If her friends are corroborating her story, then they’re lying as well.”

  “Actually, they’re saying they didn’t see anything, but they did hear Miss Langmore yell when Rain allegedly struck her.”

  “I’d like to strike her,” Rain grumbled.

  The trooper warned her not to make threats or he would charge her on that alone.

  She huffed sharply. “What about name-calling? Can you arrest her for calling me names?”

  I leaned over and whispered. “She didn’t call you a name. You called her a cold-ass bitch. Her friends called you names.”

  “Yeah, well.” She sniffed. “If the shoe fits.”

  The older officer, who had gone back out to the bar, returned.

  “No one says they saw Rain hit her, although a few say they did see the Langmore girl grab her first and pull her hair, and they did see Rain attempt to hit her. But everyone confirmed that this guy pulled her away before anything happened.”

  “So can I press charges for her attacking me first?”

  “Do you really want to?” Matt Damon asked.

  She shook her head.

  “I’ll talk with her and see if I can get her to let it go, but she’ll have the option to press charges or go after you for any other perceived injuries you may have caused her.”

  Rain made a throaty sound. “Such as to her ego?”

  “Not to her ego,” He stifled the slightest smile. “But she could still claim that you hit her. To be honest, I doubt a girl like that wants to go to trial for being involved in a bar fight. I think she’s trying to send you a message, Rain.”

  I felt bad at how uncomfortable Rain looked, although I silently agreed with him in one respect. Someone like Suzanne wouldn’t even admit that she had been in a place like this, let alone gotten into a fight.

  On the other hand, although I don’t know if he’d meant to, the trooper had implied that Rain wasn’t “a girl like that.” By the hurt look on her face, I assumed she had realized the same thing.

  “I suggest you head home for the night and cool off,” he said. “Give me your phone number and address, for the record, in case I need to follow up, but I’d be surprised if she really wants to pursue this, all things considered.”

  Rain gave him the information he asked for, then followed it with a sad smile. “Thanks for not running me in, Brian, and for believing me.”

  He didn’t look at her as he tucked his notepad into his shirt pocket. “I’m just doing my job.”

  After the officers left and I was sure the women were gone as well, I led Rain to the kitchen to collect her purse and jacket. When she stepped outside, she headed for her car.

  “We can get that later. I’ll take you home.”

  I expected her to argue, but she didn’t. She obediently stood next to my truck and waited for me to open the door. She remained quiet on the ride back to her apartment.

  “Do you want to come in?” she asked when I pulled up in front of her door.

  “Do you want me to come in?”

  She hesitated for only a second. “Yeah. I think I do.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Rain’s apartment was small, with sloped ceilings on either side except in the kitchen and bathroom, so since I’m nearly six-three, I had to stay toward the center of the living room. The place was clean and bright, although it was obvious a child lived there, as there were toys and dolls on shelves around the small dining area and in the living room. There was a single bedroom to the right as we came in, with two beds, a double for her and a single for her daughter, I presumed.

  It certainly didn’t look like the apartment of a woman of the reputation Rain had garnered.

  “How do you stand up in here?” I asked, joking. She had to be at least five-seven.

  She shrugged. “I hit my head a lot, especially when I’m cleaning. My mom owns the building, so it doesn’t cost me much, although I still pay rent; otherwise, she couldn’t afford the mortgage. I could live with her for nothing, but I want to make my own way. Although, I feel bad knowing she could get more for this place than I give her.”

  She pointed at the couch. “Have a seat. Just be careful when you stand up.”

  Since the steep slope was above the left side of the couch, I opted for the right.

  “Where’s your daughter?”

  “With my mom. She usually stays over on nights I work. I used to pick her up, especially when she was younger, but it’s not so easy to carry her anymore. If she wakes up, she doesn’t want to go back to sleep, and if she has school in the morning, it’s hard. My mom brings her to the restaurant in the morning, and we have breakfast together before she goes to school.”

  “Pictures?”

  She looked surprised. “You want to see pictures of my kid?”

  “Yeah. Absolutely.”

  She jumped up and just missed striking her head on the ceiling. She pulled several albums from a set of low shelves and dumped them on the secondhand coffee table in front of me.

  “What do you want to drink?”

  “Whatever you’re having.”

  She disappeared into the kitchen and came back a few minutes later with a bottle of tequila, shot glasses, a shaker of salt, and a plate of cut limes.

  “Rough day?” I teased.

  She rolled her eyes and laughed as she poured two shots. “You could say that.”

  We did our shots, then she settled in beside me and opened the first album.

  “You’re going to be sorry you asked.” She wore the unguarded smile I liked s
o much.

  “I doubt it.”

  In the first pictures she showed me, I hardly recognized her. Her hair was darker and she looked like a kid herself, holding her daughter in the hospital bed, tired but smiling.

  “My mom took that right after Izzy was born.”

  “You look so young—I mean, barely even legal.”

  “I wasn’t. I was almost seventeen when Izzy was born.”

  “Where’s her father?”

  “Who knows? We met when he was a senior, and I was a sophomore. Captain of the football team, all that stuff. I was a cheerleader, of course.” She gave me a wicked smile. “If you’re good, I’ll show you my pompoms.”

  There was the flirt again.

  “Anyway, I went a little wild after my dad was killed. My mom didn’t have it in her to straighten me out, and even if she’d tried, I would have fought her. She was grieving and withdrawn, and with no one to keep me in line, I was out of control, which was probably what Jeff liked about me. Diane’s mother finally sat me down and threatened to kick my ass into the next decade, but by then I was already pregnant. Jeff and I broke up as soon as he found out. He went away to college. He was around after he graduated, but he took a job out of state a few months ago and hasn’t seen Izzy since. His parents used to see her more often, but since they moved away, other than that week they took her back in August, she doesn’t see them much either anymore.”

  She poured another two shots. “I don’t usually drink at home, but I think I deserve it today.”

  I hoisted my glass, and clicked the rim against hers. “I didn’t say anything.”

  “I just don’t want you to think I’m an alcoholic or something.”

  “I don’t. Besides, who cares what I think?”

  Her eyes caught mine, round and serious. “I care.”

  I couldn’t ever remember having that feeling like butterflies in my chest—that was some girl thing—but damn if I didn’t get them when she looked at me like that. This girl was so far under my skin, it almost scared me. Almost.

  We looked through more of her photo albums. I could see the gradual transformation from Rain the wild child teenager to Rain the single mother to Rain the white-hot blond bombshell and potential Playboy centerfold.