by Long, Marie
“Damn, you never said anything about being a beast at darts,” the Xi guy says.
William smirks. “No one asked.” He returns to his seat.
The crowd disperses revealing William’s date.
Denise!
My heart sinks. She and William sit at a tiny table. She holds a glass of amber liquid. Probably her usual Long Island iced tea.
William looks in my direction and squints. I spin back around on my stool and nurse my drink. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!” I say through clenched teeth.
Kevin plays with one of his empty shot glasses. He hasn’t touched his two new shots and doesn’t appear too buzzed yet. But I know that won’t last much longer. “What?”
Lowering my head, I whisper, “William’s here. With Denise.” I discreetly thumb over my shoulder in their direction.
He looks over his shoulder and tips his sunglasses down slightly. “So that’s her, huh? The girl that swept my baby brother off his feet?” He chuckles, turns back and sets his sunglasses back into place. “Meh, she doesn’t look right with Fratboy.”
I growl. No shit.
“It is you!” someone says from behind me.
My anger quickly ebbs when I recognize the familiar female voice: Adrienne. There’s a sudden tightness in my throat, and I turn to her. Shit. I forgot Chris said he was going to be here. And I hadn’t thought about Adrienne being with him, too.
Her hands on her hips, Adrienne glares at me with murderous eyes.
Kevin casts one brief look her way, then turns back and nurses his seventh shot.
I clear my throat. Trying to play things cool. “Hey, Adri.”
She slaps me, and my head whips to one side. I’m staring at Kevin, and the side of my cheek stings. Bad. Did she really just slap me?
“Don’t you ‘hey Adri’ me!” she growls.
I place my hand to my cheek. I’ve never been slapped by a girl before. But I probably deserved it, given that I’d passed her number off instead of calling her like I said I would. Denise just totally did it for me. I wasn’t interested in other girls. My gaze drifts over to Denise, and she and William are looking in my direction. In fact, the small commotion Adrienne managed to cause has most of the people in the bar watching us.
“That’s for thinking you can pass me around to your friends like a fucking whore!” Leaning her face closer to mine, Adrienne prods me in the chest. Her breath reeks of alcohol.
I wrinkle my nose. “Ugh, you’re drunk. And I was helping a friend. Not passing you around.”
“You piece of shit!”
I wince.
She leans back and teeters a bit.
Kevin looks over his shoulder again, this time a bit more amused. “Damn, you fuckin’ her, too?”
“Hell, no!” Another quick glance in Denise’s direction, and she’s still watching me, this time with narrowed eyes. God. Why does Denise have to see this? I can already guess what’s going on in her head—thinking she was just another flavor of the week for me or something.
“You’re lucky Chris is good in bed, else I’d be kicking your sorry ass right about now,” Adrienne says.
I open my mouth to protest, but Kevin suddenly bursts out laughing. I glare at him. I’m glad he’s enjoying himself, at least. I’ve half a mind to blow his cover for being such an ass.
“Speaking of Chris, what the hell’s taking him so long? Is he jerking off in the bathroom or something?” Adrienne mutters, wandering off to an empty table.
With the commotion dying down, people in the bar lose interest and turn away.
Someone slaps me on the shoulder, and I snap my head up. William.
“Hey, Dom. Here’s a tip: Girls don’t like table scraps.”
I clench my fists. The bastard’s got balls, I’ll give him that. My fists shake as I hold back the urge to knock his head off. No, not in front of Denise. I calm and give a quick flick of my nose with my thumb. “Yo, Willy, here’s a tip: Mind your fucking business.” The last thing I want to do is get kicked out of here because of this asshole, but damn it, I’m not about to stand here and let him talk to me like a bitch.
William shrugs and laughs. “Well, damn, just trying to help, geez. And you wonder why you’re still single.” A few of his frat buddies nearby laugh.
Grinding my teeth, I elbow Kevin. I’m ready to leave before I end up doing something I’ll regret. “You ready?”
Kevin empties another shot and sets the glass with the rest. Eight. “Yeah, sure.” His hand fumbles for his pocket. Finding it, he pulls out some money, and his car keys fall out. I catch them before they hit the floor. Looks like the vodka’s finally caught up with him.
Not looking back at Denise or the frat group, I tug Kevin by the arm and we leave. Outside, the rain has stopped and the air is cool. I help him into the passenger’s seat, and he manages to buckle himself in. He lays his head back against the headrest and closes his eyes, groaning.
“You good, Kev?” I ask.
He mutters gibberish.
“Don’t go and chuck all over your own car, man.” I smile crookedly and shut the door.
As I make my way around to the driver’s side, I hear the hurried clopping of heels approaching.
“Dominick?”
I pause in mid-reach for the door handle and then turn. “Hi, Denise.” Time seems to stop as I take in her beauty from head to toe. She wears a red tank top under a thin, unbuttoned long-sleeved shirt, and dark denim flared jeans. A matching red hairband decorates her cornrows, and her fleur de lis necklace hangs vibrantly around her neck.
She smiles, and my body warms. But I’m constantly looking toward the bar’s entrance, waiting for William to come out. She follows my gaze, glancing over her shoulder.
“Hey,” she says, looking back at me. “I’m sorry about what William said.”
I shake my head. “It’s cool. You okay?”
“Yeah.”
By the way she says that, I know she’s definitely not okay. “What’s wrong?”
She looks at the ground, opens her mouth.
“Denise!” It’s William’s voice, and Denise instantly clams up.
Damn it.
I glare at the entrance, where William is standing. For a moment, he and I lock eyes. I hope he crosses the street, because I don’t intend to hold back my punch this time.
Denise glances at William, then looks back to me apologetically. “I gotta go. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?” she says softly.
I nod and watch her join William.
William wraps his arm around her waist, resting his hand on her ass. “What’re you doing out here talking to that punk, baby? You missed me get another bull’s-eye.”
My fists tighten. I stare at the closed door. She’s gone.
I hop in the car with a defeated sigh and rest my forehead against the steering wheel. If Denise is worried about something, I want to help her.
But does she want my help?
My thoughts are interrupted by Kevin’s sudden snoring. Looking sideways at him, I smile, pluck those stupid sunglasses off his face, and drive off into the night.
Chapter 15
Thursday I leave my digital systems class with time to spare, but for the first time ever, I dread having to go to work, knowing William will be there, telling me all about Denise.
Arriving at Frank’s, I find William in bay one, tinkering under a wheelless black sedan that’s up on a lift. He doesn’t seem to notice me. Checking the whiteboard, I discover my name alongside William’s with a list of jobs for one car: brake repairs and replacements, struts, and a wheel alignment. Fuck. This looks like Frank’s doing.
I can’t believe I’m paired up with that asshole again.
Larry walks out of bay two, toward the bathroom. He stops and looks at me.
“’Sup, Larry,” I mutter.
Larry does a little double take and lifts an eyebrow. “Hey. Something up?”
I purse my lips. I don’t want to come off as a whiny bitch, and I guess I�
�ll have to get over the fact that William’s my coworker. Fuck it all. “Nothing, man. Just … ” I lower my voice. “Girl problems.”
Larry guffaws. “Again? Shame. Well, don’t bring that drama around me. I’ve got enough shit to deal with.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Smiling, I head for bay one. As I approach William, he stops tinkering under the chassis and acknowledges me with a nod. Even that gesture looks fake, creepy. I wanna give him a couple of black eyes and maybe even break some of his fingers for the way he put his hand on Denise’s ass last night.
Why the hell should I be mad, anyway? Denise is his girlfriend. And he seems to love her. That’s what couples do.
But the more I think about it, the angrier I get. No, jealous. No, angry.
Trinity said I was jealous. Denise would probably think so, too.
Fuck it, then. I’m jealous.
“So what else needs to be done with the brakes?” I ask.
William resumes his work, unscrewing a bolt from one of the front brake calipers. “Needs a line replacement and rotor refacing in the front, and new pads and rotors in the front and rear.”
“All right, I’ll get started on the pads.” I grab a wrench from the toolbox. Since William’s working in the front, I go to the rear of the car, as far from him as possible.
We work in silence, other than the sounds of the shop and Nate and Paul shooting the shit with each other under some cars outside.
William, in his usual asshole way, disturbs the peace. “Hey, Dom. About last night … ”
I sigh. “Don’t start.”
“No, really, man. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to mess with you like that. It wasn’t cool, and Denise didn’t have to see that. I should’ve handled it differently.”
I halt mid-crank with the hex wrench. That motherfucker. My hand grips the handle, and I slowly resume, pouring every ounce of my anger—jealousy, whatever—into that damn bolt that’s being a bitch to get free.
“You know, my Xi Rho Nu brothers are having a party tomorrow night. You’re welcome to come … if you bring a date.” There’s a hint of a smirk when he says that.
My mouth twitches. “Since when are you in Xi Rho Nu?”
“Since my second semester as a freshman at Chicago State. I’ve been in touch with the Seattle chapter for a while and got accepted when I transferred to UDub.”
“What the hell is a fratboy like you doing working at a place like this?”
He shrugs. “A little extra income. My trust fund pays for tuition fees and living expenses, and the money I make here is for leisure.”
I look at him, dumbfounded. Trust fund? Seriously? So, he’s not only an asshole, but he’s a rich asshole. “Damn, didn’t know you were banking like that.”
His face hardens. “I don’t go around telling people how much money I have. I have what I have because I had two hardworking parents who taught me the value of a dollar.”
“Hey, I’m not mad, man. Just … surprised. You never struck me as the rich type.”
“Why? ’Cause I don’t dress in polo shirts and business suits or sip with my pinky finger out? Seriously, Dom. Don’t judge me like that.”
I blink. This asshole thinks he knows me? I’ll knock his ass out so hard, he’ll have dollar signs for eyes like a cartoon character. “What the fuck, man? I’m not judging you. Do whatever the hell you want.”
“Yeah, I will. Anyway. About the party. The invitation still stands, if you want to go.”
“I probably won’t go. No date, and all that.” I roll my tongue around in my cheek.
“Shame. Tomorrow night’s going to be memorable.”
“Andrew’s turning twenty-one. I know.”
“That’s not the only memorable thing happening.” His phone suddenly goes off. He pulls it out of his pocket, stares at it a moment, then looks back at me. “Shit. I gotta take this.”
With an arched eyebrow, I watch him stride off rather quickly to the bathroom, the phone to his ear. “’Sup, Nick … ”
I don’t think I wanna know what that was all about. But I somehow have this weird feeling in my stomach.
As I’m continuing my work, I hear the office door open. “Dominick, can you check the part number on those new air filters that came in today?” Frank bellows.
I exhale through my lips and toss my wrench in the toolbox. “Yup.” I head to the rear of the shop where boxed-up parts are stacked on metal shelves on the wall. Beneath the shelves, next to the bathroom, are opened mail packages, their contents not yet sorted. As I’m searching for the air filters, I hear William’s muffled voice.
“ … whatcha got?”
I locate the air filters and pick out a small box but pretend to go on searching so I can remain within earshot of the bathroom.
“ … I need some of the hard shit. Got any more G’s left?”
G’s. Drugs? I blink and stare at the closed bathroom door.
“Dominick! What the fuck’s taking so long?” Frank yells from the office.
I’m about to let Frank know I got it, but I stay silent. I don’t want William to know how close I am.
“ … yeah, man,” William says. “D’s a fucking tease, making me wait so damned long. I’m tired of waiting. I’m poppin’ that … ”
It takes me a moment to fully register that. “D”—Denise. Holy shit. I blink several times, and then stand there, dumbfounded. Virgin. I can’t wrap my head around it. I’ve never known a twenty-one-year-old virgin. Is she really a diamond in the rough?
“ … what’re you talking about? I’m your best fucking customer. You better give me the hookup.”
The office door swings open and slams against the wall. “Just bring me one of those damned boxes,” Frank says.
My mouth going dry, I finally head to the office, box in hand, and deliver it to Frank. William leaves the bathroom at the same time I leave the office, and he stops a few steps from the car and looks around nervously, probably for me.
I return to the rear of the car, giving him one of my poker faces. When he sees me, the nervousness in his eyes fades, and he resumes his work.
“Everything okay?” I ask, picking up the wrench from the toolbox.
“Yeah, man. Everything’s fine,” he replies, not looking up from his work.
My stomach turns. Bullshit. The red flags in my mind are way up. Does he intend to take advantage of Denise? But I can’t prove anything based on bits and pieces of a bathroom conversation, unfortunately.
“Sweet Lady”—Denise’s ringtone—suddenly plays in my back pocket. I hastily take it out. “Hey, hold on a sec,” I say into the phone. Covering the screen with my hand, I look over to William. “Be right back.”
“Yup.” William continues working.
I slip around behind the shop, where my bike is parked. Leaning on the seat, I return to the call. I hope she’s still there. “Hey, Denise. Sorry about that.”
“Hi,” she says, and I sigh in relief. “Do you have time to talk?”
Hearing her makes me want to smile, but the concern in her voice keeps me from doing so. “Of course I do. What’s up?”
“I’m really sorry again about last night. I feel so terrible that William treated you like that.”
I clench my jaw. “I told you, it’s fine. No need to dwell on the past.”
“I know, but last night got me thinking. I’ve been … feeling hesitant in letting William back in my life after he left for Chicago. It’s like he’s changed. I really want to love him, but I feel like I can’t love him the same way I did back then.”
“People change.” Sometimes for the worse, it seems.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“How do you feel like he’s changed?”
“Well, like last night, he got all upset about me talking to you outside of Chauncey’s. He said he didn’t like me talking to you.”
I suddenly think about the way Pops isolated Mama from certain people. That was before I realized he was physically abusing her. Before he d
id what he did to me. My heart races for a moment. “You’re a grown woman. You can do whatever the hell you want.”
“I know. I told him that. And we got into an argument about it. He also didn’t like that Trinity and I are so close, either. I know the two of them don’t see eye to eye, but I’m definitely not going to stop talking to my best friend.”
“Sounds like he’s way too overprotective, if you ask me.”
She sighs. “Yeah. He never used to be this way before. I mean, sure, back in high school he’d get upset when boys looked at me wrong, but he never dictated who I could and couldn’t talk to. Anyway, I set things straight with him last night.”
I want to ask her, to verify that what William said is true about her being a virgin, but it’d be kinda weird asking her something like that outright. So I try a more neutral approach. “So you guys are really close?”
“Yeah, pretty close. I think he’s trying to impress me more than anything. He was like that in high school, too. I just wish he’d be himself.”
Seems like he’s acting like himself to me. A small part of me doesn’t like her answer. Because that means what I heard in the bathroom is probably true. “You’re an amazing girl, Denise. What guy wouldn’t want to impress you?”
She chuckles, and I feel all warm inside that I managed to make her laugh. “As much as Trinity can’t stand him, she puts on a front around me. I know how uncomfortable he makes her. But she never talked to me about it or anything.”
“Have you tried talking to her about it?”
“Yeah, a few times, but she’d always rather talk about something else.”
“Maybe she doesn’t want to interfere. You know, if you’re happy with William and all, then that’s all that matters, right?”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“Are you happy?”
There’s a brief silence. “I don’t know. I want to give him another chance. He’s really excited about taking me to the Xi party tomorrow, so maybe things will be better then.”
My mouth twitches. “Yeah, maybe. Just be careful, okay? Guys like to get stupid at frat parties.”
