by Naomi Niles
“I thought I’d surprise you.” She held out a bag for me to take. “Lexie and I stopped at this curry place for dinner, and I brought you a plate. I thought you might be hungry.”
“I’m starving.” I took the bag and gave her a peck. “It’s not safe here, though. Somebody tried to break into the building, and we’re still trying to find out what’s going on.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, I’m glad you came. It’s nice being surprised like this.”
“I have an idea,” she announced.
“What’s that?”
“We have a dance recital this weekend, and I was wondering if you’d like to be my date. I know it’s ballet, and you’re a big strong man, but I thought it would be kind of fun for you to see the studio.”
“I’d love to.”
“Really?” She jumped up, wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me. Her lips tasted like strawberries. “I got to go, but I’ll give you a call.”
“Alright.” I bit my bottom lip and looked her over. “I’ll see you then.”
Halfway home, my phone started ringing. “Hello?”
“Dwayne, it’s your mother. The one you never call.”
“Oh, that mother. I thought it was the one that understood that her boy had a life.”
“Very funny. I miss you. Come see us.”
“I don’t know when I can, what with work and all. Things are kind of hectic here.”
“Are you happy?”
“Yeah, Mom. I am. I like it here a lot.”
“That’s what matters. I was worried that you wouldn’t be able to acclimate to things and that you would be lonely.”
“I’m not.”
“I didn’t just call to harass you about coming to see us. Your brothers got a gig in town at this dive bar on the edge of the city. I was thinking that maybe you might like to go down and see it.”
“When is it?”
“Next Friday. Are you busy?”
“No, it sounds fun. I haven’t seen Jesse play in a while.”
“You’d better not forget about me down here. Your father’s on this marinara kick, and he’s trying to get me to try to his sauces every few minutes. It’s driving me crazy, and I need a distraction.”
“Unplug the stove and pretend you don’t know what’s wrong with it.”
She laughed. “I love you, sweetie. I’ll talk to you later.”
I could barely keep my eyes open when I got home. When I got in bed, my phone started ringing. The number was private, but I answered anyway. “Hello?”
There was no response.
“Hello?” I waited.
“Quit Granger,” a mechanical voice said.
I shot up. “Who is this?” The line went dead.
I was too tired, and I had too many questions. How did they get my number? Why did they want me to quit? Was I a threat to these people? How did they even know who I was? I lay back, still holding my phone. Fred had to know what happened. If things were going to escalate, he had to be ready.
I called him. “Dwayne, what are you doing? That place is closed.”
“I know, but I had to tell you what happened. Some guy just called my phone and told me in a masked voice that I should quit the company.”
“Do you think it had anything to do with the guy that shut off the cameras?”
“Probably.”
“They’re connected to you somehow.”
“They might be, and they might not be. There’s way to get people’s cell phone numbers. All I’m saying is that I think things are going to get worse and you should be ready.”
I heard him cursing in the background. “I’m going to skin them alive,” he came back to the phone.
“You get one half, I’ll get the other.”
Fred laughed. “I’m glad I hired you, Dwayne. You’re a solid man. That’s rare.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
When I lay back down in bed, my thoughts took over, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t turn them off. I had to know what these people were planning before they did it. I decided that when I went into work, I’d take some time and go over the building again. Maybe I could find something useful.
Chapter Twenty
Gillian
I glanced at the clock. It was six-thirty. The dance recital was in half an hour, and I was still at home trying to make sure that the white flower I’d tucked behind my ear was in the perfect position. I pulled my hair back behind it one more time and took a quick look. It simply wouldn’t sit right. I threw the thing in the trash and headed out the door.
Dwayne was standing outside his house when I pulled up. He had this way of looking right at me, as if he could see through me. It made me feel vulnerable, like he could get to me no matter what, and he could. Nothing could stop the chill racing through me when he hopped in and gave me a hug.
His touch lingered when he pulled away. “Are you excited to see the girls?” he asked when I pulled out of the driveway. “You’ve probably been working really hard to get them ready.”
“I have, and I’m really glad that you came.”
“I wouldn’t miss a chance to see you.”
“You’re going to have fun. We’ve got a really good group this time, and I think they have a lot of potential.”
“Are they young?”
“Oh, yeah. Their mothers get them in dance as early as they can. We don’t take anyone under five, but they’d sign them up a lot earlier than that if they could.”
“That’s terrible.”
We got there right before the recital started. “Listen,” I turned to him before we got out, “the mothers are going to try to talk to me and hound me about every little thing. We have to just run straight for the back door and sit down without talking to anyone.”
“Kind of like when you catch the football and have to run for the goal before anyone tackles you.”
“Exactly,” we both laughed. “But seriously. These women are vicious.”
“I’ve been at war for the better part of a decade. I think I can deal with some catty women.”
“Yeah… I’m gonna have to rush you through.” I checked the rearview mirror. Lili Nguyen, one of our more avid skeptics was standing in the front lot, staring at my car. “Come on.”
“She’s coming,” Dwayne checked back behind us as we made our way across the lot.
“Don’t look. Don’t look. I don’t want her to know that we see her.”
“Excuse me,” she called out, her pumps clicking against the pavement.
“Go, go, go.” I pushed him through the back door and started to walk through.
Bright orange fingernails caught the door before it closed behind me. “Where have you been?” Lili opened the door. “Everything is in shambles. Two of the girls skinned their knees and Lexie can barely hold up. This recital is a disaster.”
“The girls are young. Some trouble is to be expected.”
“Are you coming?” Dwayne walked up behind me.
Lili trained her dragon eyes on him, then on me. “Just get it together.” She stormed off.
“You weren’t kidding. What is with these women?” We started walking to our seats.
“They do this because they want their children to get into the industry. It’s totally cutthroat, as you can imagine, so they’re all complete sociopaths.” Dwayne sat down, and I took a seat next to him. “On our first day, one of the girls pushed another girl down, and her mother was nodding along, encouraging her.”
“That’s sick.”
“That’s the reality of parents and competition.” Lexie dimmed the lights and took a seat at the keyboard in back.
“I just want to thank everyone for coming tonight to show their support for our little ballerinas. We have an amazing class this semester — one of the best I’ve ever seen — and I really think you’re going to enjoy tonight’s performance.”
“You worked hard,” Dwayne whispered. “Be proud.”
“Thank you.” I reached out and squeezed his hand. It felt intimate, more than we’d done before. When I pulled my hand back, I could still feel the warmth from his skin. I tried not to focus on that and watch as the girls came out, their hands above their heads, as they spun slowly on their toes.
When Beth came out at the end of the line, she waved at me, and my heart jumped. I was ready to tear up. I didn’t want Dwayne to see, but I couldn’t help it. He pretended that he didn’t notice at first. Then he took my hand and held it through the rest of the dance.
When the procession was over, the girls all stood at a line at the front of the room and bowed. Beth looked right at me when she dipped down, and I nearly died. “She really likes you,” Dwayne whispered in my ear.
“I’ve given her every moment of my time since she got here, and it’s paid off.”
When the recital was over, Beth’s mom came up to me, holding her daughter’s hand. “I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done,” she said.
“I was tearing up,” I told her. “I couldn’t believe how amazing she was.”
“Who are you?” Beth pointed at Dwayne.
He smiled and got down on one knee in front of her. I watched closely. “My name is Dwayne. Is your name Beth?”
“Yes, it is, and I’m the best swan that ever ever existed. Two evers.” She held up two fingers.
“I say three because I have never seen a swan walk on her tippy toes the way you did.”
“You found a good husband,” Beth told me.
“He’s not…” We all started laughing.
“You’ve done so much for her, Gillian. I really think that we’re going to commit to getting her on stage.”
“And, I will do everything I can to make it happen.” Beth was whispering something in Dwayne’s ear. He nodded along, then whispered something back.
“What are you guys talking about?”
“Nothing,” they both said.
“Uh-huh.”
“Come on, Beth. If you want to get ice cream, you have to leave now.”
“On more thing!” She wrapped her arms around my leg to give me a hug. Then she hugged Dwayne, and he went beet red. “Bye,” she called as she waved and walked off.
Dwayne stood up. “I have a secret.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m not telling.” He turned around to walk away with his butt shaking just enough to keep me looking. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. I could still feel the warmth where he squeezed my hand.
“Stop that,” Lexie came up and whispered in my ear.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re falling for him.”
I didn’t say anything, not at first. This was no time to be defensive. I had to know whether or not she was right.
“That’s dangerous.”
“I’m not having this conversation.”
“Just think about it before you jump in.”
“I will.”
After a moment, a pair of hands came up behind me and wrapped around my waist. His breath poured into my ear. “I’m hungry.”
“What did she tell you?”
“Uh-uh, that’s a secret.”
“Then, I’m not hungry.”
“Suit yourself.” He started walking out the door.
“Wait.” I ran after him into the parking lot. “Were you going to walk home?”
“No, I just wanted to see you come after me like that.”
“Get in.” I unlocked the doors. “I’m starving.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Dwayne
“What would you like to eat?” I asked when we got in the car.
“Something meaty, like steak. A big filet mignon and a nice bottle of wine with a baked potato. I’m starving.”
“Me, too.”
“There’s a place up the street called Sergio’s. I’ve never been there before, but everyone says it’s really good.”
“It sounds good.”
Gillian got the car started. “What did that little girl tell you?”
“It’s a secret.”
“You have to tell me now.” She pulled out of the lot.
“No, it’s between the two of us. I made a pact.”
“A pact?”
“She made me pinky swear I wouldn’t tell anyone. ‘Never, never,’ she said. That’s two nevers.”
“You’re adorable.”
“I really liked that. I can tell that the dance studio means a lot to you.”
“When Lexie got the small business loan, I was working ten hour shifts every day waiting tables. They didn’t even pay minimum wage and the tips were terrible, but it kept me going. Without that job, I wouldn’t have been able to pay rent.”
“But you quit anyways.”
“I did, and I hated myself for it. I thought for certain I’d end up on the streets, but she had kids waiting to start classes right away. Everything worked out.”
“It’s amazing that it did. You took a huge risk.”
“I don’t regret it. Working for the dance studio is the best thing I’ve ever done.”
“I admire your courage, Gillian.”
“I’m not sure if it’s courage or stupidity.”
“It’s courage, determination, hard work, and dedication.”
She turned to me, a warm smile across her face. “Thank you. That really means a lot to me.”
The restaurant was in a small, retrofitted home with private garden patio and music playing over loudspeakers. When the waiter showed us to our table outside, I pulled back Gillian’s chair.
“Thank you,” she sat down.
“Of course.”
“Can I get you anything to drink?” the waiter asked.
I turned to Gillian. “Merlot?”
“Fine with me.”
“Bring me a bottle of vintage merlot.”
“Vintage?” Gillian asked when the waiter left.
“You deserve the best.”
“When I first met you,” she said, “you were quiet and stiff. You hated talking to people and nobody else seemed to notice. It was hard to watch, honestly, because they kept hounding you. Now you’re different. You’re wild and unpredictable. It’s exciting to see you opening up.”
“It’s you.”
“Me?”
“Yes, it’s all your fault. I don’t know what it is about you, but when I’m with you I find myself doing and saying things that I never thought I’d do. I don’t even know where it comes from. It scared me at first because when I was in the navy, I prided myself on being controlled and disciplined. I didn’t want to lose that. Now, I can’t stop myself. I have to follow this through and see where this goes.”
She met my eyes. “You do?”
“I like you, Gillian. I really like you. I’m not going anywhere.”
She went to say something, but was interrupted by the waiter. “Here you are,” the waiter set down her glass and started pouring her wine.
“Thank you.”
He poured my wine and took our orders. Then when he left she went quiet and looked down at the empty plate on her placemat.
“What is it?” I asked, certain that I’d come on too strong.
“It’s not you. I’m sorry. I’m just worried about Michael. I think he’s going to take this pretty hard.”
“Screw Michael. This is about us.” I took her hand and squeezed it. “I’ll put him in line.”
“I’ll let you handle it, then. It’s probably better to do it sooner, rather than later.”
“I don’t even want to talk about him. He’s not going to matter in the long run.” I took a sip of my drink. “My brother’s coming to town next Friday. He’s doing a show.”
“I’ve never seen him play. Is he any good?”
“He’s amazing — when he can stand up straight.”
“He’s a country singer.”
“Yeah, I never got it. There’s no point in playing a genre that most people hate, but he’s done prett
y good. He’s been on tour several times and has three albums out.”
“It’s not easy to break into something like that. He might be a complete screw up — and I know he is — but it sounds like he’s got something.”
The waiter came out with two steaming plates with thick strips of filet mignon. Gillian dug into her food while I watched, eating slowly. She wasn’t putting up a front. She really felt comfortable being herself around me. It was refreshing.
When I finished, I set down my fork and took a drink of wine. “Do you want to know what that girl said?”
“Yes,” she took a sip. “I’m dying. You have to tell me.”
“She said that you were sad and now you’re happy.”
“She said that?”
“Yes, she did. You want know what I told her?”
“What’s that?”
“That I’m going to make sure you stay happy.”
She set down her glass and leaned in to kiss me, this time taking control — her lips, like a flower bud opening slowly, her tongue bursting into my mouth. I let the moment go on as long as I could, relishing every second of her gentle touch.
When she pulled back, my body was on fire, tingling, soaring, my heart pounding out a pagan beat. I looked down to see goosebumps on her arm. I traced my finger over them. “You’re beautiful.”
“I don’t know how you do this to me. You’ve got me thinking about you all day, looking for excuses to call you. I feel like I’m sixteen.”
“Sitting on the bleachers, pretending to do your homework.”
“You remember that?”
“Yes, and I knew that you were there to watch me. I liked you, too. I wanted to talk to you, but I was always too scared…and I knew that your brother would kick my butt if I did.”
“He still might.”
I flexed my arms and watched her shiver. “I can whoop him.”
Gillian downed her wine. Her movements were flowing, and her face was flushed. “Why don’t you let me drive?” I suggested.
“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.” I paid the bill and brought her back to the car. We drove back to her house. She was too buzzed to drive home when she dropped me off, so I thought I’d give her time to come down and clear her head.
When I stopped the car, she pulled me towards her and kissed me. “You’re coming inside.”
