“There’s nothing you can help with,” I’m quick to assure him. “She needs to build an app and all the pros are off for the summer.” I shift my gaze to her. “Don’t worry about it. That was extra credit, and you won’t need it. You’re still working on something else, right?”
Her mouth falls open to answer, and my eyes zero in on those cherry red lips, but Eli cuts her off at the pass.
“I’m a pro.” He taps his chest with pride. “Building apps is what I do. Don’t sweat it. Let’s hook up and we’ll knock this out.” He wraps his arm around her casually and offers another quick embrace. I can’t help but note his hand lands dangerously close to second base.
“All right, all right.” I break up the impromptu dance party, and Eli nods up at me.
“I’ll catch you next week.” He looks to Serena. “I’m shooting pool in the back with Seth and Grant. I meant what I said. The app is no problem. Just lay it all out for me. I’ll get her done.”
I bet if she lays it all out for him he’ll get her done. Who knew Eli was such a damn pervert? I can’t help but frown as I watch him take off for the next room. And let’s hook up? Don’t think I don’t know what that’s code for. Serena here has a real problem on her hands. I might need to talk to him sooner than later.
“Earth to Shepherd Pie?” She waves her hand over my face, and the scent of sweet honeysuckle fills the air. Serena has always held the scent of that sweet flower. It’s the first thing that comes to mind when I think of her. “Wow, where’d you go? You look good and ticked. Did Eli piss in your Wheaties? Because if he did, I owe him a free beer.”
“Eli’s just a kid. I’m sure he’s not even old enough to drink a beer. I’d hate to see the bar lose its liquor license. And I meant what I said. You can forget about the app. Let’s focus on what you’re doing for the bar. All you need to do is implement something simple that can bring them a little more revenue. It could be finding another napkin vendor that gets the job done cheaper.”
She crimps her lips as she leans in with a fury brewing in her eyes. “Everyone knows you don’t skimp on napkins. And I like the idea of having something that brings both the Black Bear and me a little more revenue at the very same time. Not all of us were born into litigating royalty. Some of us actually have to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps to make our way in this world.” She leans in so close, I’m within biting distance to her perky little nose.
“Litigating royalty? My father will love the compliment. Look, forget Eli and that silly app. I’d hate to see you knock yourself out over nothing. Think up a new drink for the bar. That should be fun.”
“Fun?” she barks it loud and caustic right into my face as her strawberry-scented breath washes over me. “Do you think it would be fun for me to ask Bryson to whip up a few concoctions so I can see which I think tastes best? I’m underage in the event you’re unaware. Or was that a part of your plan all along? I bet you’d get your jollies off watching me get carded by my own boss. Or better yet, setting me up for a humiliating moment at the grocery store. I bet you’d like to ride along for that one. Clean up on aisle one. Serena spilled all her tears.”
I grimace at the thought. “Okay, sorry. I momentarily forgot that you, too, were underage. Make it a non-alcoholic drink. I bet a ton of your friends would love that.”
She bucks as if I had just knocked the air out of her lungs. “A Serena Temple? I bet you’d love to see me as the laughing stock of this entire university! Boy—you really have it out for me, don’t you?” She gets in close. Her discontent with me is not only palpable, but at this point I can pretty much taste it, too. Tastes like fresh picked berries and I am not protesting.
I can’t help but manufacture a short-lived smile. “I think maybe you should get back to work, and I should have a beer.”
“You do that. Beer generally fuels bad ideas, and I’m sure you’ll have a million new suggestions for me momentarily. I’d rather spend the rest of my summer having Eli help with that app, or driving to West Virginia in an effort to find someone else whocan, rather than give up on something I believe in.”
“Serena”—I take in this fireball that has always somehow possessed the air around me when the two of us are together—“you don’t need to worry about Eli or West Vagina—Virginia,” I’m quick to correct. Fuck. I definitely need a beer and a girl. Not this one.
Her cheeks burn with color as her mouth falls open.
“Fine. I’ll do it with you,” I offer. “I can do it. I’m more than qualified. I’ve built apps before. It’s not my first rodeo.” And I farmed out a heck of a lot of the work at the time, but Serena doesn’t have to know that. “I’ll be your right-hand man.” I lift my arm. “And I’ve got a strong hand at the subject, so you’re in luck.”
Her eyes flash with flames. “So your right hand is strong. That’s an indicator of several things.” A satisfied smile glides over her lips.
“Honey, I don’t need to host a party for one. There are plenty of wildflowers ready for the picking.” Where in the hell did that come from? I’ve never likened a woman to a flower before, but then, Serena has the ability to drive me to do the unthinkable, let alone come up with a few floral analogies.
“Says the boy who was trying to hide from his ex. It looks like you’re not as good at picking blossoms, or in your casebosomsas you thought.” She leans in tight with a vengeance. “You know what they say. You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose. But you can’t pick your friend’s nose. So get your finger out of mine!” Serena stalks off, and I’m left speechless.
I take a seat at the bar as if I were just beat down with a stick, and I think I was.
What the hell just happened? My ex blinks through my mind like a demon, and I blink her right back out. There’s no way I’m letting Carmella in tonight. Carm was all thorns, no flower. No wonder I’ve steered clear of the opposite sex as of late. But I think it’s time to get back in the game. That girl at the club blinks though my mind. Those long lashes, that pouty mouth, and something inside of me stirs to have her.
Maybe I will head back out that way.
Who knows? I might even get lucky.
Friday night arrivesand I decide to do it. I shower, shave, put something decent on, and head to the sleaziest part of downtown Jepson looking for my Mrs. Right. A dark laugh brews in my chest. I seriously doubt she’s anyone’s Mrs. Right. Floating around Anonymous certainly doesn’t look too favorably as far as a matrimonial prospect is concerned. I try to picture it for a moment. The two of us falling in love. The two of us actually determined to tie the knot.How did you meetwill be the question we’d have to invent an answer to. But I’m sure it will never get to that. In fact, I’m sure it will more or less end on a rather anonymous note just the way it began. That is, if she’s here at all.
Anonymous is pumping with a swell of bodies, each one cleverly disguised, most of them thoroughly intoxicated. The women are all cloaked in flamboyant eye masks that cover half their face, and the men are walking around with the same black hood as if we were about to lead them to the sexual guillotine.
The last time I was here it was a pretty peacock of a girl who caught my eye, and the thought occurs to me that I might be screwed because she might have switched up her costume. Crap. I wander off to the bar and pick up a drink, a near-beer in the event I let the liquor be my guide. No way. Not tonight. Not at this ball-buster of a place. I need to stay safe and sane and remain on high alert lest I end up tied up to some woman’s bedframe by the end of the night.
A healthy chuckle comes from me as I take a sip of my beer. The sound of the rap music blaring from the speakers is so loud my entire body vibrates to the rhythm as if it were an external heartbeat.
And then I spot her. A girl with a peacock feathered mask laughs as some dude dives his mouth over her ear. She lifts a knee and slaps it hard before staggering at the hilarity of his words, and my heart sinks. There. It wasn’t anything special between us after all. Just some momentary chemistry I was caught up in. That’s all. Show’s over. I can take off the mask and head on out. Nothing left to see here.
