“I’m hungover,” I said.
“But didn’t we have fun?” Obi asked with a shove.
I sighed. “Yes. We had fun.”
Suddenly, a knocking rhythm came from next door. Then a moan. Then a very distinct, “Oh, Cole.”
All of our jaws fell open, looking between each other.
“I thought Jessie had to work?” Guy whispered.
But I knew what Jessie sounded like with Cole in that way from hearing it dozens of pathetic times. She didn’t sound like that. That was an entirely different voice.
“I don’t think that’s Jessie,” I said, my stomach twisting.
Obi grimaced. Guy stared at me.
“You’re sure?” Guy asked.
I nodded. “Pretty sure.”
“It doesn’t really sound like her,” Obi said.
“Maybe she took the afternoon off...” Guy suggested.
I just shook my head. Oh, God. Poor Jessie. Did she know?
She was basically a stranger, but it still made my blood boil. How could he do that to her?
* * *
It was about 9 p.m. by the time I settled on my balcony with the ice pack on my shoulder and a drink in my hand. The sliding door on the next balcony over squealed and there she was. Good ol’ Sweet Cheeks was watering her plants with headphones in and itty-bitty shorts on. Did this woman not know how to cover her legs? Christ.
I watched her quietly for a minute, then waved to get her attention. She was either willfully ignoring me or really didn’t seeme.
“Jessie,” I said just south of a scream. I didn’t want to shout and scare half our building. I waved emphatically with my un-iced arm. Drips from the ice ran down my bare chest.
Ice. Good idea.
I pulled a piece of ice from my water glass and chucked it over to her balcony. It hit her square in the stomach as she turned. She shrieked, then looked up, ripping out her earbuds.
“Jesus, Jockey, you scared the piss out of me! Why are you throwing things at me?” she demanded.
“Jockey? It’s Mikey or Ben, Sweet Cheeks.”
“Yeah, well, you’re a jock, too, so Jockey.”
I laughed and tipped back my beer bottle. “Clever. I like it.”
“So? Why are you assaulting me with,” she kicked the ice cube on the floor, “ice?”
“I wanted to say hey. And sorry for last night.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. I feel bad that we kept you up. I promise it won’t happen again,” I said, trying to be contrite.
She cocked an eyebrow. “You really think I believe you’re going to keep it down from now on? You’ve been loud since I moved in.”
