Gino reminds me of myself at his age. He has a lot more enthusiasm and a little bit less of a good head on his shoulders, but as long as he doesn’t let some pussy ruin his life, the kid will be just fine.
“We’re waiting for Gino again,” she says. “Ugh. He sucks. He told me that he knew a wide receiver on the Buffalo Bills who was looking for a way to keep busy this season and never delivered.”
I wish Flora was more interested in baking sourdough bread than guys. I’m already considering drastic methods for keeping her under lock and key. I’m willing to take things pretty fucking far to keep her safe.
“I never said we were waiting for Gino.”
“You’re not that smart, Peter.”
“Thanks, Flora. You’re not a real blonde.”
“Asshole.”
I grin, because she genuinely gets all torn up about the fact that she’s not a real blonde. Who gives a fuck? Flora needs tolearn at some point that her appearance doesn’t really matter that much outside of how much it enables her to move her body. How far can she run? How much can she bench? Whatever. I’ll never get through to my lip filler obsessed sister about the gym.
“Why don’t you hit on that lady over there?” she asks, pointing across the bar to a pair of lesbians in the corner.
“They’re gay, Flora. Show some respect.”
“You are such a dumbass.”
“What?”
“They’re not gay. The short one checked you out like… the second you walked in here.”
The women both look like they’re in their forties, which is a fucking relief. Everyone my age around here seems to have three to seven kids and I started feeling like the odd man out in my late twenties.
“Then why are they dancing together.”
Flora looks at me like she thinks I don’t have a brain.
“Areyougay, Peter?”
“Careful, sweetheart. I’ll sell you to the HVAC guy over there who was looking at your ass.”
“Who?” Flora asks in excitement, whipping her head around and seeing the only options for who I must be talking about. Her expression changes instantly. “EW! Oh my God, Peter, NO!”
“How much do you think he would pay for a crack? $200?”
“I’m not selling pussy for $200, you asshole!”
I finish my bourbon and laugh at Flora’s distress. Gino walks in at the right second. She’s beating me on the shoulder with a drink menu looking like a genuine crazy person while I calmly let my gaze wander over to the woman Flora claims was looking at me. She might not be a lesbian.
Maybe she just works in an office. That would explain the shoes. Not like I care that much for fashion but… this woman dresses on the mature side. Conservative. Not the type of womanwho wants to spend time with a guy who owns casinos. My gaze lingers on her a little too long and she looks up at me. My chest startles as her eyes drop to my lips and she smiles.
Fuck, Flora is right. She’s looking right at me…
Chapter Three
Aricia
Rana holds my hand as I slowly unlock the front door to my home. I don’t want to alert them to my presence yet. But maybe I should have banged two pots together because the second I push the door open to my home… It smells like sin. And by that, I mean Johnson’s baby oil, a cloying smell that I will forever associate withpure fucking evil.
The smell causes Rana to grip my hand harder and sink her fingernails into the palm of my hand. I press my finger to my lips as I slip out of my work shoes and my feet unclench from the tight ass heels I’ve worn every day of my working life since I was eighteen years old working as a clerk at a law firm.
Back when I told Kennard that I had no plans on getting married or losing my virginity before law school. The memories feel so hollow and my feet spread across my cold tiles, sending a chill right through me. I don’t feel like myself at all. Rana takes her shoes off and gently taps her index finger to her right ear.
Yeah, I can hear the music too. It’sPeaches & Cream by 112and that creature Diddy. My stomach drops again and I feel like I’ve been strapped to a roller coaster being controlled by a super villain. My house smells like baby oil. Diddy is on the radio. Andthat’s not the only weird thing going on when I come home in the middle of the day to my ex-husband and his mistress upstairs.
