Chapter Thirteen
FRANKIE
“It’s a correction.Happens all the time.” I’d lost track of how many times I’d checked the stock-market report in the past hour. Each time, the numbers sank lower and my heart sank with them. “It’ll go back up.”
Vivi poked me. “You know you’re still in school for another couple of months. You should at least finish your project.”
Dispirited, I pushed the material through my sewing machine to work on the hem of my coat, but my mind remained a jumbled mess. Earlier in the day I’d spotted an article I needed to read, something about the FDA not approving some medicine, and I’d bookmarked it before I lost service on the train. I couldn’t wait until lunch, so I could read it. My phone felt like it was burning a hole through my pocket.
“What’s wrong, BB?” She nudged me. “You’ve been down all day.”
Her nickname for me, BB—short for Big Butt because I liked to shake my ass at her on the dance floor whenever we went out—always brought a smile to my face. Except today.
I stopped sewing to answer. “Aaron got fired. They said it was ’cause they didn’t need him no more, but we know it was ’cause his boss found out he’s gay.”
“Fuck, no way.” She sat down next to me and hitched her chair close. “What happened?”
Today Vivi had on bright-pink lipstick and a matching pink bow in her shining black hair. Her bright-blue skirt sported a sequined poodle on the side, its black leather leash trailing across the front, ending in a silver buckle. A big, black leather belt cinched her tiny waist, and ordinarily I’d make some smartass remark about it being her BDSM skirt, but I’d lost my heart to tease. Instead, I told her the story Aaron told me.
“This is the most depressed I’ve seen Aaron since he’s gotten out of prison.”
“Those bastards. He’ll get something better. He’s too good to be lugging plants around all day anyway.”
“Thing is, Aaron loved it. All he ever wanted was to work with plants.”
“Frankie.” The professor called us out from the front of the room. “Have you finished? If so, bring your product up front for me to look at.” He pursed his lips. God, I hated that finicky fucker.
“Sorry, Professor.” Vivi flashed her smile at him, and the asshole unclenched his face. She knew he liked her and had told me she got a creepy vibe from him whenever they talked. “It was my fault. I was asking Frankie to help me with something.”
“If you need help, you can come to me. That’s what I’m here for.” His gaze flicked over me dismissively. “Frankie needs to concentrate on his own work more.”
“Jerk,” I muttered under my breath but made sure to turn on the sewing machine first so he couldn’t hear me.
“Don’t be upset. We’ll talk later.” She hugged me and went back to her project table.
The class finished without further incident, and Tight Face even gave me a compliment when I turned in my work.
“Good job. Hemming and pleats have always been your strength.”
“Thanks.”
I wondered if he saw through my half-hearted smile and could read my mind. Hopefully not, but both my mother and Aaron had always said it was impossible for me to hide my emotions. If so, he knew what a douchebag I thought he was.
“Let’s go. I need a coffee like yesterday.” Vivi linked her arm with mine, and we left the building and walked across the street to Starbucks.
“Yeah. I havta check something out. I’ll get us a table.”
She headed for the line, and I snagged us a little two-seater in the corner. Anxious to see what happened to the stock market while I was in class, I pulled out my phone and checked. My stomach bottomed out.
Fuck.
I had no idea how long I sat staring at the screen, but Vivi came back with our drinks and for once, I didn’t make fun of her sugary-sweet “milkshake coffee” as I liked to tease her.
“What’s wrong?”
Devastated, I shook my head, unable to speak for a moment. This couldn’t have happened at a worse time.
“BB, what?”
