“She’s too good for you,” Mikey practically growled. His jaw had tightened so hard I thought he might break teeth.
“Undoubtedly,” Luke agreed. “Doesn’t mean I can’t make her feel veryverygood. I bet you’re one of those missionary men who doesn’t know how to spell clitoris, much less find it. I’m a full service lover. I make sure it’s an orgasmic experience for all involved. I’d work extra hard for Stacey.”
Mikey flushed, but before he could speak, the music died and a brass bell clanged. Someone hollered last call. I checked the time on my phone. Almost one. Stacey would get off at two.
Once upon a time she’d have had another hour or two of cleaning left, but not any more. For months the other employees had taken advantage of her relentless sense of responsibility and started leaving her to clean and restock by herself. When she’d complained, management ignored her. When she’d quit, management suddenly grew a brain and upped her wages and made her bar manager, as well as releasing her from cleanup responsibilities.
As the echoes of the bell faded and the music erupted again, Luke abruptly stood and held out a hand to Jen. “Let’s dance.”
Jen considered and then shrugged, allowing him to help her up. With a not-terribly-apologetic grimace at me, she disappeared into the crowd on the dance floor. I settled into Jen’s vacated seat. Officer Mikey studied me while I pretended to ignore him.
“Maybe we should get to know each other.”
“I know enough, thank you.”
“You don’t know a damned thing about me.”
I snorted. “You do realize Stacey talks to us, don’t you?”
“You’re saying she doesn’t have a high opinion of me.”
“I’m the one who doesn’t have a high opinion of you. Well, Jen and Lorraine, too. Stacey simply knows the two of you aren’t compatible, so she’s not going to waste time and emotion getting involved with someone who’s clearly a dead-end.”
“And if I don’t want to be a dead-end?” Mikey waved to get the attention of the passing waiter.
He set a couple of clean cocktail napkins down and picked up the empty beer bottle, setting it on his round, cork-lined tray.“What can I get for you?”
“Another beer and whatever those are.” Mikey gestured toward Jen’s and my glasses.
“Ice tea,” I said when the waiter looked the question at me. “And Coke.”
He nodded and hurried away. Mikey watched him go and then turned back to me.
“If I don’t want it to be a dead-end?” He repeated.
“That sucks, but you want someone she’s not. Story ends before it begins. Move on.”
He scraped his teeth over his lip, thinking. He seemed to come to a conclusion. “I was in a serious relationship once.”
I waited, but that seemed to be all he planned to say. “That’s…nice?” I said. “Not sure what your point is.”
The corner of his mouth kicked up. The waiter returned and set our drinks down. Mikey dug out his wallet and handed the other man some cash. “Keep the change.”
Mikey took a drink and set the bottle down, turning it in his fingers. “I was all in and it turns out she wasn’t. I promised myself I’d learn my lesson. I wouldn’t let anything like that happen again. Instead, I focused on work. Got promoted.” A grimace and shake of his head. “Then I met Stacey.
“I fought the attraction hard, but.…” He blew out a breath. “I can’t seem to stay away from her.” He paused. “I want forever. Why is that so god-damned wrong?”
He shot an angry look at me. Like I was to blame.
“It’s not wrong.” I thought of Damon. I was the skittish one, trying to figure out how I felt and what I wanted. I couldn’t really blame Mikey for knowing what he wanted and going after it. Not his fault Stacey was more than a little leery of marriage. She’d seen the absolute worst of it with her revolving door of step parents. She trusted marriage vows as much as she trusted the ingredient list on a log of bologna. “But it’s also not Stacey’s fault she doesn’t want what you want.”
Actually, the truth was Stacey did want long-term. She did want commitment. She just didn’t believe either was actually possible. I had no intention of sharing that with him.
“What should I do?”
My eyes just about popped out of my head. “Excuse me?”
He smiled. “I’m desperate.”
