He clenched his teeth, never taking his eyes off the other man. “Go back to the car,” he ordered her. She stared at him in confusion as Chase continued. “I want you to go outside, drive home and wait for me. I’ll come soon. Don’t worry.”Trust me.
She wrinkled her brows then gave a firm nod, looking over her shoulder while heading for the exit.
McNair whistled low. “Got that bitch trained too, huh?”
Chase zeroed in on the man he’d despised since childhood. “Shut your goddamn trap for a minute and answer me this. This time try to use your head before you open your mouth again. On a scale of one to ten, how dumb do you think I am?”
McNair curled his lips and sneered, “What the hell that got to do with you and your negro mistress? Or what’s gonna happen to youandthe bitch when I let everyone know.”
Chase stepped up in McNair’s face, bearing down on him. “Cut the bullshit. You’re not scaring anyone.” His tone grew serious. “You see that girl who was in here. I’m gonna be honest with you. I care about her. Enough that I thought I could try and be a better person. That’s the only reason we’re standing here talking, as opposed to my fist down your throat. You remember the last time. So right now, you got two choices. You’re gonna keep your mouth real quiet about me and my girl until I’m goddamn good and ready to let everyone know. Or, we’re gonna discuss why you’ve suddenly developed a craving for tacos and burritos, when you can barely stand to look at a fucking Mexican.”
McNair snorted, no longer meeting his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re getting at. Not like you, Hudson. If the color ain’t white…”
Chase despised that saying now. He’d heard it too many times over the years and wanted to wipe McNair’s mouth clean of it. Leaning in, he bared his teeth. “That’s right, you’re not like me. But if I wereyou, I’d keep a closer eye on my little Jew princess. All that nice white skin you love so much, working in her daddy’s taco restaurant. Things could getreallymessy…”
McNair paled and his jaws ticked as Chase moved away from his long-time nemesis. Now it was all out. They were both race traitors. Only difference between them was, Chase had known for weeks about McNair’s Jewish girlfriend, but not once had he thought about confronting or revealing their relationship. McNair on the other would’ve blackmailed him if he could. So much for white solidarity.
“How’d you find out?” McNair fearfully asked.
“Curiosity and by accident. Just thought to see what was so special about a taco joint that would make someone like you keep going back so often. I pulled up, saw you and a chick with clothes all messed up getting out of your car.” Chase shrugged. “I went inside, noticed a picture of her and her dad on the wall. And the name. End of story.”
“You didn’t tell anyone?”
Chase shook his head. “No. Figured it wasn’t my call. Not really anyone’s place to tell someone who they can be with, now is it?”
McNair’s shoulders slumped. “I don’t know, man. There’s a lot of things I’m not sure about. I didn’t plan on Abigail coming into my life. I saw her one day and couldn’t stop myself I guess. Didn’t seem to matter that much when I found out she was Jewish. I mean I couldn’t press a button and stop liking her.” He rubbed his mouth over and over. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do. Says she can’t introduce me to her parents until I can prove I’m not racist anymore.” He stared at Chase. “How the hell am I supposed to turn it off that easily? I haven’t touch meth or even alcohol in a while, but how do I stop being racist? Have you figured out how, Hudson?” McNair shook his head hard. “Shit. I can’t believe I’m sitting here bitching to you about this.”
“You’re talking,” Chase said. “All I’m doing is listening. I don’t have any answers for you. I’m still trying to figure this all out for myself.”
“Yeah. Guess I owe you thanks for not saying anything all this time. Thanks. Anyway, I’m sorry for acting like a douche. I shouldn’t have put my hand on your girl. Wrong move.”
Chase gave a curt nod. “Accepted. Don’t let anything like this happen again.”
“It won’t.” McNair touched his nose, which leaned to the side. “Then again, maybe if I do you’ll knock my nose back in place.” He laughed at his own joke then sobered. “No. Anyway, Hudson. You ever think about leaving? Packing your shit and disappearing into the night. Starting over.”
The idea was catching on. “No one’s stopping you. Why don’t you go for it?”
McNair looked up at him. “What about yourself, since you make it sound so easy. You plan on walking away? Starting over somewhere far away with your girl?”
Alaska didn’t sound too bad. Him and Larke, away from it all, surrounded by nature. No one to bother them. “That’s none of your business,” Chase said. “When and if that happens you’ll find out like everybody else.” He turned to leave, casting McNair an icy glare. “Remember our talk if you ever think of mentioning my girl to anyone. Jews then blacks…”
Chase left the store then, satisfied at the way McNair had gripped the wall, at the not so subtle reminder of their hierarchy of hate.
