I frowned. “Off the revue or off…off?”
Another dimply smirk. He turned out to have one in the cheek, too. Were all the people that worked here that annoyingly good-looking? “Off, off.”
My frown dissolved, and I could feel my lips stretching. “Oh. Okay. Um…” I opened my purse and found a fifty-dollar bill to bribe him with. “Do you know when he’s going to be back?”
He shrugged, cocking a brow at the money in my hand. He didn’t like the fifty? How much did bribes cost nowadays? Shit. I should’ve saved the Laundromat slip that had Fabio’s address or stalked him by the Laundromat itself.
Suddenly, the bouncer bent and made our conversation more private. “But if you give me your card, I can let you know when he’s back in.”
I blinked in disbelief. “Oh, you’d do that? That’s very generous. Thank you.” I fished out a card and stretched my hand with it and the money.
He only took the card and read it. “Nice to meet you, Gabrielle. I’m Logan, by the way.”
Cool name. Incredible body. Cute face. Chivalrous manners. What did they have in the water at Poles? Or was it the booze? “Likewise, Logan.”
My eyes wandered to the thick entrance door that concealed whatever was behind, the world I knew nothing of except maybe from books. “I’d never been to a revue before.” The words fell off my mouth.
“You’re welcome to stay and watch. Our dancers are the best in town.”
I tucked my hair behind my ear. “I guess it’d be better if I waited for your call first.”
“Probably for the best.” He bent over again. “You didn’t hear it from me, but the boss is a littleiffyabout you.”
I was confused for a second, but before irritation jutted through me, I put two and two together. The boss must have thought Fabio took the weekend off because of me. Wow. Was that even true? “Oh. Is that so?”
“A lady like you is bad for business.”
My jaw twisted, and the irritation made its way up to my face. “So I’ve been told.”
“Don’t get it the wrong way. I mean it as a compliment. Fab has been through hell. A woman like you in his life could be nice…and a guy like him in yours could be nice, too.” He straightened his back. “Have a nice evening, Gabrielle.”
“Same to you,” I mused.
Pensively, I walked back to the car, registering every word Logan had said, not sure why I had an overflowing need to cry and smile at the same time. What I was sure about, though, was that Fabio and I were two sad souls that if they’d met in a different world, they would have made each other happy. And that Logan was right. My life could use some glitter in it to become much nicer.
If only…
I went back to my apartment building to find the last person I wanted to see in front of me, blocking the entrance. My shoulders slumped as I blew out a long breath. “What are you doing here, lurking at night like some creepy ass stalker, Fletcher?”
“I called you, but when you didn’t answer I thought I’d check on you. It’s my obligation toward you as a friend before it is toward your late husband, my best friend.” His cold blue eyes fell on my body, taking measurements. “Hot date?”
“Ugh, get out of the way, Fletcher, and go home.”
When he didn’t move, I pushed my way through. Being the dick that he was, he grabbed my arm and dragged me back to his space. “This chasing game between us is getting boring, Gabi. I’m tired of waiting.”
“Nobody told you to wait for something that would never happen.”
“It will happen. Is happening, whether you like it or not.”
I jerked my arm out of his grasp, but he wouldn’t let me go. “Stop it, Fletcher. Let go.”
“Is there a problem here, Mrs. Brighton?” Mr. Duncan wheezed, coming out of the elevator after he parked his car. I was too disturbed by the possessive psycho hurting my arm to even hear the ding.
“Get back to your work and mind your own business,” Fletched said.
“It’s late, Mr. Fletcher. You should go home.”
“I said mind your own business so you won’t get hurt!”
