17. Girl Interrupted
Chapter seventeen
Girl Interrupted
Albany
I pace the length of my living room, phone cradled between my ear and shoulder as I chew on my thumbnail. "Piper, I don't know what to do. Haze walked in on Sal and me, and well, you know." My cheeks heat up at the memory. "I feel terrible. I mean, Sal just got out of a relationship, and now I've gone and complicated things even more."
Piper's voice filters through the speaker. "Damn, bestie. You really know how to stir up some drama, don't you?" I can practically see her shaking her head in exasperation. "I haven’t seen Haze in person since the funeral, but he’s been showing his face around the arena a lot these days.” She whistles, long and low. “Albs, Haze Harmon has only gotten finer on the timer. Maybe, for once, you could choose the easy way out and solve everyone’s problem. Treat those boys like shoes. BO those bastards.”
I groan, flopping down onto the couch. "Piper! That's so wrong. That would be a… I don't know. I'd feel like I'm betraying Jake's memory." My stomach twists at the thought. "He was Haze's son, for crying out loud. I loved him. I can't just go bang his dad."
"Albs, honey, I get it. But you gotta stop living your life based on other people's principles, you know?" Piper's voice softens. "Jake's gone, and as much as it sucks, you can't keep holding yourself back because of him. Life's too short to not go after what you want."
I bite my lip, considering her words. "But Sal, he's still hurting from his breakup. I don't want to just be a rebound for him, either."
"Then talk to him about it." Piper's tone brokers no argument. "Lay it all out on the table. If he's not ready for something serious, then walk away. But if he is, and you are too, then go for it, girl. Don't let a little thing like 'it might be complicated' stop you."
I let out a long sigh, running a hand through my hair. "I don't know, Pipes. It just feels messy. I get the distinct feeling that if Sal could have his way, he'd be on the same exact page as you. And I'm not sure I'm ready to deal with the fallout, you know?"
"Look, Albs, I get it. But when are you ever gonna be 'ready' for something like this?" Piper's voice is gentle but firm. "Life's not gonna wait for you to feel prepared. You just gotta jump in and figure it out as you go."
I snort, nodding even though she can't see me. Her advice makes perfect sense. "Why are you always right? You should give up law school and get a talk show. Can I see myself getting worshipped by two absolute Gods like Sal and Haze?" My girl downstairs clenches in excitement. I chuckle. "You’re darn skippy, I can. But Pipes, they can't even get their own poop in a group. That is not the kind of ground you lay a foundation on. And I'll bet you dollars to donuts Haze has no idea who I am. I KNOW he didn't recognize me from when I dated Jake." I sigh, dreading the response I'm going to get when I drop the next bomb. "Pipes, he called me Anise."
"What?" she squeals. "No fucking way. Is he a customer?"
"There's no way for me to find out. Lorna would make me do a two-hour training reviewing the customer privacy protocols if I asked her. I'm not in any danger from him, so there is no way to find out." I slurp down the last of my chai and frown at the empty cup.
Piper laughs. "Tell Lorna if she ever decides to go to law school, I'll put her name on the marque, right after mine."
I smile, picturing Lorna in a courtroom.
"Seriously, Albs, can't you see most of your customers? Can't you do a livestream, cameras only? Hey," she whispers conspiratorially, "maybe now you've heard his voice, you'll recognize him even if his camera is off."
"I doubt that will work." I meander into my kitchen, pulling down a box of Earl Grey tea. I debate making a pot of real chai, but I decide to go for the concentrate instead. My phone beeps, but I ignore it.
"How about you pitch Lorna on doing a lottery for a real date. Do it for charity. She won't be able to say no," she pitches, singing the last bit in a wheedling voice.
"I doubt Lorna would go for that. I'd need to sign releases, security would be a nightmare, logistics would be a night terror, and if she let me do it, she'd have to involve everyone at Behind the Lens…. That's probably a no-go." I bump the refrigerator door closed with a hip and unscrew the lid to the chai concentrate. "Besides, that would be a huge crapshoot. There's no way to make sure Haze would even participate, let alone win." I toss the box of concentrate back in and grab the milk, unscrewing the cap as I walk back to the stove. "Haze isn't interested. He walked in on Sal eating my pussy like it was The Last Supper, Pipes, and he was NOT interested."
"Ouch," Piper commiserates.
"It's not like I wanted him to be. I was so shocked hearing another voice… I had no idea who he was until Sal called him by his name. Sal has barely talked about their breakup." Click. Click. Click. Whoosh. "I don't want to get up in his business or push him to talk when he isn't ready, but if he doesn't start spilling soon, I'm going to come to my own conclusions." I grab a wooden spoon out of the container of utensils on my countertop and give the mixture a stir.
Piper snorts. Through a laugh, she says, "Don't tell me you haven't come to some conclusion. Tell me, little miss witchy intuition, what happened to Sal and Haze? Obviously, they’re butting heads about something if Sal is this torn up and Haze was nothing but mad with your fine ass spread like a buffet."
I grab one of my favorite oversized mugs from the cupboard, praying nothing from my collection falls out and breaks. If Piper finds out I broke the 'Pale and Decent Looking' mug she bought me, she'll be mad as a hornet. "I really shouldn't…"
"Spill, bitch."
"I think Sal wants an open relationship, and Haze doesn't," I blurt, her command dissolving any reticence I had over postulating the cause of their breakup.
My phone beeps again. Piper whistles. "I was half joking when I suggested taking them both for a ride, but…maybe you should seriously consider it."
"No," I answer, my brows drawing together in irritation as another call interrupts me for the third time. This time I pull the phone away from my ear and look at the screen. It's Sal.
"No, because you think if you fuck them both, you'll have to fall in love and marry them, babe." Piper 's tone is gentle, but it still feels like judgment.
"Piper," I mimic her tone, working hard to keep mine from getting cranky. "You know what I do for a living. Can you imagine me trying to handle two boyfriends as a cam girl? No way. I've watched way too many of my co-workers come to work crying because their boyfriends are emotionally stunted, jealous lug-heads. I'm not doing it. I'll get a boyfriend when I retire." I spoon out some of the chai into a mug and blow over the top of the scalding hot liquid.
"But Albs, you really like Sal. Fuck, I really like Sal. Did you tell him you’re a cam girl? You must have if Haze called you Anise."
Beep. Beep. Beep. "I did. Pipes, he took it so well. Didn't bat an eye. He took it like other guys take 'I'm going to do the laundry' and 'I made tacos for dinner.' He took it in stride so smoothly I was suspicious." Beep. Beep. Beep .
"Jesus, Albany, answer that call. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Unless you decide to give Haze a ride. Then call me, wee hours or not."
"Yes ma'am. Love you, law queen."
"Love you, too." Piper disconnects, and I switch to the other call.
"Albany." It's Sal. His voice is haggard, raw, full of despair.
"What is it?" I ask, my voice rising in panic. I set down the tea I just poured, not caring that it slopped over the edge of the mug.
"It's Haze. Can you come to the hospital? Please. I need you."