Chapter 9
Thorne I sat at the small dining table and waited for Joe to pick me up. No doubt he wanted to watch me hobble out on my air cast so he could tease me in the car. That’s what good friends do. Especially since I mocked him his senior year of high school when he broke his leg.
“Alright, I’m leaving. I’ll see you later.” Lissa sat in the chair beside me to put on her shoes.
My eyes widened and my mind faltered. Heels. She was putting on heels. We’d worked together for two years, I’d lived in her home for a month, and I’d never seen her in heels. My eyes slowly took in her appearance. Skirt, blouse, and hair not pulled back.
“Who are you?” I shook my head. “I mean, you look great.”
She looked at me and rolled her eyes. “What’s wrong with you?”
“I’ve never seen you dressed up or with your hair down.” I took in the full picture as she stood.
Her hair hung down to the middle of her back, not braided or in any style ponytail. The loose purple blouse hid her arm muscles, but flattered her shape, and the black A-line skirt hung mid-thigh, showing off her legs. My heart pounded in my chest. I knew she was gorgeous, but damn.
“My parents don’t get on my case as much if I dress like a proper lady.”
I furrowed my brows. “Your parents are old-fashioned huh?”
“Yes.” She took a deep breath, let it out, then waved.
I watched her sway out the door. Damn. I shook my head and waited for my heart to slow down.
Ten minutes later, I was in the car with Joe as he drove us to dinner.
“Poor injured Thorne. Not so prickly now are you?” Joe stuck out his tongue at me.
“Shut up. At least I didn’t break my leg falling UP the stairs.”
“How slow are you that you can’t move out of the way of a falling chimney?”
“That chimney was out to get me. You should have seen it eyeing me while we put out that fire.”
Joe laughed and hit the thigh of my injured leg.
“My leg!” I cried while holding it. I couldn’t stop from laughing though, ruining the effect.
“I bet you’re all healed and just milking it.” He parked.
“I wish,” I said while getting out of the car. “Got an X-ray this week. Not quite healed, but close.”
‘I’m sure your partner will rejoice when you finally leave her place.”
“Nah. She’ll miss me. Cry herself to sleep.”
“More like you’ll cry yourself to sleep. Probably the closest you’ve been to getting laid in years.”
“Damn dude. Why are we friends again?” I said with a laugh.
We walked into the local restaurant decorated with cheap wine bottles and grape leaves. It was owned by a married couple. One was Italian and the other Polish. Joe and I used to eat here all the time when he still lived in the area. They had great lasagna and perogies.
The hostess walked us to our seat when I noticed long light brown hair from the corner of my eyes. I glanced over. Lissa. Joe and I were seated two tables away, and I had a direct view of her parents. Lissa’s back was to me.
Her mom had the same hair color as Lissa but with blue eyes.
She almost looked like a doll with her perfect makeup and no tan lines on her exposed arms. The father looked distinguished yet rough.
His face was covered in wrinkles either from hard work, sun damage, or excessive smoking.
Probably smoking, he looked like a smoker.
His tailored suit almost fit him. I could tell the jacket was designed to make his shoulders look wider than they were.
It was something my abuela used to point out to me at church.
All three were overdressed for this place.
“What are you looking at?” Joe hit me with a menu.
I pointed with my head toward Lissa. “That’s my partner over there with her parents.”
Joe turned his head as subtly as a rhino, then swung it back to look at me. “The one with the dirty blonde hair?”
“Yes. And only half the place noticed you looking.”
“Yea, but did you see the girl at the bar? The redhead?”
I glanced past Lissa’s table to the bar and saw the ginger in question. “And?”
“She’s sexy as hell. I’m going to take her back with me tonight. I hope you’re okay hobbling home.”
“Ass,” I said, then picked up the menu. I knew he wouldn’t make me walk. Though he might make me get an Uber.
I had a great time catching up with Joe. I couldn’t help but think about how different the last few weeks would have been if Joe still lived in town. He would have let me stay with him in a heartbeat. But I wouldn’t have become so close to my partner.
A quick glance in her direction told me she’d consumed more alcohol than I’d ever seen her drink. Good thing we don’t have work tomorrow, but I know she had training.
“What’s that face about?” Joe asked, then looked where I was looking.
“She’s drinking more than normal.”
“The redhead?”
I looked at Joe. “Why would I know anything about the redhead? Lissa.”
Joe raised an eyebrow at me. “You’re really worried. You like her.”
I scoffed. “I’m her partner. Of course I worry. What if she can’t pull her weight?”
“But you all don’t work tomorrow. Besides, you haven’t been holding back either.”
“I…” I looked down to see the number of empty glasses in front of me. Don’t they clean up the empties here?
“You’ve lived with her for a month and that’s enough time for you to know the real Lissa. And you like her.” Joe’s smug grin spread across his face.
I felt my face get hot. I did like her, but I didn’t want to admit it. I’d seen relationships between partners blow up before.
A loud male voice drifted to our table. “You need a job that you can do properly.”
Both Joe and I snapped our heads over to Lissa’s table. Her father kept talking. “You put all your co-workers at risk by being on the force. You’d be better off as a secretary or in a factory.”
Lissa’s shoulders tightened, and her hands gripped the table. “I don’t put anyone at risk.”
Her mom reached over and patted her hand. “I know you think that, but firefighting is a man’s job. You could get hurt and then what will you do? It’s not like you have anyone who can take care of you. There aren’t any men who want a woman stronger than they are.”
Lissa pulled her hand away. “I’m too weak to be a firefighter but too strong for a man? Which is it?”
“Lissa, don’t cause a scene.” Her father glared at his daughter.
“You are causing a scene.” Lissa snapped back.
“Don’t talk to your father that way. The disrespect. Is that how we raised you?” Her mother’s face pinched, and she crossed her arms over her stomach.
“No. You taught me to agree with everything you say, but I haven’t done dat in years. Somehow you think I’m going to magically turn back into dat little girl you desperately wanted. I’m never going to be dat little girl.”
“We just want what’s best for you,” her father said, speaking louder than before.
“No,” Lissa stood up, wavering just a bit. “You want what makes you look good, not what’s best for me.”
Her father stood and grabbed her arm. “Sit down,” he said between his teeth.
I stood up and limped over to their table. I suddenly felt all the alcohol hit me at once. I just needed to hold it together for a few more minutes.
“Thorne,” Joe whispered behind me.
“Lissa,” I said calmly, putting my arm around her. “You ready to go?”
She turned to look at me. I’m sure everyone in the restaurant did as well. She swayed in my arms. “Thorne.” She blinked. “Yeah. I’m ready.”
“Who are you?” her father asked when I pulled his hand off Lissa’s arm.
“I’m her work partner. And I can assure you that she pulls her weight better than anyone I’ve ever worked with.”
“Obviously she can’t if you’ve got a broken leg,” her father scoffed.
“And she had nothing to do with it.”
I grabbed her bag and led her to the door, calling out to Joe, “Let me know how much I owe you.” I pleaded that we both wouldn’t fall on our asses trying to walk out. My head started to swim.
Joe appeared by our side outside of the place. He held up Lissa on the other side.
“Here. I’ll drive you back.”
Lissa I leaned against Thorne in the backseat of his friend’s car. He’d introduced himself, but I couldn’t remember his name. Seeing Thorne appear beside me in that place surprised me in the best way. I went from feeling anger and regret to safe in a manner of seconds.
Thorne led me into the apartment and onto the couch. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, he had a glass of water for me. I pushed it away.
“I don’t want water yet. I need more to drink.”
He nodded and brought back two cans of Old Style from the fridge. I cracked one open and downed a giant gulp.
“Ah.” I kissed the can and took another sip. “Thanks for appearing out of nowhere. I drank too much to calmly talk to my parents.”
“Hoping to drown out their noise with booze.” He sipped his own. “I’ve been there.”
“Yeah.” I leaned against his shoulder. I’d been doing that more often, touching him more, being more affectionate. Now was not the time to figure out why. What was I thinking? We were friends. That’s why.
“My mom used to complain that I needed a goal in life. Then she’d hit me if I drank too much while she bitched at me.”
I looked up and pinched his cheek. “You probably deserved it.”
“You’re right. I did.”
We finished our beers in silence. I pulled myself up on my feet and got us some more.
“This a good idea?” he asked.
“It’s fine. We don’t work tomorrow.” I pushed a can into his hand and opened mine up as I sat almost on top of him.
“Careful.” He maneuvered me to the cushion. “You were so right about your parents. I figured you exaggerated a bit, but nope. They are old-fashioned. A lobotomy IS probably more fun.”
“See.” I drank half the can and leaned against him again. “Dey want me to live in a little box of what dey think a woman should be and ignore everything I’ve ever wanted to be.”
He wrapped a hand around me and rubbed my shoulder. “You can’t make everyone happy. So, focus on yourself and those that really love and care for you will show up.”
“Like Monica. She’s the only family I have dat doesn’t question my job. Well, her and my brother.”