Chapter 20
WATSON
I stood in the middle of the bar, looking up at the lit-up, no-smoking sign that Kline had assigned someone to put up yesterday morning.
I was a smoker. An occasional one. I wasn’t proud of it, especially because I truly didn’t have a reason to smoke. I also hated how it felt to go buy a pack of cigarettes. It felt wrong. Hell, I hated the smell of cigarettes, and I hated how I stank after smoking one.
Still…I couldn’t quit.
“I knew you wouldn’t be happy about this,” Leo said as he walked up beside me. “But maybe the reason why that’s up there will finally help you quit for good.”
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “Don’t get me wrong…I truly like her, and after our second date on Tuesday, she’s been all I’ve been thinking about. But did she have to drop a bomb like that on us?”
Leo raised a brow. “She’s got asthma, man. All she asked was for you not to smoke in front of her. It’s not like she told you to stop.”
“No, she didn’t. But—”
“Actually, you should stop. You know smoking’s not good for you, and if I were you, and a woman like Lola said she disliked smokers, I would immediately quit. She’s worth it, after all.”
Another sigh left me.
She was, in fact, worth it. I just needed to get it into my brain.
“It’s hard giving up a drug.”
“Dude…just replace the ugly drug with an amazing drug. She ’s the amazing drug. Hell, you were the one telling me how high you felt when you kissed her.”
I looked at him with furrowed brows. His words made sense, but I was a stubborn motherfucker.
“Goddammit,” I hissed, staring back up at the sign. “It’ll be hard.”
“Shit…Kline really did it, huh?” Morris walked up to us with an amused grin. “No more smoking in this bar. I kinda like it. Does that mean she’ll come by more often?”
“She definitely will. And your girl will too, I assume?” Leo asked.
Lola texted us about Willa having gone on two dates with Morris already the past week, and it seemed that the two best friends had hit the jackpot dating men who were also friends.
“Most definitely. But she won’t be here to see you dance,” Morris stated, grinning from ear to ear.
“That’s fine with us. We’ll only have eyes for one woman anyway,” I said as I turned away to stop staring at the sign. “Not sure how we’ll get through our next shows without giving her all the attention.”
“We’re acting on stage. We have to give the other women the attention they come here for,” Leo told me.
“I’m guessing Lola isn’t the jealous type. Is she okay with all this?”
I looked at Morris and shrugged. “She doesn’t really have a choice. It’s our job. But she’s not the jealous type. That’s for sure.”
“No, she’s not. She knows the flirting we do on stage isn’t real. Hell, I don’t think I’ve flirted with a woman the way I have with Lola in a while. And even that’s different.”
“She’s different,” I added to Leo’s words. I took a deep breath and ran my hand through my hair once more. “I guess, for her, I can quit. I’ll just need one last cigarette. One last.”
“Make it quick.” Kline appeared on the stage, looking rather stressed. “Ben’s not feeling well, and he won’t be performing tonight.”
“Shit, what does he have?” Leo asked.
“Fever. Headache. He’s gone to the doctor to get some meds, but I told him to stay home. It’s not worth coming here and getting us all sick. We’ll have to make some changes to the performance.”
“I thought he was looking unwell this morning. I’ll go by around lunch time to bring him something to eat.” I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sent Bennett a quick text.
“Morris, go help Elia get the drinks to the back. We got another delivery. There are snacks as well that need to be put away,” Kline ordered.
“Yes, sir.”
Once Morris left, Kline looked at Leo and me and nodded to the back. “Let’s go.”
We spent the rest of the morning figuring out a way to make tonight’s show worth watching, and once we changed the choreography, we learned it by rehearsing it on stage a couple of times.
By lunchtime, we were all hungry and ready to eat. Kline and Leo stayed at The Hot Spot with Morris and Elia where they ordered food for themselves. In the meantime, I headed out to grab soup for Bennett, and since I went to my favorite Japanese restaurant for that, I grabbed food for myself as well.
When I arrived at home and entered the apartment, Lola’s voice was not the one I expected to hear. She appeared in Bennett’s doorway, and she smiled gently when her eyes met mine.
“Hey, what are you doing here?”
She walked down the hallway and toward me, and I couldn’t help but look down at her outfit which was way too damn sexy. She had the same brown boots on that she wore to our date on Tuesday, combined with a short black skirt, and a white top.
“Kline called and told me Ben wasn’t doing so well, so I came for a quick visit before I have to head back to work. You brought food?” she asked, and when she finally reached me, she placed a hand on my shoulder and pressed a kiss to my cheek.
“I did. Had I known you’d be here, I would’ve gotten you something too. I can make you a quick something upstairs though.” I felt bad for not having anything to eat for her.
“I already ate back at the office. What did you get?” she asked, looking excited as if she had gotten the food herself.
“Ramen soup for Ben and curry rice for me. I also got some sushi. Are you sure you don’t want anything? I can run back there and get you something.”
“I’m okay, really. I had two chicken breasts and a bunch of grilled veggies. I’m full.” She smiled up at me and squeezed my arm gently. “I’ll help Ben upstairs.”
“Alright. Thanks, sweetheart.” I pressed a kiss to her head and watched as she walked back to Ben’s room. My eyes dropped to her ass, and when she felt my eyes glued on her, she turned around and gave me a wink.
She was such a flirt.
I chuckled and headed upstairs to unpack the food, and while I was grabbing three glasses to fill with water, Ben walked upstairs looking like a damn zombie.
“Shit…you look unhealthy.”
“I feel unhealthy.” His voice was thick and raspy. “Did you get me a soup?”
“Yeah, right here.” I pointed to it, then I watched as Lola led Ben to his chair. “What did the doctor say? Is it just a flu or is it something worse?”
“Yeah, just a flu. It hit me harder than expected, though. I got meds and I’ll be better in no time.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t speak so much though. Sounds like it hurts to speak.”
Ben looked at me and chuckle. “Hurts like hell.”
“Aren’t you worried you’ll get sick too?” I asked Lola.
“I’ll be fine. You two start eating.”
We all sat down, and while Ben and I ate, Lola told us about her morning. “I was busy, but I got done with everything at eleven. I had my lunch, and after that, I just needed to get out. So I walked all the way here. I’ll take the bus back to work.”
“No need. I can drive you,” I assured her. “Are you still coming to the show tonight?”
“Of course. I can’t wait. How will it work now that Ben won’t be dancing?”
“We changed the choreography. Most of the show will stay the same, but we did have to cut out Ben’s dance and replace it with another group dance. You’ll love it,” I promised her with a smirk.
“Well, I can’t wait.” She smiled back at me before turning her head to look at Ben. “I hope you will get better soon.” She put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently.
We continued to eat, and after a moment of silence, I looked at Lola to tell her the news I knew she’d be happy to hear. “Kline put up a sign in the bar. No more smoking in there. And I’ll stop smoking. For good.”
She studied me carefully, letting everything I said sink in. “For me?”
“Yes, for you. We figured if it affects your health, we don’t want anyone to smoke in there. We want you to come watch our shows, and that’ll make your experience better.”
“That’s very sweet and I really appreciate that, but I meant…you’ll quit smoking for me?”
Ben had his brows raised. He didn’t need to speak to tell me what he was thinking. He was impressed by my decision, and though he would never admit to it, he was proud.
“Yes, for you. Leo and I talked this morning, and I was having a hard time accepting this new rule, but then he said something that made me think. I said giving up a drug was hard, and he told me to simply replace it with another. A better drug. You are the better drug.”
They both stared at me like I was crazy, and while Ben was amused, Lola couldn’t stop smiling. “That’s so sweet, Watson. You know I don’t expect you to change for me. I’m still very much into you.”
I chuckled. “I’d hope so. But if there’s anything I can change to make you feel more comfortable, I will. And smoking isn’t something I need.”
Her smile brightened, and she leaned over to kiss my cheek, and before moving away, she whispered, “Thank you, handsome.”
My cock was the one reacting first by throbbing hard in my pants, but when my heartbeat started to pick up speed, it was clear that there wasn’t just sexual tension between us. No other woman had ever made me want to change anything about myself.
For Lola, I would do anything to make her life better.
Hell…all four of us would climb the highest mountain for her.