16. CHAPTER 16
The last client of the day is a talker, the kind that needs everyone to hear what he has to say.
Tek works best when he isn't forced to multi-task, so for the past two hours I've scarcely left his line of sight.
Even with the music turned off it's been a struggle to stay focused while I pretend to be interested in hearing this guy rant on about his girlfriend and the local football scene.
But his ego seems to benefit from my eye contact, and that's keeping him still for Tek.
By six-fifteen his arm is cleaned and wrapped in plastic.
I guess my acting worked because he leaves a generous tip then quickly exits; excited to go show his tattoo off to the same girlfriend he was complaining about an hour ago. But that's not my problem. He's gone now, and that means the shop is officially closed for the week.
I take out the cash draw insert and walk it to the back room to put it in the safe. When I return it only takes me five minutes to complete the end of day programming and switch off the computer.
I glance up to find Tek watching me as he breaks down his station. His gaze has always been intense, but it’s different now. There’s less judgement, more… holding something inside? I don’t know. Maybe I’m just projecting because anything is better than how he spoke to me yesterday.
“You’ve been smiling like an idiot all day,” he says as he scrunches up the used plastic wrap from the tattoo chair into a ball.
I intensify my smile, and beam, “Just happy to be contributing to society, boss. It’s so very wholesome.”
“You were definitely dropped on the head as a child."
I follow him into the break room, keeping extra close just to annoy him. “Is it so hard to believe that I enjoy being here?”
“I believe you enjoy finding new buttons of mine to push.”
“But is it really my fault that you're so darn pressable?”
Tek sighs, “Whatever gets you out of bed in the morning.”
“Maybe I just have the greatest boss in the world?” I say all sickly sweet.
“You’re insufferable.”
I can see how hard he’s trying to hold a straight face, and I want so badly to reach out and poke him in the cheek, but I refrain. He has boundaries, and now is not the time I want to cross them, so I make a show of sliding back from him while attempting to moonwalk.
His smile finally breaks. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Just getting warmed up for tonight.” I do a spin then casually lean against the reception desk like nothing happened.
As if summoned by my dance moves, the door flies open, and in walks Anaise, her voice preceding her by several seconds. “Let’s get our drink on bitches!” she announces, throwing up the rock n roll sign with both hands.
Tek slouches against the break room door frame. “Aren’t you a bit old for that?”
Austin follows her like a shadow. “She’s not too old for anything.” It really is cute how loyal he is to her.
“So where are we going?” Tek asks.
Anaise drops her arms and looks at him. “Trivia at The Black Cat.”
“Isn’t that what you were talking about last week?” he asks me.
I nod. “It sounds fun.” And for a second, it looks like Tek wants to protest, but he bites his tongue.
The top of Anaise’s body is being swallowed by the biggest scarf I’ve ever seen, and she looks like an anime character as she puts one foot in front of the other, bends her knees, and points straight at Tek. “Is that what you’re wearing?”
“Is that what you’re wearing?” he counters.
She points to herself with her thumb. “I look amazing.”
“Did you start drinking already?”
Her index finger is swiftly pointing at him again. “I had two glasses of wine, but that doesn’t matter. Are. You. Wearing. That?”
Tek lets his head fall against the door frame then turns his body so he’s facing back inside the break room.
“You’ve got five minutes.” Anaise shuffles towards him, presses the bottom of her foot against his butt, and pushes him inside. Then she swivels towards me. “How ‘bout you?”
I hold up both my hands. “I can move unattended, thank you.” But… I really should have waited because I’m far too sober—or far too deep into my delusion that I can keep living this lie, day in day out—to see Tek half naked.
It’s only from behind, but I swear that’s worse.
It’s not like I didn’t know what to expect, I’ve jerked off to his gym pictures so many times I’ve lost count. But seeing him in the flesh is a whole different beast.
His biceps are bare, completely free of any tattoo work, and fucking huge. Not weird huge like a body builder, but fuck me dead. The way I know he’d be able to pick me up and throw me around like it was nothing…
Stop!
Stepping to my own locker, I look at the shirt I brought. It’s not mine. I own nothing but t-shirts and sweaters, so I went through every piece of clothing in Eden’s room, and this—and the jacket I brought—are the only things that don’t scream lumberjack.
Still facing my locker, I take my t-shirt off and hold it between my legs as I take down the charcoal grey, long sleeved shirt from the hanger.
There are no buttons, so I slip it over my head.
It’s got a curved V neck that sits lower on my chest than I know it does on my brother, but it’s far more my vibes than his.
I hang up the t-shirt then put on the black, oversized bomber jacket with the orange lining, because, with Tek still so close to me, I feel like I need to get as many layers between us as possible.
He finishes dressing just before me, and I wait a few seconds longer to create a buffer before moving.
On the shop floor, I see Anaise waiting by the desk with her hand out, just like Tek’s mother had on Thanksgiving afternoon. She points to her palm, and Tek drops his van keys into her hand. She smiles mischievously, and I can see why Austin is in love with her.
Anaise lifts up the loops of her scarf and puts the keys inside her handbag.
Tek walks to the front door, locks it, and pulls down the wooden blind over the glass. “Out the back,” he instructs, and Austin opens the door for Anaise to head out first.
After Tek and I change out of our slippers, we pull down the roller door and lock it as well.
“Go on then,” Tek says like he would rather be anywhere else in the world, and digs his hands deep into his pockets.
As expected, Austin and Anaise lead the way, taking the back street all the way to the opposite end of Main, then taking a left a few streets closer to the water. The salt air strengthens with every step until the cigarette smoke of the people huddled outside of the bar ruins it.
The Black Cat is exactly as grimy looking as I hoped it would be.
It’s not dirty, just lived in. Authentic; dark wood and the lingering smell of spilt beer.
Outside there was only a wreath on the door, but inside there is a giant tree in the corner, and the bar looks like Santa threw up Christmas kitsch all over it.
We grab a table near the wall, closer to the bar than the stage.
No sooner are we all sat down than Anaise is standing again, exclaiming, “I’m getting the first round.
What d’ya want?” She unravels the scarf from around her neck and shoulders, then removes a thick knitted cardigan to hang over the back of her chair.
Beneath it she's wearing a fitted, low-cut top. It’s plain, but tight, and tucked into a pair of jeans that hug her hips before widening over a pair of black boots that match her belt.
It’s not showy at all, but my god she looks good.
“You think she’s only had two drinks?” Tek asks as we all watch her walk away.
Austin leans so far back in his chair to keep an eye on her I’m surprised it doesn’t topple over. “Can’t say. She’s never been a great drinker.”
“I’d say she’s old enough to decide for herself how much she drinks,” I add as I hang my own jacket on the chair.
Austin levels his seat and looks at me. “Of course she is. But she’s also the kind of person who has a different personality when they drink. So keeping an eye on her intake isn’t for her good, it’s for ours.”
“So she’s a liability?”
“Not at all,” Tek says with a small chuckle. “But she does get handsy, so that’s the real reason he wants to keep tabs.”
“Fuck off,” Austin dismisses with a wave of his hand.
The trivia host steps onto the stage and takes the microphone. He’s wearing a polyester vest and bow tie, and rambles on for far too long about the ‘no cheating’ policy.
There are six or seven tables with groups like ours sat at them. It’s easy to distinguish the trivia crowd from the regular weekend bar goers. It’s like an invisible line has been drawn down the center of the place, with an empty block in the middle by the bar.
Anaise returns with a tray, some sheets of paper beneath her arm, and a pen in her mouth. She puts the paper and pen in the middle of the table, and says, “I’m gonna need you to behave," to Tek as she places a can of Red Bull in front of him.
“I’m always an angel,” he deadpans.
After making sure Austin and I have our beers, Anaise takes a seat and starts pouring herself a glass of wine from a new, full bottle. “I’m serious. They know you’re here.”
I lean forward. “I’m gonna need to know what’s going on.”
“Nothing’s going on,” Tek says.
“Doesn’t sound like it.” I look at Austin. “Is he banned, or something?”
“I don’t come here.” Tek takes a swig of the Red Bull.
“He’s lying,” Austin tells me. “We used to come here with Eden, but the pair of them kept getting kicked out.”
“Of the bar?”
“Of the trivia comp.”
“It’s been a couple years, but the last time they got into a fist fight with Quiz-team-a Aguilera,” Anaise adds. “They’re here too, by the way.” She points to the far corner.
Tek pushes away his can, folds his arms on the table, and rests his head on them. “They cheated. They deserved it.”
Anaise rolls her eyes. “They did not.”
“They know the host.” Tek sulks.
“It’s Broadrock. Everyone knows everyone.”
“They still got the tiebreaker wrong,” Tek says, turning his head to the other side.
“What was the question?” I ask.
“What European country has the largest population?”