Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Trina
“I don’t know,” I say. “I don’t have a use for them.”
“But if you did,” he says, smiling a little. “What would you recommend?”
“These.” I shove a box of extra large condoms his way. “Guys like to think they need the largest size. It’s an ego thing.”
“And what do girls prefer?”
Is he really asking me what condoms to get for whatever girl he’ll be sleeping with later?
I turn back to the shelf. “Just pick one, okay?”
“Hey, I’m just kidding around. You don’t have to get angry.”
“I’m busy. I can’t talk.”
“Trina!” Rose yells from the register. I look up and see her pointing to the back of the store. Frank is there with Wally. And they’re heading this way!
I turn to Scott. “I need you to do something for me.”
“What?”
“I need you to be my boyfriend.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Frank is trying to set me up with Wally. Like right now.”
Scott looks back and sees them. “That’s Wally?”
“Yes!” I grab Scott’s arm. “Please. I’m begging you. Pretend to be my boyfriend.”
“I don’t know, Trina. This is a lot to ask.” He’s smiling. He thinks this is funny. “Frank’s a friend. I really shouldn’t lie to him.”
“Don’t think of it as a lie. Think of it as an extension of the truth. Frank already knows we went on a date. The next step would be that you’re my boyfriend. So it’s really not a lie.” I glance behind him and see Frank coming toward us. “They’re almost here.” I yank the box of condoms from Scott’s hand and toss it on the floor. “Hey, Frank.” I smile at him.
He smiles back. “Trina, I wanted to introduce you to someone. This is my grandson, Wally.”
“Hi.” Wally comes up to me and shakes my hand. His palm is wet. So is his face. He’s dripping sweat. “My grandpa told me all about you.” He smiles and I see something green wedged between his teeth. “He said you’re really good at your job.”
“She sure is,” Frank proudly says.
“I’d have to agree,” Scott says, putting his arm around me. “She’s done a great job organizing my storage room.”
Wally picks up the box of condoms I threw on the floor and hands it to me. “Here. I don’t want it to get stepped on.”
“Thanks,” I say, tossing the box on a shelf.
Why did this little meet-and-greet have to happen in the condom aisle? Seriously, why?
“I’ll let you two talk,” Frank says to me, then he looks at Scott. “Can I help you find something?”
“Actually, I’m here to see Trina,” he says, his arm still around me. “I didn’t want to wait until our date tonight.”
“Date?” Frank says, sounding concerned. “I thought you two weren’t an item.”
“Oh, we’re definitely an item.” Scott smiles at me. “Aren’t we, babe?”
“We are.” I look back at Frank. “I didn’t tell you because we wanted to wait before we made an announcement.” I look up at Scott. “But Scott just couldn’t keep it a secret.”
“Well, I’m happy for you both,” Frank says. “I guess Wally will have to find other plans for tonight.”
“What about her?” Wally points to Rose.
“No.” Frank shakes his head. “There’s something not quite right about that girl. Come on, Wally. I’ll show you some of the new products we got in.”
I wait until they’re gone, then turn to Scott. “Thanks for saving me.”
“Sure, although I don’t know why you wouldn’t go out with Wally. He seems nice.”
“He collects stuffed unicorns.”
“So? Don’t girls like unicorns?”
“Yeah, you’re hilarious. I gotta get back to work.” I turn toward the shelf and align the condom boxes into neat little rows.
“Does this continue at the party tonight? This fake relationship?”
“No.” I laugh. “This was only for Frank. And I don’t know if I’m coming to the party.”
“You have to. You’re my girlfriend.”
I turn to him. “Pretend girlfriend. And only when we’re here.”
“Shouldn’t we practice? I haven’t had a girlfriend in years. I’m not sure how it works.”
I sigh. “I bet you could figure it out. But it doesn’t matter, because I’m not your girlfriend. Now would you go? I don’t want to get in trouble.”
“You won’t get in trouble for talking to me. Frank loves me. You know he told me to go out with you.”
“Yeah, I know. Rose told me.” I glance at her.
“She actually spoke to you?”
“Crazy, right? She thought I wanted her job. I told her I didn’t, and now she doesn’t hate me. We’ll see how long it lasts.”
“About tonight. I really want you to come.”
“Why do you keep insisting I go to the party?”
“Because I don’t like you being alone, especially on a Saturday night.”
“Maybe I like being alone.”
I don’t, but it’s better than watching girls flirt with him all night.
“Just stop by for a few minutes. You can meet Hudson and the other guys.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“I’ll let you get back to work.” He reaches behind me and grabs a box of condoms.
“That’s really why you came here?” I ask. “To get condoms?”
“They’re not for me. I get them for the party. I put them by the door in case someone needs one on the way out.”
“How kind of you,” I say, rolling my eyes.
He laughs. “I’ll see ya tonight.” He leans down and kisses me, then takes off for the register.
What’s with the kiss? I look around and spot Frank in the cereal aisle. He must’ve been watching us. That’s why Scott kissed me. But I didn’t see Scott looking over there, so how did he know Frank was watching us?
At ten o’clock, I’m done with work and head home. As soon as I go into the building, I hear music coming from Scott’s apartment. When I pass by his door, a girl stumbles out, holding a red plastic cup.
“Oh, sorry,” she says, bumping into me. “Have you seen Grant?”
“I don’t know Grant.”
“Tall, dark hair, wearing a black sweater?”
“Haven’t seen him.” But I think he’s one of Scott’s friends. I’ve heard him mention him before.
Continuing to my apartment, I go inside and collapse on my mattress. I’m exhausted. I don’t have the energy to go to the party, but I doubt I’ll be able to sleep with all the noise. At least the music isn’t as loud as it was last week.
I’d like to just go to sleep, but I need to shower. I feel gross from being in the stockroom for hours. It’s dusty and has a weird smell that I think follows me home because I swear I can smell it on my hair.
After the shower, I’m putting on my pajamas when I get a text from Scott that reads, 5 minutes. Come over for 5 minutes and if you hate it you can leave.
I’m going to bed, I text back.
I’ll double your pay if you show up.
Double my pay? As in another month of free rent? I can’t pass that up.
I search through my pile of going-out clothes for something to wear. I decide on a short black skirt and fitted pink t-shirt that’s cropped to just above my waist. It’s a casual but cute outfit that’s good enough for five minutes at a party. If I was staying longer, I’d put more effort into picking something out. I shake out my hair, refresh my makeup, spray on a little perfume, and go down to Scott’s place.
The door is locked. Why does he lock the door? It’s a party. People should be able to come and go. I knock, but nobody answers. I’m about to text Scott when the door swings open. A good-looking guy with dark hair and wearing a black sweater answers.
“Are you Grant?” I ask, remembering that girl who asked me about him.
He smiles. “That’s me. Have we met?”
“No. I’m Trina. I live next door.”
“Trina,” he says, nodding. “I’ve heard about you.”
“You have?” I ask, wondering what he’s heard.
“You’re Scott’s friend.”
“Yeah, he invited me to the party, but the door was locked.”
“You just have to knock. We had to lock it because people kept showing up who weren’t invited.” He steps aside. “Go ahead. I need to get something from my apartment.”
“You live here?”
“Third floor. Apartment 3F.” He takes off.
I go inside, feeling like I’m walking into a club rather than an apartment. The lights are dimmed, the music’s pumping, people are dancing.
“Hey, you made it,” Cole yells, coming over to me. “Scott didn’t think you’d show up.”
“I’m not staying long.”
“Let’s get you a drink.” His arm goes around my shoulder and I find myself being led to the kitchen. “What do you like?”
“I’ll take a beer.”
He points to the coolers, each one filled with different craft beers. “Take whatever you want.”
I grab a bottle, and when I turn back, Cole’s gone. Where did he go? He’s the only person I know here, other than Scott, but I can’t find him. Just as I’m thinking that, I see him coming out from the hall. The one that leads to his bedroom. And he’s not alone. He’s with a girl. A tall brunette with huge boobs that are practically falling out of her shirt.
“Maybe next week,” the girl says to Scott.
“Yeah, I’ll let you know,” he tells her.
What’s next week? Are they going out?
“Sorry I can’t stay.” She reaches up and kisses him on the cheek. “Great party, though.” She smiles at him as she leaves.
It’s barely after ten and he’s already been with a girl? How many girls is he with in a night? I don’t even want to know.
“Trina,” he says, noticing me in the kitchen. “Did you just get here?”
“Yeah.” I hold up my beer. “Cole directed me to the drinks.”
Scott walks over to me. “I’m glad you came.”
“Well, you did give me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
He grabs a beer from the cooler and pops off the cap. “How was work? Did you get all those condoms stocked?”
“Yeah, but by tomorrow they’ll be cleared out again.”
He swigs his beer, then looks at me, his gaze lowering to my body before slowly making its way back to my face. “You look good.”
“I just threw something on. I didn’t want to work too hard for five minutes at a party.”
“Stay.” He reaches around my waist and pulls me toward him. “You’re already here.” He leans down to my ear. “And I don’t want you to leave.”
What’s going on? Why is he flirting with me? After just being with the brunette?
He’s drunk. That’s why he’s acting this way. It has to be. It’s the only explanation that makes sense.