8 #2
“Eeeekk.” She squeals and there goes my attempt to keep it down. “Holy shit. Please, for the love of margaritas, sleep with the man. Stop this nonsense about waiting for the right one before the grand re-opening of your legs.”
I give up . I will just have to resign to the fact that by the end of the night, the entire restaurant will know my business. T‘is the life with Lucy.
“For the hundredth time Lucy; I cannot sleep with him. He’s my client. I will not be one of those women who sleeps with men to get ahead.”
“Oh you wouldn’t be sleeping with them to get ahead. They’d be sleeping with you to get head.” She begins cracking up, finding herself the funniest person she knows, and I can only sigh.
“What am I going to do with you? I can’t return you. The store said all sales are final, merchandise purchased as is. I didn’t realize mine was defective.” Lucy laughs and sticks her tongue out at me.
I joke that she drives me mad but really, without her I’d be sad and probably living back in Cali where my mamá would be setting me up with one boring man after the other.
My life is currently nothing like she would want for me.
If it were up to her, I’d be married already with at least two kids and another on the way.
I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that, it’s just not for me.
I don’t even know if I want kids, period.
“Okay. Hear me out.”
“Uh oh. That’s never good,” I tell her.
“Can’t you just bang it out with him once, for research purposes, then finish doing whatever you need to do and fix him.”
I carefully lift my marg glass and take a slow sip. How it gets better with each taste is beyond me.
“Lucy, you are not understanding. Whether he’s my current or former client, I cannot and will not sleep with him.
I’m a professional and it’s just not going to happen.
So clear your pretty little head of that thought and let’s move on.
What’s new with you? Sell any expensive watches to hot rich men, lately? ”
I scoop up some salsa with the flimsy chip and when it breaks, I begin fishing it out of the bowl, making sure to get all castaways.
“As a matter of fact–” I’m in the middle of licking the dripping salsa off of my fingers when Lucy goes silent, and that never happens.
If Lucy is silent then that means something horrible or amazing is about to happen. Or possibly amazingly horrible. In any case, it’s not good.
I watch her eyes as they track something or some one , and a saucy grin crawls across her face. With a mouth full of salsa and chips, plopping from the corner of my lips, I turn my head and seriously just want to die. I wish for the grim reaper to show up because fuck my life.
Walking towards us, with the confidence of what most men wish they had, is Nico fucking Loving, and a friend in tow right behind him.
People gasp and begin murmuring, many taking out their phones to snap pictures.
No one is brave enough to ask for a selfie with him or an autograph.
I’m sure that will change the moment he sits.
Hopefully not with us.
“Well well well. Look at this. How crazy is it that you’re here and so am I. What are the chances?” His mouth looks like the goddamn Jokers with that wide and devious smile.
“I’d say the chances are a thousand percent since you rudely looked at my text and knew exactly where and when I’d be tonight.” I take my spittle filled napkin and dab the corners of my lips, turning away from Nico and trying to pretend like he isn’t hanging over my shoulder.
“And who are you, beautiful?” Nico leans over the table, propping himself up on an elbow, and looks deep into Lucy’s eyes.
She blushes and giggles like a schoolgirl. “Lucy Summers. Val’s fabulous best friend.” She holds her hand out and Nico takes it and places a kiss on the back of it.
“Hello Lucy. Nic Loving. So very nice to meet you.”
“Oh, I know exactly who you are. And it is all my pleasure. So…who’s your friend?” Lucy takes her hand back and folds them, elbows resting on the table and props up her chin.
“This is my friend, Chase Kennedy. Center for the Drillers.”
A giant of a man steps forward just as Nico stands up, and reaches out to shake Lucy’s hand. Her hand is swallowed by his enormous one, and the two of them make a connection with their eyes that anyone in a ten mile radius could see.
I don’t blame her. Chase is large, wide and broad, and has a fresh beach tan accented by dark blonde hair. His features are the boy next door despite his large stature. He’s like Ken doll’s beefy brother. And I bet that he’s packing a lot more than poor Ken.
“Hey there. Nice to meet you. Sorry for crashing your evening.” Chase begrudgingly releases Lucy’s hand and reaches for mine.
He has a firm grip and calluses line the meaty pads of his palm.
They’re the hands of a man that works hard.
I always thought my type was more of the suit and tie kind.
You know, pristine hair, designer suit, expensive watch and sits behind a large oak desk, probably with a phone glued to his ear twenty hours a day.
But the more I meet these rough and tough athletes, the more I’m beginning to think I’ve been barking up the wrong kind of tree.
“You didn’t crash it. I think you just made it better. Have a seat.” Lucy pushes the chair back with her foot and I give her the evil eye.
“Lucy,” I growl under my breath.
She waves me off and continues to ignore the hex I’m currently placing on her. I may have to call Mamá and ask her for the name of the curandera she knows.
“I’ll get the waiter so he can take your drink ord–”
“No,” I interrupt. “Nico is not drinking. Right?” I give him a pointed look and for the first time, I see him cower to my demand.
He slowly sits in his seat and gulps down his balls that probably crawled up into his throat when I narrowed my eyes and flared my nostrils.
“Right. I’m alcohol free while training.”
“And sex free, apparently,” Chase adds, laughing.
I smile, thankful that my lessons are finally starting to sink in. He may be redeemable after all.
“So. What brings you two here tonight?” Lucy bats her eyelashes with stars in her eyes.
This girl is a hopeless romantic. Every man she meets is the one. None of them have yet to even be the one for more than three months. We’re both in a man-funk. Finding a nice man is hard in an era where dating app hook-ups take priority over meaningful relationships.
Yet another reason why I’m staying far away from men like that. Men like Nico.
“Peeping Tom over here.” I jab my thumb in Nico’s direction. “Spied my text to you and now…well, he’s here. I didn’t take you for a stalker, Nico.”
“Why do you insist on calling me Nico?”
“The same reason you insist on calling me Valentina. Nicknames are too familiar. We are simply client and janitor. Me being the janitor cleaning up your mess.” I dive into my margarita, hoping that the alcohol will soon take me away.
“I call you Valentina because it has got to be the most beautiful name I’ve ever heard. Would you prefer I called you princesa? Perhaps tesoro? Mi reina. Mi cielito. Corá–”
“Got it.” I hold up my hand to silence him. “Valentina is fine. No need for unnecessary nicknames. That makes it appear as if we are friends.”
The waiter picks the perfect time to come walking up to the table, saving me from this conversation.
The guys place a drink order and we all give him our food choices. Once the drinks are placed in front of us –Lucy and I with our refills, and Nico and Chase with sodas– we begin chatting, lightening the mood.
I talk mostly with Chase who seems like a real catch.
For Lucy, of course. Not only does the guy look like the boy next-door, he has the personality to match.
Sweet, a little shy, and small town manners taught by parents who may have used a switch to tan his hide if he stepped out of line.
He’s just the kind of man my bestie needs.
Lord knows she’s picked enough losers to last a lifetime.
The night continues on and I find myself laughing at things Nico says. When he’s not being a bed hopping playboy, he’s actually quite funny. Or is it the margaritas that make him a comedian?
“Excuse me. I need the ladies room.” I push my chair back and stand up, but wobble on my feet.
“Woah. Are you sure you can make it by yourself, mi Reina?” Nico jumps from his chair and grips onto my arms to steady me.
God I wish he wouldn’t have done that. His hands are strong and feel nice on my arms. What’s worse is he smells amazing, like smoky whisky and vetiver. Let’s not even talk about the swirls of brown in his eyes that flicker under the neon lights of the restaurant.
“I’ll go with her. I could use a freshen up myself.” Lucy grabs my hand and guides me through the tables.
“How are you not drunk right now?” People look a little fuzzy and my heels suddenly feel difficult to walk in.
“Because I’ve had two margaritas and food, while you’ve had four and a few nibbles of your plate. C’mon. Let me help you and then I’ll drive you home.”
I stop just before entering the ladies room and pet her cheek. “You’re the best friend in the whole world, Lucy Summers. If we’re not married when we’re thirty-five, can we marry each other?”
“Sure, babe. I’d be happy to be your little housewife. You know I’d quit working while you made the big bucks, right?”
“Anything for you pookie.”
Lucy helps me to the restroom, making sure I don’t fall over on the toilet, then walks me back to the table.
“I think we’re going to go. Val needs some rest. I’ll find the waiter so we can pay.” Lucy swivels her head, looking for our waiter.
“We got it,” Chase tells her. “We inserted ourselves into your night, so we thought it only fair to treat.”
Lucy’s cheeks turn rosy and she smiles, biting her lip in a non-seductive way. Just cute.
“Did you drive here, separately?” Nico asks and I immediately groan.
“Yes.” I drop my head and realize that was a bad idea.
The floor moves as if on a treadmill and I can’t stop it.
“We’ll leave my car here. No biggie. I can get it in the morning.”
Chase stands and knits his brow together. “I don’t like that idea. Something could happen to it. What if I drive you home?”
Now Lucy’s lip bite is saying come on over, big boy.
“I shouldn’t. Val–”
“Can get an Uber,” I tell her, but Nico has a response of his own.
“I’ll drive her home. Chase, are you cool to hang with Lucy for a bit until I get Valentina home and catch a ride back here to get my car?”
“Of course.”
“I can drive, actually. I feel fine. My body can handle alcohol a lot better than that supermodel over there.” She waves her hand up and down her body and Chase’s eyes follow the hourglass figure.
“I still don’t feel right with you driving alone. Would you mind if I at least followed you?” Oh, he so wants to bone her. “Lover man won’t mind if I drive his precious car, will you Nic?”
“Uh, I guess not. Just be careful with my baby. She’s delicate and needs to be treated with love.” Chase rolls his eyes then takes Lucy’s hand, escorting her out of the restaurant.
Nico holds onto me and I simultaneously want his hands off of me and all over me. Lucy looks over her shoulder at me and mouths oh my gaaah . I snort as does Nico. We finally get to our cars and break off. Lucy to hers, Chase to Nico’s, and he and I to mine.
“Nice whip, mi Reina.” His eyes sparkle when he admires my black Lexus LC.
“She’s delicate. Don’t hurt her.” I try to wink at him but I’m pretty sure I just blink both eyes like an owl.
With a chuckle, he takes my keys that clumsily dangle from my fingers, and helps me inside, buckling my seatbelt for me. I close my eyes and inhale.
“Now who’s the one smelling whom?” He asks, remembering how I questioned him in the limo last night.
Was that just last night? Why does it feel like it was weeks ago? Probably because my concept of time is clouded by tequila.
He slides into the driver's seat and fires up the engine.
The way he caresses the steering wheel is like a man touching a naked woman.
He peels out of the parking lot, my tires squealing, and my body jerks, tugging against the seatbelt.
A minute passes by and my head falls to the side, my eyes blurry but clear enough to see his handsome face.
“Nico.”
“Yes, mi Reina.”
“Please don’t make me fall for you. I can’t afford a broken heart.”
And then the world goes black.