9. Research
9
Research
Unfortunately, Salvatore Barbieri loved women. Or maybe they loved him. More than half the photos on his social media involved a group pic with various ladies across the spectrum of body types and ages. Not that he didn’t hang out with men, because he definitely did, and he had pictures of hamming it up on the drums with the guys in his band.
But which girl was Janice?
I flipped through his tagged album. He had a big, cheesy smile, even as a kid. Cute. Almost blonde, which was weird. Or maybe the aged photo washed him out. In the picture, five-year-old Sal proudly held up a wooden drum while an older man with big glasses rocked in a chair next to him. They had similar toothy, cute grins. Maybe that was his grandpa.
Anyway, I managed to narrow down family versus friends based on some holiday pictures, then slimmed it down even more by girls he took solo pics with. A big-haired girl with the username ‘nails.hair.body.angel’ clasped her nails around his neck to pull him closer.
That had to be her: digging her nails in.
My nostrils flared. What kind of person would do that to him? I clicked hard on her profile .
Lots of selfies with the girls. Lots of clubbing. She’d been out last night, according to her stories. So, that was probably Janice.
She was mid-laugh, hugging her girlfriends close. Then, making kissy faces in the bathroom. She climbed atop a statue of a dog, sat sidesaddle, and pretended to lead a charge.
What the hell kind of ideal island would Sal be making for her? A club with all her pals?
On the surface, the only things they had in common were big smiles and lots of friends.
But Ash had said Sal was nice and deserved better. So, didn’t that imply Janice was a jerk?
I rubbed my temples. It wasn’t any of my business. Except it was, if I agreed to help Sal. If he was a friend.
I shook my head, then did a few more things for the fucked-up phone to my left. It’d be another hour reloading the items onto it. Might as well take my lunch break.
I headed straight for my usual boxed-in booth, but a girl scooping carrot sticks into peanut butter with perfectly manicured nails caught my attention.
“Janice?” I gasped.
She looked up from her phone and furrowed her darkened brows at me. “Hey. Have I done your hair or something?” Her gaze lingered on the rat’s nest shoved under my cap. “It might’ve been a while ago, I guess.”
Okay, so I wasn’t exactly a beauty queen. I pulled my singed fleece tighter across the thin baseball tee underneath. “Sorry, I recognized you from a friend’s socials. Sal told me a lot about you.”
She twirled a curl around her finger and smirked. “Oh yeah? What’d he say?”
“That…” She wasn’t that bad? I scanned my brain for something better. “You’re a good dancer. ”
She laughed and waved me off. “Compared to his friends, I guess I am. What else?”
“He said your birthday’s coming up.”
Her eyes lit up. “Did he mention any plans?”
I squinted. “Plans?”
“You know, dinner, presents.” She flip-flopped her free hand.
“Oh. I think it’s supposed to be a surprise.”
“Can I at least have a hint?” She raised her eyebrows and fixed me with a bright, hopeful smile. She nudged her lunch toward me with her elbow.
What the hell did she expect? That I’d betray him for a pretzel stick?
I sucked in a breath to chide her, but Sal strode up before I could get anything out.
“Hey, what’s this?” He smiled, his dimples twitching in bewilderment. “Are you two friends?”
“No,” I said, overlapping with her chipper, “We just met.”
Shit. That would’ve been a better answer.
He gave me a funny look. “Well, you can probably sit with us. Is that cool with you, Janice?”
“Yeah. Be my guest.” She scooted over in the booth and eyed me, her smile guarded. It wasn’t malicious. If someone like Janice sized me up, it had to be for a nuanced reason.
I slid opposite her, clutching my lunch bag while Sal fetched his from the fridge. Small talk. Not my best subject. “So, how long have you been dating?” I managed.
Her tone sharpened. “Six months. He didn’t mention that?”
“No, it was a group conversation, so he gave me the basics.” Could he please hurry up so I could avoid the interrogation?
She gestured to my fleece. “You work at True Tech?”
I glanced at the emblem. “Yes.” Why did I need to check? She’d think I was an idiot .
“They have lots of great stuff there.” She smirked, propping her chin up.
“Yeah, I guess.”
She snuck her tongue between her teeth and leaned in. “Well, if Sal needs a suggestion, I like the purple glitter cases for the ePhone 15.”
Why wouldn’t she tell him that? She and I just met.
Sal slid into the seat beside her. “What are you talking about?”
“Personal style.” She flipped her hair and winked.
“Really? That’s great,” he said with the overenthusiasm of an infomercial host. He laid his arm out on the booth behind her. “You know, it’s lucky you two met up today. Zero was just saying she wanted to redo her room–”
“I did?”
“–and I don’t know anyone who has better taste than you.” He widened his eyes meaningfully at me and jerked his head at his girlfriend.
Oh, god. He wanted me to fish for her preferences. Why couldn’t they just talk to each other?
“Who needs help?” Janice tentatively put a pretzel stick to her teeth.
“Zero.” He gestured across the table, this time with a meaningful look to her.
“Oh my god.” She pressed a hand to her heart. “That’s your name? I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine.” I never introduced myself properly.
“Your parents are mean ,” she blurted out.
“Janice,” he snapped.
I snorted and poked at my lunch. “You have no idea.”
Sal gestured between us. “Zero’s in tech. That’s binary code shit. She’s half the frickin’ language of the universe. All she has to do is meet a nice girl named Una, and they can live happily ever after: one and zero. ”
“Sounds sweet.” I shrugged. I supposed they didn’t make guys named Uno. I poked lettuce back into my sandwich. “But my parents didn’t actually name me Zero. I changed it.”
“Why?” he asked.
“And why that?” Janice flinched, and the table rattled.
Based on their sharp exchanged looks, he must’ve nudged her under the table.
I wanted to escape. Not just now, but back then. To take my life back.
But we weren’t close enough to go into all that.
“I…wanted to own the fact I’d been underestimated.” I tried to even my voice and meet their puzzled gazes. “Plus, Zero is the most powerful number.” My lip twitched up. Maybe Sal was onto something with that binary code stuff.
He scooted closer. “So, what’s your real name?”
“Oh, no. We don’t need to talk about that. I’d much rather hear about Janice’s ideal bedroom.” I raised my sandwich to my fake grin.
He chuckled and shook his head.
Well, he asked for it.
By the end of the lunch period, my brain whirred with all her insights on wallpaper and furniture.
“Lighting is so important. I bought a special clip lamp so I look good on-camera,” she enthused.
Sal nudged her shoulder. “You always look good.”
“Aw, thanks.” She lightly touched the spot above her heart and flashed a smile at him, then abruptly turned to me. “I used to be in remote classes, but now I mostly use video to catch up with my friends and nieces. Want to see some pictures?”
“Sure.” It was rude to say no, right? I could stomach a few photos of unrelated kids.
She excitedly swiped through her phone. “Hold on, I have two albums.”
I sighed at Sal.
He gave me an apologetic smile and upturned his palms, a silent, ‘What can I do?’
Save me, you jackass.
I should’ve paid him forty dollars for the drone and been done with this debt.
He leaned over his girlfriend’s shoulder. “Aw, she’s cute. Best drooler I’ve ever seen.”
“Sal.” She smacked his arm, thankfully too distracted by his antics to notice I choked on the last bit of sandwich trying not to laugh.
He grinned, then mock-cringed. Goofball. This guy needed all the help he could get.
I packed up my stuff. “Thanks for all…that. I have to get back to reload a phone. Could you make a board of your best recommendations and send them to me?”
“Absolutely. And don’t hesitate to make an appointment at the salon too when you’re ready. Once you makeover your room, it might be time to make over other things.” She wiggled her eyebrows and nails.
“Great.” I tipped my cap. She just called me grubby, didn’t she? Maybe I ought to suggest Sal spring for the tackiest orange phone case for her birthday.
“I’ll walk you back.” He kissed his girlfriend’s cheek; her lips puckered to the air in return, then he bounded after me. “So, what do you think?” he asked.
“I don’t know.” I pushed up my glasses. It was only a first impression.
But I could do this. For him.
“We’ll discuss the scope of your project after closing…on the down-low,” I said. I didn’t need Ash observing our collaboration. She' d ask questions.
“Thanks, Zero.” He hugged me tightly, and thunder crackled through my veins.
“No. Too much.” I backed up. Every nerve ending tingled with the urge to wrap him in a headlock or knee him in the side or…tackle him into a booth. Not sure where that one came from.
He held up his hands. “Sorry. Won’t happen again. Thanks, though. For real.”
“You’re welcome.” I offered him my fist. He grinned and bumped it with his. A static shock zapped between us.
We laughed and jumped back, shaking off the sting.
It had been a long time since anything had tingled pleasantly. Even if it was just for a second, I wanted to try it again. I flexed my fingers. A little static held a lot of power. Too bad I couldn’t wield it.