Part 4 (1/2)
”You two are together all the time,” Tommy busts out. ”Invite someone else to the party once in a while. It'll break up the boredom.”
Emma smiles wide as Tommy takes a seat next to me and snaps at the waitress while shouting for a beer.
”s.h.i.+t,” I utter, turning my narrowed eyes to Em. Her shrug in response is all I'm granted.
”So, Em,” Tommy addresses. ”You divorced yet?”
”It's been a f.u.c.kin' day, Tommy,” I put in before she has a chance to respond.
Em clears her throat, adjusts in her seat and winks at Tommy without a care. ”It's at least moving now. Mr. McNeal says it'll be smooth considering we didn't have much to divide up.”
”Hadn't been married long,” Tommy points out while grabbing the beer the waitress just put in front of him.
”No, and Greg's not been in contact with me. He's accepting this.”
”He'd be a f.u.c.kin' fool not to. Aimes beat...”
Interrupting Tommy's thought and avoiding Emma having to relive what Aimes did and why he did it, I throw in, ”It's good he's been quiet. Leave it at that.”
Sensing I'm on edge, Em leans towards me and kisses my cheek. It helps.
”Denver's on a date tonight,” Tommy informs with a sullen tone. He picks at the label on his bottle as he says it.
”She's sixteen, brother. That happens.”
”How old is the boy?” Em asks with a motherly concern.
”Same age as her. They go to school together. Still, though. f.u.c.k, I hated meetin' him. I was nice, but he was a dweeb.”
Emma's chastising grin gives me a heads-up before she smarts back, ”Dweebs are safe,” she starts in. Grabbing my shoulder and shaking it roughly, she continues, ”It's the bad boys you gotta watch. Only certain women can handle them.”
Tommy laughs. ”Right. Well, all this kid was missin' was a pocket protector and tape around his gla.s.ses.”
They both laugh and I find myself relaxing while listening to it.
As the night progresses, Em indulges in her Long Island as if she had been living out in the Vegas desert for far too long. I've barely touched my first beer.
Although not voicing this to her, I still can't help but think about how or what Casey's doing this evening. I haven't seen her and if I'm forced, I'll find another way inside without waiting for Aimes.
”This is for you,” the young blonde waitress says to Em once she sets a drink down on the table in front of her.
Em looks surprised. Her eyes dart to the drink, to me, then back to the impatient waitress I a.s.sume is still lingering for a tip. Emma fl.u.s.ters as she digs in her purse, pulls out a five dollar bill, and hands it to her.
”Who's this from?” she asks the nearly-departed waitress.
”The dark-haired gentlemen at the bar told me to tell you h.e.l.lo.”
You've got to be f.u.c.king kidding me.
”Oh, f.u.c.kin' h.e.l.l,” Tommy mumbles out loud as we both turn around to find who sent it.
As I start to stand to get a better look, Em grabs my arm. ”Sit down, Max.”
Pointing to the bar, I don't bother masking my fury. ”f.u.c.k that. I'm sitting right here. He can see you already have company.”
”It was a mistake,” she snaps. ”He was being nice,” she tries to reason, pulling me back down toward her.
”Bulls.h.i.+t,” Tommy returns quickly with back-up. ”He was. .h.i.tting on you with both of us sitting right here.”
Letting go of my arm, Em sits back in her chair and crosses her arms over her chest. She's annoyed, which is fine because so am I.
”What are you two going to do?” she asks with a c.o.c.ked eyebrow. ”Defend my honor against the nice man who only wanted to buy me a drink.”
”Yes,” I reply.
”Not worth your time,” Tommy wades in, ever the peacemaker. ”Fun's over, though. I gotta get back home anyway,” he adds.
”Home?” Em whines.
”Yep.” He stands. ”Gonna go stare at the clock on the wall. That twit has until eleven with Den before I go in search of them both.”
I can't help but smile at my friend and the protective stance he has over his nearly adult daughter. ”All right,” I reply, moving my arm to take his hand.
He grabs it tightly, slapping me on the shoulder at the same time. ”Take Em out on a ride tonight. She looks like she could use one. See you guys later.”
Turning my gaze to Emma, I see the excitement on her face after hearing his suggestion.
”Be nice to her date, Tommy. Never know when she'll find 'the one'.”
His head rears back and his face scrunches. ”There's no 'one' for my Denver, d.a.m.n it. She's never getting married.”
”Right,” I clip back.
”Right,” Em answers after me. ”Goodnight, Tommy.”
Once he walks away, Em pushes her drink forward and with a shy smile says, ”So, about that ride...”
Chapter Seven.
I've learned no matter how safe I feel with him near me, the affection I long to have from him is never returned.
Casey sits at her desk alone in her room, wondering what will happen next.
Cilas had been waiting for her and Anna outside the bathroom after Anna had finished helping her get ready. They carried on a non-verbal conversation which Casey couldn't follow, so she remained still and watched as Anna fought against what Cilas was silently asking. Casey knew Anna couldn't escape Ci's intent, so they followed him back to her room where Cilas pointed for her to retreat. Casey willingly did as instructed, but caught the concerned expression Anna gave her before Cilas closed the door.