OK fine. But even if I find him attractive, there is nothing he can do or say to make me change my mind about Joey.
Positive of that, I approached the door to his apartment, lifted my fist, and knocked.
No answer.
Maybe he wasn’t here? He’d said he would be. I put my ear to the door, and sure enough I heard his voice. It was too muffled to tell what he was saying, but it was definitely his.
I knocked again, louder.
Nothing.
Shifting my weight from one leg to the other, I debated using the key he’d given me. I’d brought it to give back to him, along with the necklace. I raised my hand to knock one more time when suddenly a rhythmic thumping began. I cocked my head—it sounded like it was coming from inside the apartment.
Then laughter. Female.
That’s it—I was using the key.
I rummaged in my purse, pulled it out, and slipped it into the lock with trembling fingers. Bursting into the apartment, I took in the low light, the women’s heels on the floor near the window, and an evening bag on the coffee table.
Half furious and half elated, I slammed the door loud enough to interrupt.
Sure enough, a minute later, Enzo appeared in the bedroom doorway wrapped in a sheet, and holding a pistol.
“Tiny? What the fuck are you doing here? You said you couldn’t come tonight.”
“Clearly I was the only one. Who’s in there?”
“Enzo? What’s going on?” The squeaky voice from the bedroom was unmistakable.
I raised my eyebrows. “Your fiancée. How refreshing.”
“Just wait a minute.” Enzo disappeared into the bedroom for a moment and returned without the gun but wearing pants. Only pants. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and pulled the door shut behind him.
I was delighted to find that in fact I did not find him as attractive as I feared. Yes, he still had the face and the body, but underneath lurked deception and a darkness I’d never again find beautiful. I threw the apartment key at his head, and he caught it before it struck his cheekbone.
“Tiny, what the hell? Why are you doing this?”
“What a laugh. Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what?”
My eyes popped. “Doing what? Fucking another girl in the apartment you just offered to me!”
“It’s my apartment!”
I folded my arms. “And it’s going to stay your apartment.”
“Don’t be like that,” he said quietly, moving deeper into the front room. “This doesn’t have anything to do with you.”
He probably believed that. “You’re right, it doesn’t. Because I no longer care what you do.”
“I don’t understand you. I thought we agreed about exactly what we could be and what we couldn’t.” He moved closer to me, too close. I could smell Gina’s perfume on his skin.
I took a step back. “Maybe we did. But I’m no longer interested in it.”
“Oh no?” A seductive smile crept onto his lips and he came toward me again. “Bet I can change your mind.”
“No.” I tried to take another step back but bumped into the sofa. “You’re insane. Your fiancée is in the other room. Probably naked.”