“You wanna buy your coffee at Starbucks, go for it. I give no fucks,” Mr. Bolliano snaps and spits on the ground and then waves his arms.
We leave.
I’m flabbergasted.
We pass an ATM for my bank and I deposit the check and hope it clears.
It’d sure be nice to be this far ahead of the game.
Living with Austin, I haven’t had to spend money on food, that’s part of what Carly said was arranged so I haven’t felt bad about eating while I’m there. I’ve been paid twice and have hardly spent anything so if this check clears, I’ll have almost three grand in my bank account. Well, I’ll pay Carly the thousand dollars she sent me, but still, I’m ahead of the game.
Immense relief floods me and I feel a little lighter in my step.
If Austin is here for three months and I live lean, I should be totally fine to have first and last month’s rent and a little left to help me have some options.
The idea of Austin going back to California? The idea of this – whatever it is or isn’t ending? My stomach pitches and my chest hurts.
“Pretty damn good coffee, though,” Andrew remarks.
“Yep,” I agree and take a mouthful. “Truth.”
We find ourselves in the park on a bench and my heart skips a beat when Austin passes us, running, his earbuds in, his body drenched in sweat. Austin’s eyes graze me, but he flexes his jaw as they land on Andrew, and he jerks his chin and keeps on running.
My heart hurts.
“You two dating?” Andrew asks. “Or is he just always so…possessive?”
“It’s complicated,” I say softly.
“I won’t ask.”
“Thanks. I’d rather you didn’t,” I say and sip my coffee.
“Whether you are or you aren’t, that expression doesn’t say good things.”
“Don’t wanna talk about it,” I mutter.
“Not a problem. Just wanna make sure you’re not feeling cornered since he’s your boss. You know… if he’s harassing you…”
“He’s not,” I say with strength in my voice. I don’t want Andrew thinking that.
“He seems like a snobby prick and you don’t deserve to be treated like shit.”
“Carrying on…” I shift uneasily.
“So, I have an audition this Friday for a play,” Andrew says, taking my hint.
“You do?” I perk up. “That’s great!” I bump his shoulder with mine. “Good goin’!”
“Yep. I’d love it if I could run through lines with someone. You get bored at all this week, come down at night and sit with me and run lines. I’ll even buy you treats.”
“I’m so excited for you,” I say. “Tell me about the play.”
***
I get into the condo late in the afternoon. I parted ways with Andrew at around noon so he could go home and sleep and then I spent the afternoon wandering shops and spent an hour in a bookstore examining the covers in the erotic romance section. A guy, I’m guessing his late forties, tried to chat me up and I realized he was lingering in that section and likely looking to meet someone likeminded by the fact that he made recommendations to me, so that was the end of that. I wanted to go home and write after looking over all those books with sexy covers, so feeling inspired - I decided I’d do that.
I’d go back to my room and get lost writing an erotic fantasy about a girl that meets a guy in an erotic bookstore (but in my story the guy would be hot and there’d be awesome chemistry) while she’s looking for a book to teach her a foreign language and he then helps her discover all her inner fantasies while they learn the language together and then travel there.
I didn’t name this hero and heroine after me and Austin but that’s who I was undoubtedly going to picture.
I can’t seem to help it.
Not that I think Austin is a bad guy or anything. During my time alone this afternoon I thought on things and the signs are all there. Not just signs, words from his mouth. He has a lot going on and I’m probably expecting too much.
Well, common courtesy of canceling plans if you can’t make it and then being civil about it doesn’t seem like an excessive expectation, but I’m not in his shoes and don’t have a clue what all is going on with him other than what was hinted – him hating being here and doing a job he’s not enjoying plus whatever drama is happening with his brother’s ex and not knowing if that girl is pregnant or not.
Maybe she is and he got that news and that’s why he’s upset. And pulling back.
I have no idea, but I don’t like how it feels.
44
Austin
It’s Monday night. I’m coming in extra-late after a ridiculously unnecessary video conference call that my father set up weeks ago with multiple clients in several time zones. It wasn’t just needless it was endless, and I’m exhausted.