Tainted (Oh Captain, My Captain 7)

“Thanks, Big Mike.” I reach up and kiss his cheek. “You’re a good guy.” I walk around him and out the door.

~

It’s only a dinner party. That’s what Rick kept saying to me. He has one of the girls get me ready. I am in tight black jeans, a tight green shirt that made me feel like my boobs might pop out, and knee high boots. She put more makeup on me than I would ever wear and my curls are like a black blanket down my back.

My date meets me at the banquet hall. He’s older and must be at least sixty. He has a thinning mess of hair that’s more gray than his original color. His eyes are black as night and he’s a little heavy; his gut pokes out over his belt.

“Jade.” He holds out his hand and he gives me a sly smile.

I nod, taking his hand.

“I’m Randy. Come on.”

He leads us into the hall and there are at least a hundred people already here. Randy begins to introduce me as his girlfriend and I hate it.

I’m not your girlfriend! I want to scream at him, but I don’t.

I’m making almost a thousand dollars tonight because he booked me for six hours. I don’t even want to think about how this is going to end, but I know how it’s going to go. I follow him around, smiling and pretending to be his girl, but I’m not sure how much longer I can handle this.

I think about Valo. What’s he doing tonight? Is he out with the guys? Maybe he has a date? I don’t even want to think about him being out with another girl or having someone else in his bed.

You don’t care, remember? I have to remind myself.

“Jade.”

I turn toward the sound of my name and see Derek’s wife. Shit, what’s her name?

“What you doing here?”

“Um…” I step away from Randy. “I’m here for the food,” I joke.

She looks over my shoulder and stares at my date. “Are you here with Randy?”

I nod.

“I thought you were with Valo?”

“Grew apart.” Because I’m a dumbass who left him.

She looks confused. “Oh, I guess that explains a lot then.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Derek told me Valo hasn’t been himself lately.”

“Is he okay?” My heart races for the hundredth time today.

“He’s fine. I guess he’s been down. Derek said he’s not been as upbeat as he has been the past couple of months.”

Past couple of months? We were together during that time. He had been upbeat with me? He loves you, dumbass. I shake the crazy thought out of my head. I can’t think about all that shit.

“I’m sure he’ll find someone else.” I wave my hand as if it’s not a big deal to me.

“If you say so,” she mumbles around the rim of her glass of wine. “However, can I give you some friendly advice?”

I nod and watch her lean in closer to my ear.

“Watch out for Randy. I’ve heard some bad things about him and he goes through girlfriends as if he were changing socks.”