Jeff regarded Suzie and lowered his gaze. Suzie could not breathe and she could not stop looking into his eyes. Fortunately, Laura hadn’t noticed and was still talking.
“…and that is how things are around here. Are you thinking of moving here?”
“No, just have work for a few weeks. Gives me a chance to hang out with Jared, eat his food and make some money.” The two laughed.
Noticing her chance to escape, Suzie encouraged Jeff to stay with Laura while she ran a few errands. While she was gone, Jeff and Laura had decided everyone was going out for supper after work.
Suzie sat through supper in relative silence. Jared held her hand on one side while Jeff sat across from her, beside Laura. The brothers were chatting about their plans, the town and Jeff’s job. Laura was gushing and flirting with Jeff who would return the encounter but always with a backward glance to Suzie. She felt like she was crawling out of her skin. She had to get him alone so she could tell him to say nothing to Jared. She had to get Jared alone so she could feel safe again like last night. Oh, why did Jeff have to come early? Why did he have to come at all?
Everyone at the table was staring at her. “Sorry, I was daydreaming,” Suzie said with a laugh.
“We are going to stay for a few drinks,” Laura said and winked. “You look like you need one.”
Suzie nodded and pretended to be part of the conversation again, after a few rounds and conversations, it was becoming easier to relax and fake it. Jared, polite as always, kept her drinks full and his arm around her. Jeff was telling stories in his animated way and Laura was soaking it up. Jared was laughing at his brother’s antics. Suzie excused herself to go to the bathroom. As usual there was a line up at the ladies’ room. Waiting in line, she debated leaving and just going home but decided in her fuzzy condition who knows where she would end up.
After a few minutes, still waiting, Suzie felt a hand on her shoulder. Before she could register the tingle of excitement building within, he moved his hand to her lower back and guided her away from the line up and towards the men’s room.
“What are you doing?” she hissed at him.
“Chill, it is probably empty.” Jeff winked at her. And it was. Suzie was relieved to not have to wait in line, and when she exited the stall she went to thank him, until she realized he was standing at the urinal. She froze in place. His eyes caught hers in the mirror and she blushed. With his back to her, he finished off and both moved to wash their hands at the same time. “You’re a bit jumpy today? Or did you just drink too much.”
“I don’t know,” was all she could reply. “When do you start work?”
“Not for a few days but I have some prep work to do first,” Jeff said.
Another guy walked into the bathroom, looked at Jeff and Suzie and turned and walked out.
“We better get out of here before we get into trouble,” Suzie said, then hesitated and finally forced herself to say it. “Don’t say anything to Jared about what happened last weekend.”
“What happened last weekend?” Jeff asked and he raised an eyebrow. His stance shifted and he leaned into her a little.
It was enough that she could smell him, earthy, cologne free. “In the studio…Anyway, just don’t say anything.” Suzie felt flustered.
“I already told you not to tell anyone about me painting. It didn’t happen,” Jeff said.
“None of it happened.” Suzie looked him directly in the eyes.
Jeff leaned in as close as he could without touching her and he whispered, “Then why are you talking about it.”
Following him out the door, Suzie was silent. Laura met them in the hallway to the bathroom. She was in line.
“Hey, follow me,” Jeff said to Laura. “I will help you skip the line.” And he and Laura went into the men’s room. Suzie went back to the table.
“Now I have got you all to myself,” Jared said as she sat down beside him.
She sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. Closing her eyes and taking a breath she said, “Yes I like it. It is quieter.”
Jeff came back to the table with Laura giggling beside him. By the time they were all ready to leave, Suzie’s buzz had turned into a headache. Jared rubbed her neck.
“We better get you home. We all w
ork tomorrow,” Jared declared.
“Yeah, early morning,” Jeff said in agreement.
On their way home, Jared reminded Suzie he had stuff at her place and she asked him, not caring who heard, if he was staying over. He asked her to come stay with him instead as he had to drive Jeff to work in the morning.
“No, that’s alright,” Suzie said. “I will let you boys have your little sleep over.”