Prince Player(153)

She grins at me. “Oh yeah?”

I grin right back. “Absolutely.”

“Are you about to show me some old home movies?” she asks, teasing. “Maybe some baby pictures?”

“Not exactly,” I say. “But you’d love it if I did. I was a really cute baby.”

“I bet you were.”

I laugh a little and ask about her childhood. I listen, actually pretty fascinated, as she talks about vacations to the coast and their country home.

“Besides,” she says finally. “I spent most of my time at boarding schools.”

“Really? I always thought that was a rich person cliché.”

“It is,” she says. “But everyone does it. I think because our parents remember going, and it was like the best time of their lives.”

“Did you love it?” I ask her.

“Not exactly,” she says. “There were good parts and bad parts. I made a lot of friends, but…” She trails off, shrugging.

“But what?” I ask gently.

“But I never fit in,” she says. “I don’t know. I don’t want to sound like I’m bragging.”

“You were different,” I offer.

“Exactly,” she says. “Different enough, at least.”

“You’re not bragging. I saw it as soon as you stepped out on that stage.”

She looks at me for a second then bites her lip. “We shouldn’t be doing this, you know.”

I smile gently and lean toward her. “Why’s that?”

“My family doesn’t want it.”

“I’m not worried about them. Do you want it?”

She pauses, maybe a little surprised that I’m asking what she wants. “Yes,” she says softly.

“That’s all I care about.”

I want to say more, but the car pulls up outside of The Clinic, and I’m interrupted. I look out the window and grin. “Here we are,” I say. “It’s not much.”

She smiles. “I don’t care. Let’s go.”

I help her out of the car and we looks up at The Clinic’s façade for a second. It’s a rundown bar two blocks away from the house that I grew up in, and I can remember spending a lot of time in there when I was younger. Chucky and I still come here sometimes, and I know the owner pretty well, a woman by the name of Lucy.

We step in through the worn green front door, and instantly I’m hit with nostalgia. The place looks like a million dives before it, although the bar itself is really gorgeous. Lucy herself is working tonight and she gives me a little wave as she pours a drink. Chuck is sitting at the bar, and he pretends not to notice me coming in with Sadie, although he knew full well this was my plan tonight. I told the asshole not to show up, but of course he did.

I steer Sadie over to a booth. “Sit tight,” I say to her. “There’s someone I need to see real fast.”

She nods and sits down as I head over to Chuck.

“I told you not to come,” I say to him.

He just grins. “Couldn’t help myself. Had to see her.” He looks over my shoulder. “I can understand why you’re taking such a big risk on her.”

I sigh, shaking my head.

“Hey, Gavin,” Lucy says.

“Hey, Lucy. Can I get a whisky and a wine?”

“Sure thing.”

I turn back to Chuck with a frown. “You might as well come meet her.”

“Oh really? Am I so important now?” He gives me a fake little smug look.

“Cut that shit out,” I say. “Be normal, all right?”

“Always am, Gav,” he says.

Lucy returns with my drinks. I give her a nice big tip, since she won’t let me pay for them normally. We’ve gone through that dance one too many times in the past. Years ago, I gave her a little loan to help her keep the place open during some hard times, and drinks have been free ever since. She paid me back, of course, so I don’t feel like she owes me. Now I pay her through tips, which she complains about sometimes, but she always takes it.

Chuck and I head back over to the booth. Sadie looks up and smiles as we approach.

“Sadie,” I say to her. “This is Chuck. He’s an old friend.”

“Charmed,” he says, grinning.

“Nice to meet you.”

They shake hands and then the two of us slip into the booth. Chuck sits opposite of Sadie and me.

“How long have you known Gavin?” Sadie asks him.

“Oh, god,” he says. “Years. How long’s it been, Gav?”

I shrug. “High school,” I say.

“Really?” she asks, laughing a little bit. “You guys were friends in high school?”

“We’re both from the neighborhood,” Chuck says. “Gavin got out first, but I wasn’t too far behind.”