When she shuts the door, I stand in the middle of the room. Miss Black sits behind her desk. She looks stressed. “Come on. We don’t have all night. Show me what you’re going to wear tomorrow.”
“The dress is for the date and…” I slip off the tight red cocktail dress and show her the lingerie. My heart is pounding. This feels so strange. I thought it would get easier as I came in here more often and talked to her, but it’s getting more uncomfortable. Maybe it’s because my outfits are becoming more hookerish and less Averyish.
Miss Black’s eyes sweep over me as I turn once. When I look back at her, she laughs and shakes her head. “You do some things perfectly. This is perfection. I like the crystals. If you had more, you’d look like a showgirl, but just the way they are is classy. Well done.” After opening a desk drawer, Black shoos me. I don my dress and bolt.
When I get to the elevator, I press the button and wait. When the doors open, Gabe is inside. He doesn’t say anything as we ride down, but he walks me outside.
When we walk through the door, he says, “You’re on thin ice with her. Be careful.” He nods at me once and walks away.
I know I have to make Henry the happiest man alive tomorrow night. I just don’t know how to do it.
CHAPTER 11
After my classes are done on Friday, I meet up with Mel and Marty at the diner. Having money is nice. I can afford to eat.
We’re well into our meal when Marty says, “So, who’s hooking tonight?” He puts down his huge glass of milk and grins at us. Mel is sitting next to me in the booth. She kicks him under the table. “Owh!”
“You have no class,” Mel says and takes another bite of her BLT.
Marty straightens and clears his throat. He presses his hand to his puffed up chest and says in a bad British accent, “I’m sorry, dear lady. Will you be entertaining gentlemen callers this evening? I’m asking because my weekends have gotten dreadfully dull since you both endeavored into the business of ill repute.” He breaks character and adds, “Well, except for last weekend when we thought Avery was a road pancake.”
“No class at all.” Mel puts down her food and shakes her head. “No wonder you can’t find a boyfriend. You’re too dense to notice when you’re offending the more delicate sex.”
Marty laughs once, loudly. Putting his hands on the table, he leans forward, “Nothing about you is delicate, Mel. You’re all thorns and nails. Piss and vinegar is too mild to describe you.”
I’m lost in my own little world while they go back and forth. I don’t like the idea of seeing Sean after he’s been with someone. I don’t like the idea of being with someone while he’s with someone else. We should be with each other. I wonder about Sean, about what he’d do to me and how far he’d push me to get what he wants. The thought scares me. Sean honed in on my claustrophobia quickly. If he tied me up and threw me in a closet, I think I’d cry. It’s not sexy. I can’t connect the two. They don’t fit together.
Marty stops grinning and looks at me. “Are you nervous, kitten?”
I blink and look up. I didn’t realize he was talking to me. Marty and Mel have been arguing since we sat down. I haven’t said much of anything. “No, I’m just not looking forward to it.”
“Is it someone new?” Mel asks.
I shake my head. “No, same guy as last week.”
“Well, that should be good, right?” Marty looks at Mel and then back at me. “Someone fill me in if it’s not good.”
“It’s awkward, that’s all,” I say, and poke my salad.
Mel glances over at me. “Wanna do something after work? I need some chillaxing time with my girls.” Mel tilts her chin up toward Marty and adds, “That includes you too, fruit cup.”
He gives Mel a girly grin then lifts his glass. “I wanna bring my new nightie!”
Mel rolls her eyes and looks over at me. I haven’t said anything. “So, you up for it?”
They’re both looking at me. I need to lie really good and I suck at it. My brain flashes my blank preference sheet at me. The words are rolling off my tongue before I can blink. “I’ll have to take a rain check. I’ve got an all-nighter, so I doubt I’ll be back until morning.”
Mel smiles at me and nods. “Good for you. That’ll be good money, Avery. You’re back on track. No distractions.”
Marty grins. “I think she had a bit of a distraction when we were shopping the other day.” I blink at him. If he knows and tells Mel, I’ll kill him.