Our table was nearish the front, Sam and I sat side by side facing the door and Jenny sat in a chair with her back to the door. I stretched around in my chair, looking at the bar and squinting to read the special of the day when Sam grabbed me and clutched my top so hard she scratched my skin.
“Ouch, what are you doing,” I said turning back to her.
As my head twisted back around, I froze. Calvin. Please don’t see us, but before I’d finished my silent plea, he had zeroed in on us and was marching straight to our table.
“What’s going on?” Jenny asked, turning to see what we were looking at.
“It’s our nightmare ex-boss, Calvin,” I said.
“What do we do?” Sam asked.
Before I had a chance to respond to her, Calvin had reached our table and stood, nose flaring, at the edge of our table. His eyes bore into me, and I wanted to sink under the table.
“There she is,” he said, his voice seething with anger, “the little whore who fucks her way to the top.”
“Whatever Calvin, get lost,” Sam said. How did she manage to make her voice sound so calm?
“You, keep quiet,” he said, his failed attempt at pointing his finger at Sam revealed his level of intoxication.
“Whatever, get lost,” Sam repeated.
Calvin slammed his fist down on our table, sending ripples through our drinks. I moved back in my chair, distancing myself from him. He leaned low across the table, bringing himself to my eye level as he glared at me.
“You fucking tell your boyfriend to pay up, slut. He’s not offering me enough.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Sam snapped. I was in too much shock to say anything.
He turned his head to her, “What? You mean you don’t know?”
“Know what?” Sam asked.
“Know who she’s fucking.”
“Nobody noteworthy,” she said.
Calvin’s laugh ripped through the entire bar. “Well thank you Sam, you’ve been a big help.” He turned his attention back to me, “You are going to pay.”
“Leave her alone!” Jenny yelled.
A huge man appeared beside Calvin. “Is this man bothering you?” he asked.
“Yes!” Sam and Jenny shouted in unison.
Without saying another word, the bouncer grabbed Calvin by the collar and frog marched him out the front door. He came back to our table. “Sorry about that ladies, we’ll make sure he doesn’t get back in here.”
“What the fuck was that all about?” Sam asked. My pulse pounded hard in my ears and I struggled to hear her.
What did it mean? I had no idea. What boyfriend was he talking about? Unless he did see me during our hike at the lake after all. But what on earth did he mean by accusing me of sleeping my way to the top? Or of my boyfriend not offering him enough money?
“You’re coming home with me tonight,” Jenny said.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because he probably knows where you live! Or if he doesn’t, he could follow you home. Attack you on the street. Who knows what he’ll do, he seems unhinged.”
I started shaking. The idea hadn’t even occurred to me. I’d always thought Calvin was an idiot, but I’d never imagined he was capable of what he’d done tonight.
“Thanks but I’m sure it’s fine, Calvin would never do anything.”
“You need to phone Jay right this minute, tell him what happened. Ask him what he’s got to do with Calvin,” Sam said, poking my shoulder.
Jay had told me not to contact him. I wanted to respect that, god, I’d been respecting that all week no matter how much I’d wanted to talk to him. Did Jay even know who Calvin was? Would he be angry if I contacted him? I didn’t want to ruin anything.
I weighed up the options and said, “I’ll text him.”
“You don’t look convinced. What’s going on Abbie? I know you, I know that look,” Jenny said.
“It’s nothing, you’re drunk,” I said, trying to dismiss her.
Hey, my old boss just verbally attacked me in the bar and said a bunch of shit about you.
As soon as I hit send, I started typing again.
Sorry for contacting you
I gave Jenny and Sam and exaggerated smile in an attempt to reassure them, but I held on to my phone underneath the table. I would feel the vibration and be sure not to miss any text back from Jay.
“Here ladies,” the barman said depositing another round of drinks on our table, “On the house, for your troubles.”
“Why thank you,” Jenny said, helping him take the drinks from his tray.
We downed the dregs of our existing drinks and gave him our empty glasses. Then we picked up our new drinks. With one hand under the table on my phone, I gripped the cool glass with my other hand. Jenny and Sam each took several big drinks, but after Calvin I needed to be sober.