Chapter Eight
Torturous didn’t even begin to describe Jennifer’s dinner. She might as well have been eating cardboard. It would have been equally appetizing. Earlier she’d gone from one emotion to another. When her parents had suggested dinner, it had seemed like such a great idea.
Had they known it was the exact place Charles had dumped her? Jennifer watched her mother glance toward the door for about the millionth time.
“Waiting for someone?” she asked bluntly.
Flustered, her mother turned to her.
“Of course not,” she said, and forked a piece of her fish in her mouth.
Jennifer looked between her parents. Of course. They did know.
She wasn’t a fool. They had called him. Thankfully, it didn’t seem as if Charles would be making it in tonight. She wasn’t too surprised. Just like in their relationship, everything went on his time, and if it didn’t, it wasn’t important.
Her father broke the awkward silence.
“You don’t have to work there.”
She’d been waiting for it. The time when he told her how disappointed he was with her choice of work.
“I like it there,” Jennifer said, and took a large drink of her wine. Glass number two.
Her mother cleared her throat and gave her a disapproving look, ever aware of everyone’s consumption but her own.
“We just think there are better options for you,” her mother said.
Her eyes pleaded with Jennifer to just listen to what they had to say. Jennifer defiantly took another large drink and sat back. If she were going to hear the amazing master plan for her life, it was going to require more wine.
She raised a brow at her father and waited for him to go on.
He cleared his throat. It wasn’t often that she saw him flustered, but then, she’d never really pushed her parents. Most of her life had been spent following what everyone wanted. Even when she’d pushed back about her major, she’d picked something that wasn’t too far outside the bounds.
“I have a friend who could use some help,” he said. “It’s nothing big, but it might be enough to get your old job back.”
Jennifer frowned. Getting her job back hadn’t been something she even thought about.
“They fired me,” she said, and folded her arms. “They don’t want me back.”
“They might with the right persuasion,” he said. Money. He meant that they might with the right money.
Her father pulled out a card and laid it on the table.
“Just think about it, honey,” her mother said.
Jennifer stared a hole into the card on the table. She didn’t even know if she wanted her old job back. They were dicks, and she didn’t like their attitude. Sometimes it wasn’t about giving the customer what they wanted but giving them what would work.
“I’m good,” she said, and pushed the card back at her father.
The table grew quiet. She watched his red face, knowing full well that this was not going to be the quiet meal it started out as.
“So what are you going to do?” he said a little more loudly than she would have liked. “Just going to work at a bar with that upstanding citizen?” Her cheeks flamed at the mention of Eric. “You are better than that job, and you are far better than a man like him.”
The chair scraped against the floor as she stood. Staring down at her father, she was struck with the fact that he was just a man. Being a judge had always elevated him in her head, but from this position, he was just as human as anyone else and prone to all the same faults that the rest of them were.
“None of that is your business,” she said quietly. “Where I work or who I see isn’t something you get to dictate.”
“I don’t like it,” he said, and glared at her.
“Then go back to what you do best, ignoring me,” she said with venom. He reeled back as if she’d slapped him. She snatched the card off the table. “Thanks for the job offer. I’ll keep it in mind. I’ll file it with a few others called, ‘when hell freezes over.’”
“Where are you going?” her mother asked in a panic. Dinner hadn’t gone according to her plan, so it was obviously time to bring out the guilt trip.
Jennifer took a breath and let it out. “Right now, I’m going to the rest room, and when I get out, I’d like to go home.”
Ignoring the angry glare from her father, she hurried away from the table. Her hands shook along the way, and she couldn’t be quite sure if it was adrenaline or worry causing it.
“Looking for another back-door exit?”
She turned to look in the kitchen door next to the bathrooms. Tommy stood smiling in the doorway. His dark hair dipped into his eyes and made him look more devilish than he already was.
Despite herself, she found it hard not to look at him all over. Knowing what his other job was only made her more curious as to what exactly he did and how he looked doing it. She’d be crazy not to admit that he was handsome. Maybe not what she would want but still nice to look at. Her mind wandered to thoughts of Eric and what he would look like at that sort of club.
Tommy cleared his throat, bringing her back to reality.
“Don’t think this is one I can bail on,” Jennifer said with a sheepish smile at getting caught.
His grin grew, as if he knew what she was thinking. “That’s a shame.”
She glanced back in the direction she had come. Any second, she expected her mother to pop around the corner. Talking to the waitstaff wasn’t going to go over well, but then, nothing really was.
“Look, tomorrow is a big show for me,” Tommy said. “You should come.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think—” she started but stopped when he held up a hand.
“You need a night out,” he said. “It’s going to be fun. Just mention your name at the door when you hand over the tickets.”
Jennifer didn’t really know what to say. Tommy seemed like a nice guy, but he was with Crystal, and their situation looked complicated.
The last thing she wanted to do was get in the middle of that, especially if she wasn’t interested. Still, she couldn’t help but be interested in seeing a show like that. It sounded like fun and that was something she hadn’t had in some time.
“It’s not going to be… weird, is it? Me seeing you like that?”
Tommy snorted and grinned brightly. “You’re going to see me dance, not fuck on stage.”
A blush spread across her face. He was right. Tommy was just a friend, and it was a big night for him. She’d heard him mention it more than a time or two.
“I’ll try,” Jennifer said. The words came out before she’d really had much time to think about it.
Tommy grinned from ear to ear. “Great. You’re going to love it.”
She nodded. Although she hadn’t said yes, she still hadn’t said no, and that was enough for him apparently.
“I start at ten,” he said. “Come a little early.”
The sharp tap of heels heading her way warned Jennifer that her mother was close. Tommy snapped his head that way. He pushed her a bit toward the bathroom.
“See you tomorrow,” he whispered.
Quickly, she ducked into the bathroom and slipped into a stall just before she heard the door open.
“Jennifer?” her mother called.
“One moment,” she said.
She flushed and stepped out.
“Are you unwell?” her mother asked.
Jennifer shook her head.
“I just thought that all that wine had gotten to you,” her mother said, and fluffed her hair in the mirror.
Jennifer refrained from rolling her eyes at the none so subtle jab as she washed her hands.
“It’s just been a long day,” she said.
Her mother huffed and tossed her hair. “No doubt. Working in a place like that.” The disgust in her voice was clear.
Jennifer pulled some towels out and turned to her mother as she dried her hands. “It’s not as bad as you’ve made it out to be.”
Her mother scowled. “It’s not the job I’m worried about.” She raised a well-manicured brow.
“He’s my boss,” Jennifer said, and tossed the towel in the trash.
“That is not how it looked today,” her mother said. “What would Charles say?”
“I don’t think I really care what he would say,” she said.
Her mother crossed her arms, and for a moment, Jennifer nearly burst out laughing. She was getting a talking to about sex in the bathroom of a restaurant at the age of twenty-five. It was almost too much.
Taking the silence as a sign she was winning, her mother unfolded her arms and stepped forward.
“Look, I understand. Really.” She sighed. “I think we’ve all had a fling with the wrong sort of man.”
Jennifer nearly choked on the air she sucked in. Her mother had been with the wrong sort of man? She doubted that. Likely the wrong sort of man had his banking account headed the wrong way. Never in her life had she known her mother to be daring.
“It’s easy to be swayed by a handsome face and sweet words,” her mother continued. Her look was distant, lost in thoughts of her younger years. She shook herself awake. “But that fades, and all you are left with are empty promises.”
Not really knowing what to say, Jennifer stared in shock. This was not the conversation she would have expected at all.
Her mother seemed to snap awake and gripped her hands tightly.
“Be smart about this,” she whispered. “Charles is the better choice. He has his faults, but he’ll provide for you.”
Much to their surprise, the door swung open, and a very startled woman stepped in. She eyed the two of them suspiciously. Holding hands in a public restroom. It certainly looked like more was going on. Jennifer had to admit, they were quite the sight for someone just walking in on them.
Her mother straightened up. All emotion from earlier had slipped from her face, and she was back to the calm, collected woman Jennifer always knew her to be.
“We should get back to your father before he worries.”
Not really knowing what to say, Jennifer nodded and followed quietly behind.
* * *
Eric sat quietly at the bar. It was nearly closing time, not that he really noticed. For hours, all he’d been able to think about was Jennifer. How he had acted and how she had reacted.
People filtered in and out of the bar all evening, but it didn’t seem to faze him. Now with a nearly empty bar, he’d be able to go home and relieve himself.
He ached for a drink to ease the trouble of the day, but instead took a drink of his water. The door jingled open, and he whipped his head around. He couldn’t really figure out why he was waiting for her to come back. There was no reason for her to.
He’d given her the night off. It was how she left though. He couldn’t help think of the look she’d given him before storming off.
Eric frowned at the sight of Tommy. Not at all who he was hoping for, but he should have known. The roar of that bike could be heard easily, but Eric was so focused, it didn’t even register. Luckily, Patrick was elsewhere for the evening, so that was one less headache.
“Hey,” Crystal said, perking up from behind the counter. “Just get off?”
Tommy nodded and took the seat next to Eric.
He watched as Crystal pulled a box out from behind the counter and slid it over to Tommy.
“It’s that pie you like from that place we went to last week.” She smiled. “I had the lady make it special for you.”
Tommy stared inside the box for a moment before looking over to where she stood. “I can’t believe you remembered that.”
A blush spread across her face. “You said it was your favorite.”
Tommy smiled as he flipped the lid back on the box and slid it to the side. Then he pulled out his cell and started texting.
Crystal hovered nearby, anxiously waiting for Tommy to talk to her. Something twisted inside Eric. He hated to see her like this. They’d known each other for so long. Seeing her this way was just upsetting.
He tried not to fault Tommy. From day one he’d been upfront with her about where they stood. It just seemed like Crystal was holding out for something. Why she refused to recognize Pat’s feelings was beyond him. She seemed determined to be with anyone but the man who loved her.
“Get me a draw, Crys,” Tommy said, glancing up from his phone.
They watched as she jumped into action. When she was finished, she placed the mug on the counter and smiled at him.
A table in the corner signaled for her, and she sighed. She snatched up a tray and made her way over.
“Rough night?” Tommy asked.
Eric grunted. “You could say that.”
Tommy smiled at him. “Saw that sweet little waitress tonight. Maybe that’s part of why it’s so rough.”
Eric turned to glare at him.
Tommy held up his hands. “Relax,” he said. “She was with her parents.”
Eric turned back to his water and tried to will it into whiskey. He picked it up and took a big drink.
“Invited her to the show tomorrow,” Tommy said.
The water went down the wrong pipe, and Eric sputtered. He coughed hard. After catching his breath, he turned to look at Tommy.
“Why would you do that?”
Tommy shrugged. “She’s cute,” he said simply. “She looked down, and it will cheer her up.”
Eric glared at him for suggesting that she might be happy watching other men take off their clothes. It made his blood boil.
“She won’t go,” he said quietly.
“She might,” Tommy said.
Eric shook his head. He couldn’t see it. Jennifer belonged just about anywhere else.
Or, at least, he hoped he was right.
“You should come,” Tommy said.
Eric shook his head. “I’m out of that.”
Tommy laughed. “So you’re just going to let her come and deal with the guys on her own? I’m sure a few would be happy to meet her.”
He gave a sly smile. Tommy knew exactly what he was doing. There was no way Eric could let her meet some of the other dancers. He knew them, and that was almost worse.
“We’ll see,” Eric said, and took another drink of his water. More than ever he wanted it to be something stronger.
“She’s nice,” Tommy said, and took a drink off his beer.
Eric glared at his water. “I know.”
“And those parents…” Tommy shook his head.
Eric snorted. He’d had his fill of those people.
“And that ex of hers, he was a real piece of work.”
The ex was a new topic for Eric. He turned, waiting to see what information Tommy might give him.
“That prick breaks up with her one night and then comes in with a new woman the next,” the other man said.
Eric wasn’t surprised. He knew plenty of guys who operated that way.
“I think the worst of it was the way he treated her.”
Eric studied Tommy as he spoke. “How did he treat her?”
Tommy frowned. “Like she was his possession.”
The grip on his water tightened as Tommy continued.
“The whole time, she’s just looking down as he just rips her a new one about everything.” Tommy sighed. “She just looked so alone.”
Eric stumbled to his feet. He couldn’t listen to this any longer, or he’d have to find this bastard and teach him a lesson.
“I’ve got work to do,” he said brusquely.
He stomped to his office in the back and slammed the door. Leaning against it, he tried not to think of Jennifer, but she’d been running through his mind for weeks.
There was no question that he wanted her. He would have nearly had her today if her parents hadn’t walked in.
Eric sighed. It couldn’t happen, and yet he couldn’t stop himself if he had to. It was like fate had sent her to him. He just didn’t know if it was to torture or save him.