Lilli…

I was glad to see no paparazzi when we arrived at the 10-13. Veronica wrinkled her nose and said, “I thought we were going someplace called the 10-13.”

“That’s just what Backdraft and his club calls it, something about a radio call-sign, and it’s the address, too.”

“Weird.”

“It’s actually a nice place and has really good food.”

Antonio, our driver, opened the back door to the towncar and I got out first. Veronica and I both said thank you and I tipped him generously. He smiled and nodded and told us to just holler when we wanted to be picked up.

I pushed open the door and we went inside. Aly squealed excitedly and I laughed. Veronica was somehow included in Aly’s enthusiastic hug and Christina laughed from behind her.

Dawnie said, “Down, girl! Jesus,” from somewhere off to our right.

I heard a male voice say, “Mm, that’s her? I expected her to be taller.”

“Don’t be salty, Pasquale,” Chrissy admonished.

“Girl, you know I have to have some salt in with all this smooth caramel.”

“Oh, Jesus Christ,” Dawnie said, but she was standing from her perch on the tall bar stool and had her arms open for a hug of her own. I went to her and gave her one and got a look at the man with them, Pasquale.

‘Outrageous’ didn’t even begin to cover it. He was slender and wore shiny black vinyl pants held up by a black punk rock belt, the kind with rows and rows of those square silver pyramid studs. The tee shirt had been cropped to show his flat stomach and the neck cut away so it hung artfully off his shoulders. I kid you not, it was a white Lisa Frank tee shirt with a white kitten on it surrounded by a pink halo to make it stand out. His hair was sprayed or waxed into a faux-hawk with equally pink product, and his makeup was just as ostentatious. Big, pouty, matte-pink lips, pink eyeshadow fading to white at the brow bone and black liquid liner making the smoothest cat’s eye I’d ever seen. He looked completely outlandish but carried himself with such a confidence he worked it into the next century.

Martine has nothing on this guy, was my first thought upon seeing him and I realized we were standing there measuring each other up.

“So you’re the one to steal my man, Backdraft, hm?”

Chrissy rolled her eyes and said, “Pasquale thinks all the men of the Indigo Knights are his.”

“Oh honey, they so are, they just don’t know it yet.”

Veronica laughed and he leaned back and gave her such a look. Waving his hand up and down in front of her he said flatly, “You look like the help,” and even though it was rude as hell, Veronica and I couldn’t help but exchange a look and laugh. He just had such a way about him.

“All right, ladies! Oh, and Pasquale.” The bartender had come around the bar and had a pad and pen.

“Oh, nuh-uh, Skids! You don’t get to do me like that. I am a lady and you are gonna hurt my feelings!” Pasquale was looking at him and if looks could kill! I tried valiantly not to giggle.

“All right, all right, don’t get your panties in a bunch. I’m sorry,” Skids said, smiling. “What are you ladies drinkin’?”

Pasquale harrumphed and stuck his straw between his lips, sucking down the last of what looked like a mojito out of his pint glass.

“Another mojito, por favor, baby.”

“Right, and counselor?” he asked Chrissy, and she held up her drink, which was half full.

“I’m good right now, thanks.”

“Aly Cat?”

“Um, I don’t know, ask me in a sec.”

“Okay,”

“I’ll have a beer,” Dawnie said and he wrote it down.

“The usual?”

“Yeah.”

“Righty-o, one Blue Moon, extra orange,” he said, and turned to Veronica.

“I’ll have a glass of wine.”

“White or red?”

“Red, a Merlot if you’ve got it.”

“What about you, Lil? Riesling?”

“Actually, I’ll do a Cosmo, if it’s all right with you.”

“You want it I’ll make it,” he said. “Be right back with these. You gonna want food?”

“Yes, please,” Veronica said, and he gave a nod and wandered off.

“Oh! Skids!” Aly bounded off after him, walking with him to the bar.

I loved it. The only thing I would have loved more was if Backdraft were here. I slid up onto a stool next to Dawnie, Veronica took up my other side, and Pasquale sat across from her and Chrissy across from me, leaving the empty seat for Aly across from her blind best friend.

“Oh, did you get the audio books, Dawnie?”

“I did! Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.”

“You really write porn?” Pasquale asked and I laughed.

“Some people think so.”

“Pretty good, huh?”

“A lot of people think so,” Veronica supplied and I laughed.

The conversation flowed back and forth naturally in the crowded restaurant and bar. We sat at one of two tall bar tables set side by side as you came in the door. Beyond them were two dart boards and beyond them, a pool table. There was a raised, glassed-in room with a gentle ramp that swept back and forth leading up to it for wheelchair access.

There were several Indigo Knights watching the fights in the glassed-in room while a local station played football silently above the bar, the black closed-captioning boxes rolling underneath. I found myself really enjoying the company and not doing what I usually did, which was hide in my phone or in the closed captioning. Reading had always been my refuge; even if it were only a cereal box that were handy, it would suddenly become the most engrossing piece of literature ever written to my eyes.

I was dying to know what Backdraft was doing, but was surprised that I wasn’t worried at all. I really did trust him. I couldn’t tell you the number of times I had said it but didn’t mean it, but with him, I really did.

“Well, fuck me!” Pasquale said, his voice clipped. “I’m not getting that one back.” He let out a dramatic sigh and took a drink of his mojito through its straw.

“What?” I asked, frowning, and turned around, following his gaze.

Backdraft was coming through the door, a cab pulling away from the curb. He had a backpack slung over his shoulder and a bouquet of flowers in his other hand, white lilies, which were not only my namesake but my favorite. I’m not going to lie, I lit up from the inside out.

“I thought you weren’t coming!” I cried, slipping off my stool and going to him. I folded myself against his chest, slipping my arms beneath his jacket and around his waist. He was so warm. He hugged me, smiling and kissed the top of my head.

“You meet the guys yet?” he asked, and I shook my head.

“Not yet, the girls and I have mostly just been out here doing our thing.”

“Hmm, ’k. Come on, I’ll introduce you. Ronnie, you coming?”

“Naw, I’m good,” she said, laughing at something Chrissy had said.

I laid my flowers on the table really quick and Veronica gave me a nod to indicate she’d watch them and my purse.

“I’ll bring her right back, I promise.”

“You do that, stud,” Dawnie said dryly, an amused smile on her lips.

“Ah, hmm!” Pasquale choked off a laugh and hid behind his mojito.

“Never gonna win me back that way, buddy!” Backdraft called back over his shoulder at him. I laughed and hugged his arm, just happy he was here.

“I’m glad you made it back from wherever,” I said as we went up the four steps at the end of the bar to the glassed-in room. The door opened and some of the guys were being rowdy at Backdraft in greeting.

“Oh, shit! It really is a fuckin’ party,” he declared.

“Yeah, buddy! You were the only hold-out this time.”

“Youngblood! Good to see you, man.” I let go of his arm so he could go around hugging and whatnot.

“Yo, who’s the chick?” Angel asked and I frowned and realized it must be his twin. My suspicion was confirmed when Angel nudged his way in behind me.

“Shit, went to the bathroom and look what I missed.”

“Hi,” I said laughing and gave him a quick hug.

“Boys, this is Lil. Lil, meet the guys.”

“Hi,” I said again, much louder, and gave a shy wave.

Oh, my god. There were like a dozen of them! I didn’t know how I would remember them all. I mean there was Yale and Angel who I’d met already, and Golden would be easy to remember because he was Angel’s twin brother. Then there was Blaze, who had used my bathroom at my apartment, and then a whole host of new faces!

Narcos and Driller looked the roughest out of everyone, and Backdraft whispered in my ear it was because Narcos was full-time undercover and Driller also had to be from time to time. Reflash came out from the kitchen to meet me briefly, and Skids was behind the bar. Then there was a muscular, bald, black man they called Oz, and another youngish, police officer called Poe, who was related to Edgar Allen Poe, which is how he got his name.

We chatted for a while before one of the guys, Oz, kicked out a chair and told Backdraft to cop a squat. I kissed him goodbye and said it was nice meeting everyone and went back out to the girl’s table, where they were all laughing at whatever Pasquale had said. I smiled and rejoined them just as the food we’d ordered arrived.

I looked back to the fishbowl and caught Backdraft watching me. He winked and I was suffused with warmth and good feeling. My spirits buoyed by his surprise arrival, I had a damn good night, even if it was back to work for him in the morning. It was made even better when he took the car back to my place with us.