CHAPTER TWELVE
It was a little better in the dorm room with all my own stuff there. Granted there was nowhere near enough space for all of it, and so I was kind of living out of one of the suitcases like I was in a hotel on vacation, but at least everything was mine.
Including the scratches on my face and neck and boob, and the purple shiner on my left cheekbone. I scoped it out in the bathroom, feeling really up to par for sitting across from strange men and having them judge me.
I must really like Gabi. This girl I’d just met days before and already felt like we’d been doing crazy shit together for years.
The bathroom door opened behind me and I jumped.
“Sorry,” Leo said, starting to back out. “You didn’t lock the door.”
“Maybe we just leave it open when no one is in here,” I said, peering at him through the mirror. “So, when it’s closed, there’s no question.”
He stepped in behind me, and the generous bathroom got decidedly smaller. And warmer. He was so tall, the top of his head cut off in the mirror, and the rest of him filled the space around me.
“Or you could just lock the door,” he said, his eyes narrowing as he studied my face. One finger came up to gingerly run down my bruised cheek. “Wow.”
Fuck.
Wow didn’t begin to cover it.
No, it didn’t hurt that much, but Son. Of. A. Bitch. The electricity and chemistry that rocked and rolled through my body at that one simple touch nearly had me reacting in a very inappropriate way. Like backing up into him and—
“Yeah, I’m looking hot,” I said, my voice all croaky and weird all of a sudden. “They’ll all be wanting my number tonight. Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”
“Leaving now,” he said, eyebrows raised. “If I can have the bathroom for a second.”
“All yours,” I said, moving too quickly and actually backing into him. Then jolting forward and waiting for him to step back out so that I could slide past him.
Jesus.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Don’t look up.
I looked up. At genuine concern mixed with a little Did your brain get rattled today? questioning. I huffed out a breath and nodded.
“It’s just been a day,” I said. Which seemed to pretty much describe the last three. I needed to get my shit together or come up with a new tagline.
“Does that hurt?” he asked.
“Only when I smile,” I said, smiling.
* * * *
I was accosted by something called Cajun honey-drizzled bacon outside of Rojo’s, and if one has to be force-fed something, it wasn’t a bad way to go. I thanked some gray-haired lady who smiled at another gray-haired lady, the second of whom was sitting on the giant tricycle I’d seen before.
“Just remember that one, sweetheart,” the first lady said, handing me another one on a napkin. “When it comes time to vote, remember the Feed Store.”
“She can make anything,” the second lady said as she started to pedal away. “Trust me, I get around.”
Wasn’t even odd. I don’t know what that said about me.
It was kind of like returning to the scene of the crime, going into Rojo’s again. Except without Lanie and Carmen and even Allie, who’d been much quieter but I loved watching how she looked at Bash. How they looked at each other. Like all this was just icing and fireworks and ponies that they were just there to tolerate. Because all that mattered was the one they were looking at.
I wanted that. Theoretically. Not right now, and not with anyone in particular, but I’d just had the anti-that for nearly a decade. I knew what I didn’t want, and they gave me the visual for what I did. One day.
One day not to be decided upon tonight in a room full of tequila-driven sex drives and a phone app. That’s right. A phone app. Because speed dating wasn’t contrived and robotic and cold and slightly pathetic enough without giving everyone a reason to stay in their phones.
I glanced toward the bar for Leo but I didn’t see him. Which meant nothing. I was just looking for my friend.
Gabi waved at me from a little powwow with Katrina Bowman, which led Katrina to do the same and get this little look on her face that scared the living shit out of me. She excused herself with Gabi and strode purposefully my way, big breasts contained—barely—in a pleather zip-up vest.
I panicked. I looked in all directions for somewhere to go, to be, to see, but she was on me like white on rice in seconds. I shoved my leftover honey-slathered bacon into my mouth and smiled around my chewing.
“Micah!” she crooned. “I’m so glad you came! Oh, my God, what happened to your face?”
Because every woman likes to start a conversation like that.
“Mm-hmm!” I mumbled around my food, covering my mouth. “I had a little incident with my non-mother-in-law, and you know how that goes.” That was the dumbest ball drop ever, but I figured it would at least keep her guessing for a bit. I swallowed and widened my eyes. “So how does this work? What do I do?”
“Well, I wanted to talk to you about that,” she said, handing me a little white button to put on that said I’m #2! “Put this on, it’s your Charm Factor number.”
“My—”
“I’ll explain later,” she said, waving off my confusion. “So since you’re new in town, do you mind if I use you in my intro as a little promotional bait and catch?”
I must have looked more horrified than I already was, because she continued.
“I just mean using you as an example, and playing you up,” she said, smoothing hair back that honestly wasn’t budging. “And then everyone will be intrigued to talk to you and it builds the excitement for the rest.”
“I—don’t think so,” I said. “I’d like to just blend if that’s okay. I’ve had enough spotlight this week.”
“Oh, girl, that’s what makes you the perfect one for the job!” she gushed, squeezing my hand like we were besties. “Everyone has already heard about you!”
“No thanks,” I said.
“It’ll be great,” she said, beaming. And walking away.
Wait.
Why was she beaming? I said no.
I felt my scalp start to sweat, and my palms joined in.
“You look about to bolt,” said Gabi, suddenly at my side.
Fight or flight.
I was back in the church and staring at the door, except that the door had sombreros on it and the smell of salsa and fajitas was everywhere. And Leo had just appeared behind the bar and gave me a double-take around Katrina, who was doing her best to invite him into her chest. He wasn’t paying attention, and there was a split-second before someone called for her that I thought she might climb a nearby stool to get on top of the bar.
“Katrina wants to use me as bait and—fuck.” I took a deep breath and patted my face. “I said no and it was like she never heard me!”
“She’s good at that,” Gabi said.
“I might go,” I said, feeling fidgety and wishing I had keys or something in my hands to mangle.
“Just—start with getting a drink,” Gabi said. “Relax for a second while I go make sure all my signs are out. I’ll come check on you in a minute.”
She steered me toward Leo, which made sense considering the three of us had somehow become a weird little band of misfits, but he might also be the last person I needed to hang out with. He looked preoccupied tonight, a line pressing downward over his nose.
“Make her something delicious and strong,” Gabi said.
“And for you?” Leo said, humor pulling at his lips.
She widened her eyes. “I’m drinking water tonight. Dr Pepper if I get really ambitious.”
She strolled off, looking adorable in black jeans, hurt-me heels, and an off-the-shoulder black-and-white top. Her hair silky with flirty curls at the ends. She was making a statement tonight, whether Bart was there or not. She was probably terrified, so if she could do this, I could too.
“A beer is fine,” I said. “Actually, no, I’m not drinking tonight either. I’m—” I blew out a breath.
“What?” he said.
“Okayyyyyy!” came Katrina’s voice, loud and shrill over the microphone. “Let’s get started! Tonight’s festivities are sponsored by Graham’s Florist, if you haven’t noticed that already, so a big hand for Drew and Gabi.” Gabi waved as she made a pass around sprinkling rose petals on each table, and Drew just grinned from her stance next to what looked like a giant stoplight. “I have a surprise special dater guest here for you tonight, and I’m going to introduce you!”
“Oh, God,” I said, gripping the counter. “That.”
A surprised chuckle came out of his mouth. “You?”
“Do you see what I look like?” I asked, pointing at my face.
Leo leaned over the bar a little and took his gaze all the way down my body. I know, because I felt the trail. I’d tried to step it up a little without really stepping it up. I wore black leggings with little red flames on them, with a black fitted tank top that hugged my boobs really well without saying Hey, I’m Katrina!, and a long sleeveless dark red cardigan. And kicky little sandals because the tight clothing was enough sexy for a speed dating night. I had to balance it out and yet take the focus off my face.
“I do,” he said, meeting my eyes again slowly.
I glanced around, surprised I hadn’t spontaneously ignited.
“Well,” I said, clearing my throat, “I’m going to be sitting at tables staring at people, so pretty much this is what they’re going to get.” I said, gesturing circles around my face.
“Hopefully she got as good as she gave,” he said, holding up a finger to a customer trying to get his attention.
“Go do what you have to do,” I said, resting one hand on the bar. “I’m—”
“So, without further ado,” Katrina crooned, wiggling a finger at me, “come up here!” she whispered loudly, which sounded horrifyingly creepy through that microphone.
“Kill me now,” I said under my breath, as some bizarre spotlight found me.
Maybe it wasn’t a spotlight. Maybe it was just someone’s phone flashlight, but it felt like the heat of a thousand suns had landed on me with a phoomp.
A warm hand covered mine and slipped something under it. I blinked away from the light and looked to find a bar toothpick—the kind with the little flags—in my hand.
Use what you have.
I laughed out loud and looked up but Leo had already moved on to a paying customer. That was okay. I laughed again as Katrina cleared her throat and smiled at me. I clenched the toothpick in my fist like a talisman and took deep breaths as I made my way up to the little stage I’d almost made a singing debut on the night before.
Claps were all around me, and when I stepped up and looked out, I wanted to throw up. Where did all these people come from? I’d been there all of five minutes. Maybe. Were they hiding under the tables? There were this many single people in Charmed who didn’t already know every single detail about each other?
“Now everyone here in Charmed knows about this lady,” Katrina said on a sexy little chuckle. I gave her a side-eyed What-the-fuck? that she didn’t see. “She made quite the splash the other day, but all you Denning and Lakeforest and other lovely townsfolk that came out tonight to have some fun and meet great people—you might not know about her yet.”
Katrina nudged me like we were conspiring about something and all I could do was stare.
“What are you doing?” I said under my breath.
She covered her microphone. “Building up some mystery,” she whispered. “Adding an edge. All the best event sites do it.”
“Well, stop,” I said through my teeth.
“I’m not even gonna tell you her name, because that’s part of the fun,” she said, all flirty and winky and—oh, my God, it was like being in a cattle auction.
Look here, everyone, look at those gams…
“So, without further ado, you’ll notice all the two-seater tables are kind of in a circle, with numbers taped on top. Guys, take a seat on the inside. Ladies, you get the outside.” Katrina stopped to smirk. “In case you need to bolt.”
The best thing I’d heard, yet. I started slinking out of the limelight while she was so shiny with it, and had plotted a path for the door when Gabi grabbed my hand.
“You’re next to me,” she said. “Drew managed to get out of it, the wench.”
I looked back at the stage where Drew wiggled her eyebrows at us. She’d been put to work on stage.
“I’m out of here,” I said. “Did you see that dog and pony show she put me through?”
“Have fun with it,” Gabi said, nudging me. “She didn’t give a name, be somebody else for the night.”
“Who are you going to be?” I asked as she pulled me to a table and sat me down, then sat at the next one catty-corner over.
“Well, if I can find enough people who don’t know me,” she said in an undertone as she skimmed the choices, “I’m feeling like a Natasha, tonight.”
“Natasha,” I said, giving her a discreet high-five down low. “Nice.”
“Everyone have a seat?” Katrina yelled into the microphone. The girl really didn’t need one. “Everyone’s phones charged?” She giggled as if that were utterly brilliant. “You’ll see the app address on your table as well, so download the Wham-Bam-Charm-Me-Ma’am app now!”
“She did not,” I said, feeling my jaw drop.
Gabi started laughing so hard that she snorted, and the guy that was thinking of sitting across from her turned and made another choice.
I turned to see if Leo was catching all this fiasco and was surprised to see him leaning on his hands as if all the weight of the world was pulling at him. A woman with really ugly pants walked up and he stood back upright, but something—something—in his eyes wasn’t quite right. And tension was obvious in the set of his jaw. I hadn’t really seen Leo angry yet, except for maybe that phone call earlier, but if I had to guess, he’d look kinda like that.
“Heyyyy.”
The attempt at cool coupled by a teenager-worthy flop into the chair across from me, didn’t bode well for—#7.
“You all have your Charm Factor numbers,” Katrina was saying. “Make sure they’re visible, and if you’re interested in someone, add their number to your Charmed By list and feel free to add anything else in the comments. Name, interesting facts, anything that will help you remember them. Please do not give out actual phone numbers or addresses,” she added. “Unless you want to give it to me,” she whisper-squealed-squeaked into the microphone and then laughed at her own joke and wiggled her ring finger. “Just kidding! I’m married, of course.”
“Of course,” Gabi said, deadpan.
“Once you register in the app, you can contact your interests by their Charm Factor number,” Katrina said. “You can actually talk and text without ever giving away a stitch of your private information.”
“That’s actually kind of brilliant,” I said.
“Unlike the name,” Gabi said. “That’s kind of dumb.”
“So, like, what happened to you?” number Seven said, pointing toward his own face as he winced a little.
I blinked back to him and chuckled. “Wow, I’ve evidently been in a long-term relationship for way too long, because—wow.”
He frowned. “You’re in a relationship?”
“Ding ding!” I called out, tapping the toothpick on the table. “Time to move on yet?”
“We haven’t started yet,” Katrina said from the stage with a polite smile. “But on that subject, you’ll have one minute with each person, starting with this green light and chime.” She pointed to Drew, who demonstrated said light and chime, and tinted the whole room green. “And ending with this red light and buzzer.”
“Feels like traffic court,” Gabi muttered, rolling a cardboard coaster on its side.
“So, are we ready?” Katrina asked, holding up an arm like she was the girl to hold up a scarf at a road race.
She swung her arm down, Drew hit the switch, and the room went green, bathing everyone in a sickly hue as the chiming noise tinkled away and my stupid friend nodded at me.
“Well, I’m Gary,” he said.
“Are we supposed to say names?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he said, looking confused, like I’d thrown him off. “Just not numbers. So what’s yours?”
“My what?” I asked, looking past him to Leo, who’d moved on from pants lady to shiny-buffed-bald dude and then another woman with sparkly fringe swinging from her tits. He smiled at this one, and she did the head tilt and made her fringe move a little more. He looked, but then blinked away and grinned his thank-you as she tipped him. Sorry, fringe-girl, his mind’s not in the game tonight.
“Hello?” Seven said, tapping on the table. What was his name again?
“What?”
“I asked what your name is,” he said. “Where’d you go?”
I glanced over at Leo again.
“My name?” I said. “Anastasia.”