CHAPTER 14
DAINE
I watched the kid walk off with an annoyed growl. There’s no easier way to get on my shit list than going through my stuff. Yesterday was bad enough, now he was in my jewelry? The little twat better watch himself.
Yeah, maybe I was a little harsh on him. Clearly, he’s out of his league here, and he knows it. But he needed to learn how things worked, and fast.
I didn’t have time to babysit anyone, and as soon as Blaze walked in the dressing room, I made sure he knew it.
“Blaze, that kid you hired? You need to fill him in. Yesterday, he was trying to wear my costumes and today, I found him rifling through my shit.”
“He’s new, he’ll get the hang of it.”
“Well, I don’t like him. He’s young and inexperienced and a bit of a smart-ass.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, with a dismissive wave. “Listen, I want to ask you a question, but you can’t tell Richie and Tillie that I asked you this.”
“What?”
“You know how there’s a rule that we aren’t supposed to date the customers?’
“Yeah?”
“How solid do you think that is?’
“Solid?” I asked. “What do you mean? We all came up with the rules together.”
“I know we did,” he said, nodding.
“Dude, you can get pussy anywhere, why are you tripping on this? Don’t fish from your own porch, or whatever that saying is. We made that rule for a reason.”
“Yeah, well, maybe it’s easy for you to do because you’re gay. But it’s not so easy for me.”
“What happened?”
“I just…I just met someone. I want to ask her out.”
“On a date?” I asked, my voice rising an octave. Blaze didn’t date. Blaze fucked. “A real date?”
“Yeah, man, it’s not the first time.”
“First I can remember. So, what’s so special about this girl?”
“She’s just…real, man. She’s confident and funny…and sexy as hell.”
“Sounds like you’ve got it bad.”
“I do.”
“Well, if you asking me for permission to break the rules, I’m not giving it.”
“What should I do?”
“You should follow the fucking rules, just like everyone else has to around here.”
“Dude…”
“Fine, look. You have two options, as far as I see it. Go behind Richie and Tillie’s back and don’t tell them. If it gets serious later, then you can decide if you want to mention it or not. Chances are, it’ll fade out as fast as it caught fire.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” he shrugged.
“I know you, Blaze,” I said. “I know you very well.”
“Sometimes, people surprise you. Hell, this whole thing surprises me, too. I don’t know what it is, but I just want to see where it goes.”
“Sounds like you already made up your mind,” I said.
“You’re right, thanks man,” he said. “And remember —.”
“— yeah, yeah, my lips are sealed, brother.”
“Thanks, Daine,” he said, hugging me. “You’re a real friend.”
“You won’t say that when I’m whipping up on the new boy for stealing my shit.”
“He’s not a thief,” he said. “Give him a chance. He seems like a good kid. We were all in his place once.”
“Young, dumb and stupid?”
“Exactly,” he said. “Don’t be so hard on him.”
“I’ll try,” I said. “Keep me posted on the girl.”
“She’s a woman.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. A MILF?”
“Something like that,” he winked.
“Good luck, brother,” I replied. “I heard those older women can be real tigers in the sack. Not that I’d know…”
“You don’t know what you’re missing, Daine,” he said.
“I’m not missing a thing,” I replied, laughing.
“Whatever,” he said. “Leaves more for me. Hey, don’t you have a birthday coming up?”
“Shit, don’t remind me,” I said. “I’ll be thirty-seven, dude!"
“It’s this weekend, right?”
“Yeah, Friday.”
“Let’s have a party! We’ve been meaning to have another one since opening night. We can do it at home, invite some friends, it’ll be a blast.”
“I’m never one to turn down a party, Blaze, you know that.”
“Great!” He said. “I’ll get with Tillie and plan everything, don’t worry about a thing. Just show up.”
“If you say so,” I said, shaking my head. “Getting older isn’t the celebration it used to be.”
“It should be,” Blaze said. “Considering the alternative.”
“It is better than dead.”
He walked out with a smile and I sat down in front of my locker, taking in my surroundings. I’d been damned lucky to end up here. Life had been good to me. I worked hard and I played hard. I had good friends. A wonderful job.
And as far as I was concerned, I couldn’t ask for more than that.
Was that cause for celebration?
Why not?
I may not possess the youthful swagger I once held, but I was hanging in there. I still had it.