The Chase

“Don’t hate me,” she says, “but…I really have to pee.”

I grip her hand. “Nope. You can’t abandon me here with these people.”

She giggles. “You say the word ‘people’ like it’s a disease.”

“People are a disease,” I grumble.

“You can survive without me for five minutes.” She kisses my cheek and then rubs her index finger over it, I suspect to wipe off the lipstick stain she left. “I’ll be right back. Promise.”

I watch in defeat as she saunters off. At the bar, I order a Sam Adams and a very efficient bartender in a white shirt and black tie hands me a bottle. “Thanks,” I tell her.

I’ve barely taken a sip before Kamal appears. I’m surprised he didn’t leech on to me the moment Summer and I stepped off the dance floor.

“That’s some dress your girlfriend’s wearing, Colin.” He swishes the tumbler of bourbon he’s holding. It’s not the first one he’s consumed tonight. I’ve seen him order at least three drinks since I got here, and who knows how many he ingested before that.

I make a noncommittal gesture, a cross between a shrug and a hand flutter, because accepting a compliment on Summer’s behalf feels weird.

“Who are you?”

The question comes out of left field. I furrow my brow and search his expression, but I can’t decipher it. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is…” He throws back the rest of his drink and then slams the glass on the bar. “Another one,” he barks at the bartender.

She flinches at his sharp tone. “Right away, sir.”

“What I mean, Colin,” he continues, as if the woman hadn’t spoken, “is that I thought you were one of us.” He gestures to the other three job candidates—two males, one female. All college-aged like me. “Neil, Ahmed, Robin. Me. You. The outcasts who turned to video games because of people like the girl you showed up with tonight.”

My shoulders stiffen.

“All my life I’ve had to deal with those people. The pretty people.” He accepts his fresh drink and takes several deep swigs. “The jocks and the cheerleaders and the popular assholes who think they’re entitled to do whatever the fuck they want. They bully without consequences. They get everything handed to them on a silver platter. They float through life and expect everyone to step aside for them.”

I set my untouched beer on the bar and speak in a measured tone. “I’ve never floated through anything. My mom’s an ESL teacher, and my dad is a shift supervisor at a power plant. They work their asses off, and so do I. I spent all my free time in high school drawing and painting and playing video games. And playing hockey,” I relent, even though I know it’s a dirty word to him. “I play hockey because I love it, and I’m good at it. Same way I’m good at game design,” I finish with a shrug.

“You’ve got some real arrogance on you, kid.” A flash of steel enters his eyes.

Summer chooses that unfortunate moment to return to the ballroom. She draws the attention of every person, male and female, as she struts across the shiny floor. She’s stunning and nobody can look away. Everyone wants to be a part of that beauty, even if it’s simply admiring her as she sashays past them.

It’s her orbit.

That damn orbit.

Kamal slings back the rest of his drink. His disdain-heavy gaze never leaves Summer. “Look at her,” he mutters. “You think she’d be with you if you weren’t a jock? Bitches like her only want one thing, Colin.” He laughs coldly. “I bet if I snapped my fingers and told her I was interested, she’d be on my dick faster than you can say gold digger. Why would she waste her time on some low-rent college athlete when she can have a billionaire, right?”

My lips thin. “You don’t know her.”

He chuckles.

Summer is halfway to us now. Her blonde hair catches the light of the huge crystal chandelier over our heads. Her diamond hairclip winks like a strobe with each step she takes.

“Trust me, I know her. Lordy, lordy, do I know her. All I do is date women like her. They don’t give a shit about us, Colin. They’re gone the moment a sweeter deal comes along.”

I could argue, but what’s the point? He’s already made his assumptions about me and Summer, about what it means to be an athlete, a nerd, a pretty girl.

Summer reaches us, and she must glimpse something in my expression that worries her, because she takes my hand and gives it a comforting squeeze. “Everything okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Kamal guffaws, before tapping the bar to signal the bartender. He smacks it again and again and again, like a bratty kid trying to get his mom’s attention. “Bourbon,” he snaps at the harried woman. He turns back to us. “So what’s your major?” he asks Summer.

She blinks at the sudden change of topic. “Fashion—”

He interrupts before she’s done speaking. “Of course it’s fashion.” Scorn drips from every word.

“You got a problem with fashion?” she asks lightly, but I can tell from her rigid posture that she’s on guard. She manages a teasing laugh. “Because as far as I can tell, you sure do enjoy the company of models.”

He doesn’t laugh back. “I see. Someone like me can’t date beautiful women? Is that what you’re insinuating?”

“Not at all. And clearly you can date beautiful women, because you—”

“They’re only with me for my money? Is that what you think?”

“Of course not. I just—”

“Of course you would think that,” he snaps. His cheeks are slowly reddening. “And guess what, you’re right. That is the only thing pretty bitches like you are after—money. You won’t be signing any prenups, will you, Summer? No, no, no, bitches like you need to be taken care of. You need to spend all my hard-earned cash.”

I move closer to Summer in a protective gesture. “That’s enough,” I say in a low voice. He keeps throwing the word bitch around, and loudly. I suspect he’s talking about one specific woman—the girl from college who wouldn’t sign his prenuptial agreement. But I don’t give a shit if he had his heart broken by the Queen of fucking England. Nobody talks to or about Summer like that.

Kamal isn’t intimidated by the menacing command. He laughs again. A high-pitched sound that grates on my nerves. “It’s enough when I say it’s enough.” He tosses back the last of his bourbon and then tries to place the empty tumbler on the bar. Except he’s about a foot away from it, because he’s drunk as a skunk and lacking all coordination. So he sets the glass down—on nothing.

It crashes to the floor and shatters. Glass shards shoot in all directions, and I quickly pull Summer away from the mess. I look at the bartender. “Could you please call someone to come and—”

“Oh, they’ll come!” Kamal hoots. “Someone always comes to clean up my messes. Wanna know why, Colin? Summer? Hazard a guess?” He starts cackling to himself. “Because I’m a billionaire! I’m a fucking god in the tech industry and I can buy and sell everyone in this fucking room! I—”

“You’re drunk,” I coldly interrupt.

“Oh, shut up, you dumb jock.” He’s so sloshed, he’s rocking on his feet, but when I reach out to try and steady him, he slaps my hand away. “Fuck off. I don’t need your help. And I don’t need you working for my company. You got that? The position’s been filled, Colin.” He chortles again. “Thank you for your interest.”

Summer takes a menacing step toward him. “What’s the matter, Mr. Jain? You won’t hire Colin because, what? He plays hockey and is better-looking than you?”

He takes a step back. Glass crunches beneath his expensive leather shoes. From the corner of my eye, I see several figures approaching. All around us, people are staring. Their curious gazes pierce into me. My spine won’t stop prickling.

“Ms. Heyward, are you all right?” A tall, bulky man in a black suit and tie appears in front of us.

I have no idea who he is, but Summer does. She gratefully touches his arm. “I’m fine, Diego. But there’s broken glass all over the floor. Could you ask maintenance to send someone ASAP?”

“Right away.” He flicks a wary look at Kamal.

Kamal’s busy staring at Summer. “Heyward?” he echoes. He furrows and unfurrows his brow, repeatedly. “Who the fuck are you?”

“Watch your language, Mr. Jain,” barks Diego.

“Who the fuck are you?” is the retort.

“I’m the head of security at this hotel,” the beefy man replies, baring his teeth in the scariest smile I’ve ever seen. “The hotel that Ms. Heyward’s family happens to own. And I do believe it’s time for you to retire for the evening, Mr. Jain. Why don’t I have one of my associates escort you to your suite?”

“Fuck you. I’m giving a fucking speech in ten fucking minutes.” He looks over at me and starts to laugh in loud, nasally snorts. “Well, good for you, Colin. Here I thought she was the gold digger, riding your big cock for your jock money, but you’re the gold digger, eh? Digging for gold in her heiress pussy.”