“He’s friends with Ray. He gave me a ride.” I shrug and take a bite of my salad.
“He’s rich,” Debbie says and then she leans forward, her long, sleek raven ponytail over one shoulder and nearly landing in her salad dressing. She flicks it back. “And dangerous. He’s connected. Like my ex was.”
“The ex,” Cammy says like I should know who this person is.
My eyes bounce between them.
Debbie shrugs. “My fuckup. I had all those oats to sow and gave up the catch of the century.” She drops her fork with disgust written all over her face. “Wish I’d met him a couple years ago instead of when I was a teenager. I wouldn’t have fucked that up.”
Cammy shakes her head with sadness. “You live and learn, Debs. We all do.”
Debbie stares off into space. “He was gorgeous. Great in bed. Rich. And a fixer. Any bullshit that came my way, he’d erase it for me.”
“What happened?” I ask softly.
I’ve seen her around always with nothing but confidence exuding from her. She’s a tough chick, I can tell. But right now she looks like she’s in a lot of pain. She looks filled with regret.
She shrugs. “Too young and stupid. Too up my own ass to realize how good I had it, I guess. And I blame him a little for that, too, because he made my life a fucking breeze. I got what I wanted when I wanted it, and he made me feel invincible. Like I couldn’t do a thing to fuck that up because he loved me that much. Too bad he didn’t love me enough to overlook cheating.” She sniffles and clears her expression. “Anyway, enough about me, that ship sailed and the pain is just feeling fresh because I just got it thrown in my face seeing he’s moved on, so I’m just sour right now.”
Cammy explains. “We were eating lunch in the park a while back and he showed up, holding another girl’s hand. He’s been known as a player since they split up and she’s worried that he’s gonna get married now.”
Debbie lifts a hand to halt Cammy, so Cammy shoves a forkful of food into her mouth but gives me wide eyes.
Debbie keeps talking. “Kill Coulter was or maybe still is good friends with my ex and of the same caliber. Rich. Looks like a male model. Not afraid to get his hands dirty. But Dario Ferrano was born rich where Kill came from nothing. Worked hard for what he has. And I respect that.” She sips her water.
“So, you went for it, and…” Cammy starts.
“And he knew me and knew about the ugly break-up, so he wasn’t interested. Knew I broke Dario’s heart and wanted no part of me. Looks at me like I’m dirt. I grew up. I’ve changed.” She puts her hand to her heart. “I’ve had to face facts… any guy who knew me before won’t set eyes on me twice without preconceived notions that I’m a slut. I can’t look back. Just gotta look ahead.”
“Good for you,” Cammy says, forking up some more chili fries. “Sometimes forward motion is the best motion.”
“Yeah,” Debbie looks wistful. “I still miss him, though. Still wish I hadn’t fucked up. I had everything. I’ve tried getting serious with other guys, but no one compares.”
“It wasn’t the right timing,” Cammy states. “Timing is important. Your time with the right man for you – it’ll come.”
“Yeah.” Debbie goes quiet.
“Lesson learned,” Cammy repeats. “You have to stop beating yourself up. I keep telling you this. If there’s nothing you can do, it does no good to keep ruminating in it.”
Debbie’s face goes sour and she waves her hand.
So,” Cammy turns her attention to me. “He’s friends with Ray. Maybe Ray knows Debs’s ex, too.”
“I don’t know,” I say.
“So. You ‘n Ray. You and Ray aren’t still together, and Ray’s friend is giving you drives to work?”
I shake my head. “No. Not together in my mind.”
“He’s not taking a hint?” Cammy asks.
“Long story.”
“We got forty-five minutes left of our lunch break. How long is the story?” Cammy’s eyes go sharp. She doesn’t want to give up.
“She’s not ready to talk,” Debbie says. “We’re here if you change your mind, though.”
I nod.
“Ray. Ray. Ray Ia-something?” Debbie asks.
I straighten. “Iadanza. You know who he is?”
“Oh shit, girl. He’s hot. He didn’t go to our school and I wouldn’t say I know him well, but I know who he is. You’re ending that? Maybe I should go for it.”
“I’d say have at it, but you probably don’t want to,” I say.
She tilts her head. “He fuck around?”
“No. He’s just not… I don’t wanna---”
“He’s the reason she’s sad all the time,” Cammy says. “You stay away from that shithead. You should be done with him. I don’t try to eavesdrop but we’re neighbors and I’ve heard you on the phone a time or two, okay a time or ten, hearing him yellin’ at you over the phone right through our cubicle walls.”
I swallow.
“So, nothing happening with you and Killian?” Debbie pushes.
“He just gave me a ride.”
“He’s hot,” Debbie says. “Super-hot. And he has a reputation with women.”
“Tell us,” Cammy demands.
“Like I said, he was good friends with my ex, and we were in some of the same circles late in high school, early college for Dario. Killian didn’t go to school after that though. Graduated high school but wanted to make money and knew how to do it, too. Dario said the guy didn’t need college. My ex’s family financed the startup of that first club, I heard. When you’re connected with that family, the connections typically run pretty deep, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s not into some of their other enterprises.”
“Organized crime,” Cammy stage-whispers.
Debbie slashes her hand over her throat with a death stare.
Cammy pinches an imaginary zipper over her lips while Debbie continues, leaning closer to me. “I overheard a conversation with a girl he used to see at my nail salon. I had my earbuds in waitin’ on my nails to dry, nose in a magazine, but these girls were just runnin’ their mouths with no idea I was paying attention, let alone the fact I knew who they were talkin’ about. The one chick said she loved him, he was a dream with all those goals, how good-looking he is, how he knows how to treat a lady. But she said he wasn’t commitment material. He wasn’t interested enough in her, she said, wouldn’t settle down any time soon. She also said he was way too kinky. Too kinky for her tastes. This was one of the reasons I tried to make an approach. I’m totally down for kink.”
“You sure are,” Cammy mutters, taking a pull on her straw, hollowing out her cheeks.
Debbie laughs.
My face feels hot. It feels wrong to sit and gossip about Killian like this.
“She’s into all sorts of freaky-deaky shit,” Cammy says and Deb cuts her off.
“Let’s not scare her off. So, anyway, Kill gave me the brush off. Fuckin’ bro code.” She rolls her eyes. “Said he’d never go where his buddies have gone before. But worse, he treated me like garbage because of shit I did when I was barely out of diapers.” She rolls her eyes another time. “He’s a grudge holder. And I’ve heard he carries it mean. Know someone who says they saw firsthand that if you fuck with anyone Kill cares about, he’ll ruin you. You fuck him over directly, he’ll annihilate you.”