I could stop collecting payment altogether, but I’d have to hide the truth from my men, and Damien would definitely be suspicious. “If I stop collecting, he’ll know something is up. He’s not stupid.”
“I don’t know… He can be pretty dumb.”
I smiled slightly. “Just let it go, baby.” We should enjoy this time together until it was over. It would be over someday, so we should spend every moment together like it might be our last…because it could be our last. The end of the relationship wouldn’t even be the most painful part. It would be her reaction, the way her affection would quickly turn to hatred with the snap of her fingers.
She stared at her empty glass and didn’t say more about it.
At least that was over. “Are sunflowers your favorite?”
She took a few seconds to raise her chin and look at me again. “Yes.”
It was an interesting choice, but it fit her well.
“Summer is my favorite season, and that’s the only time of year they grow so…” She shrugged. “We’re kind of the same in that regard. I hate it when it’s cold. I’ll continue to wear dresses through November because I just refuse to let the season end.” She chuckled to herself. “I’m weird like that.”
I’d just learned something new about her, and that new information made her so much more desirable. We’d met at the beginning of summer, and now it was almost over. I never knew her in any other climate.
“What about you?”
I raised an eyebrow, unsure what the question meant.
“You have a favorite season?”
“No. But I like it when it’s cold.”
She stuck out her tongue as she grimaced. “Ugh, I hate winter.”
“I run hot, so you might feel differently about it this year.” I could keep her warm every single night, keep her warm anytime she wanted me inside her. She could wear my sweaters and jackets, could move into my side and suck all the warmth from my skin whenever she wanted.
She shrugged. “We’ll see…” She pulled the bottle of wine toward her and refilled her glass.
I watched her pour it, watched her carry herself with such poise.
“Why do you keep staring at me like that?” She grabbed my glass and did the same, not lifting her gaze as she asked the question.
“Do I need a reason?”
“No.” She lifted her gaze and took a drink. “But I’m curious.”
Sometimes I thought my thoughts were written across my face, like a billboard on my forehead. But maybe my expressions weren’t as decipherable as I thought they were. “Because I think you’re beautiful.”
She held her glass and held my look, her eyes searching into mine.
“It’s what I always think…every time I look at you.”
Six
Catalina
When the performance was over, Tracy came to my station. “We’re going out to dinner for Nina’s birthday. You in?”
Going out for a meal sounded like more fun than going to a bar. “Will there be birthday cake?”
“Yes.”
“Then count me in.”
“Excellent.” She clapped her hands excitedly then walked off. “Cat’s in.”
I removed my stage makeup and touched up with the makeup I’d brought from home, so I wouldn’t look like a prostitute when we were at the restaurant.
“Catalina.” Andre came up behind me, wearing a collared shirt tucked into his dark jeans with a dark blazer.
“Hey. What did you think?”
He clapped his palms together, his chin covered in a shadow and his eyes brown like chocolate. “Perfect, as always.”
“Good. I give it my all every night.”
“Yeah, I can tell.” He was the director of the production, in charge of every theatrical performance we did. He was a brilliant man, able to create a story without words. “I was gonna see if you wanted to get dinner.”
Andre and I had fooled around in the past, a short-term fling we didn’t really talk about. I’d never told anyone about it, and I doubted he had either. He was a handsome man, and his gifts made him more attractive. I wasn’t sure if that was where he wanted this conversation to go, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. “We’re going out for Nina’s birthday.”
“Oh, yeah,” he said with a nod. “You guys have fun.”
“Thanks.” I turned back to the mirror.
“Maybe we can go out another night.”
I sank into my chair, feeling the tension settle over my shoulders. I remembered how angry I got when Heath had women hit him up for sex, that he didn’t tell them he was in a relationship. So, I had to do the same, even if he would never know about it. “I’m seeing someone, actually.” I rose and faced him again.
He didn’t hide his disappointment. “Yeah, the girls mentioned him. I didn’t think it was serious.”
It wasn’t serious, but it was…something. “Yeah, it is.” I didn’t know how long it would last, but I didn’t want to keep Andre on my hook.
He nodded slightly. “Well…he’s a lucky guy.” He turned around and walked off.
We hadn’t hooked up in a long time, so a part of me wondered if he only wanted me because I was unavailable. That seemed childish, especially for him since he was almost ten years older than me, but he was also artistic, emotional, spontaneous…a lot like me. “Thanks.”
We had dinner, cut the birthday cake, and after a few hours of having a good time, everyone started to file out and go home. I walked out with Tracy.
“You didn’t bring your man?” she asked.
“No. It’s nice hanging out with you guys without him all over me.”
“Really?” she asked, walking with me out of the bar. “You seem pretty miserable when he’s not there.”
“At the bar, yes. There’s nothing for me to do while you guys get laid.”
“Hmm…I guess that makes sense.”
“But when we go out to dinner, we’re just hanging out, so it’s fun.” I got to spend time with just them, not having to worry about guys sending us drinks and taking all their attention.
“Well, we’ll make more time to do things like that since he’s not going anywhere.”
I hoped he never went anywhere. I’d just stepped out of the door when I realized what I’d forgotten. “Ugh, I’m so stupid. I forgot my purse.”
“You want me to wait for you?”
“No, girl.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m parked the opposite way anyway.”
“Alright. See you later.” She kissed me on the cheek.
“Bye.” I headed back inside and reached the table that the busser was cleaning. It hung over the back of my chair, out of sight, which was how I’d forgotten it in the first place. I grabbed it and headed out again.
But stopped when I saw Heath.
He sat at a table with a beautiful brunette, their hands together on the surface. With striking blue eyes, he stared at the woman like she was the only thing that mattered…exactly the way he looked at me.