Page 102 of Howl for Me
Nothing.
Just as I’m about to lose it and start pounding again, a door creaks open a few feet down the hall.
“Now hold on just a second,” a voice calls,
I turn and a woman stands in the doorway beneath a pink flamingo wreath, one hand on her hip, the other balancing a cigarette and a glass of something brown on ice.
She narrows one eye at me. “You’re looking for Cassidy, aren’t you?”
I nod. “Yeah. Is she here?”
She takes a sip from her glass and leans against the doorframe like this is the most entertainment she’s had all week. “Depends who’s asking.”
I stare. “I’m, Johnny.”
Her smile spreads. “Oh, well, name’s Miss Audrey. Nice to meet you, handsome.”
I step closer. “Do you know if she left?”
Miss Audrey exhales smoke in a slow, practiced stream. “Well now, let me think. She and that pretty blonde friend came giggling down the hallway not twenty minutes ago. All dolled up. You should’ve seen Cassidy. That dress? Mercy.”
I rub a hand down my face. “Was there a guy with them?”
Her eyes sparkle. “Mmm. Tall one? Pretty eyes? Looked like he sells vacuum cleaners for a living?”
My jaw tightens. “That’s probably him.”
She nods, satisfied. “Yep, he was with them, some other guy, too. I’ve seen nothing but handsome men all night, it seems. Lucky day for Miss Audrey.”
“Do you know where they were going?”
She tilts her head. “Now, why would I tell you that when you’re clearly already in trouble?”
I let out a breath, trying not to growl. “Please.”
She softens, just a bit. “Some fancy party. That’s all I heard.”
I start to turn, but she calls out one last time.
“She looked really happy, Johnny. You might wanna ask yourself why she didn’t wait around for you.”
The door closes behind her with a soft thud, leaving me alone in the hallway with her words echoing. She left with him. I know exactly what I need to do. And exactly who I need to pay a visit to.
Naomi’s house is tucked into a crooked street just a few minutes away. I dropped her off one night after a late shoot.She’s the only person I can call a friend, and even that’s pushing it. I slam my fist against her door, and it swings open. She narrows her eyes, leans against the frame in a black oversized tee and a bag of chips in her hand.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“You going to the party tonight?”
She waves a hand, scoffing. “Hell no. I’m not going to that shit.”
She gives me a once-over, my ironed shirt, the mustache I combed for ten minutes, “I’m surprised you are. That assistant of yours got you whipped into shape, huh?”
Just the mention of Cassidy’s name makes my jaw clench hard enough to crack a molar. Naomi’s eyes narrow and light up all at once.
“Oh shit,” she says, grinning like a feral cat. “Let me guess, she’s going. But not with you. And that bothers you because you got it bad for little miss blue eyes. ”
I glare. “Yeah. What do you know about this Hugo guy?”
