Page 11 of Trusting You
Nora waved from her wrought iron barstool. “Over here, sweetie. I saved you a seat.” I sidled up next to her and hopped on the stool, stashing my purse underneath. “Wow,” I said, looking around and taking it all in, “this place looks incredible.”
Fran, the no-nonsense bartender and owner of the Whale, made her way over. Nora pushed my hand away and declared, “Cece will have a Moscow Mule and I’ll have another—you can put it on my tab.”
“Is that an actual copper mule glass?” I said, marveling at Nora. “What happened here?”
“Oh sweetie, Christian happened here. Or I should say Christian and Dante happened here.” They approached Fran about investing—she turned them down multiples times first, of course—and then they helped her renovate and market the place, and business has been booming. This place is full seven nights a week.”
As I sipped my delicious cocktail, Nora gave me the lay of the land. “Whitney Fields…oh my God, girl, stay away from her. She is an MLM zombie. If you make eye contact she will start shilling her weird ass protein powder and you will never escape. I’m surprised she isn’t handing out samples right now in this bar. Fran has kicked her out a few times for trying to make people shakes on the sidewalk outside. And don’t look to your left. It’s Lance Reynolds.”
“What? Lance from high school?” I crane my neck around to get a better look. I can’t believe he still lives here.
“Oh yes. And he is still as weird as ever. He comes here once every few months to prowl around and make women uncomfortable. One time I was here alone, and he came up and said to me, ‘you have the body of a stripper who let herself go.’”
I almost spit out my mule. “You can’t be serious. What does that even mean?”
“I think he honestly thought it was a compliment. Maybe he was hitting on me? But I told him to fuck off and left. I should have kicked him in the balls, but now that this is a classy joint, Fran gets mad when people start fights.”
I nodded, wiping my mascara and still laughing. “It’s crazy to see how much has changed and how much is still the same.” I was really worried about coming out tonight. But it was turning out to be fun. I had missed this place.
“How has it been so long? I feel like I see you all the time but always in the city.”
“Well, Xavier didn’t like it here. He said the town was weird, and he really didn’t like my mom. So we didn’t come up much. And I always told myself that I’m a big city girl and wanted to spend all my free time there.” And that was the truth. Deep in my heart I knew I was a city girl. But I did miss my hometown. Looking back, I should have come home for holidays and to visit in the summer. I missed my mom. I missed Maggie and Josh, and their kids. I could have left Xavier in New York, or better yet, kicked his ass out months ago.
“I get that. And I go to New York so frequently for buying trips that I guess I never stopped to think to invite you here.”
I was about to respond when I felt a commanding presence next to me.
“Cecelia Leary. So glad to see you again.” I looked up and was momentarily stunned by the piercing brown eyes and chiseled cheekbones of Lucas Kim.
His smile faded as he turned his attention to Nora. I watched his eyes slide up her body with a predatory gleam. “Nora.” He gave her a stern head nod and turned his attention back to me.
“Are you visiting up from New York?”
“No, I’m here to stay for a bit, hang out with family, decompress.”
“Well, we are thrilled to have you back. I am hosting a fundraiser for the women’s shelter this weekend at the Yacht Club. I hope you can come. The Haven Fire will be playing and we are raising money for such a good cause.” He gave me a panty-melting smile.
Originally opened in the 1930s during the depression to house women and children with nowhere to go, the Havenport Family Crisis Center had evolved over time into a full-service organization that offered housing, financial support, job training, and education to women and children who were survivors of domestic violence. My mother had been volunteering there for decades, and the community frequently rallied to help upgrade the plumbing or hire additional counselors whenever needed. Havenport threw birthday and graduation parties for the children who lived there. Our former mayor Burt always dressed up as Santa and handed out gifts at Christmas. I was a bit taken aback and impressed that someone like Lucas Kim was involved.
I gave him a friendly smile. “That sounds really fun, Luke. Since my mother will very likely not take no for an answer, I will most definitely be there. Nora, are you going?”
Nora looked up from her phone, which she was pretending to be fascinated by. “I wasn’t invited.”
Luke rolled his eyes and gave her a piercing stare. I fought the urge to fan myself. “Nora, everyone is welcome. Even you.”
“I’m probably busy.”
He took another step closer to Nora, putting them inches apart. “Too busy to help families in crisis and survivors of domestic violence?”
It began to feel more and more like Luke and Nora were the only people in the room and I was looking in through a fishbowl.
Nora didn’t respond. She just sat there shooting eye daggers at Luke. She sighed dramatically, making her ample bosom heave. It did not escape Luke’s notice. They were engaged in some silent, sexy war I did not understand.
I shoved her to snap her out of it. “We’ll be there, Luke. It sounds like a great cause. Havenport is lucky to have you.”
He leaned in, gave me a peck on the cheek, and disappeared back into the crowded bar.
Nora went back to pretending to be fascinated by her phone. “Um…are you going to tell me what that was about?”
