Page 56 of Love Resurrected
“Um, well, GPS says I’m on Forty-Seventh Street East.”
“What are you doing way over there?”
“I was on a date that went bad. I don’t have a ride.”
“Okay, I’m putting on my shoes right now, but I’m not hanging up until I get there, okay? What the fuck? It’s like, ten o’clock. Did your date just leave you there?”
She explains why she had to cancel all her credit cards today and can’t order a Lyft or call a cab.
“I can’t believe you don’t have emergency money stashed in your wallet,” I tell her as I pull away from my house.
“I will now, believe me.” She then tells me how Neil picked her up, and how the evening went, and how she left. By the time she finishes the story, I’m pulling onto the street she’s on, and angrier than I’ve been in a really long time. You don’t do that shit, especially not to women, at night, in strange neighborhoods with no transportation.
“He thinks I ordered a Lyft,” she says into the phone as I’m pulling up in front of her. I’m out of the truck before I’ve stopped and rounding the front to open the passenger side door for her. I get a whiff of her vanilla and coconut scent and have to stop myself from deeply breathing it in.
“Which house?” I ask of the three on the block.
“I don’t want you to do anything.”
“Which house, Tenley? I won’t ask again.”
She points to Neil’s and crawls into the cab. I slam the truck door and tell her to stay put and lock the doors.
Before she protests, I’m at Neil's front door.
“Open the fuck up, asshole!” I yell as I bang on the door.
“What the—” he says as he’s opening it. My fist connects with his jaw before we say another word. First, my right, then a follow-up with my left. One more from my right and he’s on the ground, cradling his head in his hands. I’m tempted to kick him while he’s down.
“Jesus Christ, Mathews, what the fuck?” he whines.
“I never want to hear about you calling or talking to Tenley again. If you even so much as look at her, I’ll fucking kill you.” I point at him as I yell, spittle flying from my mouth. It felt good to hit him. Really good.
“She’s the one who left. Plus, she’s a fucking tease, man. I didn’t do anything.”
The desire to kick him wins out and hear his moan of pain echoes through his entryway as my boot connects with the soft tissue of his abdomen. I leave without saying another word, slamming his front door behind me. Tenley stands on the sidewalk in front of his house, wringing her hands.
“I didn’t mean for you to hit him. I mean, he’s a dick and he deserved at least one hit. Come to think of it, I probably should have hit him. I can’t believe I didn’t. Are you going to get in trouble for—”
“Tenley, shut it,” I growl.
“Okay, but can I just say, that was a hell of a hit. Where did you learn to hit like that? Is that why you’re so buff?”
I stop walking and glare at her.
She stops as well, walkingandtalking, then pretends to zip her lips shut with her fingers.
We get back in the truck and she stays quiet for most the ride, except for giving me directions to her house. It’s in a great area and on a hilltop, so her view goes on forever. Had to cost a pretty penny. I head up her drive and park in front of the house, exiting the truck when she does.
“Did you want to come in?” she asks, surprised.
“No, I’m just walking you to your door.”
“Oh, okay.”
I wait until she has the door unlocked and a light on before I turn to leave.
“Brad?”
