Page 22 of Charm City Rocks
Fells Point is its typical Saturday-night obstacle course of humanity. Billy dodges an Uber, waits for drunk people to pass, smiles politely at someone’s dog. Police officers stroll by, keeping tabs. Couples hold hands. Someone is clearly smoking weed nearby. Teenagers speed across cobblestone on rented scooters that they will almost certainly crash.
The lights at Charm City Rocks are dim, because the place is closed, so he doesn’t notice Grady and his wife, Patty, standing inthe doorway until he’s practically on top of them. “Hey, Billy,” says Grady from the shadows.
Startled, Billy nearly trips over a crack in the pavement.
Patty is wearing her jean jacket over her favorite Dolly Parton for President T-shirt. “Got a sec, Billy?” Her voice is somber, and Billy gets that this isn’t happenstance.
Grady looks at his wife and then at the ground. “Patty, can’t we do this some other time? Tomorrow, maybe?”
“Grady, no. We went over this.” She’s taller than Grady, even more so than usual tonight, thanks to her wedge heels and the softball-size bun at the top of her head. “Billy, we’ve been trying to get on the same page with you about this apartment thing. You’ve been avoiding us.”
She’s right. He feels bad for ducking them, but he chalks it up to denial.
Down the block, people are gathered outside the Horse You Came In On, as if at any moment Margot Hammer might return and blow the place up again.
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am about all this,” says Grady.
“Will you stop apologizing?” says Patty. “It’sourbuilding, Grady, and this isourbusiness.”
“It’s okay, G,” says Billy. “Patty’s right. I’m here. Let’s talk.”
People walk around them on their way to and from bars, and Patty sighs. “You’re a good friend, Billy. You always have been.”
“Agreatfriend,” says Grady.
“But this is a good opportunity for us. And your lease expired like ten years ago.”
In truth, Billy never had a lease. He and Robyn signed a napkin once, but that was mostly a joke and probably not legally binding. “I get it,” he says. “But does the neighborhood really needanothercoffee shop?”
“It’s a new revenue stream for us,” Patty says. “Musicdownstairs, coffee and pastries upstairs. Little sandwiches, too. We’re still working out the details.”
“Charm City Grinds,” Grady says. “Get it? Synergy. You can come by whenever for a coffee or a fancy latte. On us.”
Patty puts her hand on Grady’s shoulder. “We’ll discuss that.”
Through the front window, Charm City Rocks looks ramshackle in the low light. “Aren’t record stores dying?” Billy says. “How can you be expanding?”
Grady smiles at Patty. “Well, funny thing is, we’re doing really good. Records are cooler than they’ve been in years.We’recooler. What’s old is new again, right?”
“Maybe it’s just a trend,” says Patty. “But we’re gonna capitalize on it.”
“There are other apartments,” says Grady. “Maybe you can find a new place around here. Somewhere even better.”
It’s a nice thought, but heartbreakingly naïve. All three of them know that Fells Point is mostly luxury condos now, or tiny row houses tucked quietly away from everything that Billy loves about living here. His apartment is one of a kind.
“I’m sorry, Billy,” says Grady, and this time Patty doesn’t scold him for it.
Gustavo catches Billy’s eye from Hot Twist. Oblivious to what’s happening, Gustavo smiles, then gives Billy the finger. Daquan drums down the street, and people shout and laugh and sing. “Yeah, G,” Billy says. “I’m sorry, too.”
Part 2
Cardi Party
Chapter13
Billy is late. Which is why he’s running, kind of, across the shadowy Ruxton Academy parking lot in northern Baltimore. He isn’t built for speed, and he smoked in his twenties, so his shoes sound like anvils on the pavement, and he’s gasping more than is reasonable for a forty-five-second jog. He weaves between BMWs, of which there are many, and a few Land Rovers. He hip-checks a silver Jaguar as he rounds a corner heading for the entrance. The alarm chirps out a shrill little warning.
His lessons ran until six, then he decided he should probably change, because he was wearing a Sex Pistols T-shirt, and you shouldn’t have “sex” written across your chest at parent-teacher night. Then, of course, the Champagne Supernova chose tonight to be difficult. Traffic was snarled in its usual places, too. These are reasonable excuses across the board, but Billy is preparing himself for the look that Robyn will give him.
