Page 58 of Imperfections Seduced
He gives me a big grin and a wink before he turns around and walks up the stairs to the third level of the club.
An hour and a half later,Ava and I have done way more shots than we should have. We dance some more in front of our table, because our guards won’t let us get too far out of their sight. Since we couldn’t get on the dance floor, Ava made them her dance partners, which is hilarious because you can see they want to dance but they have to stay still because they’re on duty. She’s definitely giving them a serious case of blue balls.
At one point Ava jumps up on the table and does some tricks of her own on the stripper pole, and my ass is so drunk I jump up there too, and she shows me a trick or two. In mid-spin I have a sudden urge to use the bathroom, again. Drinking really makes you have to pee. I jump down as carefully as I can, wobbling in my stilettos that feel like stilts now, and let our guards know where I’m going so they don’t think I’m trying to escape.
Nick
Chris and I meet upwith Jay and Shawn at a bar near the Barclay center, in downtown Brooklyn. The four of us are sitting at the table drinking our beers watching the Knicks struggle to keep their one-point lead on the big screen. I’m trying to concentrate on what they’re talking about, but my mind is on Cat and Ava. Where the hell did they go? I hope it’s not some crazy-ass broke down club they went to.
Ava can get a little out of hand if she starts drinking too much, and if Cat’s drinking with her, that’s not good. Hopefully, Cat will remember what Chris drilled into her head back in college: two drink maximum, always be alert, and know what’s going on around you at all times. Yeah, I doubt that’s happening with Ava around.
“What’s up, Nick?”
I look up at Shawn from across the table. “Nothing, drinking my beer.”
“I know that, but you haven’t said much all night.”
“Yeah, man, what’s up? Is my sister busting your balls about the wedding?” Jay asks.
Here we fucking go.
“No, she’s not.”
“You’re getting married to Cat and you didn’t tell me? Damn, you work fast, she just came back!” Shawn says.
Great, one more person I have to keep from opening their mouths about this fake-ass marriage. I clear my throat and wrap my hands around my ice-cold beer mug. I’m getting heated, and I need to cool down. I take a mouthful and swallow it down. Chris must figure I’m not going to answer, so he answers Shawn’s question.
“He’s not marrying Cat. He’s engaged to Kate.” He makes a face at Shawn and shifts his eyes back to me.
“For real, man? I didn’t see that one coming. I’ve never even seen you guys talk.”
Chris rolls his eyes up and taps the side of his mug. “They’re engaged, so obviously they must talk.”
“I’m just saying. I guess things are different now…congratulations.” Shawn holds up his glass to me, takes a long drink, and gives me a lopsided grin.
Don’t worry, Shawn, I’m thinking the same thing you are: How the fuck did that happen?I can’t say thank you because I have nothing to say thank you for. Instead, I raise my mug toward him, nod my head, and take my last drink.
“You know, Nick, for a man that’s newly engaged, you don’t seem like you’re too happy. I remember when Vanessa and I first got engaged, I was so happy I felt like I’d won the lottery. I know every man is different, but I’m not seeing any emotions from you. What’s up with that?”
Jay is pissing me off. If he has something to say to me, he should come out and say it. If it wasn’t for Cat, I would tell him what’s really going on between me and his sisterwith this fake engagement. “You’re right; every man is different in the way they choose to show their emotions. I don’t go around beaming and radiating light when I’m happy. In all the time that you’ve known me, have any of you ever seen me overcome with happiness and joy to the point it’s radiating out my ass? Chris, have you ever seen me radiate?”
Chris puts his beer bottle down and leans forward, with his hands folded on the table. Chris turns his head to Jay then back to me with a lazy smile, shaking his head no. “I can honestly say I have never seen that, but I would like to. Shawn, have you ever seen Nick radiate happiness?”
Shawn puts his hand on his chin and, looking at the three of us, says, “Nah, not even in high school when we kicked ass on the football team. We were badass. The closest I’ve ever seen him come to radiating is the last game he ever played in before he quit the team. I would like to see you shine like the sun. I would pay money to see that—it would be like cracking a code.” Shawn and Chris smile, taking another drink of their beers.
Jay’s eyes are fixed on me, beer in hand, and he’s not smiling. “I’ve seen you smile before, Nick. I’ve seen you happy, having a good time. When we used to hang out with all the guys with Chris and my little sister…Cat.”
He says it like I don’t know she’s his little sister. “I know who Cat is. Where are you going with your line of questioning? What do you want to know?” I stare at him, maintaining eye contact, so he knows I’m not going for this shit. If he’s looking for truth, I’m going to give it to him. Seeing the growing tension between us, Chris intervenes.
“Guys, this is supposed to be a night out with the guys, having a few drinks and a good time. Jay, back off—we didn’t come here to talk about Kate or their engagement. That’s none of our business; the only person that should beworried about the emotions he’s showing toward his engagement is Kate.”
“She’s our sister, Chris; that gives me the right to be concerned whether or not she’s happy with this engagement. She doesn’t seem happy.”
“Why is it you feel the need to be concerned about what’s going on with Kate and me? All these years, I haven’t seen you really care about what goes on in Kate’s or Cat’s personal life. I’ve never heard you once mention any of Kate’s past relationships, but I have personally known some of the guys she’s dated. They hardly know you, so why are you all up my ass?”
“Because I know you.”
Shawn sighs and knocks on the table with the bottom of his fist twice to get our attention, but we still don’t break eye contact. Our eyes are locked and tense.
