Face the Music (27 page)

“What do you mean?”

“He knew I wasn’t interested.”  I told her about how he’d overheard my conversation with Emily.  “B
ut he kept after me
.  Why?  He could have anyone he wanted. 
Why chase after someone who doesn’t want you back? 
It doesn’t make any sense.”  I shook my head.  “
W
hy me?  I’m nothing special.”

“Geez, Allie, take a Prozac.  Maybe that’s what interested him in the first place- you being so unaffected and all.  You’re different.  You didn’t throw yourself at him.  I bet it was a nice change of pace.”

I thought about what she was saying as I counted out a stack of Petri dishes.  “So this
has all become a game to him?  H
e’s the hunter, and I’m the unwilling prey?
  And he won’t stop until he has me drooling
all
over him?
”

She frowned.  “No, that’s not what I mean-”

“But it would make sense, wouldn
’t it?”  It made a lot of sense, actually.

The autoclave dinged
.  I pulled the scalding hot beaker out and set it on the counter to cool.

“What are you doing tonight?”

“Nothing.  Antonio’s sick, so I’ll probably heat up a frozen dinner and vege out on the couch.”  Antonio was Lauren’s husband.

“I’m going over to play cards with some people, wanna come?”  I told her where and when but left out the who.

“Really?”

“Sure, why not?  Sounds better than
chewy chicken
and soggy corn, doesn’t it?”

***

It was almost eig
ht-
thirty by
the time we got to the hotel.  Lauren
stopped in her tracks and
caught my hand
when C
ynthia walked past.  “Allie? 
Who
exactly
are we playing with?”

I squeezed her fingers.

Jake caught my eye from across the room and rushed over.  “Hey, you made it!” 

“
I did. 
This is my frie
nd, Lauren.  Lauren, meet Jake.”

“Hi, Lauren,” Jake said as they shook hands.  “I forget that Allie has a whole life outside the studio.  Nice to meet you.”

“You, too, Jake.
”  She raised her eyebrows at me and, when Jake’s head w
as turned, mouthed,
He’s cute
!

Jake nudged me.  “We’re putting another table together.  You want in?”

I gave him a playful look.  “Are you ready to lose?”

He nearly dragged me across the room.  “Bring it
!”   He pulled a chair out and
motioned for me to s
it.

Lauren sat beside me, and Jake and three others joined us at the table.  The six of us were soon involved in a serious game of Texas Holdem’.  My luck started off poor- I was down by nearly twenty bucks, but then things changed.  I received a ten and an eight in the hole, and the dealer laid down two tens, an eight, a king, and a jack.

Bets were placed and the battle was on.  It was several minutes before everyone but Jake and I had folded.  A crowd of onlookers gathered around the table. 

Jake gave me a flashy smile.  “Sorry sister, you lose.”  He revealed his hand- a nine and a queen.  “Nine-ten-Jack-Queen-King makes a perfect straight.”  He stood up and reached for the pile.

I put on my best poker face and scratched my head.  “Um, Jake, it’s been a really long time since I’ve played, but I think a full house beats a straight, doesn’t it?” 

His face fell
as I fanned my cards out in front of m
e.
  The people who were watching us laughed, and a few of them slapped Jake on the back.

I was up
nearly fifty dollars when we stopped for a break.  I grabbed Lauren and headed towards a pair of overstuffed chairs in the corner. 

“I can’t believe you brought me here without warning me first!” Lauren complained.  “Look at me, I’m a nervous wreck!”  She held
up a
trembling hand to illustrate.
  “And I’m wearing sweatpants, for crying out loud!”

“Now you know what I go through every day,” I laughed.  “What do you think?  Are they anything like you expected?”

She peeked around the side of her chair.  “You were definitely right about one thing.  Chris is b
etter looking in person than I
ever could have
imagined.”

“Yes, he is,” I said, turning to look.  He had just finished his game and stood up from his chair.  He stretched his arms up over his head, yawned, and looked at me. 

“Oh jeez, here he comes.”  Lauren smoothed her shirt over her pregnant midsection and ran a hand through her hair.

“Hi,” he said, looking at me and then at her.

“Hey!  This is my friend from school, Lauren.  Lauren, you know Chris.”

She looked at him and made a genuine effort to keep her mouth from hanging open. 
“I sure do, and I have to admit
,
I’m a huge fan.  It’s great to meet you in person.”

Chris knelt down between our chairs.
 
Looking at Lauren conspiratorially, he said,
“So
tell me,
exactly how good of friends are you
?
  Are you more of the tell-all type or
just
the occasional
study-buddy
?
”

Lauren
returned his smirk
. 
“I
proudly
hold the
official
title of B
-
F
-
F.
”

“
Perfect
! 
Then maybe you can talk some sense into her,
” he winked at me.  “Help her…
uncomplicate
things.”  He
stood. 
“I’m gonna go grab a beer, you two want one?”

Lauren patted her big, swollen belly.  “I’ll have to pass.  But a bottle of water sounds divine.”

He laughed.  “Okay.  Allie?”

“I’m good, thanks.”

He walked off, and Lauren turned to me, her eyes bright with mischief.  “Not a word,” I said, pointing a finger at her.  I knew exactly what she was thinking. 

“I don’t know how you do it.”

“Do what?”

“Act so uninterested.  If I wasn’t married, I’d be all over that.  Have you seen those arms?
”
 
She turned to peek at him.
  “
A
nd his yummy, tight little buns?
”

“Lauren!”

“What?  Nobody said I can’t look.  I may be married and pregnant, but I’m
certainly
not blind.  And neither are you.”

Chris reappeared with a cup of green beer and a bottle of water.  “Ready for another round?  I think they’re getting ready.”

We played several
more hands
, and I all but lost my winnings from earlier.  Chris and Jake played aggressively.  They seemed to really have it out for each other.

“Damn!” Jake complained when Chris revealed another winning hand. 

My pile o
f chips dwindled before my eyes. 
Jake frowned when I stood up.  “Where’re you going?”

“It’s after ten.  I have school tomorrow.”  I turned to Lauren.  “What do you think?  You ready?”

“I think I’m great,” she said, reaching for
her
winnings.  “You go ahead. 
I’ll stick around here for awhile.  I haven’t had this much fun in ages!”

Jake shook his head
at me.  “It’s not that late.  S
tay awhile.”

“I can’t.  Besides, I’m out of money.”

“Here, take some of mine,” Jake offered.

“No, really.”

“But-
.”

“Oh, let her go.”  Cynthia scowled from across the table.   “
The poor girl has to go home and get ready for school in the morning
.”  She laughed
,
but no
was paying attention
.

I didn’t give in. “I’m going to bed, okay?”

A flirtatious grin spread across Jake’s face.  “Need any company?” 

Chris cleared his throat from my other side.  Jake’s grin only widened.

“Goodnight, Jake.  Try to behave, alright?”  I looked at Chris.  “See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah.” 

I
gave Lauren a hug
and headed for the exit.  Cynthia caught up with me before I was out the door.

“Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?” she asked, flipping her
blonde
hair over her shoulder.

I sighed and secretly fantasized about her head popping off.
  I wondered what that would look like; would it be
gory,
like in the movies? 
Or would it just disintegrate into a fine, red mist?
“What?”
I asked, not holding back on my annoyance.

“
I just want to be clear about what’s going on here, okay?”

“What’s going on with what?”

“Oh, come on Allison, let’s not act like children here.”  I raised my eyebrows in question.  “Chris!  I’m talking about Chris.”  We both glanced at him.  He was still at the table
,
but looking in our direction.

“Wh
at about him?”

“Allie, honey, clearly you’re out of your league with that one.”

I couldn’t help the shock that spread across my face.

“Just don’t get your hopes up.  It’s perfectly natural for someone like you to dream about being with a guy like him, but it will never happen.” 

“What’s your point, Cynthia?”  Her lack of propriety was infuriating.  “You think you have a better shot?”

“Now don’t get mad.  You and I both know that you’re from different worlds.  Why would he be interested in someone like you, when-”

“-he could have someone like you instead
?
” I finished.

“Exactly.  Like I said, I’m just trying to help.”  S
he put her hand on my shoulder. 
I took a step back, shrugging her off.  Chris stood up.

“Who said I was interested, anyway?  We’re just friends, okay?”  My feelings were hurt
,
and
the tears were coming
,
but I forced them back.  No way would I let her see me cry.