Fade In (20 page)

“Peaches.” I smile too. Stepping off the elevator I feel lighter than when we stepped on it.

The car is waiting, and Ben leads me right to the back passenger’s door, saying good morning to Ray. Ray is quiet and polite to a fault. That man is more punctual than a Rolex and makes the NYC traffic his bitch.

I love having a driver.

“Okay, I'll see you on Saturday. Six o'clock sharp,” Ben tells me, leaning in so that I can smell is cinnamon breath.

Nose to nose, we just look at each other.

“I'll talk to you tonight?” he says like a question, and I nod my compliance. “Okay then.”

At the same time we kiss each other on opposite cheeks and hold the touch a beat longer than one would classify as platonic.

“I'll miss you, Benny,” I say into his ear.

The man hummed. Literally hummed.

That warm feeling stays with me all day long and through one of our best shows to date. I'll also add that three people told me I looked really good today, and the kicker is that I feel really good.

The show ends flawlessly. Winnie and Cooper decide to call it an early night and go on home, which is fine with me. I'm tired, and the weekend is going to be a busy one. So instead of going out with the rest of the cast and crew, I head home too.

Neil called for my car to pick me up outside in a few minutes, so I go down with Neil a few minutes early to wait in the warm night air.

When we hit the ground floor, I see Kurt before he sees me, which, let's be honest, doesn't happen for me that often. He's pacing in the lobby.

Neil, having ridden down with me, notices him too. “Do you want me to stick around, Tate?” Concern is obvious on his perfect-pored face.
I need a facial.

“No, I'll be fine. I'll just tell him I'm going home. Don't worry. It's just Kurt, Neil. He's not a bad guy.”

“I know. It's just weird that he's here. Do you guys still talk?”

“No, not really.” As we approach Kurt's earshot, I whisper reassurance. “It's fine. Really.”

“All right, girl. Goodnight. Good show. Are you coming in tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I'll probably come in early. Get a good jump on the Big Show for next week.”

“Okay, I'll be here at eight.” Neil winks and waves a civil hello to Kurt in passing.

I wait until Neil is out of the doors before saying anything, stopping in front of my ex-boyfriend. “Hey, Kurt. Whatcha need?” I politely smile. I don't have any bad feelings towards him, but Neil's right. It is a bit strange that he's here.

I never really texted him back after the bar fiasco, and he has called a few times since then. I just never know what to say, so I don't answer

“Can we talk?” He looks all right, and I've never been afraid of him. What could it hurt?

“Sure, but I've just got a second. I'm meeting someone.” I figure that's vague enough to get me out of any long, drawn-out heart-to-heart that, at the moment, I don't have the heart for.

“Who are you meeting? Winnie and Cooper? They can meet us. Are you going to Matty's?” Whoa, that's a lot of questions.

“No, actually. I'm meeting someone at home.” I read his instant reaction to my last statement and know that it was a big mistake. Why don't I know when to shut the fuck up?

“Is it
that guy
you were with the other night?” He starts to slightly bounce like he's getting hyped up. He isn't acting at all like the Kurt I know. I gather that he didn't like my answer and all, but
that guy
isn't really any of his business.

“Listen, I'm not upset about Matty's if that's what you're worried about. Everyone drinks a little too much every once and a while. Pete isn't even pissed about it. So let's just drop it.” I feel my phone buzz in my pocket, and I desperately want to grab it and see if it's Ben.

I put my hand in my pocket and reach for my phone. I see that it's Ray, and I'm instantly relieved. I don't think that Kurt will do anything messed up, but I also didn't ever picture him swinging at a guy with a pool stick. So what do I know?

Ray
: Everything, okay? I'm waiting in the car in front of the doors.

I say, “Excuse me,” to Kurt and quickly text Ray back.

Me
: I'm fine. Be right out.

“Is that him? Who is he anyway? Do you really already have a boyfriend?”

“No. That's enough! I don't already have a
boyfriend
and I don't really see where it's any of your business, Kurt. Actually, I don't really appreciate you just showing up at my job after a show like this either. What do you want? And make it quick. I have to go.”

Kurt moves to grab my phone. I feel him grab for it before I see him do it. Looking down to our hands that are now joined, I yank my arm back.

“I think we're done here. I'm going home.”

“Don't be a bitch, Tatum,” he venomously spits. “A bitch?” This is the Kurt that I was sort of expecting when we were dating. Funny that he was just waiting to show up after we went to Splitsville. What a piece of shit. I can't believe that I felt bad for the prick.

“Listen. We broke up. End of fucking story. I suggest you leave and don't come back here. You hear me? I don't want to see you again. Ever!”

I start to walk away, but he grabs my arm. It isn't even seconds before I see Ray walking through the double doors, and he looks murderous. His huge chest is puffed up bigger than I've ever seen and his dark brown eyes look black. When he gets closer, I can see a vein throbbing up the side of his forehead and across his bald scalp. We meet eyes and I silently ask for help.

“Hey, buddy. Why don't you let her go and back the fuck up?” Ray's growl echoes from across the lobby as he gains speed, heading towards Kurt and me.

“And who the fuck is this guy, Tatum? Are you so Goddamned blind you can't tell who you’re fucking anymore?” I'm frozen. It's the cruelest thing anyone has ever said to me. “Did she suck your dick yet, pal? She's at her best when she's on her knees.”

Kurt laughs and I feel sick. My stomach knots, and I don't know what to do. I don't know where to go. But I do know one thing and that is that Ray looks like he's going to beat the shit out of Kurt.

“Let her arm go. Now!” Ray approaches Kurt and doesn't look like he's going to stop. He might plow over him. Ray is a huge dude, and he's much thicker than Kurt. Right now I'd say Kurt is in deep shit. I'm just thankful that Ray's here.

“I'll let her go. I'll sure as fuck let her go! She's a fucking bitch and you can have her.”

That's all Kurt gets out before Ray's hand is around his throat. Kurt struggles for a second and then realizes he isn't going to win this fight.

“Ms. Elliott, do you want call security or the police? I think you should,” Ray says so calmly while holding Kurt's neck in his grip. Kurt's face is now bright red, and I'm sure he's going to pass out soon if Ray doesn't let go.

“Ray, you're going to kill him. He can't breathe.” I'm not so much worried about Kurt as I am Ray. I don't need this guy going to jail. We've only just had our first full conversation. And right now he is pretty much my favorite person to speak of.

“No, he'll pass out first. Police?” Ray's expression says, “Make the call.”

I don't know what to do. I don't want Kurt bothering me, but I don't want him to go to jail. Maybe this will scare him off.

Then I think,
Fuck him,
and dial 911.

After I tell the dispatch lady what my emergency is—and that it’s currently not really an emergency anymore thanks to Ray—she tells me that a squad car is on the way and that if we can hold him there until the police show up they'll take care of it.

Seconds later, the building's security guards bail out of the elevators and come straight for Ray and Kurt. Ray must have let up some, because Kurt is still conscious.

“Ms. Elliott, are you all right? We just got back to the watch room when we saw the end of this,” says a security man I recognize but don't know by name.

“Yeah, I think I'm fine. He just grabbed my arm. Ray, my driver, saw what was happening and came in.” By the time I get the words out, the other two officers have Kurt on the ground and handcuffed.

“We'll give the police a copy of the video. We got everything.”

“Is he going to jail?” Why is that my concern? It isn't, I guess. But for some reason, I feel awful anyway. What happened to make him so crazy?

Is he drunk? He didn't smell drunk.

“Probably. At least for questioning. You'll have to ask the police officers. They might want you to go down to the station, too.”

This sucks. I just wanted to go home and call my hot personal assistant, and now I've been manhandled, verbally assaulted, and a witness to a near death by choking. And I have to go down to the motherfucking police station?

Bullshit. Complete bullshit.

Thankfully, the police take my statement right there in the lobby after they put Kurt in a cop car. Turns out that he is going to jail whether I like it or not. The tape looks like an attempted robbery, and even if I dispute it, they maintain that he was trying to take my phone and he got physical.

Way to fuck yourself, Kurt. You did this one all by yourself.

Ray gets his own line of questioning and is released on the spot. Apparently, he comes from a family of cops and they pretty much thank him for stepping in when he did.

On the way home, Ray insists that I sit up front instead of way in the back by myself. I do, and it's kind of nice. We talk for the twenty minutes it takes for us to get across town in the night traffic. Ray is divorced with two little boys. They're cute. He shows me pictures, and they both look like little versions of him.

When we reach my building, he asks me again if I'm okay, and I tell him again that I am. I'm also hoping that it's true. I mean, I wasn't really hurt. It all happened so fast. What's really bothering me are the things that Kurt said.

He was so callous. He was trying to hurt me, and unfortunately, he did.

It is after ten thirty when I finally walk through my door and I go straight for the shower. After taking my shirt off, I notice the mark that Kurt's grip left on my arm. Charming. That will look great with the pretty dress I was planning on wearing to Winnie and Cooper's couples shower.

On my second date with Ben.

I want to talk to him. I shower fast. Breakneck speed.

It's lovely that I'm so used to my bathroom that I don't have to worry about bumping and knocking into things in there. That's when you're most vulnerable, and naked and klutzy don't mix well. Trust me.

After drying off, I don a long t-shirt, hop into bed, and dial Ben. He picks up on the first ring.

“God, Tatum, are you all right? Ray said Kurt is in jail. How's your arm? Why didn't you call?” He's almost frantic. His voice was loud, and it startled me at first.

“Shhh. I'm fine. I'm fine. Calm down. I just got home and out of the shower. Ray was there and I'm okay. I swear.” I try to sound soothing, but I nearly fail. Something about how desperate Ben sounds… He almost sounds injured himself.

“Are you really okay? Did he hurt you? Ah! I wish I were there with you.” He's upset, and I can't bear to hear one more person yell.

“Stop. Please. Just don't yell.” I hear my voice crack and take a breath to tamp down the emotions that waited until now to surface. “I'm fine. Can you please just talk to me? Please. Let's talk about something else. We'll talk about this later. Okay? Please?”

“Okay, I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you. I didn't mean to shout, baby.” His voice is instantly more gentle. It's the second time he's called me that, but it’s the first time I let it sink all the way in.

There is something that is so singularly romantic about a man calling you baby that it makes all of the shitty things of the day a little less shitty. It's nurturing and gentle. It's exactly what I need to hear.

Considering that he told me that he likes it when I call him Benny, I think maybe I should tell him that I like it when he calls me baby. Isn't turnabout fair play?

“I like it when you call me that.” My voice sounds a little small, but it's hard for me to say stuff like this. Vulnerability isn't my forte.

“Baby?” he asks.

“Yeah. Maybe not all the time, but sometimes it's nice.” His simple honesty is contagious, it seems.

“I like it when you tell me what you like.” His voice has tamed and returned to the calming sound that soothes me.

“All right. I liked it this morning when you held my hand and rubbed it with your thumb. I thought that was only in romance novels.”

“Really? That's easy. What else?” he cajoles.

Now
this
is how I wanted my day to end. This is what I craved. Just simple conversation. Me and Ben talking.

“I don't know. You tell me one.”

“I like it when you lick cream cheese off of your lips. Gets me every time.” I remember this voice. This is the voice I was talking to the first night on the phone. This voice could convince me to do anything.

“I liked when your shirt rode up your belly at the diner and I could see your happy trail. A lot.” I giggle, and he laughs with me.

“Mmmm, feel free to lift my shirt any time. I like the way your skin feels under my hands. It's the smoothest thing I've ever felt.”