So Different (20 page)

He rolled back in his chair, stood up, and walked out of the room. It was lunchtime. He walked back to his office and took a seat behind the desk. His dad’s office looked out into the street. He turned to face the window and his mind drifted to its chief occupation these days—Mariah.

He needed to formulate a new plan, but what could he do without vital information, like where she lived or her number? He was locked in an internal battle with himself, closing in on searching through his pop’s files. And you know what? She could have been more understanding, he thought more than a little irritably. He was the one that had just gotten out of one relationship with an unstable, crazy woman. It made sense that he wasn’t ready for another.

He’d gone back to the track only to have the old man tell him that the Brass Knuckles were done practicing for the season. The girls were taking some time off.

He’d tried Pinky’s one night. No luck there. So he was changing his search. He was going to locate his buddy Casper. He remembered that her team practiced on Monday nights at The Rail Yard, and should be practicing still. They had one final scheduled game against the Prissy Missies that they had to win.

He wasn’t sure what he’d do if Casper refused to help him. Was it too much to ask to have a chance to at least talk to Mariah, to explain his position and to see if they could somehow manage a friendship in addition to sex? Yes, he was now sure friendship he could do.

* * *

Second week in July – Monday night

He’d waited in his car outside of the Rail Yard. He’d become his ex. He’d seen Casper enter the rink ten minutes ago and had followed her in and found her standing around talking with her teammates.

Catching sight of him, she smiled and skated over to him. He relaxed for the first time in a while. Maybe this was his ray of sunshine at the end of the night—a tall six-foot lesbian who liked him. He smiled back and walked over to meet her.

“Dude,” she said, her smile widening as she skated to a stop in front of him. She laughed and he joined her after a second. “Bad, huh?” she asked, laughing again.

“Appears so. Where is she?” he asked.

“Around.”

“I thought you might help me,” he said, looking at her. “That you’d understand.”

“Understand what?” she said, laughter still present in her eyes.

“I just want to see her again, that’s all. I didn’t like the way it ended and I don’t want to leave it like that,” he said.

“Uh-huh. That’s it?” she said, examining him for signs of what?

“That’s it.”

“I’ll tell her you stopped by, then.”

“I’d like to talk to her personally.”

“Why?” she asked and sighed. “Look, take it from me and my experiences with Mariah. She could get serious about you. She’d never admit it, of course. So this would be the perfect time for you to get out, to leave her alone. Really, proceeding now would only open her up to more hurt. She’ll only want something more serious from you, and you don’t want that, do you?” He didn’t reply.

“In case that wasn’t clear enough for you, let me say it this way. You’re in a good place right now. A place where in all good conscience you can break if off and walk away; no harm, no foul. You two met, screwed. You didn’t promise her anything, she didn’t promise you anything,” she said. They stood there, both quiet.

“Don’t want to,” she said a few moments later, more statement than question.

He nodded. “No,” he said.

“Well then, you can reach her at her brother’s restaurant.”

“I thought her brother was blind,” he said.

“What? Blind people can’t manage restaurants? They can’t see, but he can still think,” she added.

“Mariah works there?”

“A couple of years back, she and her brother went into business together, Joshua’s Place. It was mostly to help him. She’s not interested in owning a restaurant, but it was what Joshua wanted, and Mariah wants whatever Joshua wants,” she said.

“So she’s a manager?”

“Waitress mostly, but a little bit of everything, including managing, bartending, whatever needs doing.”

He was silent again.

“Didn’t really know her at all, huh?” she said.

“Guess not,” he said, staring out into the night. “So why are you helping me?” he asked, turning his gaze on her.

“I like you. And I feel a little sorry for you. I’ve been in your shoes before.”

“Searching for a woman?” he asked.

“Clueless,” she replied and laughed. He grinned.

“Anyway, Mariah is working tonight. I’d try later on this evening. It starts to get slow around nine, and maybe she’ll have some time to sit with you,” she said.

“Where?” he asked, and watched her locate a pen and write the address on his palm.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me. You’re not home yet, Dorothy.”

“Thanks anyway. Your team going to win this year?” he asked.

“We always do,” she said, and they stood for a few minutes more discussing the upcoming match.

“Hope to see you there. Good luck,” she added as she watched him leave.

* * *

A shower and change of clothes later, Adam left his apartment. He had a general idea of the location of Mariah’s brother’s restaurant. It was in town, near his office. It was near
his father’s
office, he reminded himself; however, unconsciously he’d started to consider it his. He had begun to contemplate living in Austin. Couldn’t tell you when that had started. But it had.

Could he live here, he wondered, amazed again that he was seriously pondering the notion of settling down here, so close to his family.

Houston had remained an option, but not for the sole pursuit of money anymore—he wasn’t going back to that. He’d grown up in a family of givers. They had lived well, but had also helped others. The need to help others was a huge part of him. He would not subjugate it ever again, for anyone.

He’d done volunteer work at a neighborhood dental clinic in Houston, one that had provided low-cost dental assistance to those with huge needs and very little money. Plus he’d also helped out at the citywide dental clinics when he could. In the absence of that, he started this bartering at his pop’s practice. He loved it—his new way of helping out.

He hadn’t shared his new business practices with his pops, but he would. He also wondered if he couldn’t expand the practice to offer other low-cost services, perhaps join up with other dentists who were of similar mind. He’d give it some thought. It could be his way of challenging the world.

That had been another major difference and source of conflict between him and Jamie. She had continuously nagged—or, as she put it,
persistently encouraged—
him to quit. She wanted him to leave those people—those Latinos, those damn Mexicans—alone. He’d overheard her say that particular string of words to a friend and thought she’d been joking. He’d stayed hidden from her view and kept listening. She’d been serious. She’d said she knew what he was, but that she was willing to overlook that part of him for his income-producing attributes and the lifestyle that came with it. Mexicans were hard workers. Everyone knew that.

And what to do with that? The only thing he could do. He’d called it off. He was half of those people, half damn Mexican, his mother 100 percent full-blooded damn Mexican. He chuckled now at her reaction when he’d told her it was over, but it had hurt, and it was troublesome to think he’d been sleeping with someone who held disgust for a part of his heritage. It turned out she’d been crazy, too.

He cleared his throat. Marriage was for keeps. Look at his parents, for example. Of course he couldn’t marry her.

He turned onto the street of the restaurant, looking out for it as he drove slowly.

So Mariah was a caregiver. His thoughts turned once again to her working with the blind and taking care of her brother. It was all at odds with the tough, sometimes indifferent exterior she presented. He also knew her to be sexy, funny, intelligent, and competitive, and so not what he’d originally assumed.

Maybe they were more alike than he’d thought. He liked it here, liked being around his family, taking care of those around him when he could; not everyone had it good in this country. He had been blessed with parents who had taught him that.

He didn’t want to leave Austin just yet, and the work was only part of the reason. The last couple of weeks without Mariah also had an impact on his desire to remain here, however difficult that was to admit now. Of course it was more than sex, but he wasn’t sure how much more beyond friendship it could be. He’d come to terms with that fact, at least.

He spotted the neon green script that spelled out
JOSHUA’S PLACE
above the door of an old house that had been converted. A restaurant owned by a blind guy, unusual for sure. Hadn’t known that was possible. What he knew of the blind was limited to Helen Keller, but she had been a far cry from owning and managing her own restaurant.

The parking lot held a few cars; a good sign, he thought as his eyes roamed over the lot, finally spotting Mariah’s car.

Nice place. Homey
, he thought as he walked through an old screen door that covered a wooden door. He stepped into a small foyer and walked over to the counter that held a cash register and a small sign that read
WAIT TO BE SEATED.

Standing behind the counter was Mariah’s brother. He could see the resemblance. He was older than Mariah, but not by much, and wore a t-shirt and jeans. He was physically fit and handsome.

“Hello. Welcome to Joshua’s,” he said. “Are you here for a late dinner?”

“Yes.”

“How many in your party?”

“Just me, and I am actually here to see Mariah. I heard I could find her here. Is she your sister?” Adam asked.

“Yes. And how do you know her?”

“I’m her dentist. My father is her dentist, actually. I’ve been filling in for my dad. She came in one day and I’ve seen her at the derby,” he said.

“So you’re Mariah’s
dentist
,” he said.

“Yes.”

“Dude,” Joshua said, chuckling, “you’re not really friends. Mariah is just a place to rest your dick before you search for the next fiancée, or at least that’s what I heard.” He was silent for a moment and then laughed. “But that’s just the big brother talking. Don’t listen to him. We both know that Mariah is a big girl and she can take care of herself, so I won’t tell you to take care. Just don’t hurt my little sister. I don’t need to do that, do I?”

“Nope. Don’t think letting others run over her is her problem,” Adam said.

“Does Mariah’s dentist have a name?”

“Adam,” he replied.

“Nice to make your acquaintance, Adam. I’m Mariah’s brother, Joshua,” he said, extending his hand, which Adam shook.

“Follow me. Is there anyone behind you?”

“No. Just me.”

“Okay, then, come with me, ” he said, running his hand over the Braille seating chart in front of him. “Lucky you, Mariah is working tonight, so I’ll put you in her path. Sure you want to be there?”

“I’m sure,” Adam said.

Adam followed him as he made his way to the last table in the back of the room, a booth. He was surprised at the speed of Joshua’s movements.

“Have a seat,” Joshua said, and listened as Adam pulled out his chair and sat.

Adam was impressed, but kept those thoughts to himself.

“Well, at least you’re not one of her projects,” Joshua said.

“Projects?”

“Mariah is big on causes—the handicapped, the hurt, taking care of me, those she teaches at the school. She would turn into my mother if I let her, but I’ve had enough of women looking to rescue me, to take care of the wounded,” he said, a hint of bitterness in his words. “You’re employed, so you’re most likely not a project. That’s good for you.” He waited a second and added, “Mariah doesn’t sleep with her projects, either, so I should have known.”

“Where is she?” Adam asked, not quite up to discussing Mariah in this way.

“She’s somewhere around here. I just hired someone new. She’s here to train them. Sit tight. She’ll be here any minute,” he replied. “And I’d better get back to work.” Adam watched him walk back to the counter.

He saw her enter from the back, walk over to stand at the counter, before she strolled over to the register. She stood now talking to her brother. He knew when her brother had given her the news that he was here. Her head snapped around and her eyes met his.

He waited for a few minutes before she made her way to his table, her pad in hand.

“What would you like to drink?”

“Beer?”

“Do you care what kind, or is ‘beer’ your brand?” she said, and he laughed.

“Heineken,” he said.

“Be back in a second,” she said, turning around and walking away. He watched her move in her skirt, clunky boots, and t-shirt with
Joshua’s Place
printed across the front. She returned five minutes later and sat his beer on the table, transferring her weight to her left hip.

“Would you like something to eat?” she asked, going for the-I’m-not-affected-by-you stance.

“You’ve got how many jobs?” he asked, counting them off on his fingers. “Working with the blind, waiting tables, and you do derby?”

“I used to do you, too,” she said, smiling her fake smile.

He smiled back. He really had missed her and her smart mouth.

“I’d like a hamburger and fries,” he said. “Do you have time to sit with me?”

“Does it look like I have time to sit with you?” she said, watching as he looked around the room. It was mostly empty.

“Hadn’t pegged you as a waitress,” he said, again shaking his head.

“And what’s wrong with being a waitress?”

“Nothing. I’m surprised, that’s all.”

“I’m not surprised that you’re surprised,” she said.

He looked at her and chuckled. “Order my food and come sit with me.”

“Why would I do that?”

“You’re curious, even if you’re pretending that you’re not.”

“Fine,” she said, and then walked away. He sat back and followed her progress as she walked through the door. She was a pretty woman. She had auburn hair today, the closest to a normal color he’d seen so far. Her nose stud sparkled, matching the sparkle in her eyes. He’d missed her.