Page 133 of Unhinged

Tanner’s bleary smile and glassy eyes land on my tits. “I don’t know. You tell me. I haven’t heard from you.”

“I’m sorry. It’s been a crazy week with both jobs. I’m here now. Can I get anyone a refill?”

“Depends on what you’re serving,” Tanner says, still checking out my rack.

“Um, okay. So, let me know.” Before I walk away, Tanner grabs my arm.

“Hold up, Simone. Why are you brushing me off? I’ve asked you out like three times, and you always have an excuse.”

“I think it was only twice, and I do have legitimate excuses.” I can’t lie. It’s my job or school, but if I told him it’s because I need to milk a cow, I will find fucking Old MacDonald and milk his goddamn cow.

Tanner clutches my arm and strokes it. His isn’t the touch I’d kill for. It feels wrong. “Come on. There’s a party Saturday night at a friend’s house near campus. Go with me as my date.”

I shake his hand free. “I’ll think about it, but I’m swamped.” I glance at our audience of his six friends, and only one looks sober.

He sits back with an irritable frown. “You’re seeing someone else, aren’t you?”

“I work Saturday night.” The earlier shift, but it’s the truth.

I notice Candi leaving since she’s done for the night, and I see Milt has already left. Harold continues to kill me with dirty looks. Amos is even too busy to be here. I’m so alone.

I avoid Tanner’s table, making them get their own beer. I’m not feeding into their drunkenness, and I don’t give a shit about tips.

After joining Harold in shooting me with venomous looks, about an hour later, they leave. Thank God. But while clearing their table, I see a cell phone. Damn it. I pick it up and go outside, where I see them gathered near the side of the building on the cement walkway. Most people smoke their cigarettes and weed there.

Wishing I had my coat, I fast-walk to the group, hating that I’m a good person, returning a phone. As I walk up to them, they all stop talking as if I’m giving a speech.

I clear my throat. “Someone left their phone.”

One brunette staggers forward and snatches it from me. “Thanks, hot stuff.” They all laugh, but Tanner grabs him by the shirt.

“That’s my woman you’re messing with, Rhodes.” I don’t think so.

Unable to keep my mouth shut, I say, “I’m not your woman.”

He shrugs. “Yet.”

“I know you’re drunk, but you’re being a dick.”

All of his friends jeer and mock him with high-pitched voices of me insulting Tanner.

“Oh, yeah? Well, you’re a cock tease.”

“Maybe because I don’t want your cock.”

He steps closer to me, but I don’t back down as I put my hands on my hips. “You keep saying you’ll go out with me, but then you come up with a billion reasons not to. You march around in tight jeans, short skirts, and low-cut shirts. You flirt with all the guys. You dance like you should be swinging around a pole. So, yep. Cock tease.”

“I guess you’re right. There’s only one cock I want, and it’s not yours.” More jeers and laughing erupt around us.

Tanner walks toward me like Greg does to trap me, only this time, I don’t go willingly. I push against him. “I’m out of here.”

“Oh, no way. You should apologize to my cock.” Fuck.

My heart races. “Go to hell.”

His friends laugh. That’s all they’re good for. At least they’re not trapping me too. I push on his chest, but he’s solid, and he traps me against a pole and railing to my right. His boozy breath burns my nostrils.

“I have to go back to work. They’ll look for me.” No one cares.

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