Page 66 of The Promise Of You

twenty-one

Chloe

Shoshana, Corine, Abby, and I all go to Game Night. We had an okay evening for a weekday. Corine handled some walk-ins, I told Shoshana to turn the rest away without telling Corine, and dinner service went without any yelling or dishes returned or any other glitches.

We were closing the restaurant when the twins, Ryan and Trevor, showed up saying they heard we needed help with clean up since “the ladies” were going out. No questions asked, we left them with David and Eric and headed out earlier than planned.

Cassandra’s lingerie boutique is like a mini art gallery dedicated to showcasing the woman’s body. I’ve eyed it a couple of times already, but tonight we enter through the back door, which leads us to a hallway with the most extravagant she-living room on the left.

A number of women in varying states of tipsiness are sprawled on white couches, their pedicured feet propped on golden tables, twirling girly drinks in their hands, laughing and mock arguing about some version of a game of Clue.

“Yayyyy! The restaurant gang! You made it!” Haley shrieks and hurls herself at us. “Get them something to drink! Get them a foot massage by a hot guy! Get them…” She turns around and lunges to a mirrored bar in the back. With steadier hands than I would have credited her for, she starts mixing drinks for us.

I’m introduced to everyone, and minutes later we’re plopped in adult versions of the bean bag, our feet are bare—but no hot guys to massage them—and the whole room stops its chatter when our hostess, Cassandra, says, “I am elated that you and Justin are going to be working together. I cannot wait to see what you come up with. There’s nothing like the creative sparks that fly when inventive minds join forces.” She turns her attention to a group of women lined up on a couch, one of them Grace. “Alex!”

A young woman with long, honey-colored hair perks up. “I know you just came back, and thank god for that, but—would you be able to film these two working on the new signature dish for the fair? A sort of making of?”

The woman named Alex leaves her friends to crouch next to me. “I’d love to. I’ve heard so much about you already. When are you and Justin working together?”

“I—I’m not sure… We might…” The room is dead silent. I glance at Cassandra, who’s looking at me intently. “I might have been roped into something I’m not sure I can handle. I was fine working with Shane, but Justin, I don’t know.”

Cassandra smacks her lips. “I think I know where you’re coming from. Justin was rude—"

“Justin?” Alex exclaims.

“Girl, you missed some action,” Grace says, and Haley uh-hunhs.

“Justin was rude to you,” Cassandra resumes, “but you need to keep that door just a crack open. Give him a chance.”

“He hasn’t really apologized.”

“But he punched Samuel in the nose, and there was blood everywhere,” Corine cuts in.

A few gasps come from the audience, from those who aren’t twenty-four-seven logged into Echoes. There’s no way that’s not in there.

“Is he pressing charges?” someone asks.

“Nothing on the police blotter yet, and no radio chatter about that either,” one of the older women says. “Looks like no one bothered calling it in,” she adds, looking at Corine, who raises her hands as if to say, I don’t want anything to do with it.

“I don’t think punching someone in the nose counts as an apology, Corine,” Cassandra brings the topic back to where she seems to want it.

“Wait. I’m missing pieces of the story,” Alex says. “Why would this have anything to do with an apology?”

“Because,” Corine swoons, “you should have seen him.”

A lengthy account of my rescue from the walk-in cooler follows, after which Cassandra asks me, “Did he ever formally apologize for what happened at the pub?”

“Days later, he said, ‘I apologize.’” A disappointed chorus answers me. “And that’s only because he… we… bumped into each other.”

“Yikes. I wouldn’t settle for less than an extravagant bouquet of flowers,” Haley says.

Grace and Shoshana and others I don’t remember the name of approve loudly. Corine is beaming.

“But what happened?” Alex asks, getting frustrated.

“He’s been totally out of control since he went to Boston. Before he knocked out Samuel, he yelled at Chloe.”

“Our Justin? He’s the sweetest man on earth,” Alex says.

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