Page 82 of Absorbed

Stacey looked out the window. Embarrassed as she felt, she should thank Melissa for covering for her. She looked down at Mark. “Is he okay?”

“Mark? Yeah. He got dropped off here a while ago, but his shift’s not ‘til one. Seems okay though. I think everyone’s a little worse for wear. Jessie seemed like he had a rough night, too.”

Stacey looked at the floor. “What do you mean by ‘rough?’”Had Gabe also punched Jessie?

“Looked like he hadn’t slept. Angry. Or sad. I dunno.” Bob nodded at Stacey’s foot. “Why is your ankle wrapped up?”

“I twisted it in a gopher hole.”

Bob exhaled. “Well. I’m glad you came by. Takes a lot of courage to own up to your mistakes.” He leaned back, crossed his ankles on the edge of the desk and folded his hands in his lap. “You should go home and put that ankle up. Ice it. Hopefully it’s well-enough tomorrow to come back.”

She nodded, ashamed.

“You’re a smart kid with a lot of potential,” he said. “Don’t blow it, okay?”

“Thanks, Coach.”

Bob planted his feet on the floor, then turned back to his transistor radio and sports pages.

Lap swim ended and Melissa and Desiree came inside the guard shack.

“Oh, my God, Stacey!” Desiree ran over and threw her arms around Stacey. “Are you okay?”

“We were so worried when you never came back to Desiree’s house,” Melissa said, her hand on Stacey’s upper arm. “What happened?”

Stacey’s cheeks flushed. “I’m okay. My friend Gabe took me home.”

“You must have been soooo hung over!” Melissa’s expression was serious. She eyed Bob, then said under her breath, “I never should have given you that third shot. Or let you out of my sight.”

“I heard Jessie had a rough night. What was it like working with him this morning?”

Melissa crossed her arms and smirked. “He had exactly the kind of night he deserved. I never expected you to be so…” she eyed Bob again, “entertaining.Anyway, Jessie will be fine. He won’t be talking to us anytime soon, but he won’t have luck with any other girl, either.”

“We need a redo girls-night to talk abouteverything,” Desiree said, taking each of their hands. “Tiffany can come after she gets off from nightswim. Your stuff is still at my house.”

“I don’t know if I can. Let’s just say I wasn’t in the best shape when I got home. My mom won’t want me staying overnight anywhere or out late for a while.”

“We’re done at five,” Desiree said. “You want to come get your stuff from my house then?”

“Sure.” Stacey gestured toward Mark. “He didn’t drive last night, did he?”

“Oh, God, no!” Melissa shook her head. “He crashed at his buddy Derek’s house. We’re taking him to his car near Travis’s house after our shift.”

“Speaking of which,” Bob said. He stood and grabbed the megaphone from atop the filing cabinet. “Plug your ears ladies.”

Stacey got her hands to her ears a fraction of a second too late, as Bob pressed the siren on the megaphone.

Mark jolted his head to the side and squeezed his eyes shut.

Into the megaphone, Bob said, “Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty. It’s time to get to work.”

“Jesus!” Mark sat up, his eyes still closed with his hands on his temples. “Was that really necessary?”

“Maybe not. But it was fun.” Bob grinned like a little boy as he set the megaphone aside.

At 5:30 Thursday evening, Stacey rang the doorbell at Desiree’s house. She heard Belvedere’s deep bark, followed by the click of the lock. A woman opened the door. She had Desiree’s auburn hair and heart-shaped face but was much taller. Her makeup was classic, as was the chignon she’d twisted her hair into. She wore a creamy silk blouse, narrow slacks, and stiletto heels.

Stacey’s cut-off shorts, Birkenstocks, and bare face made her feel self-conscious. She tucked her blonde bob behind her ears.

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