Page 43 of Lace

The commotion died behind him. Night winds curled around his legs once more, and the darkness swallowed him up for the next few hundred yards as he walked quickly towards the squares of light pouring out through the residence’s main entrance. A stronger gust of wind whisked up his skirt and lifted the silk, baring his ass for a moment as he pushed into the building.

Inside, the electric hum of fluorescent lights and the stale smells of student living seeped into the chill and dissipated it. He let the door swing closed behind him and glanced to the desk where the night guard looked up. “Figured you’d show up here sooner or later.”

“Hey, Max.” Caleb smoothed a hand over the back of his skirt, making sure it had returned to its proper hang.

“Heard you looked mighty fine up on that runway. Thinking of a career path change?”

Caleb smiled. “Not in that direction. That gig takes way more stamina than I’ve got, I’ll tell you that right now.” He glanced upat the clock hanging on the wall behind Max. “Past curfew. You going to let me go up?”

“When have I ever got between you and your man, hmm? I heard about that bar fight a few weeks ago. And a mess in a certain piano practice room. Don’t suppose you would know anything about that?”

“Mess? Why would I know about a mess in a piano room? I’m a business major.”

“Mm-hmm.” Max shook his head and turned his attention to the monitors lining his desk. “If you say so.” He squinted at the monitors and leaned closer.

“What?” Caleb edged around the counter to get a better look at whatever had caught Max’s attention.

“Looks like your friend Larry Shank is getting his ass escorted off campus.”

“He’s not my friend. But… why?”

“Let’s just say my colleague, Reg, has no patience for harassment. They lay hands on another student without consent, he kicks them out.”

“They take classes here.”

“Maybe. Maybe not after he files his report. We’ll see.”

“Am I going to have to?—”

“Not if you don’t want to. Reg wouldn’t take this step if he didn’t have enough of his own observations to warrant it, so he won’t need you to do or say anything. But he won’t stop you doing what you have to for yourself either.”

“I don’t… know.”

“You don’t have to worry about it tonight. Now git your ass on up there before I change my mind.”

“Thanks, Max.” Caleb hurried towards the elevator but stopped before the closed doors and asked, “You don’t know what time Levi came back, do you?”

“You think I keep tabs on every kid comes and goes in this place?”

“Course you do. It’s your job. Besides, I know you pay more attention to some than to others.”

“Right. Like them that’s going to get their asses in trouble getting into fights and breaking onto school grounds in the middle of the night.”

“Yeah. Like those kinds of people. I’m sure they need extra attention. Maybe the ones who like to wear skirts when everyone thinks they shouldn’t, too.”

Max shrugged, reached for his coffee cup and took a sip. “Now can’t say I know anyone like that. Far as I can tell, anyone wants to wear a skirt, it’s a free country. Bustin’ people’s heads, that’s something I have to take notice of. Wearin’ a skirt?” Again, he shrugged. “Ain’t no law against that. Anyone wants to bust you up for it, they’ll find it’s tougher to get to you than they might think.”

“Why, Max!” Caleb gave the big guard a shallow curtsey. “That almost sounded chivalrous.”

“Yeah, well, someone’s got to keep the peace around here, and you seem to like tossing bullies on their heads, from what I can tell. Not sayin’ you shouldn’t defend yourself. Just sayin’, lots around here got your back, is all. Myself included. Now I’m done talkin’ to you. Git on up there and make things right.”

Caleb nodded.

His nerves flooded back as the elevator doors opened, and for a moment, his boots had him weighted to the floor.

“Go on.” Max made a shooing motion with his hand. “He ain’t gonna wait all damn night.”

“Right.” Tugging at the edges of the jacket at his waist, Caleb squared his shoulders and took the step forward. The first led to the next, then he was inside the elevator, doors closing and the machine whisking him upward. Now or never, and he alreadyknew he had to make things clear with Levi. Everyone around him, it seemed, knew he had to clear things up with Levi, one way or another. But he could still change his mind—go back down, try this another way. Maybe like Uncle Jase had, Levi could discover the depth of Caleb’s bent by exploring his closet. Or Caleb could wait and see what his reaction was to the show when he heard about it on campus and saw the videos. Or…

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