Page 111 of Falling Backwards
He suggests, “Agree to disagree?About the rest of her, I mean?”Then his name rings out from beside us and he looks that way.“Ah, there’s my goddess!”
I watch him extend an arm to his girlfriend, who comes up with a glowing smile.
My smile is forced for her.For him, it’s nonexistent.
He opens his mouth to say something else, but I go first.
“Your remarks about Maggie have been unwelcome, to put it extremely politely.I’d appreciate it if you apologized.”
His girlfriend rubs at his chest with one hand.“What’s he talking about, honey?Who’s Maggie?”
Still too casually, he shrugs at me.“I don’t believe an apology is called for.I was just stating my opinions.And it’s not like I was flat-out rude and said them to her face.”
I plant my hands on the bar again and lean towards him.My eyes bore into his.“But you said them to her boyfriend.”
Fresh surprise hits him.
Things are quiet and unmoving for a few seconds while he hopefully realizes he gossiped to the wrong stranger.
Uneasily, the girl asks, “What’s going on?”
It’s still not my place to answer her, so I don’t.
Marcus ignores her again, too, as he asks me, “Oh,you’rewith her now, huh?”
“Big time.”
“Well….”He lets go of his girl and seems to outline the shape of Maggie in the open air with his hands.Then he tsks.“Have fun with all that.”
I tap the bar with my hands, then push away from it.“Yeah, and you have fun being an insufferable jackass.”
The girl gasps.His eyes bug out of his head and he stares at me, incredulous.
I feel no regret whatsoever.I’m perfectly fine with what I’ve said—happy with it, even.
Marcus explodes into insults aboutmeand my bartending job and says he’s going to hunt down my manager, but I’ve already started reaching under the bar for the phone so I can call Mr.Polk and tell on myself.
—
Maggie isn’t due at work until two, but she shows up a bit early, while I’m alone in the back room finishing my break.She called the restaurant a while ago to ask when I’d be taking it; she wants a few minutes to talk to me without work getting in the way.
I throw away my snack trash and watch her sit at the table I’ve been at, positioning herself sideways in the chair beside the one I’ve been in.Me sitting back down will put us closer together than she probably realizes, but I don’t move my chair even an inch before settling into it and angling myself towards her.
Yep, my thigh presses right up against her knees, which are covered in see-through black tights because she’s wearing a dress today.
I try not to dwell on my stirring urge to touch one of them.I bet that fabric feels pleasant, though undoubtedly not as pleasant as the skin underneath.Bet she’s somehow warm even though it’s cold outside.
Her ex is so fucking stupid,I think for the two-hundredth time since he went on his pathetic way.So stupid and shallow.I can’t believe him.
“So,” Maggie starts.
She hasn’t moved even an inch away from me either.
“So,” I echo.“How has your day been?”
“Nice.How about yours?”
“Nice, too, I suppose.Mostly quiet.”
