Page 17 of Kiss Away Your Pain (Wounded Hearts 2)

“Do you remember my purple butterfly purse?”

Destiny starts laughing. “The one you drew the mangled-looking Gucci logo on?” Candi nods with a huge smile pasted on her face. “Oh I remember it. An artist, you are not. Creative eye, yes. Artist no.” She looks at me. “We were quite the little fashionistas.” She turns and impersonates a model walking down a runway then turns and walks back, keeping her expression stone-like and exaggerating her steps.

Candi stands and struts toward her in her own sexy model-walk. As they pass each other, they nod, and continue walking, keeping serious expressions. When Candi reaches the point where Destiny turned around, she turns and walks back. Both of them erupt into bent-over laughter when Candi reaches us.

Once their laughter subsides, Candi sits back on her stool and sips her drink.

“Hey, what are you and Nicco doing Tuesday night? Is he in town?”

“I think he is. Why?”

“Well, it seems I’ve lost a bet with Enzo.” When she glances at me, the corners of her lips curl up. “And we’re going out. But I won’t go without you and Nicco. What do you say? Are you up for a double-date?”

“Sounds like fun.”

All the guests are now gone and Nicco joins us.

“Enzo, thank you, man. Great job today.” He reaches over the bar to shake my hand.

“You got it.” Gratitude fills me.

“Are we free to join Candi and Enzo on Tuesday night?” Destiny asks him.

He rubs his scruff with his hand. “Tuesday, yeah. Where are we going?”

Candi looks at me. “Someplace fun and casual?”

Nothing stuffy, got it. “I know a place. Great food and drinks. Cool atmosphere. Stage 2 Bar & Grill. Have you guys been there?”

“I’ve heard of it,” Candi says. “But I’ve never been there.”

Nicco and Destiny look at each other. “We haven’t. Sounds great. What time?” Nicco asks.

“Meet you there at six?”

“See you then,” Nicco says then looks at Destiny. I admire their adoration. I’ve never had a woman look at me the way she looks at him. Something tugs at me. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yup,” she says. “Do you need a ride home?” she asks Candi.

“No. You guys are going in the opposite direction. I’m gonna grab an Uber home, get some pizza, and probably go to bed early. Thank you though.”

Nicco leans in and kisses Candi on both cheeks then walks to the end of the bar and calls me over. He puts a hundred-dollar bill in my hand. “Thanks for today,” he says, shaking my hand, then looks me square in the eyes. “I got you this far. You’re on your own from here. Don’t fuck it up.” It’s not a threat or even a warning, rather a devoted statement of protection like a big brother would say.

“I won’t,” I say, the words are a vow to myself.Don’t fuck this up.

“See you Tuesday.” He slaps a pat to my shoulder.

Destiny loops her arm through his. “Thank you, Enzo.” She and her belly bounce happily off with Nicco.

I go back to cleaning up the bar. “Hey, how about I give you a ride home. I’d feel better than having you take an Uber,” I say, taking her empty glass.

She doesn’t answer right away. She just looks in my eyes.

“I’m a good guy. I promise. Nicco and Destiny trust me. Maybe you can too?”

She bites the corner of her lip. “Okay,” she says softly. Utter temptation, this woman.

“I’m almost done here. I just need to bring these glass-racks back then I’ll be ready to go.”

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