Page 39 of My Infatuation with Isabella

IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, she said she works atBowled Overat night. I’m not sure if she’s working tonight, but I’m here. I told my wife I wanted to stay at home tonight. I told my wife I’d be sleeping by eight, but it’s eight o’clock and I’m not at home. I’m not in bed. Instead, I’m here, and I’m fucking cringing inside because I’m here to see another woman.

I walk inside and I’m greeted by a culmination of sounds. Loud music. Pins falling over. Rowdy men yelling with excitement. It’s not packed, but there are still quite a few customers. I find a quiet booth right at the back and sit there in the shadows, far away from all the action. My eyes scan the place from the bar on the right to the shoe counter on the far left. A few employees are scurrying around, wearing the very unflatteringBowled Overuniform. A beige shirt with a maroon collar and breast pocket. It matches all the décor in this place. It’s so tacky.

I don’t see Isabella anywhere, though, and I cringe once more when I realize that I want to see her. My palms are stinging with restlessness, and I’m so edgy just waiting...and waiting.

“Yo, Isabella, bring that sweet ass over here with another round of beers, will ya?”

“Sure thing, Dave.”

My eyes are immediately drawn in the direction of her voice. I spot her at the bar and my heart.

Just.

Stops.

She’d been there the whole time, but I hadn’t recognized her because her hair is so short now. It’s cut in an asymmetrical bob where the left side is longer than the right, though her curls make it look wild and messy. She comes out from behind the bar a few minutes later, carrying a tray with six beers to the group of men playing on lane #5. She twirls and dances on the way there. She twirls and dances as she serves them, offering a playful smile as she puts a beer in front of each of them.

I see the way they watch her, the way their eyes eat her up. I could call them sickos or perverts because of the way they’re ogling her, but I can’t judge them...because I’m doing the same thing. Only Isabella Diaz can turn something as unflattering as theBowled Overuniform into a vision that makes grown men salivate. She’s tied the ends of that ugly shirt into a knot and left the top two buttons undone, her sexy cleavage on full display. Her curvy ass fills out those skinny jeans in all the right places, and I’m not surprised that white sneakers complete the look. By the many eyes that are tracking her as she moves around the room, I know that I’m not the only one who notices her sex appeal.

One guy stands up and pulls her into his arms. “Dance with me, gorgeous.”

“No, no.” She subtly frees herself from his grip and wags her finger at him. “I told you no touching, Jerry.”

“It’s just one dance,” he argues, taking her hand again.

“The wayyoudance incorporates a lot of touching.”

I lightly thump my fist on the table and reason with myself to not get involved. She’s a very attractive woman. Guys are going to hit on her. It happened in high school. It’s bound to happen now. It’s nothing that should concern me. But then I watch this dude follow her back to the bar after she just told him no. He catches up to her, slipping his arms around her again, and that’s when I feel my temper start to rise.

“C’mon, don’t be like that,” he pleads. “All I’m asking for isonedance.”

“But that’s a lie.” She places her hands on his chest to stop him from getting closer, but he still doesn’t let her go. “You don’t only want one dance, and we’ve been through this a few times before. I have a boyfriend. I’m sorry, Jerry, but I’m just not interested.”

“I’m not stupid. I know you don’t have a boyfriend.”

“I do. And he’s the possessive type, so if he finds out about this, he’s gonna pummel you into the floor. Do yourself a favor and leave me alone.”

Keeping my eyes on them, I resolve to give him five more seconds to back off.

Jerry just laughs it off. “Okay. What’s his name?”

She falters. “It’s...it’s Jasper.”

I’m not sure why, but hearing that sets something inside me at ease. I think I may have lost my shit if she’d saidDiego.

Jerry laughs harder. “Jasper?”

“Yeah, Jasper. Big, tall guy. He comes here all the time. You must’ve seen him around once or twice.”

“Very creative.” Jerry locks his arms tighter around her. “Alright, well, I’m sure your imaginary boyfriend is very scary, but?”

“He is,” I say from behind him. “Now, get your fucking hands off her.”

I don’t know who’s more surprised to see me standing there, him or her. She freezes, her lips parting to take in a silent breath. I remove his arm from around her waist with more force than necessary and lightly shove him back a step. I stare him down for a few seconds, daring him to say something. He can probably tell by the expression on my face that it would be dangerous for him to argue because he skulks away without a word of protest. And then it’s just the two of us staring wordlessly at each other.

Seeing her up close is an entirely different experience from seeing a video or watching her from the shadows. I don’t know if it was time or resentment that distorted the memory of her in my mind, but I don’t remember her being so...beautiful. The deep burgundy on her lips matches her shirt and makes her caramel skin look smooth and soft, so soft I’m already itching to touch her. Those topaz eyes entrance me, and I can’t speak for a solid minute. All I can do is stare.

She’s the one who eventually breaks the silence. “This is my job. I deal with men like Jerry every night. I can handle them myself.”

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