“She’s got a decent voice,” Albert says to me as she finally leaves the stage. “You could make a few bucks from a voice like that.”
“Find me a producer,” I reply to him. “I’m going to see my girl.”
I find her in the dressing room. She’s pacing up and down when I come in. “Did I do all right?” she asks.
“Better than all right,” I reply. “They loved you.”
“You can say I told you so now if you want.”
“Ready to go home or you want to stay for a drink?”
“I better go. If I stay here, I might burst with excitement.”
“Wouldn’t want that to happen.”
She gathers up her things. We head out the back door to the parking lot. My car’s waiting. We jump in the back and set off. I turn to look at her. She’s still smiling like she’s in a dream. “Wedding’s tomorrow night,” I tell her.
“Already?” she says, sounding shocked.
“How long did you think it would take?”
“It’s not that. I was hoping my parents could be there, that’s all.”
“I’ll have your father collected and brought to the venue.”
“Mom though. What am I going to tell her? I got married while you were in hospital? While you’re still grieving Jody?”
“You tell them this is a business deal. Don’t have to give them the details. You’re an adult. Your business is your business.”
“I’m not like you, Ricardo. I actually have some emotional connections to people.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You might not care but my mom will be crushed.”
“Can’t be helped.”
“There you go. There’s that empathy of yours again.”
“What do you want me to say? This is to keep you safe, not because we love each other.”
“I know that. I can still be upset about it though.”
“Focus on what you just did tonight. You did good.”
“Nice attempt at distracting me.”
She’s infuriating but wonderful. How have my feelings for her gotten so strong so quickly? I wonder if I could keep her for longer than a month. How about forever?
I know it’s a bad idea. She’s only marrying me for the money. I’m not an idiot. I don’t think she loves me.
I’m not going to be needy and ask her to stay. I never do that. I’m an independent soul. I don’t need anyone else in my life. I can do perfectly well on my own. I already told her I don’t do relationships. I don’t do connections. I do fucking and killing. That’s about it.
Still, it sure does feel good to have her snuggled into me for the ride home.
EIGHT
KELLY