Homer’s phone started to ring. “Just… be careful.”
His words echoed in my skull. Be careful.
“And I’ll see you tonight, alright?” With that, he was gone. I could hear his muffled speech, as he answered his phone but nothing more than that.
Right. I had agreed to go to the new night club with Homer.
“Ugh…” I groaned out loud, already regretting my decision. Maybe there was some way I could get out of it but when I remembered the look of excitement on Homer’s face when I had said ‘yes’, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to leave him hanging. “Why do I always get myself dragged into these things?” I asked myself, as I resumed my game of solitaire and waited for my shift to end.
***
Later that night, I stood in front of my closet, trying to figure out what to wear. Most of my nightclub attire was from back in my college days and I doubted whether I could still fit into them. Sometimes, a couple of packed on pounds really make the difference.
But hey, I like the way I look now more than I did two years ago. Back when I was training for the Olympics, I was nothing but a twig. I had pretty much starved myself in order to maintain the weight that the coach thought was best for me. Now, I could eat everything I wanted (within reason) and I had grown into an hourglass figure.
I pressed a dress against my body and tried to envision what it would look like if I actually put it on. “Nah,” I said and tossed it onto my mattress.
Eventually, I decided on a little black dress made of stretchy material. I figured that it would be the most forgiving to my body type and I had figured correctly.
I could barely recognize myself in the mirror. I don’t want to come across as conceited but I looked good. I was totally feeling myself, when I heard the doorbell.
With my heels clicking against the hardwood floor, I went to answer it. Homer stood at my doorstep looking downright hilarious. It was hard for me to keep from laughing. He wore an oversized silk shirt that hung down to his knees. It was that tacky sort of red that kind of hurts your retinas to look at it. To top off the look, he was sporting some skin-tight leather jeans and when I mean skin-tight, I mean it literally. I could see every detail of his kneecaps and if his shirt hadn’t been so long, I was sure I’d see the suffocation of his package.
But the best part? His dazzling disco shoes. I swear, they were brighter than the sun on a summer’s day.
“I’m sorry, but what the hell are you wearing?”
He grinned and ran his fingers through his hair. That was another thing. There was so much product in his hair that it looked greasy. It was not a good look.
“This is what people wear to the clubs,” he said. “Just you wait and see, I’m going to be the best-dressed guy there.”
I nearly laughed out loud but I didn’t want to offend the guy. While I wasn’t particularly attracted to Homer, I couldn’t deny that he seemed a decent enough guy. One day, I was sure, he would make a girl very, very happy. That girl just wasn’t me.
“Just let me get my purse and we —”
Before I could finish my sentence, the sound of two motorcycles revving their engines echoed through the surrounding area.
“You’ve got to be a real knucklehead to drive like that,” grumbled Homer.
The sound got louder and louder. Curiosity got the best of me and I craned my head and saw the boys rounding the corner with brand new Harley Davidsons. My eyes widened with surprise and my jaw hung agape. They looked like a couple of bad boy bikers and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it but I did — a lot. Already, I could picture myself on the back, my arms tight around Landon’s body with the wind whipping through my hair. He would ride the straight and narrow while Roman would outshine us, occasionally popping a wheelie or performing some other daredevil stunt.
“What are these guys doing here?” asked Homer. It was clear, by the scowl on his face, that he wasn’t happy to see them.
“I have no idea. I didn’t invite them here or anything.”
“Well, I’m going to tell them that I’ve got a date with you tonight.” Before I could stop him, Homer was already halfway down my walkway, approaching the two hulking individuals. He looked miniature by comparison but nonetheless, he puffed out his chest. It was like watching a Chihuahua squaring off to a couple of Pit Bulls. This was not going to end well.
“I don’t know why you guys are here but Jane is going to the Alpha Wolf with me tonight, so whatever you were planning, you’ll just have to forget about it.”
Roman didn’t give him the time of day. Instead, he sidestepped my co-worker and came jaunting my way. “What’s up with the pipsqueak?”
“Pipsqueak?” Homer snapped. “Did you really just call me a pipsqueak?” Homer looked like he was about ready to start a fight with these guys but, for his sake, I hoped he wouldn’t. Landon and Roman probably ate guys like him for breakfast.
Landon appeared out of nowhere and suddenly positioned himself between Homer and me. “Is this guy giving you a hard time?” he asked, like he was my personal bodyguard or something.
“No,” I answered. “He really is taking me to the Alpha Wolf tonight.”
“Interesting,” mused Roman. “I really didn’t pin you as the night club type.”