I waved and tried to gather my confidence as I approached the table. I was feeling like shit and not sleeping well, and I probably looked it too. I was fully prepared for Theo’s friend to be put off by my roughness, but instead, he smiled broadly as I approached.
“Okay, I get it now,” he said, giving me a charming grin and holding out a hand to shake mine.
I took it, and his warm palm enveloped mine. His hands were calloused like only guitarists were.
“See, I told you,” Theo said, laughing.
“Told you what?” I asked, sitting down.
I felt awkward, all dressed up in my best effortlessly casual-but-took-me-an-hour-to-choose outfit. A short dress with a flirty hem, ripped tights (that part was accidental), boots, and my leather jacket. It wasn’t a “me” outfit, but jeans seemed too uncaring of the fact that I needed a job.
“Theo has been talking my ear off about having the perfect girl for my video… aloof and intriguing. I didn’t believe him, but I’m pleased to say I was wrong. I’m Austin, by the way.”
“Lori,” I muttered, flattered and a little awkward. I didn’t know if I’d ever get used to my appearance being my only saleable work skill.
“Look, I might have given up on pussy in fifth grade, but that doesn’t mean I don’t recognize beauty when I see it.” Theo grinned.
His warmth made me relax a little. Theo was here, and Austin was his friend. Everything was okay. Actually, it wasn’t because the new phone Kirill had given me had remained silent all day. Why wasn’t he calling me?
“I’ll never doubt you again, man,” Austin agreed, and the two friends smiled at me.
Concentrate, Mallory, you need the fucking money.
“So, can I ask what the music video is about?”
“Sure, so…” Austin launched into the concepts he’d come up with for his video.
I tried my best to concentrate. I really did. The problem was Kirill and his radio silence. It kept pulling my focus from Austin and Theo.
“I’m sorry, what did you ask?” It dawned on me a few minutes later that I’d completely zoned out.
Austin smiled, not unkindly, and I forced myself to pay attention. But all the while, I was listening for the electronic chime that would make my entire fucking year.
* * *
After the coffeeshop meeting and writer group, I rushed home to change and dragged myself into The Blue Rabbit. I still had the strange feeling of being watched, and I could swear some of the things in my apartment were in different places than I’d left them. The worry that Henry was snooping around dogged me. What did he want? Probably to steal the rent money before it was due or convince me to sell a spare organ or something.
I sighed, sticking my hand into my apron and pulling my phone out. Checking it every two minutes had become an addiction, and I’d given up fighting it.
“Evening,” Fede called as she joined me behind the bar to prep.
I forced a smile, but it didn’t quite reach my eyes.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing. I met Theo’s friend, Austin, today. He said to say hi to you.” I vaguely remembered to relay the message. Honestly, men were trying to pass messages to Federica constantly, so it was no big deal.
She nodded, clearly uninterested. Theo always teased me about my lack of love life, but he gave Fede a free pass, and she dated less than me.
“He’s sweet and nice. You should go on a date with him,” Fede said.
I raised an eyebrow at her. “It sounded like it was you he was interested in. Why didn’t he ask you to be in his video?”
“He did,” Fede quipped and laughed at my disgruntled expression. “I don’t do that sort of thing.”
“What? Make easy money?”
“Put my face out there,” she muttered. Oh, right, she didn’t even use the most basic of social media, so it wasn’t a surprise. “Anyway, you should ask him out yourself. Take the bull by the horns.”