Back to the Good Fortune Diner (21 page)

“Hey, I’ve been waiting to christen that guest bed for months, and you’ve turned down all my invitations to hang out so far. I wasn’t even sure if you were coming to the reunion.”

Daniel grimaced guiltily. He hadn’t kept up with his friend nearly enough. “I wasn’t sure I could get away.”

“You must have one hell of a restaurant empire for you to be so busy.”

Daniel felt small. “Just the one restaurant, actually. Family owned and operated.”

“Must be doing well.” Isaac didn’t hold it against him one way or another.

“Oh, it is.”

“You could open a second one here in Manhattan, start a franchise. I saw this property for lease in Nolita that would be perfect.”

That was Isaac, always looking to grow, to expand. He lived large, dreamed big and never went halfway with anything. “The cost and competition would be too high here.”

“Well, if you change your mind, let me know. I helped open a small chain of roti restaurants in Brooklyn. They’re taking off. Here’s my car.” He hit the automatic lock button on his key chain and the late-model Mercedes blinked and bleeped as the alarm disabled.

“Nice. You lease?”

“Comped. Lot of perks for working at Halo.” It was one of the largest marketing and PR firms in the country, and had been built up from a grassroots organization that had made its money helping small businesses become big ones. “I keep telling you to come back to the city.”

Daniel shrugged. “I’m not sure it’s for me.”

“You won’t know till you try it. Did I mention I get a bonus for hiring on anyone who stays with the company for more than six months?” He flashed a wide grin. “I wouldn’t mind making it to Maui before I turn thirty-five.”

They pulled out of the station and into city traffic. It was a nice car, sure, but Daniel wondered whether it was worth owning a vehicle in Manhattan. They caught up along the way, talking about old times, old friends. Isaac announced he’d taken the whole weekend off to host his old roommate. Daniel’s guilt tripled—he’d barely made time for a drink the last time he was here. Mostly because he’d been visiting Selena.

“So, are you still dating that doctor?” Isaac asked on cue.

It took a moment for Daniel to get his throat working. “No. Not really. We’re kind of in the middle of... No,” he finally admitted.

“Aww, man. Sorry to hear that. Was it recent?”

“Last Monday.”

“Ouch. What happened?”

“It just didn’t work.” He didn’t want to hash it all out in the car. This weekend was supposed to be about forgetting Selena and rediscovering himself. He’d decided moping wouldn’t help him get over her. Coming to the city, reconnecting with his college chums and finding a decent hookup was exactly what he needed.

Isaac must have sensed the direction of his thoughts because he knew exactly what to say. “Some of the old gang are meeting up at a pub down in midtown tonight. We’ll get some food, then head out for some drinks. Sound good?”

“Sounds perfect.”

They dropped off Daniel’s stuff at Isaac’s swank condo, went to their favorite deli from their college years, then hit the pub.

A few of the guys were already there and well into their cups. Daniel nursed his whiskey and soda slowly as he listened to the guys tell stories about their jobs, their families, their various sexual conquests. More people showed up and their party grew until their graduating class had commandeered a quarter of the pub’s seats. Many of the guys had brought their significant others to the city, but had left them at their respective hotels. This night was about getting the old boys together.

The drinks flowed freely. People exchanged whiskey for martinis, martinis for beer, beer for shots. The waitresses came around frequently, smiling and flirting. Guys in nice dress shirts and well-tailored pants were where the tips were at.

By ten-thirty, Daniel was starting to get a little tired. “I think I’m going to go,” he told Isaac.

“What? So early?”

“You stay. I can get your key and leave it with the concierge.”

“Danny boy, don’t do this to me. I finally get you back in the city and you’re already crying off like you have to go study. You never have any fun, man.” Isaac slid an arm around his shoulder and squeezed. “You’re always leaving early to do some work, going home to your parents, acting all responsible. I’ve never even seen you drunk.”

“That’s ’cause you always pass out before I do,” he countered. “Remember that one time after finals at Carl’s place? I was the only one left standing.”

“So you claim.”

“Well, I was the only one who still made it to the bathroom before the tequila came up.” He’d also been the only one sober enough to make sure no one was drowning in their own vomit. It was one of the many reasons why he didn’t drink like that anymore.

Isaac ignored his arguments and turned to address the whole table. “Guys, guys—is Daniel too serious?”

A chorus of
yes
es and
hell, yes
es came back.

His friend fixed him with an arch look. “Look, man. I don’t want you hanging out all alone in my big, empty apartment nursing a broken heart. You need to be out here. You need to loosen up, drown your sorrows, find a soft bosom to smother them in. Besides—” he grabbed Daniel’s chin and pointed his face toward a group of young ladies watching them from the corner “—I need a wing man for those fine Asian honeys.”

“You are such a rice king.” Daniel pushed him off. The girls giggled and waved them over. Isaac made a whimpering sound and gave him big, pleading puppy-dog eyes. “Fine. I’ll stay for one more drink.”

“One more drink!” Isaac hollered, and the guys at the table all cheered. He pushed Daniel onto a stool and a line of shot glasses full of clear liquid appeared. With a shrug, he picked one up, toasted to his memory of Selena and downed the tequila.

* * *

I
F HE FOCUSED HARD ENOUGH
, Daniel was certain he could regain control of the ship he was sailing and ride through smoother waters.

Or was he on a plane? That dippy up-and-down feeling in his stomach suggested he was, but maybe the boat was crashing through some waves.

The world weaved and blurred before him. Helluva storm. He kept on swimming—flying?—though, and knew he’d get to where he needed to be soon. He could never forget this street, never forget her. She was his true north, his guiding star....

The stoop was solid beneath the soles of his shoes. He climbed to the top, experiencing a tremendous sense of achievement when he managed to find the right buzzer and push it. It was a miracle he could even hold his finger on the button the way the boat was rocking.

“Who is this?” a voice rough with sleep snapped.

“Hey, babe. Open the door. It’s me.”

A long pause. “Daniel?”

“I...I came to talk to you....” He leaned his forehead against the blessedly cool metal plate of the intercom speaker. Selena’s voice buzzing through the perforated surface was like the softest kiss. He smiled and mashed his face harder against the speaker.

“What the hell? It’s three in the morning. Are you drunk?”

“Don’t be silly. I’ve got the constitution of a horse. A sea horse. Neeiigh.” He belched, tasting the deli sandwich he’d had at dinner.

“Goddammit, Daniel...”

“Listen, listen, listen...I came to New York to find myself and...and I couldn’t. I’m lost, Selena. Lost without you.”

“For God’s sake...hold on.” The intercom went abruptly silent. Daniel leaned harder on it, wishing Selena was still bussing him on the cheek. He missed her.

The door opened and someone clamped a strong hand over his arm and hauled him inside. He tripped over his own feet as Selena pulled him up the stairs, landing hard on his butt on the third step.

“Don’t you make me carry your ass up,” she hissed. “And don’t make me yell at you in the middle of the hallway, either. People are trying to sleep.”

He put his finger to his lips, giggling, sealing his promise to shut up and behave. He dutifully got to his feet, grabbed the banister and climbed the stairs to Dr. Selena Worthington’s apartment.

Even tipsy, Daniel remembered every inch of this place. Mostly because they’d made love across every inch of it. Right here in the doorway, he’d pressed her up against the wall as they’d stripped each other naked. They’d barely been able to pull their shoes off. They’d taken it from there to the living room couch, then the floor, then the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen...

As soon as she’d shut the door behind them, she glared at him, arms folded across her chest. Her wavy dark brown hair was a mess, but her eyes flashed with fire. A short black satin bathrobe was wrapped tightly around her, but he could see her bare legs. He’d forgotten she liked to sleep nude.

“Why are you here?”

He tried to recall, but then it came back in a sobering rush. “I came to tell you...I’m sorry. I’m not worth it, and I should have seen it earlier.”

The lines between her eyebrows deepened. “You came to tell me this at three in the morning?”

“I don’t have a watch.” He pointed at his wrist, but then saw that he was, in fact, wearing a watch. “Oh.”

“You’re drunk,” she observed stonily.

“I only had a few drinks. Wee little ones like this.” He pinched the air. “Great stuff. Grows hair on your chest, see?” He pulled at his collar, trying to show her, but his fingers caught on the button and it popped out and hit her in the face. Uh-oh.

Selena huffed and pushed him toward the couch. “Sit. Or lie down, I don’t care. But if you’re going to vomit, you get to the bathroom, you hear? I don’t want stains on my sofa or carpet.”

“You never worried about stains before.”

Her cheeks tinted pink and she spun away and headed for the kitchen. She came back shortly with a tall glass of water and a sleeve of saltines. “Here.”

His stomach revolted at the thought of drinking any more liquid. There was enough buoying the boat-plane he was riding. “I don’t need any more to drink tonight.”

“Drink it.” Her directive could not be ignored. Daniel gulped the water down, popped a few saltines under her watchful eye then finished the water. His stomach churned, but the fog in his head wasn’t quite as thick as before. And the boat didn’t rock quite so much.

“What are you doing in town?” she asked.

“Reunion. I’m staying over at Isaac’s.”

“And he’s...where?”

Daniel thought hard. “I don’t know. He was talking to some girls at a table.” He concentrated, but couldn’t remember what had happened after his seventh shot of tequila. Or was it ninth? All he did remember for certain was the boat and the stoop and beautiful, angelic Selena glaring at him.

“Look, you got his number or something? I don’t want him worrying about you.”

Daniel fumbled for his cell phone. She snatched it out of his hand, scrolled through his contacts and dialed. She left the room as she started talking.

He wasn’t sure why, but he was getting this strange sinking feeling that he was in trouble, like the days when he’d come home from school after a fight, trying to hide the fact from his parents. They always yelled at him, as if getting picked on was his fault. If he did what he was supposed to and kept his nose clean, he wouldn’t be a target. Why couldn’t he be more like his sister? She never got in trouble or got picked on the way he did. Obviously he was doing something to make the kids not like him.

“I’m not,” he said out loud. Why was the boat spinning? Oh, no, it must have gotten sucked into one of those whatchamacallits...whirlpools. He was going to get sucked in if he didn’t do something.

Maybe if he lay down and braced the boat, it wouldn’t slide into that blackness....

But it was no use. He went under, drowning in darkness.

Sweet, deep, blissful abyss...

* * *

D
ANIEL WOKE SUDDENLY
. A faint bluish light that might as well have been the brightness of a billion suns pierced through the swollen, heavy weights blanketing his eyes. His limbs were like lead, and the contents of his stomach floated freely inside his chest cavity like blobs of oil in a lava lamp.

He pushed a scratchy wool blanket off his chest and tried to settle his mind. Flashes of memory and nonsense assaulted him. His head felt as if it’d been stuffed with birdseed and a thousand chickens were pecking and scratching at his brain.

Crackers. A slice of lemon and salt. Isaac trying out his god-awful Mandarin on the ladies in that corner booth. And a whole lot of tequila.

At that moment, his bladder and stomach both indicated they needed emptying, followed by the equally clear voice in his head warning him there’d be dire consequences if he did it here. He hurtled toward the bathroom.

His messy business complete, he took note of his surroundings, the fact he’d known where the washroom was, and that particular way all those pill bottles were lined up on the shelf above the sink.

The sick feeling came oozing back and his head pounded. What had he been thinking? Why hadn’t Isaac stopped him? How had he made it all the way here?

No, wait, the pub hadn’t been far from Selena’s. He’d known the moment the cab had entered the neighborhood and dropped them off. He’d looked down the block and noted exactly how close they were. And he’d thought about calling, visiting, talking....

And he had. Drunk.

Daniel cradled his throbbing head.

It was barely six in the morning. He peeked out of the bathroom. Selena’s bedroom door was closed, and he could hear her snoring. She sounded like a jet engine when she was really out. He thought it was adorable.

He had no right to think that about her anymore. Especially not after this. She deserved someone more like Isaac, who lived in the city and had ambitions and a great job that comped fancy cars....

Daniel found his cell phone on the coffee table. She’d thoughtfully removed his shoes and put them by the door. As quietly as he could, he left the apartment, slipped on his shoes in the hallway and walked down the stairs. He wished he’d thought to take a couple of Tylenol, but he’d imposed on her too much already.

The street was quiet, though a few cabs patrolled the roads, stalking disheveled denizens doing the walk of shame. The faint odor of urine and something spicy made him gag, and he stood bent over a sewer grate for a few minutes until the feeling passed. He hadn’t missed the myriad smells the city offered, that was for sure.