Progress (The Progress Series) (8 page)

“How do you like that?” he asked, breathing the words into her ear.

Nope. Stop this. This is so wrong.
“That’s great Jess, really.” She patted his knee. “But I have to use the restroom.” She tried to stay calm and gently pushed his leg to gesture getting out of the booth.

If Jesse was disappointed, he didn’t show it.

She quickly went to the restroom to quiet her thoughts by splashing her face. By the time she returned, Jesse was sitting on the other side of the booth drinking a beer.

“So, why didn’t you call me?” He snapped as she sat down.

“Wow, that was a switch of subjects. And attitude.” She briefly remembered the subject of the books in her car. “Speaking of, you sounded strange in your voicemail. What were you doing? Was something wrong?”

“I was trying to find my…boxers.” He smirked like he was recollecting the moment.

She rolled her eyes. “Here, this is my new cell phone number; you can reach me on this from now on.” She scribbled onto an old receipt she found in her purse. “Oh, and I find it…
interesting
that you were thinking of me while trying to find your boxers.”

He smirked and leaned toward her. “Hmmm. Feisty tonight. I like you feisty.”

Just say it! Say what you mean. Stop with the cryptic shit for two seconds and tell me what you’re feeling.
She had no comeback. The sexual tension was killing her. She was mystified on how could he remain unaffected.
I am feisty! How could I not be? He brings out the absolute worst in me! And the absolute best! What do I do? What do I even want to ask him? I don’t even know what I need the answers to, I just need something…more.

Angie interrupted the conversation and brought Charlie’s salad. Walking away quickly, Angie was smart to avoid a conflict.

“What is that? It looks like the stir-fry salad gone terribly wrong. That’s the saddest looking salad I’ve ever seen...” Jesse started.

It’s boiling over. I can’t contain it. I
just need to start talking and maybe the subject will present itself. This man is killing me.

“I am supposed to be your friend, Jess!” she blurted out, interrupting his insults to her meal. “Yet, every time we get together, you drive me crazy. You joke about seducing me, which I’ll have you know is not easy for me. You won’t--” she started rambling
.

Taking a sharp inhale, he shook his head
and cut her off. “I’m not talking about this now.” He stood in a panic and walked over to Christy.

Really? That’s what I get?
Her hands flew up and her jaw dropped.
Fine. Immature ass. I’m just going to walk away and not look back. That’s what I get for just blurting shit out.

Charlie had to get out. Now.

“Ang, can I get a box? I gotta go.” Charlie’s voice was garbled and she cleared her throat.

“I’ll pay for his beer, too. Can I get you a tip tomorrow? Sorry, I wasn’t expecting him.”

“Don’t worry about it, Charlie. Just plan on you and me, Sunday. Okay?”

“Okay. Thanks.”

Charlie passed Jesse on her way out. Leaning in closely, Jesse’s arm was outstretched over Christy’s shoulder as she leaned against the wall, looking down shyly and giggling.
I can’t watch this shit.
She stepped up her pace and got outside. Standing outside the front door, she breathed in the fresh air.
It must have rained
.
It was stifling in there
. The air was crisp and the temperature had dropped. She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself. Her hands were shaking again.

As she lit a cigarette, she heard the front door open and stepped to the side to let whoever it was pass her.

“There you are. Were you going to leave me?” Jesse asked.

“Correction.
Am
. I
am
going to leave you,” she snapped and started walking towards her car.

Before she could stop him, he grabbed her wrist and twisted her around so that her arm was
pinned behind her back. Thrusting his hips against her backside, he pushed her against the glass door. Dropping her salad, she cried out in pain, tasting blood in her mouth.

“So tell me, Charlene…” The name rolled off his tongue. “Tell me. Do you want me to make you cum?” He couldn’t have managed to make the words sound any more repulsive.

“Jesus Jesse, let me go!” she cried.

Hearing her voice crack, he instantly let go of her wrist and stepped back. She stumbled to get away from him and when she finally regained her balance, she looked at him with a tear escaping her eye. Realizing he had cut her lip and her wrist was already starting to bruise, he looked at her, mortified. Salad was strewn all over the sidewalk.

She wrapped her hand around her painful wrist and started walking out to her car.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” she screamed while quickening pace to her car.

“Charlie! Charlie, wait!” he yelled as he ran to catch up to her. “Charlie, I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, I bet you are.” She ignored his plea and got in.

As she drove away, she looked in her rearview mirror and saw him kick the tire of a car in the lot.

On Sunday, Angie and Charlie went to see the latest Nicholas Sparks movie. Angie said the book was better. Afterward,
they went for coffee at the nearest restaurant.

“I haven’t been here in years! I’m going to get pie, too,” Angie said looking at the menu.

“Oh,
good idea,” Charlie said.

“How much weight have you lost now?” Angie asked with a hint of jealousy.

“Oh, I don’t know, thirty pounds or so, I guess. I still have a ways to go. I need to start working out more often. I just need…more motivation.”

“Hmmm, like Jesse?” Angie grinned without looking up. “I’ve been meaning to ask you...” she paused. “What’s going on with you two?”

“Nothing. He’s an ass.”

“No kidding, Charlie. But if you really feel that way you wouldn’t spend as much time with him as you do. So I will ask you again, what’s going on?”

She hesitated before responding because she simply didn’t know how to answer. What
was
going on between them?

“Nothing that I’m aware of,” Charlie said.

“Oh c’mon Charlie! You’re such a bad liar! You’ve worked at The Crimson Cellar for all of what, four months? Jesse doesn’t talk to anyone, and I mean
anyone
. Well, besides the hostesses he lays. And suddenly he’s all about Charlie. ‘Charlie this’ and ‘Charlie that.’ When he’s not talking about you, the two of you are together…”

“He does
not
talk about me!” Charlie beamed. “Does he?”

“Are you kidding me? He even talks to the cooks about you, Charlie. All they do is smile and nod like he’s insane.”

They both burst out laughing.

“And he is
committed
to talking with Adam about you. He brings you up every time he sees him.” Angie rolled her eyes.

“Why would he do that?”

“Well, a couple months ago a rumor went around that you and Adam liked each other. Jesse must have heard the same rumor.” She shrugged.

“Oh my god! I don’t like Adam! Who told you that?”

“Same old crap, new people.” Angie spoke with disdain.

“No, seriously. I don’t know what’s going on. One minute he acts like he likes me, and the next minute he’s making me feel like a fool and bringing other girls around. It’s all very confusing. The entire friendship is just…wrong.”

“Okay, so it’s just a friendship? You guys haven’t fooled around?”

“No. I mean, he kissed my neck the other night… Oh, and he has talked about taking my virginity. But, I think he was just joking about it. I know that doesn’t really make any sense.” She exhaled. “See? We’re hopeless.
And
we had a fight the other night, too.”

“So, is that what happened to your wrist? Is that bastard hurting you? He came into work last night with a black eye; did you smack him?” Angie glared at her, a warning to tell her the truth.

A black eye? Who gave him that?

“Um, no. I think it was more of a…misunderstanding.” Charlie shuddered as she touched the bruise on her wrist.

Angie closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“C’mon! You know I would never get into an abusive relationship, I just need to make that perfectly clear to
him
, that’s all,” Charlie said.

“I thought you said it wasn’t a relationship,” Angie gently reminded Charlie.

Charlie tugged at her lip, smiling. “What does he say about me? You know, at work…to the cooks?” She tried to change the subject.

“Oh I don’t know Charlie. Stuff you’ve said, places the two of you go… I just can’t stan
d him. What is the appeal?”

“I don’t know. He’s sexy, you can’t deny that. But, he’s just so…intriguing. I can’t figure him out. I used to be able to have people pegged as soon as they walked into the room, but Jess is different; the way his mind works, the things he says…and doesn’t say. He’s not like anyone I’ve ever met. And, he seems to be mildly interested in me – which is also a first for me. It’s rather pathetic. I find myself thinking about him, too often. I just don’t know if he’s too good for me, or if I’m too good for him,” Charlie said.

“You’re definitely too good for him, but it all sounds way too confusing to me. Why don’t you just ask him and get it over with?”

“Ask him what?” Charlie said.

“How he feels about you,” Angie said.

Charlie thought about this revelation.
Okay, she’s got a point. I’m just not used to any of this stuff. And what do I say? ‘Hey Jess, how do you feel about me?’ Oh hell no. I can only imagine how he’d respond.

“Forget it. I have the perfect c
ure for all this Jesse nonsense,” Angie said.

“What?” Charlie raised an eyebrow speculatively.

“Girls’ weekend at the cabin! I’ll call Karal and see if it’s available within the next few weekends.”

A smile lit Charlie’s face.
Oh, this sounds perfect
.

*

The next few weeks Charlie spent trying not to think about him. His smile, his scent, sunflowers, parks, cars, and cigarettes. Instead she tried to focus on all the bad things about him, making it easier to get through the days. She tried to convince herself that she was better off without him. Of course, she knew she was being an idiot. He should be someone else’s project. Someone else’s problem. They weren’t lovers, they weren’t even friends at the moment, and she didn’t owe him anything. And though she couldn’t avoid him completely because she worked with him, she just kept her head down, punched in and out, and kept herself busy.

She made all the phone calls she needed to cover her shifts and started packing for the upcoming weekend. It had been over two weeks since she had spoken to Jesse.

“Hey Ang. Are you coming this weekend?” Charlie asked as Angie answered her phone.

“I just got my Sunday patio shift covered – I wouldn’t miss this! I can’t wait. P.A.Rty. Wait…where are you calling me from?”

“Oh! My new cell phone! I finally got one!”

”Wow. What is going on with you? A cell phone, makeup and clothes?” Angie said.

Charlie laughed. A weekend with the girls was what everyone needed. A few drinks, a carton of cigarettes, a beach, and no stress.
Paradise.

“So we’ll just meet up at Karal’s house around
noon and we can figure out who all is driving. Sound good?” Angie asked.

“Perfect. I’ll see you then!” Charlie hung up.

A minute later, her phone rang again. Assuming it was Angie, she answered without checking the caller ID.

“Hey, what did you forget to tell me?”

“Um, is…is this Charlie?” a voice asked hesitantly.

“Yes.” Charlie glanced at her phone to see an unfamiliar number. “Who is this?”

“Maybe I shouldn’t have called. I’m sorry. I’ll just…”

“Wait. Who is this? How did you get this number?” Charlie asked again.

A slow and stressed exhale could be heard on the other end. “Charlie, this is Lily. I don’t know if you remember me--”

“Yes. Lily from the restaurant?”

“Oh good. You
do
remember me. I was just wondering if you’d heard from Jesse. He gave me your number for emergencies…if I couldn’t find him, he told me to call you.”

Charlie’s heart sunk to the pit of her stomach and she could feel each thump rise and fall from her chest.

“Oh god. Not for a few days. We haven’t worked together since Tuesday. Why? What’s wrong?” Charlie couldn’t hide her concern.

“It could be nothing. I mean, I could be overreacting. It’s just that he stopped in a few days ago and he seemed…different. Sad. I mean, more sad than usual. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to him and I had been able to--” Lily sounded frantic.