join the rest of the junk piled there. Then he gave a groan as his forehead crashed against the steering wheel, the horn giving a brief toot in sympathy upon contact. He wasn’t sure who the biggest fool was: that idiot Dane for treating Kimber like shit, Kimber for letting him, or himself for thinking that she’d ever see the truth.
He twisted the key in the ignition with a heavy sigh, and as the engine roared to life, the passenger door swung open. His friend Matt Moquest tumbled into the seat beside him, slamming the door with a force that shook the vehicle.
“Good, you haven’t left yet,” Moquest panted, his round face ruddy from exertion. “I need a ride.”
“Dude, I gotta get to class. The final’s next week.”
“It’ll just take a sec.”
“What will?”
“You dropping me off at the beauty school. It’s just up the road.”
“Really? Last I checked, Empire was a half hour away in the complete opposite direction.”
“Come on, man.” Moquest jutted out his bottom lip and drummed on the dashboard. “Be a friend. I’m good for gas money.”
“Where’s your truck?”
“At Empire. I lent it to Gina so she could get to her shampoo class on time.” Moquest flipped down the passenger-side visor mirror to peer at his short, spiky brown hair, which was currently sporting new frosty blond tips. “Do you mind if we step on it? I don’t wanna be late meeting her.”
“A thousand apologies, my liege.” Jay shifted the Monte Carlo into reverse. “Apparently Gina’s education is more important than mine-especially if she’s the one who did that to your hair.”
Moquest made himself comfortable, reclining the seat and sliding it backward for maximum leg room to better suit his tall, hefty frame. “Question. If my name was Kimber York, would you be bitching so much about giving me ride?”
“Har har.” Jay rolled his eyes, pulling out of the parking lot and onto the main highway. His gaze flicked between the road and the car’s clock as he accelerated, the latter based on reflex. He’d bought the car for five hundred dollars off eBay a few months ago and the clock-as well as a few other features, including a jammed sunroof-had never worked. Instead, Kimber had used a label maker to create the standing time of
“You know I’m right.” Moquest stretched, putting his hands behind his head. “Face it, Navarrete. You and Kimber? Not in this lifetime. If it was meant to happen, it would’ve by now.”
“Right, like I’m going to take relationship advice from a guy nailing a stripper.”
“An ex-stripper. Gina’s trying to turn her life around.” Moquest grinned. “Fortunately, she’s still got all the perks and knowledge from the gig without having the gig itself, if you know what I mean.”
“I always know what you mean. You’re not exactly Joyce or Eliot.”
“I’m just gonna ignore what was probably one of your geeky, literary insults no one gets and tell you I know someone who’s into you.”
Jay narrowed his eyes and cranked down his window, the glass jarring with every twist of the handle. “Who?”
“Nicole.”
“I don’t know a Nicole.”
“Yeah, you do-the chick from the cash-out counter with the sexy flower tattoo on her spine. Don’t ask me how I know that. Trust me, she wants you, man. You should go for it. Bring her to my party Saturday.”
“What’s the occasion, a celebration of you dating an exotic dancer?”
“An ex-exotic dancer, and yes, more or less.” A wicked gleam shone in Moquest’s eye. “It should be a wild night.”
Jay rested his arm along the window, his elbow feeling the fading, late-spring sunshine. “Isn’t it always?”
“Yeah, but this one should be especially interesting. Gina’s been giving me ideas.”
“I’m sure she has been.”
“I’m telling you, you’ve got to bring Nicole. I can’t predict a surer thing.”
“I guess.” Jay shrugged. “We’ll see.”
Moquest crossed his arms over his broad chest and looked out the window, shaking his head. “I repeat-never gonna happen.”
“Shut up.”
“I wish I could, man, but you’re just so pathetic. Does Kimber have any idea how long you’ve been into her? Seriously, you need to tell that girl what’s what or move on and finally get a life. I know so many girls you could be gettin’ it on with, it’s painful. I can’t stand to see you waste the prime of your life like this.” He paused as the car veered off the highway and slowed along the shoulder. “Why’re we stopped? Where we going?”
“I’m going to class. You’re going there.” Jay pointed out the windshield, where several Indian women mingled around a battered bus stop covered with graffiti and defiled posters urging citizens to vote.
“Are you kidding me?” Moquest sputtered as Jay reached over him to open the passenger door and push him out of the car. “I’m just trying to get you laid for the first time in eons, and this is how you repay me?”
“Tell Gina I said hi.” Jay pulled the door shut and, with an exaggerated wave to his friend, made a U-turn and merged into traffic again.
“I’ll get you for this.” He heard Moquest yell after the vehicle. “Just you wait.”
Jay snickered as the rest of Moquest’s threats faded with the distance, but his mirth was short-lived. He knew Moquest was right about Kimber. It was time he did something about his feelings for her, and with Dane edging more and more out of the picture, now could be the perfect opportunity.
Later that evening, the Monte Carlo rolled to a stop in front of a renovated Victorian house, its first-floor apartment the one Kimber currently shared with her older sister Ferney. Jay lowered the volume of the stereo, currently blasting Sly and the Family Stone, as Kimber gave a sigh.
“I’ll miss this dump,” she said.
“I’m sure it’ll miss you, too, but you’re onto bigger and better things.”
She turned to him, her blonde ponytail swishing with the movement. “You think?”
“God, yeah. Having your own place is awesome, you’ll see. You should be proud you can pull off living alone.”
“You’re just saying that-but I think I needed you to.” She grinned and leaned toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “So I’ll see you in the morning?”
“Obviously. How else are you gonna get your stuff there with no car?” Jay gave her a squeeze back then loosened his embrace, but he didn’t let go until Kimber did. She chalked it up to the hug etiquette she’d taught him when they were juniors in high school. The day they met, she’d been milling around with some mutual friends, insisting it was Free Hug Day. Then Kimber, ever the extrovert, grabbed him, the new kid from the next town over, and gave everyone a demonstration on giving the perfect hug. Part of the tutorial was never letting go until the person who initiated the hug did. Kimber pulled away with a smile, thinking how much she’d probably embarrassed him then but how the lesson was apparently instilled in his brain anyway.
She gave his nose a tap goodbye. “Don’t forget to bring your muscles tomorrow.”
“I’ll try to remember.”
She exited the car, half-skipping to her apartment while the Monte Carlo idled outside until she reached the porch. Kimber waved as Jay beeped the horn and drove away, then turned to go inside, almost bumping into Ferney, who met her at the door with a glass of merlot.
“Hey there.” Ferney passed Kimber the wine. “I thought you could use a drink after a long day at work.”
“Fern, I work at a bar.” Still, Kimber accepted the glass and took a sip, although not without giving Ferney a suspicious look.
Ferney elevated her chin and pursed her thin lips. “It’s the thought that counts.” She beckoned for Kimber to follow her into the kitchen, where Ferney’s fiance Paul stirred a pot of brown liquid. Tall and rail thin with delicate cheekbones and pale skin, he looked more fey and elfin than usual, wearing her older sister’s frilled cherry-print
