“Well, it’s obvious isn’t it? You saw the way he looked at Ryan and me, it was driving him crazy!”
“Babe, I don’t know…” Alex said, frowning. “I’ve seen jealous looks before. Matt gets them all the time, like all the time, and that wasn’t one. That was like…hatred or something even worse, like I dunno, vile loathing.”
“Yeah,” Lauren said dreamily. “It was, wasn’t it?”
“Babe, seriously, I don’t think that’s a good thing…”
“Of course it is! It’s the best! He sees what he can’t have anymore and he doesn’t like it. I knew he wanted me. Well to hell with him!”
Alex didn’t know why she couldn’t see what Lauren was trying to tell her. Alex had been there since the first night Lauren saw Dante, and Alex could tell Dante had always shown barely any interest in her. Of course it wasn’t the first time in history that one person had sprung to action because someone else had shown interest, but Alex wasn’t convinced that was the case with Dante. She couldn’t believe that about him.
Not the guy that could have anyone in the place. The guy that women flocked to. The guy that held her hand with such care and said her name in a way that could make her spine tingle, giving her slight goose bumps. If she didn’t know better, she could’ve sworn they had had a moment back there. They’d gotten on well ever since they’d met, really well, and yes she had flirted with him a bit. Well, ok, if she was honest with herself, more than a bit. But it was nothing really. Alex’s attraction to him was different. Dante was just really nice to her. A gentleman. He smiled a lot when he was talking to her and just seemed happy to be around her, something Matt certainly didn’t exhibit. She liked having that effect on someone. And there was something else about Dante. Sometimes, just sometimes, she thought she could sense a sadness about him. Loneliness even—a need to connect. If she’d been single it would be different. For now, it was just nice to have a friend who liked talking to her with kindness and respect.
But the words they’d exchanged back at the bar, the electricity, that was different. That was intense. Or had she imagined it?
“Anyway, we are going to head off,” Lauren said.
“Huh?” Alex said, startled out of her brief reverie.
“I’m going back to Ryan’s place. I am feeling ridiculously horny over this and feel the need to celebrate.”
Alex shook her head and laughed. “You go right ahead.”
Lauren grasped both sides of Alex’s face and planted a kiss on her still partially open lips. “Told ya! Bye! Wahoo!”
Alex turned and watched as Lauren got to the table and without a word took Ryan by the hand and escorted him to the exit. Alex went back and sat next to Matt, putting her head on his shoulder. Weird night.
Matt did not move as he sighed loudly, “So I suppose we are going to wait around to make sure your new best friend Dante is all right, are we?”
Alex’s head shot up and she glared at him before her whole body rose. “What was that for? You know what? Forget it. I’m out of here!”
“Jesus, it was just a question!”
“No it wasn’t, for fuck’s sake, and you know it, Matt! You’re being an arsehole and I’m sick of it.”
Alex stormed off, leaving Matt to roll his eyes for the people gawking at him. That too infuriated her. He was always belittling her in front of others as if she was always the one at fault.
There is no way he could just apologise his way out of this, Alex thought. The sarcasm was really uncalled for, regardless of how strange Dante behaved. Alex had called Matt childish before, and he had proved it again tonight.
*
Lauren and Ryan hailed a cab and got into the back seat. As it took off, Michelle, driving a small, silver BMW, started the engine and began to follow.
*
There was about a foot of space between Alex and Matt. Neither had talked for hours, and neither could get to sleep.
“Do you realise you have done more to defend Dante than you have me lately?”
“Shut up,” she replied through gritted teeth.
“He’s a fucking weirdo and he’s hanging around you all the time! If you won’t see it, I’ll prove it to you.”
“Yeah, good luck with that,” Alex spat with undiluted sarcasm. “I’m so sick of this shit.”
“Nah, you don’t want to see it, that’s fine,” Matt retorted loudly. “There is something about him and I’ll find out what it is. You can bet on that.”
*
Michelle tailed them all the way to an apartment block where the two passengers made heavy work of getting from the cab to the door; such was the enthusiasm of their passion.
Michelle knew this must be Ryan’s place. When she had driven Alex and her boyfriend home she had mentioned living with Lauren.
Once the couple had finally gone inside, Michelle dialled Dante. When he picked up, she told him the exact address.
“Thank you.”
“You want me to stay here for a while and suss things out?”
“No!” he said sharply. When he spoke again he was much more subdued. “Just get home quickly.”
Michelle smiled. “I’m on my way.”
She hung up and was about to pull out into the street when she gave a last look up at the windows facing the street. She stopped the car’s engine and rolled down the window. Yes, even from here, she could hear a woman screaming her lungs out, having the time of her life. Michelle felt as if her eyes were drawn to a particular window, the only brightened window and she could not look away. A dim light - a torch
