Once we were in the room, I realized I was still a little tipsy. I had never used that word in my life until I moved to Palm Beach. Everyone was always getting “a little tipsy,” no matter how much they’d had to drink, but in this case, I really was just a little tipsy.
The tiny apartment consisted of a living room and a comfortable bedroom, with a bathroom in between. The balcony in the back looked into the thick tropical foliage that rimmed the property, which was about three blocks from the ocean. This was a trendy place to stay, and the bar could get interesting some nights.
Marty took a look around the place and turned to face me. “We could use some music,” he said with a slight slur to his words.
The next thing I knew, we were blasting an older Gloria Estefan song through the oversize external speakers for my iPhone. We also managed to make it to the bamboo-framed couch, and started to make out like teenagers. It was fun and I was getting swept up in it. I lost track of time until I heard a rap on the front door. It might’ve been going on for a while because it just sort of crept into my consciousness past the music and Marty’s kisses.
Someone was now pounding on the door.
Chapter 3
Marty reached back and shut off the music as I stood and straightened my cocktail dress. He gave me an odd look and scooted to the bedroom. I realized he was doing it for my benefit so no one would ask any embarrassing questions.
A smile crept across my face as I slowly stepped toward the door, giving Marty time to disappear into the rear of the apartment.
I carefully opened the door a crack, to see my friend Allie’s face. I could tell something was wrong.
“What’s up, Allie?” I said, without slurring any words. The pride had to be written across my face.
She kept her voice low but said, “My God, Christy, you may want to keep it down a little bit with your new friend. We had complaints from downstairs, as well as people on either side of your room. It sounds like a South Beach nightclub in here.” Her slight Serbian accent made it a bit hard to understand her.
“What are they gonna do? Call the cops?”
Her smile told me not much was going to happen.
The old me would’ve been unbelievably embarrassed; instead, there was something liberating about showing off how much fun I was having. After Allie left, but before I could slip back to tell Marty, there was another knock at the door. I thought Allie had come back.
This time I flung the door open to scare my friend, but then I saw that it was two uniformed Palm Beach cops. I recognized one of them from around town. A typical buff, tan, friendly Palm Beach cop.
He said, “Allie told us she spoke to you, but we have to follow up because someone called us directly and made a complaint.”
I used a serious tone even though I wanted to laugh. All I said was “I understand.”
“Do you?”
“No more loud music.”
The tall cop sighed and said, “We’ve got enough to do.”
“Do you? Do you really?” I couldn’t help myself.
The cop smiled and shrugged. “Maybe not, but keep it down anyway.”
He could’ve been a jerk, but luckily, Palm Beach cops are known for being polite to residents, and at least for now I was still considered a Palm Beacher.
I headed back to the bedroom and found Marty looking sober and ready to flee.
“What’s up? You’re not leaving, are you?”
“I heard the cops. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen.”
“It was nothing. Just a complaint about the noise. You don’t have a problem with cops, do you?”
“Cops and I have a great understanding; I don’t bother them and they don’t bother me. It works out for us all. Especially in a place like this, where they wouldn’t like my West Palm Beach address.”
I wasn’t sure what he was talking about. “Paranoid much?”
When he didn’t seem to get it, I gave him a smile and said, “It’s fine. I don’t need loud music to prove I’m having a good time.”
“You’re enjoying yourself?”
“Of course I am, aren’t you?” I asked. It was the natural concern of the recently separated.
He sat down on the bed and patted the spread next to him.
I stepped back, then jumped high in the air to land next to him on the king-size bed.
“Let the people downstairs bitch about that,” I said as the bed made a tremendous thump on the hard wooden floor. We laughed in bed together until we started kissing again and I lost all track of time. I couldn’t remember the last time falling asleep had been so entertaining.
The next thing I remember was a bright light in my face. I was thinking, Who the hell is shining a light at this time of the night? When I opened my eyes and everything came into focus, I realized it was the next day and that the bright light was shining in everyone’s eyes.
Marty’s arms were wrapped around me, and he nuzzled my neck. I could tell by his scratchy voice he didn’t feel great when he said, “What time is it?”
I looked at the clock on my nightstand. “Jesus, it’s two in the afternoon.”
This wasn’t a game; I’d had one of the best nights of my life. And I was pretty sure Marty had too. It felt like the smile on my face wouldn’t come off all day.
Chapter 4
The next two weeks were a whirlwind, and I saw Marty Hawking all but two nights. We’d made the focus of our relationship amusing ourselves and keeping things exciting. I felt like a teenager with her first boyfriend. Life can be harsh and
