She whirled to face me. "You are not."
Everyone was looking. I didn't care. If I had to, I'd beg her right here, right now. I reached for her hand. She blinked hard and pulled her hand away. But she didn't leave. That was a start, right?
Somewhere near my car, I heard Shaggy ask someone, "Hey Dude, can I borrow your phone?"
"Screw you," the guy said.
"Aw c'mon," Shaggy said. "Be a sport, will ya?"
"You touch that phone," the redhead said, "and you're a dead man."
Shaggy groaned theatrically. "Aw c'mon, Jen!"
I ignored it all and gave Chloe a pleading look. All I needed was a chance. "Please," I whispered.
Something in her eyes warmed, and for the briefest moment, I was almost sure I'd get it – another shot at being the guy she deserved.
But then, her dipshit of a boss cleared his throat, and she turned to look.
"Chloe," he said through clenched teeth, "might I speak with you a moment?"
He'dalreadybeen speaking to her. And not very nicely either. If he treated her like garbage in front of a crowd, I couldn’t help but wonder – and not in a good way – how he treated her when no one was looking.
Before Chloe could answer, the guy turned and gave the crowd a long, irritated look. "In private."
With a heavy sigh, Chloe turned back to me and said, "You should go."
I shook my head. "Not before we talk."
"I can't. I've gotta go."
"Then come by later," I said. "Promise me."
With a look filled with regret, she shook her head.
It was that regretful look that made me dig in. I crossed my arms. "Alright." I flicked my gaze to my car. "I'll wait here."
"You can't wait here," she said. "It might be all night."
I shrugged. "I don't care."
She looked around as if weighing her options. Yeah, I was being pushy. I knew that. But I'd make it up to her. I just needed a chance.
Finally, she said, "Alright, fine. I'll stop by. But it might be morning before I get off work."
I felt my shoulders ease. "I'll be waiting."
Nearby, Chloe's boss muttered, "Yeah. Waiting. I know howthatfeels."
"Alright," Chloe told him, "I'm coming!" She turned back to me and said, "Go, alright? Please?"
I gave her something like a nod. I'd be going, but onlyaftershe was safely inside. The night was too crazy already, and there were too many people in the parking lot who didn't have Chloe's best interests at heart – the pervert who'd been looking at her ass, the shaggy guy with the phone fetish, and shit, even Brittney, lurking in the back of some Lincoln Town Car.
What the hell was that about?
Looking to keep an eye out, I sauntered back to my own car and stood, watching as Chloe and her boss walked a few car-lengths away and began talking too low for me to hear.
The way it looked, he was still giving her a hard time. I knew it wasn't any of my business, but I still didn't like it. I'd seen his type before – a big fish in a little pond, the kind of fish that got his rocks off by throwing his weight around.
