Chapter Three

Lance scooped the cereal into his mouth, flipping TV channels across the room. Zoë came into the kitchen and sat down next him. She too poured a bowl and scanned the TV, before resting on him again. It was such a treat to have him back that she often just wanted to look at him for as long as she could and take him in. His body was changing, he was building new muscles and his hair was different. His eyes were still the center of her attention, however they had their own new depth as well. Something different, hidden maybe, at any cost he was here now.

"How long can you stay?" She asked him meekly. "I'm not sure yet" he stopped and looked at her. Her head was low and her eyes were on him, she was hurt. "Don't worry I'm not going any where for a while." Studying the spoon she dropped the subject in hopes of putting off the departure until it was absolutely necessary. "Where did you say you’re coming from?" the tone in her voice changed subtly. He stood up and placed his dishes in the sink. "I'm going to take a shower." With that he had left the room, not answering the question.

Zoë could feel the sting of anger growing in her stomach too much sugar or too much jealously pitted there. After cleaning up the kitchen she went back to her room, their room. Putting on her running clothes, she looked over his open bag on the bed in disgust. Needing to clear her head she made her way to the track down the street.


Lance emerged from the bathroom to find her night clothes on the floor. When he called to her and no answer he knew she'd gone. She like to leave, it made her dramatic returns all that much more fun. He should have made something up, something quick to distract her. It didn’t matter, she had her reasons and he had his.

Pulling on some jeans he sat on the edge of the bed. He ran the towel over his hair one more time before he picked up the cell phone.

"Hello?" a sultry voice came through the phone.

"Good morning, are you awake?" He rubbed his face and looked for a shirt.

"Morning baby, I'm awake but I'm still in bed. Where are you?" The girl on the phone seemed interested.

"What do you mean you still in bed?"
"Boy you heard me.”

“What time did you come in last night? Or was it this morning?” He asked still rifling through his duffle bag.

“This morning around nine, we went to breakfast.”

“We who?” He stopped and pulled a tee shirt out.

“I asked where you were. What you over at some girl's house?" she raised her voice.
"Hell no I ain't over at no girl's house. I'm working. What you need to be doing.”

“Boy I went to work now don’t give me any shit, I’m tired.”

“I asked who you were with.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Ah I see, he’s still there…” he put the phone down and pulled on his shirt.

“Whatever Lance!” She screamed into the phone. Putting it back to his ear he heard her ranting about his attitude. Rolling his eyes he walked over to the window and saw Zoë checking the mail.

"Tony... make sure ya feed Derk for me. I'll call in a few days."
"I'm not sitting by the phone waiting for you” she piped back to him.
"Don't I will be tied up here for a few days."

"I miss you baby."
"I love you Latonya" He said backing away from the window lowering his voice.
"Bye boo" her voice returned to sexy and sweet.
"Bye" with that he clicked the phone shut and put it into his duffle bag.

Zoë was civil as she made her way to the shower. Quietly tip-toeing around the bedroom collecting her clothing soon she disappeared into the bathroom.  He didn’t make her talk, he waited. She would be ok, she didn’t know, not enough about his transgressions to cement her hearsay accusations. It was always like this for the first couple of days, time was his only allay.

Allowing the water to run over her she tried to wash away all the kisses he'd given her the night before. Scrubbing her skin over and over again, the soap didn’t always do the job. The hot water swallowed her tears sob after sob. Going over their conversation in her head she knew why he'd left the room. She knew where he had been the whole time. Why did he have to be so obvious about it? Why couldn’t she get him out of her head, heart, and out of her life for good?

…

"Are you going to speak to me?" Lance asked in the refection of her mirror. Pinning the last strand of hair up she glanced at him.

"Are you going to tell me where you were?" She dropped her hands to smooth over the make up on her face making sure not to smudge the paint.
"Well you tell me since you act like you already know." He edged closer to her more demanding than apologetic.
"You damn right I know. Don't pretend like I don't."
"Hell with you Zoë I was working." He yelled into the room flinging his arms in anger.
"Working, such a lose term these days" She snapped back unthreatened by his actions. Standing up she turned to leave the room pushing past him and his antics. He stopped her before she could reach the door. "Where are you going?"
"Let go of me! I have to go to work... Wait I mean my job."
"You can't go tonight. I made dinner reservations for us. Charlie can cover she knows I'm here." He had let go of her but blocked the door preventing her departure.
"Son move, One I'm mad at you and two I bailed on C. last night." She tried to push her way through. He put his arms around her waist and waited for her to give in.

"You know you can't stay mad at me." He kissed her cheek then her neck. A seed of truth ran through his statement and she leaned away from him. He held on to her as she arched backwards in his hands closer and closer to the floor.

“I’m mad at you, I don’t want you here anymore.” She pushed at his hands letting her hair dangle as she was almost upside down in his dip.

“Why are you mad at me, I’m here to see you baby. I want to make you feel good.”

“You don’t you make me feel like shit and you’re a bastard for it.” Her eyes closed and the kisses started to affect her thinking.

“Please baby I can’t make it with out you, you love me… right?” he nuzzled her tightly.

It killed her how much he control he had.

Chapter Four

After they finished dinner she decided to not spoil the evening by screaming at him. He was making a valiant effort and he was here with her, even if it was only for now. Charms hard at work he thought Zoë may have a change of heart. "You look wonderful tonight..." She smiled and scooted close to him in the round booth. He put his arm around her and they kissed. Time, all it took was time to get her back where he wanted her. She was delicate in her emotions and she needed him to be there, let her know that he still cared. "Thank you for dinner" she whispered from his shoulder.

…

Charlie scolded Zoë for forgiving him, again. The two sat across from one another at the bar. "I thought you said he'd changed?"
"Everything was different... once upon a time. Look I know he's a jerk, but when I'm around him...”
"Yeah, yeah same story different day Zoë! You know better." Charlie shook her head again signing off on the paperwork Zoë had given her.

"Want to know the worse part?"
"Oh this should be good."
"I found out who she is."
"What?!?" Charlie’s mouth fell open distracting her from the new order inventory list.
"Yeah... His palm pilot was just on at like three O'clock this morning..." she paused to smile a bit.
"Really... uhmm. It was just on, huh?"
"Do you want to hear this or not?"
"And?"

"Her name is Latonya Jenkins. She is 24 and works at ‘The Spot’ in Chicago."
"Damn... He is set in his ways. He likes mid-twenty bar maids."
"Bump dat... That asshole took me there last June. I swear he introduced us to one another."
"Don't jump the gun. Why would he do that?"
"Why would he play us? Umm… because he's a dick."

---"Whose a dick?" Lance startled the women hugging Zoë from behind.
"You really want to know?" Charlie popped and stood up to leave keys in hand.
"Probably not" he tried to smile at her, Charlie was not a fan and he steered clear of her. Zoë walked with her to the parking lot after locking the doors back to the club. Handing over an invitation Charlie winked at them and peeled out in her Mazda.

Two days later.

Lance and Zoë were on their way up to the party. The building was relatively quiet and deserted. She tried to make small talk to keep from yelling at him.
"Do you still go to that club, you know the one you took me to?" She ran her fingers through his hair fixing a spike or two.
"What club?" he asked not paying much attention to her giving her barely a glance.
"That one in Chicago, with the huge fish tank" she described it for him.

"Yeah."
"How often?"

“Whenever I'm in town, I suppose.”

“What do you like most about it?”
"Zoë what is up with all these damn questions?" He pushed the button again for the elevator, she was getting a little to close. This was the closest she’d been to the truth yet.

"Sorry, am I making you nervous?"
"Huh?” he mocked confusion to get a handle on her.

“Nervous, you know uneasy, scared… maybe?”

“Look get off me, I'm trying to be in a good mood for your friend's party. Another worthless party you’re dragging me to." He yelled into the room.
"Just one more thing..."
"What Zoë?" he was brewing.
"What does Latonya look like?" With that he snapped.
"What the hell are you accusing me of now? Look, I don't want to fight so drop it." She did not budge standing next to him.

"Oh I'm not going to fight you. I'll just kill ya-ass how-bout-dat.”

“I wish you would put me out of my misery.”

“Poor rich boy.”

“Fucking lay off Zoë, now is not the time.”

“Damn she must be fine for you to get this mad."
"Just shut the fuck up woman!" The door opened into a buzzing party.


"Why did you even come back?"
"I'm asking myself the same question." Zoë stormed out of the elevator. Nik D greeted her guest at the door. The redheaded vixen responsible for the evening was a female of power. Her status and pull sat her on top of the totem pole for the businesses in region three. These parties were not to be taken lightly and attendance was mandatory for survival. She winked at Zoë and pushed Lance toward the bar with a smile. She knew Charlie and Zoë well enough to know who Mr. Bass was and how much trouble he could cause.

"Do you want a drink?" He asked her as they sat down at the bar.
"I'd rather be sober for this."
"You're the only one..."
"Keep it up shit." She snapped tired of his comments. The room was filled with local bartenders and club owners celebrating. Charlie found her and begged for a word. While she was gone Lance downed his cocktail, requesting his next. Zoë always started her shit when he was supposed to act his role of the supportive boyfriend. Another drink and he could pull it off, ok maybe two drinks. The party seemed to mellow out when Nik D took the stage.


"Happy nights all... Let's start shall we. I've know these ladies for the past six years. We've built a strong friendship and tonight it's my honor to present them with this award. The California Clubar Organization would like to recognize Charlie Stevenson and Zoë Real. Their roadhouse ‘South’ has been in the organization for the past four years." The room applauded the ceremony. When Nik D introduced them Charlie looped arms with Zoë and they walked out. Taking the humblest approach they thanked everyone in attendance and for their everlasting support.