Jessie clung to Nick, as he pressed his body seductively to hers, her arms looped around his neck, as he spun her around, and back into a deep dip. They spun around and around, as if they were the only two people on the dance floor, allowing Jess brief glimpses of Mitch, as he watched them from behind the bar. She was lightheaded, from the sexy fluid motion of her body as Nick spun her around, from the last of the champagne's effects and from knowing that Mitch was watching them, seething with jealousy. Payback is a bitch, Jessie thought, as Nick pulled her close, and tilted her chin up for a kiss..

    Mitch's eyes darted back and forth between his work at the bar and Jessie. He knew how Jessie acted, and realized full well what she was doing. She was having her fun, just like she had done in the past when Zach neglected or abused her. But she had never gone this far, and, he thought, he wasn’t Zach.

    Mitch's hand shook, some beer spilling over the rim of the glass, and he quickly wiped it up with a bar rag. I'll just ignore her, he thought. "The same?" he asked, seeing an empty glass in front of one of his patrons. Hearing Jess laugh, he pulled a bottle from the wall behind him, gave it a quick flip, and caught it with a loud slap, instead of his usual light handed touch. At least I caught it, he thought, pouring a drink, as he caught sight of Jess, her face dangerously close to Nick’s.

    "Hey!" a customer exclaimed.

    Mitch grimaced, looking down at the glass he had been filling, to see Scotch overflowing onto the bartop. "Sorry," he apologized, wiping up the mess.

    "Maybe you should call it a night?" Angel said, seeing how his friend was struggling.

    "I'm fine.."

    "No, you're not, you're a mess. Lemme cover the bar. I can handle it, I know my drinks.."

    "I'm telling you, I'm fine," Mitch said, with a quick smile.

    Mitch turned for a bottle, pulled it out, and caught sight of Jess again as he turned. She was smiling, her eyes sparkling, her mouth, just barely open, arms looped around Nick’s neck, as he pulled her close for a fiery kiss. The bottle slipped out of Mitch’s trembling hands, hitting the edge of the bar, before it fell, spilling its contents all over the floor.

    "Mitch.." Angel said, kneeling down to pick up the bottle, "it's a night."

    "I'm sorry, I thought I could handle it.."

    After what Mitch had told him over the last two night, Angel was amazed Mitch had held it together this long. "I don't think anyone could handle this."

    Mitch felt like he was the star pitcher in the World Series, who had been just pulled off the mound for giving up a grand slam. "Here," Mitch said, handing Angel the bar rag, "I'm sticking around just in case you all get swamped," he said, "and I'm closing."

    Angel grabbed a bottle for the next customer and nodded. "Deal."

    Taking a seat in a darkened corner of the bar, Mitch looked over at Jessie again, wondering how in the world things had gotten so screwed up. He could barely stand to watch the way she had her head resting on Nick’s shoulder, her arms wrapped around him, hands hanging loosely on his butt. He had always dreamed of a romance with Jess, ever since he first met her. He would have given anything to be on the receiving end of those lips, just once. But after all that had happened, Mitch felt the hope of that ever happening slipping away.

    You had your chance, Mitch thought, and you blew it. What was worse, he realized, his heart sinking, swallowed up in sadness, was that it looked like he'd also lost her friendship forever as well. Not being able to take anymore, he headed upstairs. What good are dreams? Mitch asked himself, trudging slowly up the stairs. Looking around the loft, he noticed that Jessie's stuff was still there. The last thing either of them needed was a confrontational scene to cap off the evening. Mitch needed to think, his mind overflowing with thoughts from the last few days. He felt like a pair of sneakers in an empty dryer – his pulse slamming in his temples. I need some fresh air, Mitch thought, lots of it.

  
    Sally saw Mitch emerge at the foot of the stairs, his eyes evenly focused, gazing far in front of him, maybe at the jukebox. Mitch always liked the Wurlitzer because of the colors and bubbles, and would just stare at it sometimes, while listening to his favorite Eighties music at the end of the night. Sally picked up a chair and placed it up on the table in front of her, and sighed. What a night.. Angel had filled her in on what had happened, and she felt for Mitch. As far as she knew, Mitch never did anything bad to anybody. If anything, Mitch always did what he could do to help other people, including his friends. It broke her heart to see Mitch this way.

    Putting up the last of the chairs, she pulled her hair loose from the clip she was wearing, and shook her hair free, running her fingers through her long, dark curly hair, looking over at him to see if he was watching. Mitch always did say he liked her hair loose, even if it wasn't very practical during business hours. Sally had caught him watching her in the past, when she would play with her hair. He would smile, and give her a playful wink. She didn't mind it when Mitch looked at her - he had a way of making her feel special, and pretty at the same time, not like some of the men who leered at her, making her feel like an object of lust.

    He would gaze at her when he thought she wasn't looking, a look of admiration in his eyes. Sally liked how Mitch's smile would make her smile. She would answer his winks by puckering her lips, and blowing him a kiss. Mitch's face would turn red, and he'd turn away shyly. Yet Sally couldn't help but wonder if he was flirting with her, or if he was being his usual friendly self. I should do something, Sally thought, as she walked behind the counter, and came to Mitch and hugged him, wrapping her arms around his waist, and pulling him into her. "Looks like you need a hug," Sally said.

    "Thank you," Mitch said, giving Sally a quick smile, his words laced with pain.

    "Got a lot on your mind, huh?"

    Mitch nodded. "A lot."

    Sally squeezed him tighter, snuggling her head into his shoulder. "You poor thing. Wanna talk about it?"

    "I'm alright," Mitch sighed, "don't you worry about me."

    "Don't think I'm going to just let you be," Sally said, tightening her hold on Mitch.

    Mitch leaned his head down, and smelled Sally's hair. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes, feeling her curls tickle his chin. "Thank you," he whispered, kissing Sally softly on the top of her head, as he brushed away a tear before Sally could see it. "Lock up for me?"

    Sally nodded. "Mitch?"

    "Yes?"

    "I'm off tomorrow. Why don't you come by.."

    "Maybe some other time," Mitch said, cutting her off, as he made a hasty departure out the front door.

    Sally locked the door behind Mitch, switching off the marquee. She was just about to set the alarm, when she remembered she had seen Jessie and Nick heading back to the small employee lounge over by the kitchen.

    Mitch put on his helmet, tuning the radio on the bike's dash to his favorite radio station. Music would help clear his mind, he reasoned. Pushing the kick stand up, with a twist of his wrist, he was off.

    'The sun goes down, the night rolls in
    You can feel it starting all over again
    The moon comes up and the music calls
    You're gettin' tired of starin' at the same four walls..'

    This is what I needed Mitch thought, swerving his motorcycle down Hollywood Boulevard and onto I-95, to get away from the bar. Just too much has happened today..

    ‘You're out of your room and down on the street
    Movin' through the crowd and the midnight heat
    The traffic crawls, the sirens scream
    You look at the faces, it's just like a dream..’

    Mitch shivered, the cool October night making him wish he had worn a jacket. A plane roared above him, as he zipped by the airport. The noise from the airplane clouded Mitch's mind, making the music impossible to hear, as the faces of the last few days came to mind. Sid's hysterically funny laugh as he teased Jessie.. Jessie, troubled again with Zach.. Sally showing up to work with a smile on her face, as usual.. Angel appearing out of the blue.. Zach and his snake oil grin.. Jessie's surprised expression as they kissed.. her eyes during the night they spent together.. Jessie's eyes as she saw him kissing Lynn.. Kelly..

    ‘Nobody knows where you're goin'
    Nobody cares where you've been...’

    Taking the ramp that headed west to 595, Mitch felt like an airplane himself, rising in the air. He only wished he was a plane, so that he could fly away from all his problems.

    ‘'Cause you belong to the city, you belong to the night
    Livin' in a river of darkness beneath the neon lights..
    You were born in the city concrete under your feet
    It's in your moves, it's in your blood
    You're a man of the streets..

    When you said goodbye you were on the run
    Tryin' to get away from the things you've done
    Now you're back again, and you're feeling strange
    So much has happened, but nothing has changed
    You still don't know where you're goin'
    You're still just a face in the crowd..."

    He turned off 595 onto I27, the wind at his back, only a few cars on the road. With a twist of his wrist, he revved up his motorcycle, passing the cars into the darkness..


    Sally headed back to the employee lounge, trying to keep her anger in check. How could Jess treat Mitch this way, especially if they had been friends for so long? Sally never would have taken Jessie to be the cold-hearted type, but she had to be, the way she had carried on with Nick, right in front of Mitch. Anyone could see that Nick was a player, and that Jessie would be burned sooner or later if she continued her interaction with Nick.

    Some women have all the luck, Sally thought, switching off most of the overhead lights, as she made her way towards the back, knowing full well that Jess and Nick were back there. Jessie had Zach, a wealthy, successful guy. If that weren't enough, Mitch cared about her, anyone could see that. Well, Sally thought, gathering up the energy to walk into the employee lounge, if you don't want him, I'll take him.

    Getting an armful of tablecloths from the supply closet, Sally walked into the room. To her relief, the earlier displays of affection between the two had run their course. Jessie and Nick looked up at her from the table at the other side of the room, where they were drinking some coffee.

    "It's time to get going," Sally said, dryly, "everybody's gone but me and Angel, and Mitch asked me to close the place up for him.."

    Jessie's brow furrowed, never hearing Sally speak to her in quite that tone before. "Um.. we're almost through here Sal," stated Jess, "besides, go ahead and go. I know the security code. I'll lock up."

    Nick fought to hide his amusement at the other woman's catiness, concluding in his arrogant mind that Sally might actually be jealous. Then and there he made a vow to land the gig at the Dusk to Dawn, no matter what it took. A decent crowd, women fighting over him from day one, what else could he ask for?

    "Whatever," Sally muttered, "make sure to turn off all the lights," she said, getting her purse out of her locker, and abruptly walking out.

    "What's up with her?" Jessie asked, thinking aloud.

    "Must be jealous," Nick laughed, sipping his coffee.

    Jessie got up, pouring the rest of her coffee in the sink, and rolled her eyes. In the quiet, non alcohol hazed light of the employee lounge, Jessie couldn't help but wonder if she had jumped the gun a bit with Nick. From the moment he had approached her, Jess had clearly seen that Nick was a flirt, but this? He actually believed that Sally's tense tone meant that she and Jessie were fighting over him. How wrong you are buddy, Jessie thought.

    Nick was a distraction, pure and simple. Her problems with Zach and now the added tension with Mitch was just about all she could handle. She wouldn't be adding Nick to the melee. The men currently in her life were testing her patience as it was. Nick, she decided, would be a fun diversion, someone to dance with, and a tool she could use to dish Zach and Mitch some of their own medicine. "It's late," stated Jessie, her patience wearing thin, "and I gotta get going."

    Nick rethought his last remark. Not wanting to press his luck with Jessie, he paused a moment, coming up with the best way to proceed. The coffee, he decided, had been a bad idea. Gone was Jessie's previous carefree mood. She stood there now, arms crossed, waiting for him to get up.

    "No problem," Nick answered, cavalierly, "I have things to do myself. "But," he said, with a wry smile, walking over to her, "not before I get my goodbye kiss."

    If she flinched, the cocky Mr. Gregory would gloat, knowing he had gotten under her skin. You think you have this game all figured out, Jessie mused, smiling sweetly at Nick, but you picked the wrong woman to try and play. "I had a nice time tonight," Jessie said, leaning her forearms on Nick's shoulders, nursing her sore wrists.

    "Me too babe," Nick answered, looking deep into Jessie's eyes.

    Nick leaned in, as if he half expected to get a cursory kiss on the cheek. That's what you think buddy, Jess thought, meeting his gaze. Taking his face in her hands, she planted a full fledge kiss on the unsuspecting Nick's lips.

    Taken by surprise, Nick shifted his weight unsteadily, leaning in to return the kiss. "If I woulda known this was what I was to be treated to, I would have said my goodnights ages ago," Nick chuckled.

    "Goodbye Nick," Jess smiled, wickedly, giving his butt a playful swat.

    Walking Nick to the door, Jessie locked it, holding off on setting the alarm til she went upstairs and got her things.

    "All locked up?" Angel said quickly, covering his surprise at seeing Jessie come upstairs.

    "Yup, I'll be out of your way in a sec, I just gotta get my things."

    "Jess.. you're not in the way," Angel sighed.

    "Oh?" she answered, getting her clothes out of Mitch's closet, "coulda fooled me."

    "Today was quite a night, for all of us.."


    Angel couldn't believe how stupid his friends were acting. Didn't they see what a waste all this was? Jessie wasn't even asking about Mitch. Don't stick your nose in, he reminded himself, being in the middle of a love quarrel is the last place you wanna be, he thought.

    "This is the last of it," stated Jess, stuffing her bathroom supplies in her bag.

    "And.. that's it?" Angel said, looking up at Jess from the couch.

    "Yup, that's it," Jess answered, not in the mood to get into it right then with Angel, no matter how well intended he was.

    "Where ya headed to in such a hurry?"

    "Where else? A hotel.."

    Angel debated on whether or not he should find out which particular hotel Jess was going to, but decided against it. "Make sure to wrap that wrist up again," Angel sighed, "wouldn't want it to get worse."

    Jessie smiled, knowing he was sincere in his concern. "I will," she answered, softly.

    "You know WE'RE here if you needed anything.."

    Jess started down the stairs, and stopped. "Yeah. I know.." she said, smiling her thanks to Angel, "see ya."


    Jessie chose the most expensive hotel on the Fort Lauderdale strip - the Bahia Mar. Hey, if I'm gonna stress out, I might as well do it in style, she chuckled to herself. She charged her room on the paper's corporate American Express, knowing full well it would quite possibly lead Zach right to her. What the hell, Jess thought, she'd have to face him sooner or later. Besides, he was the reason why she was there in the first place.

    Slipping into a lush cotton terry robe, Jessie snuggled up in the big bed in her suite. Her body started to unwind, the stress of the last two days finally starting to catch up with her. Closing her eyes, she lay back onto the fluffy pillows, and sighed, thoughts filling her weary mind. Leaving Zach had set into motion a turn of events she was sure would only get more and more complicated as the days passed. She would have to think things through if she expected to get through all this unscathed, well, relatively so.

    It was late. The double sliding glass doors across from her bed offered a spectacular view of the ocean just beyond the hotel's private beach. Tomorrow she'd call Cassie, she thought, and maybe they could spend a relaxing day at the beach, when all she'd have to deal with was how good of a tan she was getting. Tinges of pink and lavender foretold the sun's eminent arrival. I'd better get to sleep, she thought, or I'll end up sleeping the whole day away.

    Opting to leave the curtains open, Jess leaned over and turned off the table lamp. Slipping under the covers, she took off her robe, discarding it on the vast emptiness of bed next to her. Sighing, she rolled over, and gazed out at the lightening horizon. In the stillness of her hotel room, her thoughts went to Zach. Who was sharing his bed that night? she wondered, with a groan. And Mitch.. Was he alone, looking out into the night sky?

    Dressed only in a pair of panties, the coolness of the sheets, usually a pleasure, was now a painful reminder of how alone she was in that empty bed, with no one to snuggle up to as she slept.

* * * * *

Copyright © 1998 Susana Audrain  All rights reserved, which includes the right to reproduce this novel
or portions thereof in any form whatsoever except as provided by the U.S. Copyright Law.