AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The doorbell rings.
“Where is he?” Becky tosses her sunglasses onto the coffee table and kicks off her high-heeled boots then flings herself onto the couch.
My friend Tito follows.
“Not home,” I say with a smile.
They’ve been dying to meet Jace just so they can discuss the conspiracy theories about what he does and who he is.
Becky and Tito are the most stylish people I know and are often assumed to be a couple. Except Tito is not into women. He’s Becky’s best friend and, soon after I moved to New York, became mine, too. His family comes from Mexico and old money. But just like Becky, he wants to be independent and makes big bucks at a pharmaceutical company.
Dark hair styled to one side, hazel eyes, and a chiseled aristocratic face, Tito leads with his body and overly expressive gestures. He’s handsome and doesn’t come across as gay, and women swoon over him just as easily as men.
I can tell Tito is curious about my roommate and can’t hide his disappointment when I say my roommate is not home.
I make tea and a plate of assorted Russian cookies, also a plate withchebureks—deep-fried meat-filled turnovers—andpirozhkiswith meat and cabbage.
I usually shop at Eastern European markets in Brighton. I don’t have my mom’s cooking here in New York, but Brighton Beach is gourmet heaven.
Becky asks for Russian chocolate candies. She loves picking at the colorful wrappers.
“They are all different colors and sizes and patterns, and they make no sense,” she says as she bites down on a vodka-filled chocolate, grunts in satisfaction, and rummages through the others. She’ll eat the entire bowl of them by the time she leaves.
The door lock clicks, and Jace appears in the doorway.
“Oh, there you are, Mr. Dark Knight!” Becky says cheerily, cocking her head and brazenly studying Jace.
“Stop,” I whisper to her and smile at Jace. Yep, a black hoodie, jeans, and glasses—his usual outfit. “Hey, Jace! Come meet my friends!”
Pushkin springs up to his feet and trots toward Jace.
This is strange. The first several days, Pushkin couldn’t stand Jace, barked and cornered him like he was an enemy. Suddenly, one day, Pushkin follows him around like Jace is his best friend.
Becky waves at Jace with her fingers.
Tito’s eyes narrow in curiosity as Jace comes over and takes a seat on the couch, an awkward smile on his face.
“Jace, try these,” I say and pass him a plate with a chicken-stuffedcheburek.
He eats quietly, answering Becky’s questions.
“California, huh? You surf?” she asks.
Jace shakes his head with a soft smile. “Only moved there a year ago, after the service.”
“Service?” Becky gives me a puzzled look.
He nods. “Yes, I was… um… in the army.”
“So, you know how to throw a punch or two?”
“Something like that.” He smiles and rubs his neck, seemingly uncomfortable like he just spilled a secret.
That’s new. Maybe I can run his name in the service database. His great physical form makes sense now, and I suddenly want him to shed his clothes to see what he looks like naked.
Jesus, Lu, calm down.
Note to self—crank up the heat in the apartment.
