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“Done, let’s go. The faster you’re done interrogating my friend, the faster we can explore Magazine Street. I’ve got a few places in mind.”
On the way to Jason’s place, Anastacia plugged her earpiece into the phone, putting it in her ear while they got into the streetcar. Mel sat next to the window while she took the seat near the aisle, lowering the chances of someone accidentally sitting on him. He was quiet for a bit of time, ruminating over something tediously.
After the second stop, he poked at the earbud in the closest ear to him. “Are you planning to talk to me, or are you calling your boyfriend?”
Anastacia thought he meant it to be a tease, but she noticed the pinch of acidity in his words.
“Would you rather I put on some music to drown you out?” She looked at him as if she was looking out the window but held his eyes before he looked away. What was with the sudden tantrum? “Because we can do that.”
Mel sighed, folding his arms over his chest. She saw his bottom lip pucker in a definition-perfect pout, his gaze locked out the window. “Yeah, until I drain the battery.”
“What’s your issue? First, you’re teasing me about the budding romance and now you’re trying to warn me against it. Which is it?”
“I don’t kn—” Mel grumbled something harsh under his breath. “I don’t like how Knight talked about your clothes last night.”
“My clothes?” Her eyes flickered to the street names ahead so they wouldn’t miss their stop.
“He was putting them down, like you had to be dressed up or, I don’t know, dressed differently. You’re perfect—” He stopped as her eyes connected with his at the word. She felt a spike in her heart rate with a mix of fear and something unfamiliar. Hope? Maybe excitement? He cleared his throat and tried again, “Er, perfectlydressed the way you were and are.”
“He was just playing around with me. I told him I was happily single, and he was playing around with ‘dating tips.’ No biggie.” She smiled as her heart rate slowed to a normal tempo. Mel just didn’t get it.
“He was low-key telling you how to dress. Maybe more girly? I don’t know. It didn’t sit well. I would never have asked Judy to dress any other way. Even when I felt she could have put more on.”
“What? Am I not a girl?”
“You’re an independent woman with her own style. Which is fine.”
Anastacia sat for a few minutes in silence, looking past him and through the window. “Maybe I want more than fine.”
He looked up at the next stop and nodded at her. “This is us.”
They hopped off the streetcar and strolled down some residential streets. Anastacia pulled the earpiece from her ear and put the phone away. There was little to no foot traffic around, despite the vicinity of Magazine Street.
“He’s close to some bars and high-end shopping over here," Anastacia noted.
“He thought I was stupid in getting an apartment more toward the east side of the city, but I needed something month-to-month before I completely settled on a place. He wanted to be near the action. As close as he could be, anyway. He couldn’t afford housing right in the Quarter. At least not the housing he wanted.” His eyes lifted, followed by a flick of his hand as he pointed to a smaller apartment complex. “His apartment is the first one on the second floor.”
Anastacia knocked on the door, smoothing down her clothes to feel more presentable, her consultant badge hanging around her neck, dangling in front of her chest where it couldn’t be missed. Footfalls pounded behind the door as muffled voices reached Anastacia’s ears. She peeked sideways at Mel for a moment.
“Jay always loves his company,” he chuckled.
Taking a breath, she knocked again. The click of the lock being released sounded seconds before the door swung open and a familiar leggy blonde covered only in a towel stood in the doorway.
“Judy?” Mel asked as if the blonde could hear him.
“Uh, hello.” Pulling herself into a more professional mindset, trying to ignore the intense energy flowing from Mel, Anastacia gave Judy a closed-lip smile. “I’m looking for Jason Sable. Do I have the wrong address?”
Jason rounded the corner from behind the door as he tugged on a shirt, Anastacia barely catching a peek of a hickey along his shoulder. Taking one look at Anastacia, he kissed Judy on the temple and nodded back into the depths of the apartment. “I got it,cher. Go get ready or you’ll be late.”
At her side, Mel’s energy grew more intense.
“How long has this been going on, Jay?” Mel snarled in a low voice.
Above the door, the porch light grew bright before shattering right above Jason. Jumping back into the apartment with a shout, Jason’s eyes didn’t leave the light fixture. Anastacia cried out in surprise, crossing her arms over her head. As soon as he heard her, Mel’s energy dropped, his focus solely on her.
“Dammit! Stacia, are you okay?” Mel’s voice softened in worry.
“Shit, sorry. You good?” Jason asked at the same time, brushing small pieces of glass from his hair.
