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“Yeah. Something sweet.”
“You got it.”
While she stood in line, I took some deep breaths and tried to settle my nerves. Nothing had happened. I’d seen some guy who had looked like the creep who had approached us, that was all. It probably wasn’t even him.
I started to feel angry. Because how dare my mom try to freak me out by sending her drug dealer or her homeless coke buddy to do her dirty work? If she wanted me to come home, she could maybe ask me the normal way. Of course, I’d still tell her to go fuck herself. But why did she have to do this creepy, weird fucking thing?
Esther brought my coffee in a tray with her tea and a plate of delicious-looking pastries.
“I couldn’t decide, so I got one of each. You can have them all, Toby. I’m sorry for being so late.”
I took my coffee and popped the lid right off, looking into the swirling darkness of the caffeinated depths. I hadn’t had any yet today, because I’d known I was coming here.
Maybe I’d hallucinated that guy. Caffeine dependency was a thing.
Esther watched me blow on my coffee and take some sips.
“You look like you’re making love to it.”
“I am. Sooo good.” After another long sip I was able to give her a smile.
“There’s my Toby. Now, come on. What’s bugging you?”
I fingered a raspberry Danish off the plate and took a bite. Sweet icing, fruit, and flaky pastry melted in my mouth. I closed my eyes to really enjoy it.
“Wow. If you look like that during sex, no wonder you’ve got a rich boyfriend.”
I snorted a laugh and opened my eyes. Esther was fucking hilarious, and I loved her so much.
I got serious again. “Okay, look. The other night—well, I guess it was last week—when Alastair and I were leaving the club after my shift, this gross guy turned up and basically told me I should move back in with my mom if I knew what was good for me.”
Esther’s expression turned murderous. “What thefuck?”
“I know. It was obviously some drugged-out friend of hers—or her dealer. I don’t know.”
“Toby, that’s messed up.”
“I know.”
“Did you go to the police?”
I gave her a strange look. “What? No. What was I gonna tell them?”
“Uh, that this stranger threatened you in the street? I assume it was the street. He didn’t come into the club did he?”
“No. Jacob would’ve turfed him.”
“Exactly. Wait! You said Alastair was there…”
“Not at first. I was…uh…” I blinked and looked everywhere but at Esther.
She narrowed her eyes. “Smoking. You were smoking, weren’t you?”
“I had a cigarette in my hand. But I didn’t smoke it.”
She looked skeptical. “Why not?”
“Because by the time Alastair got rid of the creepy guy, I didn’t want to… I didn’t want to be likeher.Idon’twant to be like her.”
