Page 10 of Beautiful Trauma

Des looked at his knockoff Rolex watch Jimmy Schlick, aka Slick Jimmy, had given him as payment for his legal services last month. “You’re not late; it’s only—Wait. It can’t be six because I wasn’t even out of bed at the ungodly hour. That son of a bitch gave me a faulty watch. I’m going to remember this the next time he gets arrested and needs a lawyer.”

It was nine fifteen, and I was supposed to arrive at eight thirty. “I did bring a peace offering, and I’ll make up the lost time during my lunch break.” I set the coffee carrier and pastry box on my desk.

“The hell you will, Henry,” Des said, rising to his feet. Maintaining eye contact with him meant I had to tip my head back since he stood at six and a half feet tall in men’s designer dress shoes. When Desmond dressed in full drag, he became Dez-d-Moaner, and her six-inch heels made the queen seven feet of satin, sequin, and sass. The transition from the well-dressed, African American lawyer to an Amazon goddess was surreal. “You work too hard at your two jobs, and now that you’ve gone back to school, you’re going to need the hour each day to catch your breath or study. I’m afraid you’re burning your candle at both ends, and I don’t want to see your bright flame dwindle to a puny pilot light.”

I snorted. “Okay. I promise not to make a habit of this. I just had a rougher first night at college than I anticipated.”

“Were your professors raging dickheads? They tend to be strict at first then relax once they’ve established the rules and tone they want for their class.” Des slapped his forehead then rolled his eyes. “What am I saying? This isn’t your first rodeo.”

I laughed, and Des’s perfectly arched eyebrows rose high on his forehead. “The two years I spent at bible college are at the opposite end of the spectrum from the class I attended last night.”

“Were you really going to become a pastor?” Des asked, tilting his head to the side.

“That’s what my mother wanted for me, and if I wanted financial assistance from her, then it was my only avenue. It wasn’t my passion though.”

“What was unique about the class last night?” Des asked. He wasn’t making polite conversation; Des truly cared about me. Maybe it was exhaustion stirring up my emotions and making my eyes sting, or perhaps it was one of the times where the gratefulness I felt for him overwhelmed me. Des, mistaking my misty eyes, scowled as he rounded my desk and gripped my shoulders. “Who do I need to rip apart?” he asked in a growly voice. “Is your neighbor making trouble for you and Jessie again?”

I laughed and shook my head. “No, the warnings you gave him last time were sufficient.”

“Then what is it, lamb chop? What has you so upset that you’re late to work? You’re never late.”

I opened my mouth to answer, but the office door opened.

“Is this a bad time?” the visitor asked in a snide tone.

I couldn’t roll my eyes because it would only make the tension between Des’s boyfriend and me worse than it already was. The smile I gave Sean was serene and patient, the exact opposite of the seething I felt on the inside. Des could do so much better. “Not at all,” I said sweetly. “I was just telling Des about my first night back at college after nearly a year off.”

“Oh, how titillating,” Sean said sarcastically.

“Sean, what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” Des asked coolly.Uh oh.Trouble in paradise.Again. How could anyone as intelligent and compassionate as Des be attracted to a user like Sean Penderson?

“Pleasure is the reason for my visit, darling,” he cooed, strolling toward us, forcing Des to remove his hands from my shoulders and step back. Everything about Sean was fake or carefully orchestrated from his hair color, eyelash extensions, and colored contacts to the way he walked.

“Now isn’t a good time for me, Sean. My first appointment is due to arrive any minute.”

“You have time to talk Henry down from whatever crisis he’s landed in this time, but you don’t have time for your boyfriend?” Sean’s wounded boyfriend performance was Oscar-worthy.

“Ex-boyfriend,” Des countered.

Oh! That was new. I had a sudden urge to pop a bag of popcorn in the microwave in our small kitchenette so I could watch the show. They’d had plenty of arguments and almost-breakups during the eight months I worked for Des, but they’d never broken up. I was dying to know what Sean had done to finally push Des over the edge.

“Baby, I didn’t mean what I said. Can’t we go to your office and talk this out in private?” Sean possessively placed his hand on Des’s chest.

“Sean,” Des said, gently removing Sean’s hand and stepping back from him, “this isn’t the time or place to discuss it.”

“I see,” Sean replied stiffly. “Perhaps, we can have dinner tonight. I can make reservations at Rinella’s. Eating at your favorite restaurant always puts you in a good mood.”

“I already have reservations for Rinella’s tonight, Sean. I told you this last night.”

Sean’s dry laugh was flat and devoid of humor. “Oh, that’s right. Henry’s back-to-college dinner. How could I forget such a monumental moment?”

“What?” I asked, looking between the two men. Des looked thunderous while Sean looked smug.

“You just had to ruin hissurprisedinner, didn’t you?” Des asked his boyfriend.Ex-boyfriend.

“Oh,” Sean exclaimed, covering his mouth and turning murderous eyes on me. “Was it supposed to be a surprise?”

Since Sean and Des were no longer dating, I didn’t feel the need to suppress the snark I wanted to unleash on him. “Clearly, which was the point of your visit this morning.” It wasn’t the first time he’d deliberately ruined a surprise or wrecked plans Des made for me. “You’re such a bitch, Sean. Get out of here before I let Justice eat you.”