Page 119 of Power Move

I suspected Eva wouldn’t have a problem with boobs—she never had issues with boobs—but would complain about exploitation and me trying to pull one over on her.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” I sighed. “No, tits don’t offend her, but I’m afraid she’s going to be upset I didn’t clear it with her.”

“Clear it? Are you married now?” Bark laughed.

“I mean, I’m having kids with her, so yes,” I answered. “Pretty much.”

“Live a little, man!” Derrick smacked my back. “And drink up!”

I went in, resolved to hang out in back and touchnothing. Derrick, however, took this as a challenge. I got several uncomfortable lap-dances out of the deal and ended up spending more at the ATM than I wanted. The fees weremadness,but these kids had no clue. They didn’t care. They had nothing but hazard pay to burn, I assumed.

When we finally headed back to my place to crash on every available surface, I climbed into bed next to Eva. Things must have resolved at the office. She stirred, rolling over to stare at me. I was drunk as a skunk, not remotely articulate, and had lived a little too large.

“Did you fix it?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she murmured. “The linen sale will hopefully succeed despite the best efforts of our shitty vendor. I think we need to look at other options before our notice period is up next month. I’m done.”

“Oh… okay.”

“David, you smell like a fucking bar. And…” She stopped. “Cheap perfume. What the fuck?”

“I… I didn’t ask… I didn’t want to.”

“What?” Eva demanded. “Did you fuck someone?”

“God, no!”

“Then what did you do?” Eva looked near tears, sitting up and glaring with the angriest expression I’d ever seen.

“We went to the strip club. I was already almost in Indiana before Derrick told me what was going on. I behaved. I promise. I?—”

“Why would you do that? Why didn’t you tell me? God! You’re the fucking worst!”

As predicted, the move went over like I expected. I was in the doghouse.

Eva

“Why would you lie?” I demanded. “Am I so disappointing that you had to do that?”

I saw red. I did something I shouldn’t have in the heat of the moment with Davey—something that putmyreputation at risk,not his. And he paid it back by going to a fuckingstrip clubfor lap dances!? Who did that!?

“What do you mean, Eva?”

“I gave you the best I could, andthisis how you respond. You don’t even remember!”

He rubbed his temples. “Baby, my head hurts. I’m so hungover and?—”

“I just slept on your couch until Sec Arch woke me up and told me they’d figured it out about 90 minutes ago. I am miserable. Your babies are kicking me so fucking hard that I cannot sleep. My hips are fucking on fire. And you go out and let a bunch of strange women grind on you?” I flailed, climbing from bed. “No!”

“No what? Eva, I love you. I didn’t do anything bad. I swear. Derrick is the issue. I thought of all people, you’d be down with boobs?—”

“Down with boobs and hearing that you went to a fucking strip club after I let you take me in your office are two different things. Was that enough for you? Do I just disgust you or something?”

Tears rolled as I stood there.

“Eva, you’re perfect. What are you talking about?”

“You degraded me!” I shouted. “And I’m going to go sleep downstairs!”