Page 35 of Apparently, I’m A B!tch

Chapter21

Tristan

Thursday afternoon

I lookedup and watched the street through the glass-pane wall that separated my shop from the outside heat. Where was she?

Two days passed since the last time she was here. She gave me the shirt, then disappeared, leaving me to stare at both the time and the door like some desperate dog waiting for his master to come back.

When she didn’t show on Tuesday, Uncle Henry sulked in the back, shooting me long looks that made me assume he’d spoken to Lilly about her. I had to close up knowing the shaabiyat was going uneaten, and Nikki was going without her usual break. Her absence left a hollowness in my stomach, and that night I painted, trying to keep her off my mind.

Wednesday came and went, and despite selling a painting to one of my customers, the hollowness in my gut turned into a hot pit of irritation. Where was she? What was this about?

I asked Lilly and she sulkily dismissed me with, “Why would you care about Nikki not being here? She’s just a customer now, right? Go and talk to Rochelle since she’s the one you want to be with.”

I had enough of Lilly, enough of the stabbing heat in my gut, and I called Rochelle out of spite more than for any other reason. The art curator talked me into attending an event with her, and I agreed without thinking it through. It was only once my irritation calmed that I let myself feel the disappointment of having another day go by without Nikki, while having another meaningless date with Rochelle to look forward to.

The last customer left, and Lilly took hold of the mop as Shawn began wrapping the unordered and uneaten food for the day. I looked around, deciding I could do the dishes later. Instead, I rounded the counter and went straight to the coffee machine.

The noise it made almost drowned out Lilly’s steps. I didn’t hear her until she asked, “What are you doing?”

“Making a double shot latte.”

“Why?”

I shrugged and shook my head, clenching my jaw. From the corner of my eye, I felt her stare. She left me alone when I didn’t answer, choosing to watch me as she mopped instead.

I poured the heated milk into a to-go cup, then took the tray of shaabiyat from Shawn’s stacked pile, unwrapping it as he clucked his tongue at me.

“What are you doing, Tristy? I just wrapped that.”

I chose three and carefully put them in a paper bag, twisting it shut. “Sorry. Here.” Re-wrapping the tray, I placed it back on the counter for him and said, “I’m heading out for a bit, guys. Leave the dishes and inventory mark-up for me, but if I’m not back before you’re done with your usual work, lock up before you leave.”

Taking my apron off, I hung it in the back, scooped up the coffee and bag of treats, and almost made it to the exit when Lilly asked, “Where are you going?”

I looked at her squarely and said, “To see Nikki.”

She shook her head and spoke to my back as I left. I heard half of what she said; “You can’t just–” She was probably going to say something like, “show up at her office”, but that was exactly what I planned to do.

Whatever this was between us, ignoring each other wasn’t an option. I couldn’t handle the thought of Nikki being mad at me. I couldn’t sit by and let whatever grudge she had eat away at us like this.

I could handle her not liking the way the shop looked, I could handle her thinking I was a talentless phony who was wasting my time. But I couldn’t handle her being mad at me.

I couldn’t handle knowing that I upset her, that I made her want to stay away from one of the things that brought joy to her day. I had to talk to her, I had to apologize for whatever I did wrong.

I pounded the hot pavement, staring straight ahead within the crowd of Manhattanites, with their edgy, caffeine-fueled rush propelling my own roiling nerves. My stomach jumped around, knocking into my heart and making it beat faster. I bunched my lips together and shook my head as I made my way into Nikki’s building, the cool air-conditioning both a relief to my hot skin, and a frame for the prickly awareness that raced through me.

Fuck.

What was I doing? Bugging Nikki at her workplace was probably the worst idea I had since agreeing to go on another date with Rochelle. I stepped into the empty elevator, hitting the button that would take me to the twelfth floor.

“I don’t do things like this,” I muttered to myself as the elevator climbed higher and higher. What if showing up like this blew up in my face? What if I just made things worse?

The doors opened and I took in a ragged breath as the office of L&K Criminal Law stood in front of me. I didn’t let myself slow. Nikki was getting this coffee and these pastries even if the ground rose up and swallowed me whole afterwards.

L&Ksurrounded me, with Sharon, the gatekeeper at the reception desk, cocking her head in confusion as I came closer. “You’re from Extra Shot, aren’t you?”

The fact that she skipped her professional greeting should’ve probably been a sign for me to turn back. Instead, I said, “Yes, that’s me. I’ve got something for Nikki.” I held up the coffee and paper bag as if she couldn’t have seen them before.