“Sorry,” I said, shaking my head. “It was a long ride. I can barely feel my fingers.”
Jenn gave me a sympathetic look, one that seemed completely sincere. I don’t know why that surprised me; it’s not like I ever had a reason to think Jenn didn’t like me…I mean, just because I didn’t like her.
And now I was actually feeling really bad for being such a bitch about her this whole time. She really wasn’t the evil whore I was making her out to be. Was she?
She walked over, her heels clicking across the hardwood, and reached out with her hands, “Want me to take the rest of your stuff to your room?”
“No, it’s fine, I can manage,” I said. I took a step towards her, but the squeak of my wet boots reminded me that it was probably rude of me to tread through her (their) apartment. I stooped down to begin the laborious process of untying them but she told me to not bother.
“We’re not fussy here,” she added, and beckoned me to come over. I wasn’t sure if I believed that. Even though Dex was probably a little bit messy, the apartment was looking spotless and most likely all thanks to Jenn. Oh, well. If I could keep my boots on, I was keeping them on.
“Is this where I’m bunking down?” I asked.
“Yes, sorry it’s such a mess,” Jenn said, and touched my shoulder gently, guiding me into the room that was tiny and not a mess at all. “It’s obviously not a true bedroom since there isn’t even a window. Dex uses it as his office.”
I put my purse and helmet down on the tiny single bed covered in fancy, pistachio green linen and eyed his desk in the corner, which held up a massive flat screen Mac monitor and a range of other technical equipment. A column of clear boxes containing cameras and photographic stuff were stacked beside it. The shelves above the computer were almost keeling over with a plethora of books that ranged from Paranormal Normal? to The Demise of the Record Industry to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. On the other side of the desk were two guitars and one bass propped up in their stands. The walls of the room were covered from floor to ceiling with framed photographs of rock stars and arty concert posters such as Secret Chiefs 3 and The Cars. Aside from the pretty green bedspread, this room was definitely all Dex.
“I hope you don’t mind,” she added. “Just ignore all his shit in the corner.”
At that comment, it occurred to me how little Jenn knew about me and how little I knew about her. I decided it was time for me to suck it up, once again.
I faced her straight on, looking into her bright and seemingly earnest eyes, and said, “Thank you so much for letting me stay with you and Dex this week. I really appreciate it.”
She waved me away with a bashful look that seemed more coquettish than anything else. “Oh please, I insisted that you stay with us. Dex wanted to put you up in the shitty hotel down the street.”
Before I could even wonder about that, I heard the front door open and the sound of canine nails clacking wildly across the floor, along with wheezy dog breath.
A small white French Bulldog ran past the door, skidded to a stop, and then came back and ran straight for us.
The dog, who I assumed was Fat Rabbit since he did kind of look like a fat rabbit, jumped up on my shins like a wriggly, bug-eyed cylinder of excitement.
“This is Harvey,” Jenn said proudly.
I tore my face away from the sloppy doggy kisses and looked up at her. “I thought his name was Fat Rabbit?”
Jenn’s eyes rolled straight to heaven and I heard Dex’s unmistakable burst of laughter from outside the door.
“Have you been telling everyone his name is Fat Rabbit?!” she exclaimed.
“Well he looks like a fat rabbit,” Dex said, appearing in the doorway with that smart-ass grin on his face and a wet leash in his hands.
I expected the feeling to go all out of my body again like it had a few minutes ago, but that didn’t happen. There was just a tiny prickle of heat at my heart. He looked good, of course, with his neat trace of a ‘stache, broad chin, and silky black hair. His nose looked a tiny bit different and I immediately felt a wash of guilt, but other than that he was looking as devilishly handsome as ever. Especially as his dark eyes lit up noticeably when they met with mine.
I looked away before it became a lustful staring contest and I eyed Jenn with nervous humor. “Hey, Harvey was a fat rabbit too.”
She looked confused. She looked over at Dex for an explanation.
“It’s a film, babe,” he explained to her. “Harvey. With Jimmy Stewart. Big invisible rabbit. You know…”
She shook her head and I smirked internally, happy that Dex and I both knew something she didn’t. I met his eyes again and felt the usual pull towards him. Seeing him in front of me made me feel…well, not whole, I wouldn’t go that far, but it made me feel like everything was just right.
Except it wasn’t. Because I was suddenly very aware that I couldn’t go around staring at him all dopey eyed like I sometimes did, because his girlfriend, the Wine Babe Jenn, was in the same room as us. Fat Rabbit, too.
In fact I had expected that Dex would have come over and given me a hug hello, only he didn’t. He just nodded at me, still leaning in the doorway and said, “How was the ride over?”
“Wet,” I answered. At that, Fat Rabbit jumped up again and Jenn scooped him up in her arms. They were a lot more buff and toned that I had thought they’d be.
“Harvey, Harvey, Harvey,” she said to the dog who was gazing up at her perfect tawny face with googly eyes.
“You girls hungry?” Dex asked while he watched this for a few seconds, looking amused.
I was but I waited for Jenn to say something. She walked over to him with the dog in her arms and paused right in front of him.