By Rachel Torrent

“C’mon, baby. Do I havta be there from start to finish?” Roger asked her.

He was stretched out gracefully on their bed in the loft, lying on his back, one arm behind his head, feet crossed. He wore jeans and a white T-shirt. Julie was looking for her hosiery in a drawer. She turned to him then.

“Don’t start with me, Roger.” She turned back to her search.

She was getting dressed for the huge celebration that was happening at her restaurant tonight. Roy Dean Bream had finally asked Lonnie to be his bride, and Julie and Roger were hosting.

Supposedly.

“Why can’t I just show up later? Why do I havta be there at seven?” He sounded like a kid.

Julie bit her lip before she answered. She was already on edge about being responsible for such a massive event. She didn’t need hassle from Roger. Even if he did look irresistible dishing it out. She slowly sat down on the bed and looked at him.

“Because I need you there……..And you promised me last week, Roger.” She tried not to sound angry, stressed out.

He looked so calm. No stress at all. As usual. “But, honey, nobody’s gonna give a damn if I’m there or not.”

Julie didn’t have time for this. She felt like screaming at him. She took a deep breath and sighed heavily. “I care…….These things are pressure cookers for me…….and knowing you’re around would soothe my soul……..But if you’d rather be somewhere else—”

“Okay. Okay.” He laughed, almost inaudibly. “That’s all I wanted to hear……..that YOU care. Fuck everybody else. C’mere.” He reached out for her.

She didn’t budge. She was trying to collect herself. “No……I don’t wanna force you to do anything, Roger. You wanna hang out at the Snake Pit tonight? Or whatever? Go ahead. You know where I’ll be all evening.”

He was right behind her then, surrounding her with his arresting presence. He kissed the back of her neck and put his arms around her, pressing her close to him.

“Hold up, baby,” he whispered in her ear. “I wanna be where YOU are. I was just fucking with you…..Don’t tense up on me.”

Julie felt her psyche submitting to him, even though she still wanted to throw something at him. Life with Roger Lococco. She was still adjusting to it, after only a month of living here with him. She relaxed in his arms and tilted her head back to him. He kissed her throat.

“You really are a prick. Just like Sahndra says,” she told him. “Now get dressed, please.” She forced herself away from him and went back to her drawer.

It occurred to her that he hadn’t even reminded her that he’d been at Renaissance with her all day, helping her set everything up. But then he wasn’t like that. He might be a prick to everyone else, but he was good to her. Maybe, she thought, he’ll be good to me again, later. After the party’s over. And that potential eased her mind greatly.

* * *

Earl Ray was asleep when Sahndra walked into finish dressing for the party. She stood beside the bed and watched him. He was lying on his side, legs slightly drawn up. His hair was a mess.

Sahndra smiled. “You’re as beautiful and peaceful as a little child,” she whispered to him. “And I won’t let anything take you away from me.”

Wearing only her black silk slip she knew he loved, Sahndra snuggled down beside him, facing him. He woke up immediately, like she’d hoped he would. His green, sleepy eyes melted her. Then he smiled.

“Hey, angel,” he said. She loved his bedroom voice.

“Hi, honey. You’re adorable when you sleep.”

“Really now? How ‘bout when I’m awake?”

“Well, now that you ARE awake…..” She gently stroked his penis through his shorts.

“C’mon on, Sahndra. We gotta party to go to.”

“We got a little time yet, honey. You really got to me laying there asleep.” Sahndra noticed he was hardly responding to her touching.

He looked away from her face, knowing that she had noticed. “I just don’t want to right now…….Okay?”

She moved her hand, and he rolled onto his back. “What is it, Earl Ray?” she asked him softly.

He was staring at the ceiling. “That sonofabitch is gonna be there tonight, hosting that damn party with Julie, just like I used to.” He sounded angry, not sad. Sahndra was glad that he’d been honest with her.

She touched his arm. “What makes you think he’s hosting?”

He shot her a quick glance. “His name was on the fucking invitation, Sahndra!”

Oh, ……..yeah.” She had honestly forgotten. “But so what? Who cares? You can have a great time in spite of him, Earl Ray. Don’t let him piss you off.”

He was quiet for a minute. Then, “But I know his ass. He’ll be so damn smug and patronizing to everybody.”

“Forget about him, wouldya? You’re still friends with Julie, and that should be all that matters.”

He looked over at her. “And you………You matter…….I guess you’re right. Fuck Roger. The bastard.”

“There you go, honey. Fuck Roger.” Sahndra smiled at him. How wonderful it felt to really matter to him.

“Ya used to want to, didn’t ya?

“What?” She didn’t understand.

“Fuck Roger. Ya wanted to, right?”

Sahndra laughed a nervous laugh. “I used to admire him, yes. But all that’s over now…….He’s got nothing on you.”

He laughed. “I shoulda been with YOU all along, huh?”

“I’m the one who loves you more than anything.”

He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the mouth. “Don’t think I don’t know that, baby. You’re the best thing that evah happened to me.”

“Don’t let Roger get to ya tonight, okay?”

He looked into her eyes, seriously. “Tell me something, sweetheart………You talk to Julie…….Has he turned out to be everything she thought he would? Is she as happy as she expected to be?”

Without hesitating, Sahndra said, “Yes. To both.” She searched his face for a sign of pain, a sense of loss. She saw none anymore.

Earl Ray smiled. “Good. Then I’m done worrying about it. That’s it.” No bitterness. No sadness. Just matter of fact. He sat up. “So let’s get ready for a party!” He grinned.

Sahndra lay there and watched him hop off the bed and walk to the shower. She felt certain that a major hurdle had just been jumped. He was finished with Julie and all the grief associated with her. Finally, he was moving on. She meant nothing to him now except as a friend. Sahndra understood he’d always care about Julie’s well being, but no longer obsessively. And no longer would he hurt because she was lost to him.

Sahndra felt good about the breakthrough. She had fallen deeply in love with this man and never wanted to be apart from him. She knew that one day he’d feel the same about her. She buried her face in the pillow he’d been sleeping on so that she could lose herself in his scent.

* * *

“Scottie, if you can’t behave yourself back there, I’ll gladly replace you.” Julie sat at the “fancy” bar at 7:15 and sighed at his antics. No one was there yet except the staff. Scottie had agreed to tending bar tonight because she had begged him, and now he promised to remove an article of his clothing every hour the celebration lasted.

His divorce from Sahndra had been final three weeks ago, and he’d been adjusting well. Sahndra had given him the distance he wanted, and he seemed to be his brash, witty self once again.

“And you, Jules, can gladly kiss my sweet ass.” He was drinking a Boilermaker.

She rolled her eyes, Roger style. “Look. I didn’t hire you as entertainment for tonight. We got other people for that. So keep your clothes on. We don’t need you scaring the guests.”

“I might havta hurt you, smartass bitch.” Scottie laughed.

“Oh, but I have a very dangerous bodyguard now. Don’t forget.” She looked around for her bodyguard.

“Yeah. Yeah.” Scottie was looking off past her now. “Evan! Over here, buddy!” He motioned the party’s first guest to the bar.

Julie turned to stare at the man approaching them. He was overtly handsome in a fragile, melancholy way. She stood up to greet him.

“Julie, this is Evan Freed, from the Miami area. Evan, this is your lovely hostess, Julie. She’s in between last names at the moment.” Scottie laughed again, as he would the rest of the evening.

She smiled and shook Evan’s hand. “I’m so glad you could come. Make yourself at home. Do ya know Roy Dean and Lonnie?”

“Yeah, a little. I met ‘em down at that Snake Pit place not long ago. Courtesy of Scottie, here.” Evan glanced at Scottie who was handing him a drink.

“Yeah. Scottie’s a real man about town. Mr. Congenial.” She grinned, then looked at Scottie. “And he’s gonna get his ass kicked for that crack about my last name.”

Scottie chuckled, and Evan looked a little lost. Julie thought he looked uncommonly cute. Kind of like a younger, beardless Scottie.

“Where’s Lococco?” Scottie asked her.

She looked around. “I’m not sure. He came in with me and then disappeared. He’s gonna get his ass kicked too.”

“Oh, right. And what else might you do to his ass?” Scottie’s banter was in first gear tonight. Julie was glad he was in such high spirits, considering all he’d gone through in the past month.

“Shut the hell up, Scottie. I’m already sick of you, and only one guest is here yet.” She turned to Evan. “I’m sorry my asshole bartender is so rude, Evan. I’m going to the front door to greet people.”

Scottie laughed again. Then he looked at Evan. “I toldya she was a wildcat.”

As she walked away, Julie heard Evan say, “Is she single?”

She also heard Scottie do his cute snorting laugh and say, “Don’t even think about it, man. Even if she was, you couldn’t handle that one.”

At the front door, Julie looked over in the big bar area for Roger. It was empty. Maybe he’s in my office, she thought. Some host. Then she checked the buffet tables and walked over to see her other volunteer bartender, Slick Goodlin.

Slick was a regular patron at Roger’s establishment, The Coiled Snake Pit. He was one of several cross-over customers/friends she had picked up when she started dating Roger. Slick was young, arrogant, and very cute. Roger had talked him into bar duty tonight.

“How’s it going, Slick?” Julie heard people coming in the front door as she walked up to him.

“Boss lady! Going great! Now if I just had some frigging people to make drinks for!” He grinned.

“Don’t worry. You’ll have plenty to do. Ya seen Roger?”

“Here I am.” Roger walked out from the kitchen area before Slick could answer.

Julie’s mouth watered at the sight of him in his black, dressy outfit, complete with a leather jacket.

“Where’ve ya been? I though you’d snuck out,” she said to him, trying not to sound upset.

“Take it easy, baby.” He put his hand on the back of her neck. “I was in the kitchen…..helping out.”

“Doing what, Roger?” His touch was calming her down even though her voice didn’t convey it.

“Caleb needed some boxes unpacked. So I helped him……..Okay?”

He’d been doing a good deed while she was worried that he was leaving or hiding. Now he was telling her with his eyes only, “See? I really DO wanna be here with you.”

“Sorry, honey. I just want our first party together to go smoothly,” she said.

He slid his hand down her spine, erotically and comfortingly at the same time. “And it will. Relax.”

“Hey, Jody! Eula! What can I get you guys to drink?” Slick asked some guests.

Julie and Roger turned to see a very attractive couple. They wore expensive clothes.

“Hi, I’m Julie and this is Roger. We’re glad you could make it.”

They both broke out a huge, gorgeous smile. They really looked good together. “I’m Jody Varner, and this is my wife, Eula. Thanks for the invite.”

All four shook hands. Julie got heavy “pretentious” vibes from Eula. “Aren’t you guys new in town?” she asked them.

Jody answered. “Yeah. We’re from Frenchman’s Bend. But we go way back with Roy Dean. Are they heah yet?”

“They’re coming in now. I’ll go and show them the table Julie INSISTS they sit at.” Roger always saw everything before the average person did.

“They’re the guests of honor. They need to be at the most prominent table,” Julie scolded him.

“I agree.” Eula smiled at Roger a little more than Julie liked.

“Yeah, whatever,” he said and headed to the door. He ignored Eula.

“He’s gorgeous. Where’d ya find him?” Eula asked Julie.

“Oh, stop it already, Eula.” Jody laughed. “My wife’s always flirting. Don’t pay her no mind.”

Julie smiled, but she’d already put Eula on a “Could Cause Trouble” list in her mind. “You guys have a good time. Nice to meet ya.” She politely wandered off and realized that the restaurant, both sides, was filling up quickly.

In the foyer, she ran into another one of Roger’s friends, Ben Farlow. Tyler Barnes was not far behind him, chatting with Amy Matthews.

“Julie! Howya doing!” Ben hugged her. She liked him. He was always calm and collected and had an air of intelligence about him, like Roger.

“I’m so glad you’re here, Ben. Can we dance later?”

“I don’t dance, love. Sorry.” Like Roger.

“Oh, Ben. C’mon. I can’t make Roger dance with me either.”

“I’ll dance with ya, beautiful.” Tyler Barnes had gotten rid of Whiny Amy and joined them. He smiled at her.

“Hey, Tyler. Are you Ben’s date tonight?”

“Unfortunately. You’d better have some damn single women here.”

“You two can have your pick of the litter. Now get over to the bar and have a drink…….Oh, and Tyler…….I’ll save a spot on my dance card for ya.”

They parted, and Julie went back to the dining room. Roger was with the couple of the evening, so she walked over and sat down beside him. Guests were leaving gifts on their table. Lonnie and Roy Dean were bursting with happiness.

After a few minutes, Julie sensed that Roger was restless but trying to be polite. She took his hand. “Let’s check on that stuff in the kitchen.” He looked at her gratefully, and they left the happy couple.

Roger put his arm around her as they slowly walked over to Scottie’s bar. “Can I go now?” he asked her.

“Cut it out, Roger. If you wanna go, then go.”

He hugged her closer to him with a little laugh. “Just kidding, sweetheart. I’m not leaving. But I do need a drink.”

At the bar, Evan had sat down and was keeping Scottie company. He was also getting drunk.

“Guess what, Jules,” Scottie said as he made her a drink and handed Roger a beer. He’d removed his jacket.

“What now, Scottie? And keep your damn clothes on.”

“The ol’ ex-wife and ex-husband just walked in. Let the games begin.”

“Really? Where?”

“They sat down with that Carli chick and Jack French. I think Jack was trying his luck with Carli.”

“That’s my boy, Jack. Always trying. A real ladies’ man.” Roger said. He had sat down next to Evan. They’d already met at the Snake Pit.

“What are they drinking?” Julie didn’t want to be obvious and turn around to look for them.

“They musta been on the other side first and got drinks over there. They haven’t been back here.” Scottie made himself a drink. Maybe he needs one to settle his nerves, Julie thought.

She wasn’t shaken up at all. She didn’t mind socializing with Earl Ray. But she knew he didn’t want to be around Roger.

“Scottie, please don’t make a scene if they DO come back here. Promise me.”

Scottie acted surprised. “Puhlease. I’m past all that. Sahndra’s his now. Done deal.” Julie thought he sounded sincere.

She turned to Roger. “And will you try to avoid Earl Ray, honey? Just for this party?”

He slowly turned his head and looked at her. “Do ya want me to play gracious host, or do ya want me to avoid people all fucking night?”

Scottie snickered. She sighed. “Okay. Whatever. If shit hits the fan, then I guess it just does.”

Roger pulled her over to him by her arm. He put his arm around her waist. “Baby, you gotta chill. Everything’s gonna be fine. Trust me.”

And she did feel better just feeling him touch her and hearing his voice. She trusted him totally.

“Hi, gang. Is this where a girl comes to wet her whistle?”

Julie turned around to find Amy Matthews directly behind her. Amy looked worn or tired or something. Her eyes were dull and lifeless.

“Amy! Where’s that handsome husband of yours?” Julie asked, and Roger pinched her ass. She jumped, but not very noticeably.

“Whatcha want, babe?” Scottie asked Amy.

“Two vodka tonics, please. Alan’s back there with Sahndra and Carli. He made a bee-line for that table as soon as we got here.” Julie noticed she excluded Earl Ray in the table inventory.

“Carli’s great, isn’t she? Good looking and smart as a whip,” Julie said with a devious smile.

“I think she was doing some work for the store. Maybe she wants to get her claws into Alan. Maybe I should keep an eye on her.” Amy took the drinks from the efficient bartender, Scottie.

Julie laughed out loud. “Oh, Alan’s a big boy. He can take care of himself.”

Amy frowned. “But he doesn’t always know what’s best.”

Julie laughed again. She was having fun with Whiny Amy. “Who are you to say he doesn’t, hmmm? I think he does…….I think he knows very well what‘s best.”

Amy looked puzzled and wandered off with her drinks. She gave one to Alan, and they sat down at the table next to Carli with Danny and Louise Quintz. Lonnie and Roy Dean were still enjoying each other and the party. And some people were beginning to head over to the other room to dance.

* * *

On to Part II