Page 42 of There Once was a Dancer
He dropped his hand and I followed him to the kitchen where he put Lola down by her bowls. She happily started gobbling food at her dish. She looked up at me and began wiggling, making little yipping sounds that sounded absolutely adorable because her mouth was full of food. I wanted to reach down to pet her, but I was afraid she’d bite me because dogs didn’t like it when you bothered them while they were eating.
Instead, I squatted down and started talking to her in Spanish while Rex went to heat up the lasagna. Lola abandoned the food and crawled over to me. I held out my hand, let her smell the back of it, and waited until she started wiggling. I grinned and scooped her up, pressing kisses to the top of her fuzzy head. I was telling her what a beautiful, little girl she was when the microwave beeped. Rex grabbed our food and laid it on the table as I set Lola on the ground. I watched her crawl back to her bowl and then turned to find Rex watching me.
I grinned. “I love her.”
He nodded. “Come on. Sit down. What’d’ya want to drink?”
“Water.” I was so thirsty. I’d barely had anything to eat or drink since morning and I was dehydrated. I normally drank at least three bottles of water a day and my body felt weak from the lack of it.
Rex walked back into the kitchen and returned to the table with two bottles of water as I pulled out a chair and sat at the table. He handed me one and I cracked the top, then drank it all down as he watched. When I lowered the bottle, he was smiling again. I let my gaze roam over his face, taking in the chiseledfeatures, the little dimples partially hidden by the stubble that covered his cheeks, reacquainting myself with just how gorgeous he was.
“You really were thirsty. Let me get another bottle.” He started to get up but I stopped him by grabbing his arm.
“No, we eat. I’m hungry, Rex, and this smells so good.”
He settled himself back in the chair and picked up a fork. “I hope you like it.”
“You made this?” I asked, picking up my own fork and starting to eat.
“Yes. I love to cook.”
The food was amazing, seasoned perfectly with oregano, tons of fresh basil leaves, and a garlicy tomato sauce. The mozzarella and ricotta cheeses were creamy and delicious. I ate like I hadn’t been fed in years which seemed to make him happy. I put all memories of the terrible scene in Bel Air completely out of my mind.
When I was finished, I sat back and used a napkin to wipe my mouth. “That was so good, Rex. Thank you.”
He smiled. “It’s the least I could do.” I watched his face as his expression grew serious. “I still don’t know what Wallace was thinkin’ by keepin’ you at the office so long. You should’ve gone home with your friend and all the others.”
I nodded. “Why he keep me, Rex? He think I’m cartel?”
He frowned deeply. “If he does, he’s an idiot. I know you didn’t have anythin’ to do with them. It was easy to see how scared you were when all that shit happened. It makes me mad that he’s pickin’ on you.”
I frowned, not understanding. I tried the phrase Rex had taught me. “He pick me up?”
I could see how he tried to hide a smile as he explained. “Pickin’ on you…it means he was actin’ like a bully with you. You understand the word bully?”
“Bully.” I said it out loud. “Si. It means he treats me bad for…” I searched for the English word and finally settled for the Spanish. “He treat me bad for no razón.”
He nodded. “For no reason, that’s right. There was no reason to question any of the valets back at the office. Candy knows that. He put up a fight about it, but he lost because his boss agreed with Wallace.”
I committed the English word to memory before asking another question. “Candy…he’s your boss?” I reached up to my cheek and traced a finger from eye to mouth because I didn’t know the right word to use.
Rex nodded. “Yeah, the man with the scar on his face is Captain Candy Sorensen, my boss.”
“He no think I’m cartel.”
“No one thinks you’re cartel.”
“Wallace…he think I am.”
“Wallace is an idiot then. Anyway, you have nothin’ to hide, so it’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
“Thank you, for to believe me, Rex.” He reached out to take hold of my hand, and I curled my fingers around his. He was so strong and brave. I loved it when he touched me. Keeping my gaze on our hands, I asked, “Rex, why you no come to get me last night?”
He sighed, tightening his grip so I couldn’t pull away. “You remember when Candy called me on the phone?”
I glanced up at him, nodding. “Si.”
“Well, I got in trouble for not callin’ him to tell him what happened with them men who tried to hurt you at Dance Hall Boys. He made me stay and wash our two big trucks. One of ‘em is the size of a bus.”
