Page 56 of Keep Vegas

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Even better,” I say as I exit. “Cuff her. She never let me do it, but I’m sure you’ll have better luck.”

“AHHHH. Fine. I hate you, Tony Ladd.” She storms into the elevator.

“Cool. Save it for the press.”

Five hours later, she’s out on bail. She put up her wedding ring for it. Teddy bailed her out, and I think I saw her smirk at me when we passed in the station. I’ll drop the charges, but I want the doorman fired. Enjoyed every second. Ten out of ten, would recommend. I enter my penthouse, and I’m starving and can’t wait to tell Mak this story.

I pull out last night’s takeout and eat it from the carton. I love cold noodles. I pop a beer and dial her up.

It’s late for my time, but LA time, it’s still decent. I don’t know if she’s on a job or not. I think she’s in LA.

She denies FaceTime.

I prop my feet up on the coffee table.

I text while looking over her confused texts from earlier.

TONY: Yo. Why did you deny me?

MAK: I’m busy. And it’s all fine. I get it.

I’m insanely confused.

TONY: You get what? You’re speaking in tongues. Say it. We’re friends.

MAK: Friends? You were shirtless earlier.

TONY: Yes, we’re shirtless friends. Your turn. Call me up shirtless. I promise not to complain.

MAK: Jesus, be serious. You have more important things than me. You always did. I’m a moron to pretend any of this was different. It’s fine. Take care.

TONY: NO. This is not how this goes. I say, let me call you and tell you the story of what went down tonight. Or you can read it tomorrow in the Globe. But here’s the part where you say, “Sure. And you’re the dreamiest, Tony Ladd.”

MAK: I have to go.

TONY: Mak!

TONY: Makenzie.

TONY: Not funny. Are you seriously upset about something? I hated ending our call, but it’s such a good story. Makenzie, trust me. I know this isn’t quite how you wanted to hear it, but there’s something here, and I don’t want to let you go again. Please don’t fucking walk away again. This is shitty. You have to start telling me why you keep leaving.

MAK: I’d rather you didn’t call. It’s easier this way. I have way too many things to deal with, and trying to figure out what the fuck this is, or if you’re still embarrassed by me is too much of a head trip. Was good to see you. We should have let the past be despite how we feel about each other.

TONY: Nope. Not even a little bit of this makes fucking sense. Calling you right now. We sort this. I’m tired of living a life in the unspoken.

I call her, and she doesn’t answer. And doesn’t answer. And doesn’t answer. I say the same thing in each of the first five messages, “Call me, little witch, you’re not getting off this easy this time.”

And then I lay it down. “We’re not done. Even the universe thinks so, or why would you have been in that club the same night I was thinking about you. I think about you every birthday. You owe me not to disappear.”

I don’t even understand what she means about being embarrassed by her. She might be the least embarrassing thing I’ve ever done in my life. Definitely the only time I didn’t feel like I had to prove myself or joke around to make someone like me. Or trust me. This is fucked up, and I need it to become something else. It’s time we stopped playing.

Fuck the bet.

mak

Ilike the night shifts because the rec hall is usually empty after the evening activity.