Where Two Collide

Chapter Twenty-Eight - Cat

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Cat

"Oh good, the friendly neighbourhood perve is back," said Shelle.

I glanced over my shoulder. It was the guy who'd grabbed my ass and gotten me in trouble with Vickie. I frown. I'd hoped I'd never have to bump into him again, you'd have thought after I'd smacked him, he'd have not risked coming back again. No such luck. An even worse thought crossed my mind, maybe he was a masochist!

Shelle sighed audibly. "I can't believe Vickie let him back in again after what he did to you."

I made a tsk sound. "Vickie made it clear that the customers can do what they like. So guys like that, just keep getting away with behaviour that should have been stamped out of them when they were kids." I gestured toward him with my thumb. "People like Vickie, are why men like him exist."

"Well that guy in particular has his eye on the new girl."

I followed her line of sight, she was right. The new girl was carefully picking her way across the room, grabbing stray glasses and the creep was heading straight for her.

"That girl is so damn unlucky," I muttered. For the second time that night, I jumped to her rescue, interjecting the creep before he got any closer to her. I'd already dealt with him once; I could handle him again. She was far too fragile. "Hey buddy, are you lost?"

He stopped short, a flash of recognition crossing his face. "It's my pretty blonde," he said, his lip curling. "Ready for that dance now?"

"Less of the my please, I belong to nobody, as for dancing-" I looked him up and down, slowly, to really get my point across. "-you really aren't my type."

He cocked his head to the side. At least I'd drawn his attention away from the new girl enough that she was now at the safety of the bar, emptying her tray. "Is that it then, are you one of them lady-lovers?"

"Eh?" I felt my face go red. Of all the things to come out of his mouth, that was the last thing I'd expected to hear.

"Cause you know," he leaned in close, his voice now a whisper. "I'd still be into that."

I was so shocked, that I wasn't able to react with my usual swiftness when he hooked his arm around my waist and pulled me tight against him. My face pressed against his chest I got a whiff of the strong scent of whiskey and day-old cigarette smoke. Two of my least favourite things. He tilted his head into my hair and inhaled deeply as if he was drawing breath for the first time. "Mmm, you smell like the ocean," he said taking another drag as though I was some kind of drug.

I lifted my hands to his chest and pushed hard, separating myself from him. "What the fuck man!" I exclaimed, reeling as I took a step back, my hands fisted at my side. I recited don't hit him inside my head, I couldn't, not again.

"Fine," he spat at me. "I'll find that other girl, she looked like she was asking for it."

I couldn't stop myself. How dare he? It was bad enough he was like this with me, but to prowl around after the less strong, the timid, well he had to pay. I drew back my arm, ready to knock the evil smirk right off his face. Before I could do anything, I was interrupted.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave," said Addie, interjecting herself between him and me. "Your behaviour is somewhat lacking for the kind of clientele we cater to here."

"Are you kidding me?" he growled, getting right in Addie's face. She didn't flinch, just stood there cross armed, as solid as if she were a statue made of stone. "This little bitch came onto me and you're trying to throw me out?"

That asshole. I moved to attack, an automatic response which was blocked by Addie's outstretched arm. Why was she getting in my way? This guy clearly deserved it.

"Sir, I think you're confused," said Addie, her voice stern and authoritative. "And again, I ask you respectfully to leave the premises."

"Confused?" If he didn't look confused before, he did now. "Why would I be confused. She clearly has a crush or something, she won't leave me alone. Here I am just trying to have a good night, and she is here throwing herself at me.

My face went even redder. As if I would ever throw myself at him, or anyone for that matter. I looked over at Addie, to see if she was a pissed off at this guy as I was. Her expression was smooth and unmoving. Oh god, she didn't believe him, did she?

"You're clearly confused sir because," she glanced at me and smiled. Immediately I felt calmer. When she looked back at him, her stern expression returned, I knew she had this. She waved a hand at him. "Just look at her... then look at you. Sir, you are very much punching well above your weight here."

He stared at her, flabbergasted. It took him a moment to recover before he growled back at her, "You can't say that to me, I'm a customer here. I'm a paying customer."

"Not anymore," she said, and took a hold of his arm. Addie's grip was clearly stronger than it appeared, as he struggled to release himself as she dragged him out of the bar.

I waited after my shift was over to talk to Addie alone. I'd been avoiding her all night, but now I needed to know what happened, I needed to know what she'd said to Vickie about it. With Vickie's mood, it might not have just been the new girl that could have lost their job that night.

I caught Addie as she was coming down from the office. I pulled her to one side and her expression showed that she was once again bemused by my actions. I felt myself blush ducked my head, trying to hide it as I spoke. "What did you say to Vickie?"

"About the guy I kicked out?" she asked, smiling ever so slightly.

"No about the unicorns we had in here earlier," I said sarcastically. "Yes, about the guy you kicked out."

"From your chat with him I figured he's probably been bothering the girls here for a while, and I'm guessing Vickie allows it so long as he doesn't go too far. I told her I caught him doing line's in the disabled toilets," she said, her smile deepening.

"You heard our conversation?" I asked. She nodded. That mean she'd heard the bit about being a lady-lover. I'd never felt more embarrassed in my life. "He was an idiot," I said, hoping she'd not think too much about it. Not think too much about that kiss, and what it had meant to me. Not that it had meant anything. It was nothing. A nothing kiss, to get rid of an ex. I was a nothing kiss.

"He's banned, so that's the last we saw of him." Addie wiped her hands as if she was wiping her hands of him.

"Thanks, I guess," I said, awkwardly running a hand through my hair. "I didn't need your help though; I can handle myself just fine. I've been kicking douchebags asses long before you got here and will continue to do so long after you're gone."

Addie laughed, and it sounded like a thousand jingling bells. I found myself mesmerized by the sound, and soon realised I was staring at her and had been for way too long. I looked away.

"I have to go," I said and turned on my heel.

"Wait," she called after me, but I was already running from her like the devil was at my heels with a lit pitchfork just for me.

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