Speakeasy (True North #5)(18)

But that day is a long way off. “Here, kitty-kitty!” I yell.

From a dark corner of the shop, I hear movement. But the cat doesn’t appear.

“Okay, well. I’m going to leave you some food.” There’s a stack of cans on the end of a worktable, and I open one of these and plop the food into a bowl on the floor. It smells disgusting. I don’t want to leave this can in Hamish’s waste basket, so I carry it outside with me and throw it in the dumpster.

I leave a minute later, after securing the big padlock on the exterior door.

“Sorry,” I say to May as I climb back into the truck. I point it toward the law school and then hit the button for the stereo. The cab fills with the easy sounds of a Black Keys song.

“Look,” May says after a couple of miles. She lays a hand on my arm. Her touch distracts me from the next couple words, but I get the gist of it. “You really didn’t have to go to this thing. I don’t know why I asked you for another favor. I’ll owe you for years at this rate.”

“It’s cool,” I say. May has no idea how guilty I feel for not telling her a whole week sooner about Daniela’s infidelity. “You can owe me, but I charge interest. Next year at this time you’ll owe me four favors.”

“If tonight is a disaster, the interest might accrue pretty fast.”

“Nah.” I glance at her and catch worry lines crossing her forehead. “What could honestly happen? If Daniela is an asshole, she’ll only make a fool of herself, not you.”

“Maybe,” May concedes. “But if Tracy tries to get under my skin, I’ll probably let her.”

“Pfft. I’ll just carry you out again. Nobody will even notice.”

May laughs. “Please tell me there’s no photographic evidence of that night. Does your bar have security cameras?”

“Only near the cash register,” I promise. “And Benito put an extra camera in the parking lot after Zara’s near miss.”

“Good idea.”

We lapse into silence again. But as we get nearer to the law school, I have to ask. “So—what’s the play, here? How jealous am I allowed to make Daniela?”

May turns to study me. “I hadn’t really thought about it like that. I really just wanted to have someone to stand next to.”

“Okay—so I’m arm candy. That’s super fun.”

She laughs. “You’re a good sport. But—swear to God—just your presence will irritate Daniela. You’re a man, and that will make her crabby.”

“Yeah? You rebel. Showing up with a man.”

“I know, it sounds ridiculous.”

“You used to date men, though, right?”

“Sure. And she hated that. She held it against me.”

“Why? Men are awesome.”

“Has anyone told you that you have very healthy self-esteem?”

“They don’t have to tell me because I already know. But now I’m curious. Why will Daniela lose her shit if you show up with a guy?”

“She’s…” May shakes her head. “She thinks bisexuality isn’t real. That when I say I’m bi, she thinks I’m just not butch enough to say the L word.”

“Hmm. You’re not very butch in that outfit, babydoll.”

“Thank you. I think.”

“So she thought you weren’t a real lesbian? Or that you weren’t willing to call yourself a lesbian? There’s a difference.”

May thinks that over. “The first one. She accused me of not being lesbian enough in bed.”

“What?” I laugh. “That membership card couldn’t be too hard to snag. I’d say if you smooch her cooch, you’re in the club.”

May howls, which is nice, because now I’ve got her laughing. The sound goes right to my balls. “Are you ever serious?” she asks eventually.

“Fuck no. But you’d better explain, okay? Tell me more about what sexual technique would convince Daniela that you’re a real lesbian. Feel free to go into a lot of detail.”

May smacks me in the arm. “You only want to perv on the lesbians. Just like a man. You know there’s porn for that, right?”

“You don’t say?”

She laughs again.

“But really—seems kinda wrong to tell your own girlfriend how to be a real lesbian.”

“It wasn’t cool, but I’m more angry with myself for putting up with it. She didn’t like what I like, which is fine. But she didn’t want me to like it either.”

Now I’m dying of curiosity. What could May Shipley like in bed that Daniela thought was wrong? “You’re into bondage?” Nah. Daniela probably invented bondage. “Foot fetish? Blindfolds? If you don’t tell me I’m gonna keep guessing.”

“So you can perv.”

“I’m in my happy place right now. You’re sitting over there showing me cleavage and talking about my favorite topic.”

“Sexual shaming?” Her voice is wry.

I stop at a stop sign and look at her. “May, swear to god—I’m sorry she gave you any shit at all. I’m just joking around with you right now, but it’s not cool that she made you feel bad and then cheated. You don’t deserve that.”