you had one hell of a night,” he remarks as he takes in my dress, unbrushed hair and smudged makeup.
“I did have a crazy night, so I’m going to hit the shower and then take a nap,” I say when I turn around to leave. “Sorry about not letting you know I wasn’t coming home. I didn’t know I was sixteen again.”
“I’m not asking you to report everywhere you go to me. Just give me a heads up when you’re going to be hoeing around and not coming home so I don’t worry about you.”
“Hoeing around?” I turn back and repeat with my arms crossed over my chest indignantly. I’m so tired of the double standard that says it’s okay for guys to have one-night stands but not for women.
Sean wipes away his milk mustache and puts the milk back in the fridge. “No judgment here. Do whatever you have to do to make rent in two weeks,” he says, making my shoulders tense.
“I’ve applied to several jobs, and now I’m just waiting for one to call me back,” I reply. “It may take a few days to find something, but I’m not hoeing myself out!”
“If you can’t help with at least half the rent in two weeks, I’ll have to find a roommate who can. Times are tight, you know?” he says while putting two waffles in the toaster.
“I know they are, and I’ll figure out something soon,” I tell him.
“How much did those tickets to the concert cost you?” he asks, turning around to rest his back on the counter with his arms crossed over his chest.
“I bought my ticket six months ago, and it was only thirty dollars for a lawn seat.”
“You’ve got to learn how to manage your money better, Jetta.”
“I manage my money just fine,” I say, trying not to get angry at him. Spending thirty dollars to see my favorite band of all time wasn’t that big of a splurge. “If my loser boyfriend hadn’t forced me to move out of my apartment and back here with you, then I would still have a job and be awesome.”
Not that my job at the grocery store was all that great, but I was assistant manager after working there for three years.
“Yeah, you’ve never had the best taste in men,” Sean says. “In fact, I could probably set you up with some of my friends.”
“No thanks,” I tell him. “I think I want to just stay single and focus on a new job and all for now.”
“Suit yourself, but I know some people in high places. Guys with tons of money they would love to spend on a young girl like you.”
I don’t even respond to that statement because it sounds so gross, like he would be pimping me out or hooking me up with ugly, rich guys. As if I prefer money over looks and personality.
Take Rob Lawrence, for instance. The rock legend has tons of money, and yet he is one of the biggest weirdos I’ve ever met. Hot? Yes. Rich? Absolutely. But the dude is incredibly strange, unlike Devlin, who seemed like a genuine, down to earth guy with only a few jerk tendencies, like passing people in line. He was so damn good in the sack he more than made up for it, though.
Still, I’m getting too old to just be with a guy for a good time in bed. I want to be with someone who doesn’t play games, is ready to settle down, and has a strong work ethic that I can trust so we could eventually build a family together.
And that is definitely not a man like Devlin, who has sex with women he just met in public places and has threesomes with rock stars.
Devlin
“Yo, Dev! How was the concert?” Fiasco asks Sunday afternoon when I walk into the Dirty Aces meeting and find him already sitting at the table.
“Incredible until the storm ended it early.” Can he see my face turning red, or does my tan hide the blush?
“Told you it was going to rain,” he says with a triumphant grin. “Good thing I stayed home.”
“Yep, you were right. For once,” I joke. “But the night wasn’t a total bust. I met a girl and Rob Lawrence.”
“Who?” he asks. He’s not really a Wasteland Authority fan and only listens to them on work sites or in the car when I make him. The two of us have been working for a construction company for years. The pay is