Nice Girl (15 page)

“Well, I think you misunderstood, Jamie meant a nice
friend.
Vinnie hasn’t had the most, how should I put this,
healthy
relationships with women.  Vinnie just needs a good female friend.”

“Okay, you can keep telling yourself that.  I haven’t been here a long time but I do know that I’d never seen Vinnie smile until you started working here.”

Well that is what a nice girl does.  She gets everyone to smile around her, I thought with distaste.  This was one of the reasons Vinnie and I would never be more than friends.  Vinnie wanted hard fast women.  Not a nice girl.

And…..women who definitely knew what to do in bed. 

I decided that I would enjoy Saturday as a fun night out with co-workers and friends.   There would be no other expectations. 

That’s what I told myself as I was panicking to try to find something to wear on Saturday.  I spent over an hour curling my long hair.  I hadn’t worn it down again since the office party.  I knew bowling would be casual but I wanted my hair lush and flowing.  I knew what I was doing.  I was setting the stage for Vinnie to look twice again.  What the hell, I might as well live for the moment.  

I chose a pair of black skinny jeans that I never would have bought until I had lost weight.  I loved the way they hugged my body.   Since it was a bowling alley, I didn’t want to look like I was trying too hard.  I chose a simple red Henley top.  It was form fitting but not too tight.  I liked that I didn’t look overly dressy.

Because it was March, I grabbed my short gray pea coat.  I was ready a few minutes early.  I decided to wait in front of the dorm so that Vinnie could just pull right up. 

As I was getting off the elevator, I saw Vinnie approaching the front door to get buzzed in.  He didn’t see me at first.  He was trying to walk in with one of the graduate students that lived in the dorm.  The student looked really uncomfortable about letting Vinnie in.  I shouldn’t have hesitated.  Vinnie was my friend.  But I stalled taking in the contrast.

I think the student’s name was Dan but I wasn’t entirely sure.  He was only a few inches taller than me which put him around five foot six.  He was very skinny which didn’t help his small frame to begin with.  He was the perfect stereotype of the geeky college student.   He was wearing glasses and was carrying a backpack.  He also looked terrified of Vinnie. 

I stared at Vinnie seeing him through Dan’s eyes.  Vinnie towered over him.  It wasn’t just the height either.  Vinnie’s bulk almost looked fake.   Like one would find on an airbrushed cover of a muscle magazine.   It was the first time I saw him in jeans as he usually wears khakis to the office.  I could almost drool at the thick muscular thighs encased in denim.  The guy was just so
big
.  What had to be the most intimidating to Dan was the long scar that ran on the left side of Vinnie’s face.  In watching from Dan’s eyes, Vinnie looked like one hardened fighter and…..I became fully aware, an impatient one now that Dan was not going to let him in the door.

“Vinnie!”  I quickly intervened “I’m ready.”

I saw Dan gape as he took in me in my preppy gray pea coat leaving with Vinnie who had biceps barely contained in a thin black jacket. 

Vinnie smiled as soon as he saw me.  I could melt right there.

“Let’s go bowl.”  I pointed out hoping that Dan would see that there was nothing to be afraid of.  Just a young couple going out bowling.

He had illegally parked the Porsche but heaven help the traffic cop that would have confronted him. 

“God, I love this car.”  As I sank in the most luxurious feeling seats ever.  “I hope I can afford a car like this one day.”

“Well, you’re going to be Dr. Grace Locke.  I’m sure you’ll be able to splurge on any car you want.”  I loved hearing him say my name.  I loved that he knew my career aspirations.

Then Vinnie got quiet for a moment. “I know the cost of a Porsche is an obscene amount of money.  You have to remember though, I grew up poor.  My father died young and my mother……well let’s just say, my mother didn’t know how to provide for me.”

He was confiding in me.  I felt so honored.  There really was a chance I could be a good friend to him.

“What happened to your mother?”

“She died of a drug overdose when I was 19.”  He said flat, with no emotion at all.

“That’s a horrible way to die.”

He just shrugged.

“Jamie told me that you practically grew up with Anthony.”

That brought a smile back to his face.  The rest of the car ride, he shared stories of him and Anthony and the trouble they used to get into as young boys.  Before I knew it, he was pulling up to the bowling alley.

I don’t know why I was against going to the bowling fundraiser.  I was having a blast.  Ivy’s sister, India, was her spitting image.  It was kind of disconcerting though to see a male version of Ivy.  What I didn’t expect was that India was such a comedian.  It turned out that Ivy was a worse bowler than me.  Every time, Ivy went up for her turn, India had some sarcastic comment and then Ivy would throw a gutter ball.  Ivy would come back to her seat shooting hateful glares at her sister which you could tell were not real.  Then Jamal would start massaging Ivy’s shoulder saying “It’s okay baby, you’ll get it next time.”

It was the first time I saw Ivy dressed in jeans.  She always seems to wear a long flowing skirt when she comes in to A and V on Thursdays.  I was surprised to see how big her hips were.  She was curvy but carried it well.  Jamal literally couldn’t keep his hands off of her.  If he wasn’t massaging her shoulders, he had his arm around her.  He also seemed to enjoy slapping her butt so much that even India made a comment. 

Jamal without any hint of embarrassment answered.  “I don’t care if it bothers you, India.  I love my woman’s ass.”    

“Real women have curves.”  Ivy beamed at him.

I was jealous at their obvious connection for each other.  It was refreshing to see a woman so comfortable with her body.  Ivy had a man who obviously could care less that she was a little pudgy.

I was thinking again of the pressure I was putting on myself to lose weight.  I had this perfect number in my mind – 120.   I was still five pounds off.  Seeing Ivy and Jamal made me realize how nonsensical I was being.  Jamie must have misread my face.  It was envy not embarrassment. 

“Don’t worry, Grace.  You’re a petite little thing but you still have nice curves.”

My face turned bright red.

“Jamie, stop teasing her.”  Came Vinnie’s authoritarian voice.

“Damn, Vinnie, aren’t you the protective one?”

Vinnie had been a little overbearing in his attention to me this evening.  Not that I was complaining.  I loved it.  Whenever it was my turn to bowl, he walked up with me to give me some last minute pointers.  He stood close to me as he mimicked how to stand or how to throw my arms.  While we waited for our turn, we sat side by side.  A few times our thighs touched and I felt the ridiculous excitement of a middle school girl.  While others were bowling, he would lean in and whisper funny comments.  The feeling of his breath on my ear made my heart race and my legs rubbery.  How could he not know what he did to me?

When it was his turn to bowl, I relished that I was allowed to stare at his body because, after all, I was supposed to be watching my partner.  I’m sure the goal was to see how many pins he knocked down.  I could care less.  I just wanted to watch his powerful form whip that heavy bowl like it weighed nothing. 

We were drinking pitchers of beer but I noticed Vinnie drank one glass.   It made me feel safe that he was being a responsible driver. There were so many characteristics of his that I was impressed by.  I needed to start a list.  I would also add that he was generous.   He got up to go to the bar to buy another pitcher for the group.  I believe it was the third pitcher he was going to buy even though he was obviously, not drinking.  Me, on the other hand, just finished my fourth glass and I now needed to stop.  I found myself feeling fuzzy.  The last thing I needed was to make a fool of myself among co-workers. 

My bladder began to feel heavy.  I had the weakest bladder when it came to drinking beer or coffee.  I was glad that Vinnie had left to go buy another pitcher.  Why I was embarrassed that he would know I had to pee, I couldn’t figure out.  Ivy came back a few minutes ago so I asked her where the bathroom was.  Quickly I went in the direction she pointed.  I had to walk past the bar area to find the ladies room but Vinnie didn’t see me.  He was engrossed in a basketball game on the large screen TV while he waited for the pitcher of beer. 

I peed quickly to get back before he noticed.  I glanced at myself in the mirror.  My face looked flushed.  I definitely needed to stop drinking.  As I turned the corner out of the ladies room, I heard Vinnie’s unmistakable voice. 

“Keep walking.”  He sounded angry.

I peeked around the corner and saw a horridly dressed woman talking to him.  She had bright red hair that looked unnatural.  It had to be from a box because the shade looked ridiculous.  It also couldn’t have been done at a salon because it was so frizzy.  She was dressed in an extremely short skirt with black nylons that had some sort of pattern.  PUhlease!  I thought.  No one wears hose like that anymore.   I’m not sure if it was the way she was dressed or her ugly frizzy hair but I found her offensive.  Or, maybe it was the way she was hovering over Vinnie. 

“Oh come on, Vinnie baby.”  She cooed.  “You know you miss me.”

“You need serious mental help, Miranda, if you think I want you.” 

Then she laughed.  He just insulted her but she wasn’t deterred. “Don’t worry.  I get it.  You don’t miss me but you sure miss my mouth.”

Right then, I thought I was going to be sick.  The image of her bending to suck off Vinnie was too much.  I know that was his history.  I realize that was the only way he had sex with women.  Why does he have to pick such hideous looking ones?

Then this Miranda woman just had to top off my night.

“I saw you sitting there with miss goody two shoes.”

Great, she’s talking about me.

Vinnie stood up from the stool he was sitting on.  He spoke with his voice low like he didn’t want anyone to hear.  From my proximately, it was an unmistakable venomous tone. “Don’t look at her.  Don’t speak to her.  Stay the hell away from her and me, you disgusting whore.”

Shockingly, she didn’t back down.  “Yes, I’m such the whore.  But at least I know what I want.  Take my advice since you’re trying to be someone you’re not, Vinnie.  A nice girl isn’t going to give you what you crave, you sick bastard.”  And then she stormed off. 

I was shaking as I watched Vinnie grab the pitcher of beer and walk back to our lane.  How did this Miranda know by just looking at me that I was so inexperienced?  Is it written all over my face?  Here is Grace, a very nice girl who doesn’t know jack shit about sex. 

I waited a minute or two to stall and then forced myself back.  Vinnie immediately moved over to make room for me to sit next to him on the bench.

“Where were you?”  He did that soft whispering thing to my ear again.

“Bathroom.”  I knew it came out curtly.  I didn’t want it too.  I wanted to pretend I didn’t care.

I saw Vinnie glance to where the ladies room was.  I’m sure he picked up that the ladies room was within earshot of the bar.  He didn’t say anything more.  The rest of the evening, I was quiet.  Vinnie was an intuitive person.  I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t guess why.  So much for strong confident woman.  I was mad at myself for letting a slut like Miranda get to me.  I know there isn’t going to be any relationship with Vinnie beyond friendship.  What do I care what he does with a woman like her? 

Because I want him
.

Within the hour, the bowling fundraiser came to an end.    I was a little shocked at how competitive the guys were.  After all it was just bowling.  Not surprising then, everyone was tired and ready to go home. 

I was determined that the ride home with Vinnie would not be an awkward one.  I asked questions about the New York City streets that I could care less about.  Vinnie knew the city well so it was easy to keep the conversation going. 

We arrived at my dorm.  I had my hand on the door handle again.  I was ready to say my thank you and flee.  When Vinnie pulled up, he stopped me with his hand on my arm.

“Did you have a good time tonight, Grace?”  He asked softly. 

“Yeah, I was surprised.  I usually don’t like to bowl.  We work with a great group of people.  I got a real kick out of India.  Could you get over how funny she was?  Isn’t it weird to look at her and then at Ivy.  Identical twins always freak me out.”  I was rambling and he knew it.

He smiled “Good.  You were quiet there at the end.”

“I was just getting tired.  I’m not used to drinking so much.”  Total lie.  I used to drink three or four beers a night when I was out with my girlfriends all the time.  The explanation seemed to satisfy him.  Then my curiosity got the better of me.  “Did you, Vinnie, have a good time?”

“Yes, I did.  I’d never done anything like this before.”

“You mean bowling?  Anthony said you used to bowl for a class elective in high school.”  I was confused.  He had the top score tonight.  Jamal was totally pissed off.

“No, I didn’t mean I‘ve never gone bowling.  What I meant was that I’ve never gone out in a situation where we all were in couples.  It was nice.”

“You’ve never gone on a group date?  I mean, w-we weren’t on a date.  But we, um, were a couple.  But just not a couple dating.  I mean….just work friends.”  I was rambling again.

He laughed.  “Sorry to put you on the spot.  I’m not trying to psycho analyze the evening.  I enjoyed being part of a couple with you Grace even though we are just, how did you put it?  Work friends.  It’s hard for me to explain too.”  Then his face got more serious.  “It was something that is so normal that I’ve never done before.  I liked it.  It was fun.”

“You have no female friends?”  I think I already knew the answer to this.

“No.  All I did was hang out with the guys in the neighborhood.  We usually went to strip clubs.  I’ve never even dated.  My mom kind of screwed up my head when it came to women.”