Suri’s Sure Thing – Chapter 6

I return to the table, and I can no longer keep my anxiety under wraps. I love Erik. I’m in love with Erik. But he may not be in love with me. Oh, no. That could totally be the case. Even my father remarked on this last night. Erik may only think of me as a friend. Shit. What am I going to do?

“I think you need to end the date, Suri. End the date,” Finn grumbles from under the table. “Leo is not who he used to be.”

“Don’t worry, Finn. I have it taken care of,” I whisper to him. “Can you go let Myra know I’ll meet her out back?”

He can’t speak to her, but he’s good at leading people with body language. He nods and heads out the front of the restaurant.

I sit up at the table and assess Leo once again. Yeah, that old magic is gone. He’s still handsome, and he has a lot of potential… for someone else. Plus, Finn suspects something is up with him, and so does Erik. That does not bode well.

I wonder what it is. What has he gotten himself into?

No matter. I am way too drunk to confront him about it. I’d rather end this date and move on. I need to figure out my feelings for Erik, hopefully sometime soon.

“Shall we order more food and drinks?” Leo asks, signaling to the waitstaff.

“No. I think… I think we should end this now.”

His smile blinks out of existence. “Suri, come on.”

“No. I gave this dinner a shot, and I’m just not feeling it.”

“You’re not feeling it?” His voice is filled with incredulity. “Suri, this is a done deal. If we don’t get back together, your father is going to kick you out of the house.”

My stomach tightens. Right, right. I had forgotten about that.

“We can fix this, start dating again, and forget what happened in the past. Your family will support you and me together as a couple. It’s a way out for both of us.”

“A way out for you? Why do you need a way out? I thought you had a great job in the capital.”

His eyes narrow. “Don’t do this. We can make it work.”

It does not escape my notice that he didn’t answer my question. Finn was right, as he always is. Something is going on with Leo. Something I don’t want to be involved with.

“No. I don’t think we can make this work. You left, and I got over you. Trying to resurrect this now is wrong. Just wrong.”

He smiles. “You’ll reconsider. It’s not like you’re dating anyone else.”

I hastily stand up and bump the table. A glass falls over, and water spills everywhere.

“Sorry, sorry,” I say, slightly slurring my words as someone comes over to clean up the mess. When was the last time I drank this much? A long time ago. I’ve been working myself into the ground for months, not going out, not drinking, not having any fun. Any downtime I’ve had has been with Erik, lying around on his couch, drinking coffee, reading… Why am I here again?

“Wait,” Leo pleads, holding out his hands. “Don’t make a rash decision when you’ve had too much to drink. We can meet up tomorrow and talk this over. Maybe in the afternoon?”

“No. You should go.” When he stares at me dumbfounded, I lose my calm. “Go. Just go,” I stress. I can feel the eyes of people around us, watching the mayor’s daughter have a bad date. This will get back to Dad faster than light speed. There won’t be any hiding that I’m turning down Leo.

Leo stands up with his hands out. “Okay. I’m sorry I upset you.” He approaches me carefully, hoping to save face. I let him lean in and kiss me on the cheek. “I’ll be in touch about tomorrow.”

A surge of anger plows through me, but Leo is gone before I can act on it.

Mrs. Tanaka approaches me and touches my forearm. “Are you all right, sweetie?”

“Maybe? Yes. Yes. I’m fine.”

I sigh when I look down at the table. He left me the bill for dinner. Thanks for that.

“I’m just going to pay and meet Myra out back for a few minutes. Can you spare her?”

“Of course,” she says, smiling. She looks over her shoulder at the front door. “Go through the kitchen, just in case.”

I wave my hand. “I’m not worried about him. It might take a few more tries for him to get the picture, but he will, eventually.”

“Sounds stressful.” She sighs as she picks a few plates off the table. “I only dated a few men before I was matched with my husband. I don’t envy you. Not one bit.”

“Thanks.” My voice is dry, but it makes her laugh.

I lean across the table, grab the rest of my drink, and leave to find Myra out back.

—-

Myra nods as I tell her everything that happened at dinner. Then she winces when I describe the scene I made.

“That’s not good. But don’t worry about it. Mrs. Tanaka will smooth it over like it didn’t happen. You have every right to push him away. Aggressively.”

“He just can’t take ‘no’ for an answer. He never could.”

“Party boy until he dies. I think that’s what we used to call him,” Myra says, laughing.

“Well, you’re not wrong.”

“Looking to get truly wasted?” She holds out a hand-rolled cigarette. “Seems like you could use it.”

“Is that cake? Yes.” I reach out for the cigarette and the permanent match. “I haven’t had any in weeks. Though you know I prefer it when you bake it into brownies.”

I light the cigarette, inhale, and let the herb settle me. My run-in with Leo was too much, and I’ve been stressed to the max lately.

Finn settles at my feet, and my mini-tablet vibrates in my bag again. I hold the cigarette between my lips as I rummage around for it.

Erik again. “I just heard from Leo. He’s pretty unhappy. What happened? Are you okay?”

I groan because, with all the drama, I had forgotten to write him back. I drag on the cigarette again and hand it over to Myra. “Thanks. That’s enough for me.”

I type out a response to Erik. “I’m okay. The date did not go well. At all. I think… I think I need to make some pretty severe life decisions in the next few days.”

“Don’t do anything until we talk. Where are you?”

“Out in back of Izakaya Tanaka.”

“I’ll be there in 15 minutes.”

I watch as his icon blinks to offline status. This isn’t good. I can’t let him see me like this, a total mess. I haven’t been like this in at least a year.

“Don’t come. I’ll be fine. Stay home and sleep.” I watch the message sit in his inbox unread. Oh well.

“Erik is on his way.” I sigh, lean against the wall, and bang my head against the plaster. “How did I get into this mess?”

“Tilli,” Myra says, blowing smoke over her head.

“What?”

She shrugs. “Don’t play dumb with me. I know you bailed her out. She came to me first for the money, which I didn’t have. It’s the only explanation to why you’re still at home.”

I close my eyes. “Ugh. This is the worst day I have had in a while.”

“We all make mistakes. We all have our secrets.”

And I’m about to deny that when I realize I do have a secret. I’m in love with my best friend. I wonder what Myra’s secret is?

Finn grumbles at my feet. “Tired, Suri. It’s bedtime, bedtime.”

“Yes, you’re right, Finn. It’s time for bed.” I grab my discarded drink from the ground next to the kitchen door and chug what’s left. By the time I get home, I’ll be good and wasted and ready to pass out. I’ll also be hungover tomorrow, but thankfully, I have the day off.

“Aren’t you going to wait for Erik?” Myra stubs out her cigarette, places it in her metal case, and slips it into the pocket of her chef’s jacket.

“Should I?”

She laughs. “Yes, you should. That boy cares about you. If you leave, he’ll only be worried.”

“I’ll wait around front then.” I stumble as I turn around.

“Hey,” Myra calls out. “Use the wall for balance and watch out for perverts.”

“Thanks, sis.” She knows better than to baby me. But still, she watches me until I make it all the way to the front of the restaurant. I’m not worried. Finn is with me, and he’s a sober, if silly, dog.

While I’m waiting for Erik to show up, I can replay the entire dinner in my head over and over until I second guess everything I said or did. Goodness knows I’m stellar at second guessing myself.

But I round the corner to the front, and Leo is standing at the window, peering inside.

I try to turn around and head back to Myra when I stumble over Finn and crash into the wall instead.

“Ow!”

I groan as Leo turns around.

“Suri, I’m so sorry about what happened in there,” he says, approaching me.

I back away, and Finn steps between us. He barks ‘No!’ at Leo. Leo stops, his hands up.

“Look, I want to give this a real chance,” he pleads.

My suspicion meter peaks. Just like Finn said, there’s something wrong here.

“Why?” Oops, the cake and alcohol were too much, and now I’m really trashed. Thanks, Myra.

“You know I’ve missed you.”

“Bullshit,” I spit out. “If you missed me, you would’ve called, written, visited!” I throw my hands up and sway. “There’s been nothing for two years. Tell me the truth. There’s an ulterior motive here. Even Finn can tell.”

Leo glances at my dog, and Finn looks up at him.

“That’s right, Suri. He’s lying, lying,” Finn says. He backs his butt up a few paces, forcing me back too.

Leo looks around, glancing over his shoulder. “It’s complicated,” he says, lowering his voice, “but I need to look… legitimate. Being with you, marrying you, it would be good for business.”

What the…?

He presses on despite my jaw dropping open. “I’m involved in something big.” He brightens with a smile. “I can make it worth your while — plenty of money and an independent life. Come on. We had a good thing going. I’m sure we can reconcile and date again.”

He advances on me, but I put my hand out as Finn growls.

“What’s ‘something big?'” I ask, and he hesitates. “I won’t consider your proposal unless I know.”

We stare at each other, and I swear that time stops. Breathe in, breathe out. Even Finn is as still as stone.

“The law firm I work for represents weapons manufacturers. I’m running explosives on the side.”

All the blood leaves my head.

“It’s good business. I’m making a ton of money, and you can benefit from it too. I know you’re broke.”

“Does my dad know?” My mouth is dry, and my head spins.

“About the side business? No. But he knows the companies we represent.”

Of course, he does.

“No. Just no. Come on, Finn. Let’s go.”

My vision swims, but I see Erik turning the corner up ahead. Great. He’s just in time to walk me home.

Leo jumps forward and grabs my arm. “Suri, I can’t let you go. If you say anything, it’ll endanger you and your family. Do you hear me?”

Finn takes matters into his own paws and leaps at Leo. In the chaos of barking and growling, I’m flung to the stone pavers. Finn is a mass of golden fur and snarling anger, determined to keep me safe. Leo cries out as he hits the pavers, too, with Finn on top of him.

Footsteps pound up the pavement towards us.

“Suri!” Erik looks into my eyes before helping me to my feet. He wraps me in a gentle but firm hug. “Are you okay?”

“Get him off me, get him off!” Leo cries. Finn isn’t biting, but he is barking and snarling and being more frightening than I have ever seen him.

The restaurant door flies open, and Mrs. Tanaka comes surging out. “What’s going on out here?”

“He attacked me,” I say, pointing at Leo. “Finn jumped on him to protect me.”

“That’s enough!” Mrs. Tanaka yells over Finn’s barking. Finn jumps off Leo and returns to my side. “You,” she says, pointing at Leo, “get the hell out of here. I never want to see you around here again.”

Leo’s face darkens as Erik tightens his arms around me.

“I see.” He points at Erik. “Some friend you are.” He turns to Mrs. Tanaka. “Fine. I’m leaving.”

He spins on his heel and stalks away. Once he’s out of sight, Mrs. Tanaka sighs.

“Want me to call the police? I can if you’re hurt or want to press charges.”

I shake my head. “No. I just want to go home.”

“You’ll take her?” she asks Erik.

“Of course.” He lightens his hug so I can walk on my own. “Come on, Finn. Good boy,” he croons, smoothing Finn’s ears back. “Let’s take Suri home.”