The Perfect Date by Evelyn Lozada

Author:Evelyn Lozada
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

* * *

“How much, honey?”

The old man covered in grime was crouched at one end of the bus stop, but he scooted his skinny haunches an inch closer.

Angel stood up. “Pendejo!” She wrapped the fur stole around her tighter. “What makes you think I’m a hooker, dirtbag?”

“Tsk, tsk, don’t be mean. That’s a nice dress.” He reached out a hand, as if to run his dirt-packed nails over the material. The air he stirred smelled of sour milk.

“Touch me and suffer the consequences,” she snarled. There were other people passing by; she wasn’t worried about being molested. Her biggest concern was that she’d take out her night on this sad sack and someone would end up in the hospital.

He withdrew his shaky hand and folded his arms over his chest, defiant. “That’s a Balmain, right? You don’t deserve to be wearing that dress.”

She cut her eyes at him in surprise. How many homeless guys know fashion? Looking closer, she realized that his tattered clothing was the remnants of a tuxedo, though he had a shredded wool blanket over his shoulders and plastic sandals on his gnarled feet. Before she could say any more, someone shouted her name from the street.

Duke was standing up through the moonroof of a limo, which was blocking traffic.

“Angel! I’m sorry! Let me give you a ride home!” Several cars behind the limo laid on their horns, a noisy backdrop to his pleas.

“Hell no!” She sat back down on the bench next to the homeless fashionista. “Go away.”

“Come on! I’ll be good, I promise!”

“No!”

“Lady, wouldja get in the car already?” a cabby with a heavy New Jersey accent yelled at her, supported by a dozen more honks.

The tuxedo guy next to her shook his white, dreaded hair. “Don’t do it. You can’t trust anybody these days.”

Duke begged. “I know Regina lied, okay? I’m sorry!”

She sprang to her feet, barely sticking a landing with the high heels. “Oh, so now you believe me?”

“I’ll explain if you get in the car.” Duke’s voice was calm, but his face was tense.

The old man bounced up and down on the bus stop bench, then loudly passed gas. “That’s what she thinks of your offer!”

Angel rolled her eyes. Why did every man think they had a say in what she did? The smell of rotten eggs attacked her nostrils.

She marched to the car, opened the back door, and sat on the edge of the seat, glowering at him. “Take me right home. No screwing around.”

Duke held up his palms in surrender. “Whatever you want, I promise.” He lowered his hands, gave the driver instructions to her apartment, and turned to her. Quietly, he said, “Roland told me it wasn’t you.”

She gazed out the window, trying to avoid his eye contact in the reflection. “I can’t believe you’d think I’d do that in the first place. Do I seem like the kind of person who sneaks off to have sex with a stranger? A married stranger?”

“No! I didn’t really believe it at the time.

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