Dangerous to Know & Love (28 page)

Then he swore softly. It would mean cancelling Lisanne. His body craved her, and the cockblocking roommate definitely hadn’t helped. He sighed. He needed Lisanne, but he owed Cori. And no way he wanted the two women to meet. He texted Corinna first.

* D: Ok. 12. *

And then Lisanne.

* D: Sorry. Have to do stuff tomorrow.

Lunch on Monday? *

* L: Ok. Miss you. Thanks for today.

You were amazing! LA xx *

Now he felt like a jerk as well. He picked up the bottle again and poured raw bourbon straight into his throat, welcoming the bite.

It was late morning when Daniel woke up. Daylight poured through the window as he squinted upwards. When he moved, his stomach pitched and rolled as if he were onboard a storm blown ship.

The bottle of bourbon glinted at him innocently, sunlight catching what was left of the amber liquid and throwing golden rainbows across the walls.

Daniel groaned as he sat up and held onto his head, feeling as if his brains would leak out at any moment. Moving hurt and his head throbbed. But the bourbon had been effective: he couldn’t remember a single thing since Lisanne’s text the previous afternoon.

He glanced at his cellphone. Goddamnit! It was already 11:30. He’d been asleep or passed out for 16 hours.

He dragged his sorry ass into the shower. The water was still cold, which made his teeth ache. He
really
needed to get hold of Zef and find out what the fuck was up with the hot water.

As he wheeled Sirona out of the garage, he hoped like hell he wouldn’t get stopped by the cops again – there was every chance his blood—alcohol limit wasn’t strictly legal.

He was only a few minutes late when he got to the diner – but Cori was already looking irritated, restlessly tapping a spoon against the table. She completely ignored the irked looks thrown at her by other customers.

When she saw him, she glanced impatiently at her watch. Daniel groaned internally.

She looked the same: beautiful – well, stunning – and frowning at him with exasperation.
That
look was familiar, as well. Her ash blonde hair was long and straight, framing a delicate face, with enormous blue eyes. Eyes that were snapping with annoyance.

C: Where the fuck have you been?

“Yeah, good to see you, too, Cori.”

C: Sign me, asshole! You know I hate lip reading.

D: Fine. How are you? You look good.

C: Better than you. You look like shit.

D: Give me a break. Heavy night.

C: No kidding. I ordered food.

D: No thanks.

C: That bad? Sucker.

Maggie strolled over with a jug of coffee. Daniel could have kissed her.

“Thanks, Maggie. Damn that smells good.”

He wrapped his hands around the steaming cup and breathed in the rich aroma.

“You going to introduce me, Danny, or did y’all forget your manners along with your razor this morning?” she said, swiping a finger across his stubbly cheek.

“Gimme a break, Maggie. This is Cori – you’ve met before.” He glanced over at Cori, who was smiling at Maggie. “She says ‘hi’.”

“Don’t give me that, Danny. She said a lot more than ‘hi’. Spill.”

Daniel groaned.
Goddamn women.

“She said, ‘Hi, I met you two years ago when he was nursing a different hangover.’ Happy now?”

Maggie looked at Cori and winked. Both women laughed, and Daniel felt like laying his head on the cool surface of the table.

“I’ll get you guys your breakfasts now,” said Maggie, ignoring his mutterings of not being hungry. “By the way – what happened to the other one? I liked her.”

Daniel glanced over at Cori, who was watching him intently.

“She’s good,” said Daniel, shortly.

Amazingly, Maggie took the hint and strolled away.

C: Who was she talking about? What girl?

D: No one you know.

C: Duh! Obviously. She must be special if you brought her to your diner. Tell me.

D: A girl I met at school.

C: And?

D: That’s it.

C: What’s her name?

D: L-I-S-A-N-N-E.

C: Tell me about her.

D: No.

C: Why not?

D: Why do you want to know?

C: Why are you being so defensive?

D: I’m not.

C: Yes, you are. What’s the big mystery?

D: Fuck off.

C: Don’t be a dick, although I know that’s hard for you.

D: Give me a break.

C: Touchy much! How’s Zef?

D: Haven’t seen him for a couple of days.

C: Tell him I said hi.

D: If I see him.

“Here you go, guys. Extra grease for you, Danny,” said Maggie, lowering two breakfasts to the table.

Daniel’s stomach growled and Maggie hid a smile.

“Enjoy!”

Unsure whether the overwhelming sensation was nausea or hunger, Daniel tackled a small piece of bacon and, finding it delicious, proceeded to scarf his food.

Cori ate more slowly, throwing him puzzled looks every now and again. She tapped him on the arm.

C: What’s up with you? And don’t say ‘nothing’.

D: Just tired. Bit hungover.

C: It’s more than that.

Daniel dropped his fork to answer more fully.

D: Just… school and… things are pretty intense at home. Always people hanging around.

C: More than usual?

He nodded, and picked up his fork to carry on eating.

C: Are you worried about Zef?

D: I don’t know what he’s getting into.

C: What do you mean?

D: I got arrested and…

C: WHAT?!

D: Speeding.

C: Idiot.

D: I know.

C: The cops?

D: Made it sound like Zef was dealing M-E-T-H.

C: Is he?

D: Don’t know. He says it’s better for me not to know.

C: Crap.

Cori sighed, then gave her own breakfast some attention. After a moment she thought of another question.

C: You know why Zef deals…?

D: Don’t remind me.

C: Looks like I have to.

D: Fuck. He knows he doesn’t have to anymore. I think he likes it. Easy money.

C: Not if the cops are onto him.

D: I told him what the dickhead cop said.

C: And?

D: He told me it was none of my business and what I didn’t hear wouldn’t hurt me.

C: Funny guy.

D: Laughed my ass off.

C: Your ass looks fine to me.

D: Keep your hands to yourself.

Cori winked at him and Daniel managed to smile back.

C: Apart from Zef, how’s life? How’s school?

D: Good. Tiring. Lip reading all day.

C: Ass.

D: Yeah? At least I don’t have to wave my hands around 24/7.

Cori slapped his arm and Daniel laughed.

C: I still think you look miserable for someone who says school is ‘good’. Is it this girl – the one you won’t tell me about?

Daniel ignored her and stared pointedly at Cori’s full plate.

D: You talk too much.

It wasn’t surprising that Daniel had finished eating before her.

C: Only because you won’t say anything.

D: Fine. How are things at Cave Spring?

C: Same old, same old. The football team sucks without you. Did you get on the college team?

D: Haven’t tried.

C: Are you kidding? Why the hell not?

D: Didn’t try out.

C: But you love football! I don’t get it.

He shrugged.

C: Seriously. What gives?

D: Too busy.

C: Bullshit!

D: Drop it.

C: No! Not until you tell me what’s really going on!

Daniel slumped back in his seat. He didn’t want to get into this with Cori, but she was as stubborn as all hell. He should know: they’d dated on and off – mostly off – for five months. Somehow they’d managed to remain friends afterward, but she acted like she still owned his ass.

C: I know you. Talk to me.

D: I’m flying under the radar here.

C: What the hell does that mean?

D: I haven’t told anyone I’m deaf.

There was a stunned pause while Cori stared at him.

C: What? Why?

He shrugged again.

C: Are you ashamed or something?

D: No! I’m just tired of the way hearing people behave when they find out – start acting like I’m dumb or something. You know what that can be like.

C: So you’re hiding it? Hiding yourself? Do your professors know?

D: Yes, but that’s all.

C: Is that why you didn’t try out for the football team?

D: I just wanted to start fresh – no preconceptions, no stereotypes.

C: You’re still denying it, aren’t you?

D: No!

C: Yes, you are. You pretend like you’ve accepted it, but you haven’t. You’re such a hypocrite!

D: No, I’m not!

C: What about this girl? Does she know?

D: Yes. Not that it’s any of your business.

He stared at Cori angrily.

C: That’s something. Tell me about her.

D: She’s… nice.

C: Oh, please! You can do better than that. What’s she studying?

Daniel didn’t reply.

C: Come on – what’s the big mystery?

D: Music.

C: What?

D: She’s a music major. A singer.

C: Jesus. You are one sick bastard.

D: Why?

C: Because you’re a masochist. You’re such a fool – always wanting what you can’t have. Look at you, hiding away, pretending you’re like them. You’re not and you never will be. We’ve been over and over this shit. Quit hiding away what you are!

“What am I, Cori? What the fuck am I then?” he asked angrily.

She sat and glared at him.

C: A coward.

He stood up suddenly and shook her arm off when she tried to stop him.

“No. Fuck you! You don’t get to tell me how to live.”

He threw some bills down on the table, then strode out of the diner.

*   *   *

Lisanne was deep into her book on the history of sonatas when she heard a knock at the door. Kirsty looked up from her laptop where she’d been Googling Clifford Coffin.

“You expecting someone, Lis?”

“Not really,” she replied, swinging herself off of the bed. “But it’s probably MJ from my History of Composition class – she mentioned wanting to borrow my notes.”

Lisanne pulled open the door and found Daniel standing there, looking upset and agitated.

He didn’t speak, just pulled her into a tight hug, and rested his head against her neck.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” she said, stroking his hair.

Of course, he didn’t reply.

She waited until he seemed calmer, then pushed him away gently and repeated her question when he could see her face.

“I’m sorry, baby. I know you’re studying and shit, but…” he ground to a halt when he saw Kirsty frowning at him from above her laptop.

Lisanne looked over her shoulder and Kirsty’s eyes dropped to her computer, although the way she sucked her teeth was audible to Lisanne.

“I’ll get my jacket,” said Lisanne, quietly.

She followed Daniel down the stairs, and was surprised and pleased when he took her hand.

“Where do you want to go?”

He looked down for a second.

“Do you mind if we just go to the cafeteria and grab a coffee?”

“No, that’s fine. Are you okay?”

He shrugged, but his expression told her that he wasn’t.

When they’d got their coffee and were sitting opposite each other, Lisanne reached out and touched his wrist.

“What’s the matter?”

Daniel leaned back in his chair and scrubbed his hands over his face.

“I met a friend for lunch – an old girlfriend.”

Lisanne felt a shiver run down her spine. That was the ‘stuff’ he mentioned in his text?
What was coming next?

“Okaaay,” Lisanne said, carefully.

Daniel gave her a lopsided smile.

“We haven’t dated for like two years, Lis. She went to my old school.” He looked around to see if there was anyone near enough to overhear them. “The deaf school.”

Lisanne nodded, still unsure why meeting an
old
girlfriend had upset him so much.

He took a deep breath.

“She… she said I was being a coward – by not telling anyone about myself.”

Lisanne’s intake of breath was sharp.

“She called you a coward?”

He nodded unhappily.

“That’s ridiculous!”

Daniel gazed at her warily, and Lisanne took both of his hands in hers.

“You are the bravest person I know.”

He looked doubtful.

“You are! You’re sweet and funny and kind and so strong. The way you stood up to my dad – that was… that was… you’re amazing and wonderful and so brave.”

Daniel ducked his head down, embarrassed by her effusiveness.

“Fuck!” he managed to say, made incoherent by her words. “You left out ‘awesome in bed’.”

Lisanne raised an eyebrow.

“That goes without saying!”