Jack wiped his forehead with the bottom of his shirt as he and the guys looked up at the ceilings and walls to check their handiwork and pick up after themselves. They had ripped up the old floors and thrown the boards out the window at the end of the corridor into a dumpster on the street below. Specs and Snoddy picked up the nails and splints.
Racetrack glanced at his wristwatch and began whistling loudly, "'ey, Cowboy! Beat it - 5 o'clock on the dot."
"There's still a couple places -" Jack said as he began walking back down the hall.
"No way, we got it."
"Beat it!"
They laughed at Jack's annoyed expression.
"Spot told me to soak ya if you didn't leave by 5:01," Mush said with a big grin. "Don't worry, we got it. Go, Cowboy."
"Go, Jack."
"Have some fun, huh?"
"We'll be at the pub later."
Racetrack feigned a kick to Jack's rear as he passed, then shouted, "Alright let's wrap it up, huh? Ya heard the guy, looks sloppy as shit. C'mon get movin', get the lead outta your pants -"
Jack's feet half ran down the hall as he tried to knock off plaster dust and smooth his hair back, the crisp air hitting his hot face as he went out the lobby doors. The day was sunny, the sky bright blue and clear. The wind was low today but the air hinted at winter: the sweat under his arms and on his back gave him chill bumps, heightening the quiet nervousness he felt.
He still remembered last night and David's news... how could he forget it? It drowned out whatever joy he felt at spending time with her, worrying instead...
He hoped, and hoped again, that Tiffany had some idea of what she was doing. He hoped that, maybe, she'd change her mind.
But he couldn't change it for her...something he failed to learn the last time, and something he realized now.
The warnings from last night echoed in his memory, which Spot had repeated for the third time as he left this morning for the dealership.
"I mean it, Jackie Boy," Spot threatened as he ate a banana, halfway out the door. "Don't be stupid - stay away from Midtown."
Jack tried to clear his head as he opened one of the glass doors to the arena lobby, following the music he heard...
He didn't know what to expect as he stepped onto the section landing, but he definitely didn't expect a crowd.
The arena seats were cast in shadow, the floor below bright from the stage lights above, but he could see bodies through the dimness, scattered and grouped in the front rows and on the sidelines - artist and photography students alike with sketch pads and cameras, trying to capture Tiffany's moving figure on the floor. Some were just there to watch.
She was dressed in loose gray sweatpants that hung low on her hips, retro white high top sneakers, and a white bandeau dance top, her long hair pulled back low at the nape of her neck and her shaped abs glistening with sweat as she danced to Alabama Shakes' 'Hang Loose'. She danced fast and smooth, a combination of hip hop and contemporary, her feet skimming the surface of the floor smoothly.
She made a hand motion to someone up high in the control booth and the lights above her changed colors, made patterns on the floor, pulsed, and her body adapted effortlessly, a few students cheering as her body went in and out of spotlights and changed from purple to blue.
He was mesmerized too for a long moment before his eyes tore away to scan the people paying attention to her...he felt a wave of familiarity in his paranoia. But he didn't see anyone suspicious.
He moved in the shadows down the steps to get closer, looking around him before sliding down into a seat in the seventh row. His black work clothing helped him to blend into the dimness of the arena.
He could see her eyes from here - always looking ahead, never down at her feet or at those who were watching and studying her. She was unaware of them all, only focused on the moves her body executed flawlessly. He grinned a little to himself at the look on her face - like she was enjoying a secret, her eyes bright with adrenaline and joy.
After a few minutes, some students down on the floor began to gather their equipment and bags and walked up the steps towards him to leave. He pretended not to notice them as they passed, but he heard their conversation as he continued to watch her dance.
"I hear she improvises every practice," a girl said admiringly as she flipped through her sketchbook.
"She's a pro," another said with an appreciative laugh. "She practices this time every day for fun. She keeps her morning practices private...look at this shot, her hair looks awesome on the turn -"
"Her lines are crazy - she's trained in almost every style of dance."
"Didn't she study ballet in Russia...?"
"I heard she was offered a spot on 'So You Think You Can Dance?' and she turned it down to finish school."
"She's only 21; she can go on that show any time she wants," another said with a touch of envy.
"I hear she was offered a teaching position here…" one mused. "You can practically feel the jealousy of the other dance students."
Jack's eyes peered across the floor to the right where a few dancers stood around watching Tiffany with their arms crossed, murmuring to each other. He thought he saw Honey's hair among them, her smile glinting in the moving lights as she watched her friend.
"I mean, she is amazing," another student said after her classmates.
Their voices faded as they climbed up the stairs. Jack's brows furrowed together.
Why was someone like her, a daughter of celebrities, working in a nightclub?
He was almost annoyed at himself for how many times the question appeared in his head. He couldn't stop thinking about it, and he knew by now he had a hard time not thinking about her in general...
But he felt content sitting here, watching her. He didn't want to ruin it, didn't want to look away. She was completely lost in her world, and he wanted her to stay there, where she was happy.
After leaping and twisting and turning with such precision and quickness, she collapsed on the floor at the end of a song, breathing heavily. The last few students remaining clapped and cheered appreciatively, Honey's voice among them. After a long moment of catching her breath, Tiffany gave a tired wave of thanks as she sat up and smiled, laughter bubbling from the onlookers.
A young man ran out of the shadows and into the light, sliding on knee pads til his body bumped into Tiffany, both laughing good naturedly. He had short cut blonde hair, an angular attractive face like a model's, and built strong and lean like a dancer, wearing sweats too. She hugged his neck, and Jack's brow furrowed.
He couldn't help the touch of prickly jealousy he felt, until he recognized her movements as friendly towards the guy.
"Ok spill it! Who is he?" the young man exclaimed with an eager grin.
Tiffany rolled onto her back again, breathing heavily with a breathless smile on her face.
"Who's who?" she taunted.
"Shut up, I'm so right," he said as he reached out and tucked a piece of loose hair to Tiffany's ponytail as she sat up, his pleasant voice pitching in feinted insult. "My Tiff hasn't danced like that in ages. And that smile says it all."
Tiffany hit his arm playfully before accepting his hand to help her to her feet.
"I told him to meet me here."
"Name?"
"Jack," she said, still smiling. The softness of her voice reached Jack's ears and his chest expanded in pleasure.
"Ooo, Jack," the young man crooned in approval. "Oh Jack!" he shouted into the openness of the arena. "Are you with us, Jack?"
Tiffany laughed and Jack smirked.
He stood up and descended the stadium steps to the floor, invisible until he stepped into the light, hands in his pockets. The dancer's eyes landed on him and a smile spread across his perfectly symmetrical face. As Jack walked closer he saw how brilliant this man's eyes were - light green and framed in long blonde lashes and beautifully shaped eyebrows. A pure pretty boy.
"Well, well, well... hellooo, Jack," he purred as he gave Jack a once over with his hypnotic eyes.
Tiffany turned around, her long ponytail swishing like a horse's mane, and met Jack's gaze. Her chest was still rising and falling at a steady pace after dancing, but he could tell she was happy to see him, and suddenly a little nervous as her hand found the end of her ponytail. She fought her smile.
Her friend spoke low to her while still smiling at Jack, "Is this the 'All Black Suit Guy'…?"
Tiffany bit her lip in that way that undid Jack. He smiled back.
"Jack, this is Tyler - best dance partner ever."
"She only says that because I don't hit on her and her friends," Tyler said with a wink.
"And he doesn't drop me," Tiffany stated.
"Nice to meet the one who brought the smile back to this one's face," Tyler said as he grinned at Tiffany.
Tiffany shoved Tyler again like an annoyed sister.
"She does the same for me," Jack said huskily, dropping his gaze from Tiffany. He saw Tyler's appreciative grin. "'s good to meet you, Tyler."
Tyler's eyebrows rose in pleasant surprise and he gave Tiffany a look as he started backing away slowly. "Well, I'll leave you two to it...see you tomorrow, Tiff."
Honey stepped into the light too, but Tyler grabbed her wrist quickly and pulled her with him, her laughter echoing in the space. "See you at home, T! Bye, Jack!"
Tiffany shook her head, smiling in spite of herself as Jack walked closer to her. They were the only two in the place now, and she was all he could see. But he saw the way her eyes scanned the place as the lights lifted, her steps cautious as she moved towards him.
"How ya doin'?" he asked gently.
She looked up at him, smiling beautifully. "Better now."
She stepped up to him and lifted up onto the balls of her feet, pressing her lips to his. He was taken by surprise again by how easily and readily she kissed him, bold and unapologetic, like she'd been thinking about it as much as he had. He closed his eyes, feeling the softness of her against him as her hands held on to his sides.
She parted from him, her shoes flattening to the floor. He looked down at her and fought the urge to look at her skin, the smooth curves of her body exposed by the top she wore.
"I definitely don't work tonight," she said gently, their bodies barely touching as she looked up at him, her brilliant blue eyes playful on his face. "And I definitely want to spend it with you."
Jack tried to hide how pleased he felt at her words. "Whatever you want. Dinner?"
"To start," she said with a grin. "Come with me to the locker room?"
Jack kept his hands in his pockets as he followed her; she grabbed her bag off a chair as she drained her water bottle, and they crossed the floor to a corridor that led down to the locker rooms. They passed a few students who were leaving, and she turned at the opening to the women's locker room.
"I'll be back," she said with a sneaky grin as she went in.
Jack leaned against the wall, huffing air out of his lungs as he heard a shower turn on.
After a while, her voice echoed off the white tile of the bathroom. "What's for dinner?"
"...do ya like Thai?" he asked into the locker room.
"I love Thai," she moaned.
He smirked, "I know jus' the place."
Minutes passed and the water stopped, followed by the sound of a blow dryer. Jack felt his phone vibrate and looked down at a message from Spot.
Parked behind the worksite dumpster. Keys on the driver side front tire. Don't make me regret it.
He grinned and typed back: Is this love, Spot Colon?
Shut up.
Jack laughed.
The blow dryer stopped and minutes passed before he heard the click of heels. She came out in high-waisted dark blue bell bottom jeans, a fitted white long sleeve turtleneck, and a long burnt orange sweater over top that dusted around her knees, brown boots lifting her to Jack's eye level.
She had her hair in two long braids, momentarily bringing his attention to her breasts before his eyes met hers...
"Can't remember the last time I had Thai..." she smiled coyly.
He took her bag from her and slung it over his shoulder easily as they turned to walk back down the corridor.
"It's one of my favorites, over in Lower E."
"Perfect," her smile grew, her hand playing with the end of a braid. "'Lower E'..."
They laughed and Jack ran his fingers through his hair, "'s what we always called it."
"I like it, when you say it," she said.
They glanced at each other's faces and he saw blush on her high cheekbones, soft as roses.
He looked away to hid the smirk on his dumb face...Jack Kelly, fallin' like a fool.
She walked by his side as he led her outside, their path twisting over sidewalks to the dance building. Spot's '76 townie was behind the dumpster as Spot had said, and Jack felt a surge of brotherly love - son of a bitch got it detailed at the shop.
"Beautiful," Tiffany said appreciatively.
"Spot's baby," Jack said as he glanced into the window - clean as a whistle. No sign of fast food or empty soda cans. He nonchalantly walked around the driver's side, ducked, and found the key on the tire. He came around and opened her door, and stowed her bag in the trunk before getting in. It even smelled good.
"Great seat," she said as she spread her fingers out on the cream leather between them.
Jack eyed her as he turned the key, Steven Tyler's voice singing on Spot's expensive stereo system. She leaned towards him as if answering his thoughts, and he met her lips in the middle as his hand went to the back of her seat.
She slid closer to him and smiled against his lips as she pressed against him. But he felt almost nervous, being inside a car in late daylight with someone like her, someone who was potentially being watched.
"I could stay in here all night," she crooned.
He smirked back, looking at her face close to his. He got an idea. "As you wish."
Something crossed her face and glinted in her eyes at his words and she smiled.
The car drove like a dream as Jack headed to the Lower East Side, Tiffany in the middle with her legs folded under her, angled towards Jack with her boots off and on the floor. He parked on the curb in front of Thai Garden, a small family owned restaurant tucked in the hustle and bustle of the tall financial buildings and people leaving work.
He left the townie running and ducked inside the door, the smell of spices and coconut filling his nose. It was familiar to him - one of his favorite places to eat since he'd discovered it when he was in grade school.
An older woman and man behind the counter looked up and smiled at him, "Jack!"
"How's it goin', Malee? 'ey Aroon."
"Good to see you, my boy!" Aroon said as he took hot dishes out of the kitchen window behind him and went to a table. The dinner rush hadn't started yet.
"Who's the pretty girl?" Malee asked as she looked out to Spot's car.
"A friend."
"Don't lie to me!" she said with a knowing smile.
They laughed, Jack smiling easily as he pushed his hair back. "Ya got me. I told her I'd give her the best Thai dinner ever, so of course I had ta bring her here."
He laughed as Malee reached over the counter to pat him affectionately on the cheek.
"You're a good boy, Jack. What would she like?"
They set him up with two shrimp fried rice, spring rolls, chicken coconut soup, and steamed shrimp and pork dumplings. He grabbed two green tea cans, tipped them fat as he always did and they shouted good luck and see you later as he went out the door. He put the warm food bags between him and Tiffany on the seat.
"Oh my gosh this smells so good."
"Jus' hope I got enough, considerin' you're a bottomless pit."
She shoved his shoulder and he laughed as he pulled into traffic towards the Brooklyn Bridge.
"How are the studios coming?"
"'s good, we should be done soon."
"I thought about coming over to see you," she said, her smooth voice low and warm. "But I didn't want to -"
He looked over at her as he stopped in traffic, and her grin grew as she looked at him.
"Distract you." Her fingers played with a braid again, her lashes casting shadows over her eyes.
He felt warm. "You'll always do that. But you should come see me anyway," he said, his eyes drinking her in.
"Alright," she said, biting her lip again.
She looked out the window as he drove over the river, the inside of the car bright from the sun's rays as the bridge's shadows flew over them. There were no clouds to hinder the gradient in the sky from blue to purple to pink to brilliant neon orange, and it reflected on the water below, the harbors and waterways busy with boat traffic.
"Prettiest part of the day," she murmured.
Jack smirked, remembering thinking the same thing at Medda's and a million other times before. He glanced over to her again as he crept through traffic, and was lost for a moment in the image of her sitting there, beautiful and picturesque with strands of her hair glowing around her face, like an angel.
"Yeah," he agreed huskily.
She turned her head and read him for a moment, her cheeks blushing as she realized he wasn't looking at the sunset.
He smiled a little slyly and she laughed sweetly. "You sweet talkin' me, Jack?"
They laughed and he looked back to the cars around them, all at a standstill on the bridge.
"Shoulda heard the students watchin' you in the arena," he said. "They'll all get A's on whatever project they use you for."
She shook her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, either way...the studios are much better...for privacy."
She caught him off guard again as his eyes flew to her face, and she smiled at his stunned expression. He laughed at himself, and her soft laugh filled the car like the sunlight.
After the bridge he headed to Dumbo. He knew the best place to park to get a view of the bridge with the sunset, and it wasn't crowded, save for runners and the boats out on the water. The sun was about to dip behind the buildings across the river, and lights moved everywhere up and down the streets as people headed out or headed home, horns of cars and boats in the distance.
The long front seat of Spot's car was perfect for their smorgasbord; Jack put the soups on the dash, handed her a napkin and chopsticks, and opened the lids to the dumplings and rice. She inhaled and made a 'mmm' sound, and closed her eyes when she took a bite of spring roll. He laughed, opening their green teas. "Dig in."
He kept the car running, the heat on low in the floorboards and the radio playing a jazz station softly, one of Spot's favorites.
"This is wonderful," she said after a few moments of devouring the hot delicious food. She stared at the sunset as she took a sip of tea, and Jack was leaning back comfortably, eating his rice easily with chopsticks.
"Ya wouldn't rather be in a fancy restaurant?"
"Ha!" she wrinkled her nose as she went for another dumpling. "I'd rather do this, any day."
"Good. Next time you pick."
She smiled down at her soup at his words, her eyes bright as they cut to him. Something told him she didn't mind being caught, not by him. "Deal."
They ate almost everything, their chopsticks tangling as they both went for dumplings and laughing as the soup warmed their throats. The sky began to darken and the lights of the city were waking as the temperature dropped outside, but they stayed warm and wide awake in the warm townie. They were talking about haunted places in the city, and he told her about a familiar place.
"No way."
"Swear ta God," he said before he drained his tea. "There's been ghosts in that building for hundreds of years - at least since the 1800's."
"The bookstore with the apartments above it?" she asked excitedly. "Off Frasier Ave?"
"Used to be an orphanage," he said, his voice a little thick. He didn't know how they'd gotten on the topic of the old Newsie Boarding House, but he was grateful he didn't say too much, as easy as it was to talk with her...he felt a pang of sadness as he remembered that she'd once known it too.
"I've never been," she said.
His brow furrowed as he looked out the window. "Maybe I'll take ya sometime."
She jumped a little after a moment as if remembering something; she finished her soup and unfolded her legs as she sat up. "What time is it?"
Jack looked at the dash clock. "Almost 9."
She reached into her emerald green bucket purse and pulled out her phone, her eyes reading something quickly. Her thumbs typed something...
Jack busied himself with putting the empty food containers back into the bag and went outside to throw it away in a nearby trash can, trying to keep calm. His shoulders tensed against the cold and he got back in the car quickly, seeing the look on her face as she put her phone back into her purse. He didn't like the way her brows pulled over her eyes, but after a moment the tension left and she looked over to him.
"Do I need to take ya home?" he asked, and hoped the disappointment wasn't too obvious in his voice.
Her eyes caressed his face for a moment as she turned her body to him on the seat. She smiled, and it grew as she looked at him, whatever worry she had leaving her face.
"No," she said decidedly after a moment. "It's my only night off, and my first class isn't 'til noon tomorrow...so…"
His smile grew and she laughed a little. "I'm...all yours tonight, if you like."
"Yeah?" he asked huskily, looking at her lips. In the dimness of nightfall, he could only make her out by the glow of the dashboard, the blue lights highlighting her figure.
"Yeah," she echoed warmly as she leaned towards him. He met her lips happily, his face angled up to hers as she hovered over him, her knees on the seat.
Her lips moved softly on his, her tongue found his, and his hands went to her body without hesitation, his fingers pressing into her lower back as he gripped her hips. Her fingers pulled at his shoulders until he followed - moving to lay on top of her.
"I love this car," she murmured, her fingers tangling in his hair, and he laughed.
"'s just the front seat," he said against her lips. She giggled before kissing him again, her leg bending to cradle his body to hers - a moan vibrated in his chest, and she inhaled sharply at the sound, holding him closer to her.
His right arm was underneath her, his hand at the back of her neck as he explored her body with the other, his fingers roaming over the mound of her right breast, feeling the tautness of her nipple through the thin material of her shirt. A small gasp came from her as his thumb rubbed there, and her hips rocked up to meet his.
He groaned - he wanted her so badly.
He broke away from her lips and dropped his hand to the seat, breathing hard. She watched him as her hands snaked down to his hips and paused there.
She breathed a laugh and bit her lip at the dark look that crossed his face. She enjoyed torturing him.
"There's plenty room in here…" she pulled at the waistband of his jeans, pressing him into her -
He pushed off of her, smiling a little tightly. "Not with a cop sitting a few yards away."
"What?" She sat up and looked out her window, seeing the dark car parked away from the street lamps, which were beginning to turn on.
He laughed as he pushed his hair back, "how 'bout a new spot?"
"What about your place?"
He shivered a little at the huskiness in her voice, warm and wanting. But the thought of his place killed his vibe.
He swallowed, looking away as his hand rested on the steering wheel. "'s a bad time ta have a floor full of roommates…."
She laughed warmly at his annoyed expression. "Are they home?"
"Nah...they're at the pub across the street right now."
"Want to grab a drink with them and see what happens?"
His blank gaze slid over to her, seeing the innocent excitement in her eyes.
"You wanna meet up with the knuckleheads?" he asked incredulously.
She laughed, "sure, I think it sounds fun."
"Fun for who?" he asked as he put the car in reverse.
He smiled in spite of himself at the sound of her laughter as he drove away from the river and towards his neighborhood.