Chapter Five: I'll Be Your Secret

Manny and Jimmy headed outside near the shop to talk.

"So, you wanted to talk?" Manny asked as they sat down on the steps.

"Yeah. Manny, about what happened last night..." Jimmy started.

Manny sighed. "Yeah, Jimmy, I know what you're gonna say. It was a huge ass mistake, you don't like me, it was the ecstasy talking...am I missing anything here?"

"You're so off course it's not even funny, Manny." Jimmy replied, staring at her. "That's not what I was gonna say at all."

"Then what, Jimmy? The whole, it's not you, it's me thing?" Manny shot back. "Just go ahead and say it, I can't take any more rejection this year."

"Manny?"

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Shut up." Jimmy replied, kissing her. He pulled away after a few seconds, and Manny stared at him.

"Whoa, what was that for?"

"I like you, Manny, okay? And I don't regret what happened last night. It probably wouldn't have happened to that extent if not for the drugs, but...I don't regret it. Do you?" Jimmy asked.

"No." Manny replied truthfully. "Not at all."

"I'd like to take this further, but...you know Craig." Jimmy said with a roll of his eyes.

"Don't mix business with pleasure." Manny said in a deep voice, imitating Craig's. Jimmy laughed.

"Exactly. But...there's no need to tell Craig anything...if you catch my drift."

Manny nodded. "I think so."

"Great." Jimmy said. "I mean it, Manny. I really like you."

"I really like you too." Manny replied with a smile.

"So what are you doing tonight?" Jimmy asked.

Manny froze. She was going to that strip club in Toronto to see if she could track down Dean Marin.

"Um, I have to go over with stuff with Benny, and then I have to help my mom with some stuff." She replied.

"Oh, okay." Jimmy nodded. "Well, I guess...you'll let me know when you're free?"

Manny smiled. "Definitely."

Later that night...

The cab Manny was riding in slowed to a halt in front of Toronto's Solid Gold strip club.

"Here we are, Miss." The cabbie said. "You work here or something?"

"Not exactly." Manny replied, paying the cabbie.

Manny flashed her fake ID to the doorman, and walked in. She had never been inside a strip club before, and didn't know what to expect.

It wasn't too hard to recognize Dean Marin. He was constantly walking in and out of the club, tailed by plenty of big guys. After he had sat down awhile, she finally approached him.

As she walked over to the table, a big, burly guy stood up and blocked her.

"Maybe I should've RSVPed." Manny commented.

"Depends on what you're after." Dean replied, looking her up and down.

"Tell Baby Huey over here to back down, and we'll find out." Manny replied, glaring at the guy.

"Cole, man, chill." Dean told the guy. Cole glared at her and sat back down.

"So what can I do you for, Miss..."

"Maria. Maria Sanchez." Manny replied. "And you are..."

"Dean Marin. What can I do you for, Maria?" Dean asked.

"I just saw you over there and thought I'd come over and say hi. I uh, like your style." Manny replied.

"Have a seat, Maria." Dean replied.

"I would, if I had a chair." Maria replied.

Dean stretched his legs out and indicated his lap.

"Even better." Manny replied, sitting down on Dean's lap. He ran his hand up her legs, as if he was testing her out.

"I don't recall seeing you in here before." He commented.

"Probably because I've never been in here before." Manny replied.

"What's a sweet, sweet girl like you doing in a place like this?" Dean replied.

"I just go where my intuition leads. And tonight, it seems as if it's led me right here...to you." Manny said. She was trying hard not to laugh at herself. She was laying it on pretty thick, after all.

"I guess I'm lucky I came in tonight, then." Dean replied.

"Guess so."

"So, Maria...what is it you do?"

"I'm a student, at the University of Toronto. English major."

"Nice." Dean said. "You wanna get out of here?"

Manny smiled. "I thought you'd never ask."

Meanwhile...

Craig and Jimmy were just walking out of their latest bet. The bet had been placed with a group of seniors on the latest Maple Leaves game, and they had managed to walk away with seven hundred dollars, which Craig referred to as "a start." However, their spirits were dampened by a "shadow" tailing them.

"Please let me work for you guys!" JT yelled.

"God, do you ever stop whining?" Craig asked, turning around to glare at him. Jimmy just kept walking.

"When I get my way." JT replied.

"Forget it." Craig said, turning around and walking ahead.

"Then forget your software deal." JT called out. Craig stopped walking, but didn't turn around.

"Fine."

"You don't want your software deal?" JT asked.

"Fine, you can be a runner. But you only get twenty percent." Craig responded.

"Alright! What's my first assignment?" JT asked.

"Hey, James Bond? We don't do "assignments". We're more of a fly by the seat of our pants kind of operation, if you know what I mean." Jimmy said.

"Oh, right." JT replied, pretending to understand.

"Look, Manny handles all the inventory, so just call her or whatever and see what she wants you to do." Craig replied.

"Alright, great!"

"Great, now get out of here." Craig said flatly.

"Aye, captain!" JT mock saluted, and headed off in the direction of his house.

"Manny's right, the kid does have pluck." Jimmy noted. Craig rolled his eyes.

"Go pluck yourself."