Waiting for Jo by srbrdshaw Read Free Book Online Page B

obviously seen me today
and knows that I’m at the Alcove. Are they watching me right now? I
turn my head back and forth and scan the entire room. The bar area
is still empty. I freeze for a minute as I think about how this
sick bastard could be looking at me right now and getting off on
how scared I am.
    I don’t want to be alone in here.
    “Will? Are you back there? Can you come out
here?” I say, unable to hide the fear in my voice.
    Will comes darting out from the kitchen door
to join me at the bar. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” he asks.
    “No. I’m not okay.” I show Will my phone. He
looks at the text message and grimaces. “I’m starting to get sick
of this bullshit,” I say.
    Will hugs me. “It’s okay. No one is going to
do anything to you while I’m around you. You’re safe here,” he
says. He releases me from his embrace and looks me directly in the
eye. “Here’s what we’re going to do. Scotty will be back here at
6:00 tonight and will take over so that I can have some time off.
Then you and I are going to sit down and figure out what to do.
Okay?”
    I nod my head. “Thanks, Will. I’m already
feeling better. You’re a good guy.”
    “No problem. And if you don’t want to be home
alone until then, you can go to your place and get your dog, bring
him back here, and hang out in the apartment until I’m done.”
    “Are you sure? I don’t want to put you
out.”
    “You won’t be putting me out. Just don’t
drink all of my beer while you’re up there, you lush,” he says with
a slight grin on his face.
    I laugh at his joke. “Hey, no promises,” I
say. “I’m not to be trusted around alcohol.”
    He hugs me again. “Everything is going to be
alright. I mean it,” he says.
    Will walks me to my car. “Come right back,”
he says. “And call me if you need me. Also, if you’re not back here
in 45 minutes, and I haven’t heard from you, I’m going to assume
that something is wrong, and I’m going to come looking for
you.”
    “Thank you, Will,” I say as I throw my arms
around him. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

     
     
    Chapter 8

    I change my clothes, grab a few things, and
pick up Malcolm before rushing back to the Alcove. Just as I’m
arriving, I receive a text from Will.
     
    Will Bennett: Bring Malcolm up to the
apartment through the fire escape on the back of the building.
There is a key to the door on top of the light fixture.
     
    I text Will to let him know that I made it
back to his place. I pull out a toy to keep Malcolm entertained
before scoping out Will’s fridge and taking a beer. I then make
myself comfortable on his outdated sofa and reach for a book on
Gustav Klimt that’s resting on the coffee table. But I’m distracted
by a messy pile of papers and mail sitting next to it. One document
poking out from under a few other pieces of paper says Petition for
Bankruptcy.
    My first instinct is to grab the petition and
read it, but I don’t. I pick up the Klimt book and try to distract
myself. I flip through a few pages. Then I get up and walk around
the apartment and look at some of Will’s unfinished paintings. But
I can’t stop thinking about the bankruptcy. I sit back on the sofa
and then gently pull the paper out of the pile, careful not to move
the other things in the pile. This is so wrong, I tell myself.
    The petition has been filled out, but not
signed which means that it likely hasn’t been filed yet. I try hard
to not be judgmental. Will is so nice and I like him a lot, but
this is bad. I always wonder how people let things get to the point
that they have to file for bankruptcy. My mother was poor, and she
struggled to raise me after my father left, but she was responsible
about her purchases and didn’t buy things she couldn’t afford. Will
is a single man. How can he not have his shit together? I feel
guilty for snooping and for thinking such bad thoughts about such a
good guy.
    I put the paperwork back in the pile