The Hardest Fall (Roadmap to Your Heart Book 3) (18 page)

“
Y
ou and Richard
will be there early?” I asked Tori as I rummaged around the apartment getting my things in order for the fundraiser tonight.

“Yep, wouldn’t miss it,” she said. “Meeting your mom and George there.”

“Cool,” I said as I reached for my makeup kit to place in my bag. Most of my heavier supplies were kept in the dressing room at Ruby Redd’s but I liked using my own trusty brands as a base.

Mom’s husband George was totally cool with me and what I did for a living, which was a complete 360 from my dad, who would never dream of stepping his foot inside a place like Ruby Redd’s. Some of Mom’s society ladies wouldn’t either. Except as it turned out, plenty of people had somebody on the LGBTQ spectrum in their families—go figure—so many were open to the idea. Besides, this benefit was really about helping the homeless.

“Will your man be there?” Tori asked, handing me my favorite body lotion to place in my bag, because the outfits for tonight’s burlesque theme itched like crazy.

I rolled my eyes but I couldn’t help smiling either.

“You know I’m thrilled for you, right?” she asked. “So don’t do anything to mess it up.”

“Gee, thanks.” I blew her an air kiss as I went out the door.

I started walking to Christopher Street just as droplets of rain began to patter against my cheeks. Crap, I hoped the weather didn’t keep more people from showing up tonight—we still had tickets available for sale at the door.

But according to Bethany, we were able to get some big name philanthropists to buy tickets to the show. Whether or not they attended the benefit was a different discussion, but at least the money would be coming in for a good cause.

When I arrived at Ruby Redd’s, all of the queens were already there—excited and restless. We had already practiced the lineup for the show yesterday afternoon. And the Lady Marmalade finale—with me dressed as Pink, Jessica as Lil’ Kim and two other queens as Christina Aguilera and Mya—was the best idea I had in a long time. We would change into our matching costumes while Candy Cane was performing and we were going to rock their socks off and hopefully bring more money in for Safe Harbor.

As we all stood around in a circle discussing our getups and wigs with Bethany, Maurice joined us in the back dressing room, which was already a tight fit. “I put an additional bartender on the schedule to help Phil tonight so let’s keep the drinks flowing, ladies.”

Maurice was always about the bottom line so although most of tonight would go to charity, he still had a bar to run. There were also additional servers coming in but the event was catered so the kitchen would be closed tonight. Instead, our guests would be feasting on finger foods and crudités while they watched drag queens tear up the stage.

Before I knew it, my wig was in place, my cock strapped tightly against my body, and there was energy in the dressing room that only rivaled nights when a celebrity was spotted at one of the tables.

Jessica and I tiptoed behind the curtain to peek into the audience and point out people that we recognized. My heart stuttered when I saw Sebastian being introduced to my mom by Tori. He looked fucking hot with his rolled up shirtsleeves and black trousers. Almost like he was purposely trying to distract me. “They look like they’re having a nice conversation,” Jessica said and I hoped Mom wouldn’t ask him how we met.

My mom did not know the nitty gritty details about Alan—I had kept that from her, as did Tori, thankfully. She knew I had dated somebody and I was a bit heartbroken from the fallout but she didn’t know her son was like a kept man—a kept drag queen was actually more like it.

The crowd at the front door became momentarily jammed as a group of well-dressed ladies stepped inside. A couple of them had the deer-caught-in-headlights look, but I’d go easy on them during my performance tonight since this was about charity. Any other night, they were fair game.

I saw Annie anxiously reach for Sebastian’s arm and whisper in his ear. Something felt off about the situation but I had no time to think it through because Maurice was ushering us back to the hallway to get in final prep mode for the show. I straightened my bustier, swept my fingers through my short blond wig to be sure it was taped securely, and got into my Frieda Love headspace for the performance.

“
N
ice nail polish
,” Tori said, snickering at me. “It goes well with the theme of the show.”

I looked down at my hands, remembering how Tate asked to try a new color on me last night and I had agreed. It was a cobalt blue and I had already forgotten that my nails were painted such a bold hue. No wonder the bagel shop owner gave me a funny look this morning while ringing me up. I smiled thinking about how Tate had so thoroughly infiltrated my life. I felt happier than I had in a long time and way more relaxed in my own skin.

“All Tate’s doing, right?” Tate’s mom, Tanya, asked me. He definitely favored her. She was a pretty lady who was positively glowing about Tate’s involvement in the charity tonight. I loved seeing somebody proud of Tate inside and out.

The place was packed, standing room only, the bouncer still allowing people through the door. There were all walks of life here and it was pretty cool to see everybody uniting to spend money for the homeless.

“Listen, I don’t want to alarm you,” Annie said in my ear. “But Alan’s wife, Denise, just walked in with a horde of her high society friends.”

My head snapped up. What in the hell was she doing here?

But I guess it made sense because she and Alan had always donated loads of money and attended benefits around town. Just because I hadn’t seen her in months didn’t mean she wasn’t still carrying on without him. I’d even heard she was remarried.

“Thanks,” I said, just as the lights dimmed and the show was about to begin. Maurice’s voice rang through the microphone and the entire bar grew quiet to listen. “I’ll keep my eye out.”

I didn’t give Denise another thought as I watched all of the drag queens shine up on stage. The only time I looked near the front entrance again was during the finale when the queens pranced around the crowd collecting tips while singing Lady Marmalade.

Frieda Love was dressed as Pink, with a red bustier and short coattails just barely covering her black fishnet stockings. I had the urge to reach for her and plant a wet one on her shiny scarlet mouth.

As she made her way past Denise and her cronies, I never saw a group of people look so out of place and uncomfortable. When Denise and I made eye contact, she appeared stunned to see me in the same establishment—or maybe just this kind of establishment. She raised her hand in a conciliatory half wave, as I tipped my chin in her direction while my stomach violently sloshed around.

I didn’t know if Tate would recognize her but I didn’t like the idea of his past coming to call one damn bit, especially on this important night.

When the queens passed by us, Annie clapped her hands and whistled, while Karen shoved a ten note in Frieda’s black garter, which was already overflowing with a number of large bills.

Playing to the crowd, Frieda Love stopped directly in front of me. She placed her hands on my shoulders, and gyrated her hips down to the floor and back up again as some of the audience shouted in our direction. Then she leaned forward and whispered in my ear. “I am
so
going to eat your ass tonight.”

Holy fuck.
I could feel the pink already flushing my cheeks at the same time my cock plumped up. She knew the exact affect her words had on me as she threw her head back and cackled.

Afterward, many pairs of eyes were on me, including Denise’s, but I refused to look in her direction. I felt a surge of possessiveness well up inside me, or maybe it was protectiveness. Whatever it was it made me want to grab Frieda, throw her over my shoulder, and take her home, like some big ape. I wanted to unwrap her like a present and claim my prize—Tate. But there would be no Empire State climb tonight. Besides, Frieda would maim my balls with her stilettos before I even got past the door.

After the show ended, the crowd remained loud and hyped and the drinks were still pouring which was great news for Ruby Redd’s as well as for Safe Harbor. Andre was packed in the far corner of the room with Chris, and he was beaming about the show. Chris was wearing one of the dresses that Tate had given her and looked absolutely smashing as she talked to some of the patrons near the buffet table.

I was so caught up in watching them that I didn’t even hear Denise approach from behind. “How nice to see you, Sebastian.”

I turned to greet her, as my stomach tightened painfully. She threw air kisses at each of my cheeks and I realized just how great of a public façade she had always maintained. I glanced over at Annie wondering how much truth her earlier statement about the former couple rang true.

But regardless of what I thought, her husband had still deceived her and that was not cool. When I looked in my side view, Tate’s mom was standing nearby as if waiting to be introduced and I nearly froze. But I was an adult, a professional, and we were in public. We could talk civilly and she’d be on her way.

“Erm, Tanya,” I said, trying my best to remain cool. “This is Denise…”

“Cummings is my married name,” she said, confirming the information I had received about her new marriage.

“Congratulations,” I said to Denise and just as she was about to say something about the nuptials or possibly Alan, Tanya stepped closer.

“I think I saw you at the Bethany House fundraiser at Tavern on the Green last month.”

“Yes, I was there. It was a lovely event,” Denise said as her gaze swung wildly around the bar possibly comparing the high scale restaurant located in Central Park to a gaudy gay bar in the West Village. The bitch.

“Did you enjoy the show?” Tanya asked motioning to the stage that her son had just performed on as I craned my neck over her shoulder toward the hallway and dressing rooms.

“Not really my cup of tea,” she said, turning up her nose as if she smelled something vile.

“What’s not?” Tanya asked plastering a smile on her face. “Raising money for a good cause?”

God, I already loved this woman, and now I saw exactly whom Tate inherited his personality from.

Denise laughed good-naturedly at Tanya’s barb, her hand at her chest as if she were trying to clutch her imaginary pearls.

“Of course, I’m always up for donating to charity,” Denise said and then lowered her voice as if conspiratorially. “But we should’ve sat this one out.”

Wracking my brain for anything to change the subject, Tanya’s hand had already landed on her hip. “Why is that?”

“Well,” she said, clearing her throat. “I didn’t expect to be surrounded by trannies and homosexuals.”

Oh no she
didn’t!
Tanya’s eyes narrowed and as she tightened her fists, I could tell she was attempting to keep her composure.

“What a thing to say, Denise,” I said more quietly at her ear so as to not draw attention to us. “Well it was nice seeing you, but I think it’s time—”

“Are you saying you didn‘t have any fun?” Tanya continued over my shoulder.

Denise’s eyes widened. “Are you saying you choose to hang out regularly with this sort?”

Suddenly, Frieda Love was beside Tanya, still in full costume.
Shit.

“Well, your late husband Alan sure did,” Frieda said and the statement seemed to rock Denise back on her heels. “And in case you didn’t realize it, we are actually still people under these getups. Still
human
.”

I felt the clang of his words deep in my chest.

“I don’t think now is the time—” I said, attempting to diffuse what was becoming a public conversation as more people glanced in our direction.

“But Alan liked me just like this as a matter of fact,” Frieda said, her hands gliding seductively down her body.

Tanya’s mouth dropped open and I could hear Tori swear somewhere behind her.

Well fuck, if I knew one thing, it was that when Frieda was fired up, there was no dissuading her. Tate, maybe, but this was a situation that had hurt him deeply and though I wanted him to stand up for himself, this was not the time nor place. Nor honestly, the person. But Alan was no longer here and Tate was choosing to lash at the person closest to the situation.

Denise turned to me, as if I had something to do with what the drag queen was saying to her. “Whatever is this person going on about?”

“Why don’t we step outside a minute and—”

“I’m not sure why he’d want a dressed up man,” Frieda said in that ribbing voice, the one I’d come to recognize from her act. It was the set up that led to the one-two punch. “Instead of the woman right in front of him, but I guess that’s how fucked up he was. Except in the end, he devalued us both. So you’re not so different from me.”

Denise was practically hyperventilating as her cheeks turned a deep purple. “How dare you!”

“No, how dare
you
!” Frieda said loud enough for the people around the bar to hear. “How dare you come to this event under the pretense of charity and then dis the very people the money might help fund. Get the fuck out!”

“I will never step foot into this establishment again,” Denise said, getting herself under control again. “And I’ll be sure to spread the word about the trash that works here too.”

“Honey, your kind of trash and my kind of trash never mix anyway,” Frieda said, getting the last word in. “Except under the sheets.”

As she stormed out, all eyes were on Denise and then on Frieda, like a ping pong tournament.

“Hey,” I said, attempting to gentle my voice. “I don’t think you should’ve chosen this time to—”

“Fuck you, Sebastian,” Frieda spit out and I heard Tanya quietly asking her to calm down. “I don’t need your level-headed diplomacy right now. I needed your—”

I threw up my hands in frustration, hoping like hell that Andre wasn’t going to lose his shit over this. “That’s not what I’m—”

“You get the fuck out too,” she said turning on her stilettos. “I think we’re done here.”