I furrow my brow. “Did it ever occur to you that I might want to exercise for peace of mind?” This, of course, is not true; I want to look fit for Beau. “That I am not a body fascist like everyone else in this fucking town?”

Thomas laughs. “Fair,” he says. “Get your Zen on.”

Thomas tries to kiss me, and I turn it into a handshake.

He laughs. “Take care, Em,” he says.

“Don’t call me that,” I say, then slam the door.

As I walk back toward Subtropical, the sky is turning purple. I see a group of boys gathered outside the entrance smoking cigarettes. Then my heart skips a beat.

Beau Rubidoux. In the flesh.

He is wearing a thin white T-shirt and black skinny jeans, talking and capturing everyone’s attention. It’s as if there is a light from the heavens shining on him and everyone can’t help but stare. I stand there, dumbfounded, along with the rest of them.

“You okay?”

I jump. It’s Thomas again. He’s looking at me out the window from his Volvo on the street.

I want to scream, LEAVE! but instead I take a deep breath and I say, “Yeah, I just remembered something.”

“I hope it’s an audition.” He winks, then drives off.

What a scumbag.

I refocus my attention on Beau. He throws his cigarette on the street, and the other boys throw their cigarettes on the street too. He’s obviously very influential. Beau heads into the restaurant and the boys follow him. I am glad to confirm his divine presence in the flesh. I don’t even feel the need to follow him. I will see him again, I am sure of it.

DAWN.

I’m not surprised when Tara blocks my number. My court- appointed therapist said to expect this sort of thing if I couldn’t learn to control my rages. But I didn’t understand why it was all on me. Maybe if people stopped leaving me out of the blue I wouldn’t be so angry.

Being back at the Blind Pig is depressing, but it’s nice knowing I can still get tips—big tips. I just have to reveal the right percentage of cleavage and perform the right combination of cheerful and unobtrusive, and of course keep reminding myself that this situation is only temporary.