And then she jammed her thousand-dollar spike heel into the top of his uninjured foot, where the shoe met the sock.

“Ow!” He let go. “Damn it, that hurt! I am just trying to talk to you.”

“That’s the second time you’ve put hands on me tonight.” Tears were fluttering on her lashes. “You guys. You’re all alike. Talking with your fists.”

“I wasn’t trying to hurt you, just—”

“Really? What’s this.” She thrust her arm between them, revealing the red marks marring the skin on her upper and lower arm from where he’d grabbed her earlier. “Stay away from me.”

“I didn’t mean—I promise, I won’t—”

“What? You won’t do it again? Yeah, that’s what Jose’s father would say, too. It’s what my father would tell my mother.”

His face twisted with horror. “No. That’s not me.” He backed away from her. Abruptly, he folded his body down onto the yellow curb. “This whole night is fucked,” he mumbled, his head hanging. “I can’t believe you’d do me like that,” he muttered.

“You son of a bitch.” Angel swung on her heel and marched down the pavement.

“Hey! Hey! Stop,” he yelled after her, slightly slurry. “I thought you were different!”

She did not look back.

He watched her go. What am I doing wrong here? How come I can’t get my shit together?

“Cigarette, bro?”

It was Roland. The tall ballplayer kept back a few steps, shamefaced.

“What in the fuck? That was my girl, man. So not right.” Duke lumbered partway to his feet, then let his body drop back to the curb, too exhausted and sore to go after a beast like Roland. Not tonight.

His friend squinted at him. “Your girl? You serious? Anyway, I wasn’t bangin’ that nurse.”

“What?” Duke took a second to process the response. “Then why’d Regina say that?”

Roland shrugged, taking a long draw on his cigarette. The cherry burned bright orange, lighting up his thousand-yard stare.

Duke slitted his eyes at him. “But you did get it on with somebody. You was cheating at Kinley when she twenty feet away? I hope she dumps your ass.”

The big man sank down next to him on the curb, his long legs splayed into the street. “Dude. I know. The woman’s gonna stick a knife in my throat when she sees me. I’m gettin’ a hotel until she cools down.”

“If she cools down. You fucking deserve to get shut out.”

“Oh, and you’re Mister Hun’ Percent?”

They sat quietly, two professional athletes beaten down by their own bad habits.

“You goin’ after her? The nurse?”

“She doesn’t want me to. I tried.” Like an asshole.

“Prob’ for the best. Women are nothing but trouble.”