Em wipes her sweaty hands on the hand towel, staring into the mirror above the sink in the bathroom. “Do I look okay?” She completes a half turn so she can see a side view.
Leaning against the doorjamb with her arms folded, Daisy says, “You look great. I’d just walk through another spritz of perfume and go.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, you look good. He’s seen you before when you weren’t planning on seeing him, remember?”
Em ducks her head. “Yeah, I remember. Okay. I’m going to go. You going to be okay?”
“I’m going to be fine. What do you think I’m going to be doing? Brooding?”
Chuckling, Em gives her best friend a squeeze. “No. I know you’re going to be downstairs chasing a win. I hope you land one.”
“Me too. Don’t forget we have dinner reservations tonight at five. If something changes and you aren’t going to make them, text me so I can cancel.”
“I am sure I’ll be here for dinner.”
“Uh-huh. We’ll see.”
Slinging her indigo crossbody bag on, Em heads out the door.
Daisy follows and pulls the door shut behind them. “Do you want me to come out with you to meet him? You know, just in case you go missing or something?”
Em groans. “Why did you say that? Now I’m going to wonder.”
“You should be wondering. We know nothing about this guy. It pays to be cautious nowadays.”
Her stomach clenches. “Come with me so you can see him. Why did I agree to this?”
Daisy shrugs but says nothing.
The sunshine is blinding, stepping out onto the boardwalk. They remain still until their eyes adjust to the brightness.
Her sunglasses now on, Em surveys the benches right outside of the casino.
“Do you see him?” Daisy asks with her hand over her eyes to help shield the sun.
“Not yet. He is probably handing out his bags to the homeless. Let’s go sit on a bench and wait.”
Em heads to the bench on the right, with Daisy following. They both sit down.
Em sighs. “I love this time of year on the boards. It’s not too hot, not too cold, and it’s not too crowded. It’s a beautiful day here.”
“It is nice out here. Didn’t he say he was going to be waiting for you outside? Does this mean he stood you up?”
Smiling, Em says, “He’ll be here. You’ll see. I don’t think he’s the type of guy to make a commitment and then not show up. Relax and listen to the waves.”
“Ok. You got me. This is very nice,” Daisy says, her head back and her eyes closed.
“It gets me every time. I love just watching it from our room because in my mind, I hear the waves crash while watching them,” Em says, looking at Daisy.
A shadow falls over her, and the warmth of the sun is gone.
A male voice growls, “You lost?”
Em looks up, and heart stops as she looks into the black eyes on a face criss-crossed with scars. She grabs Daisy’s hand. “We aren’t lost. We’re waiting for someone.”
Daisy squeezes her hand.
“This here’s my bench. No one sits on it without paying.”
Em returns Daisy’s squeeze and hopes her sassy friend says nothing.
Daisy tosses her head and says frostily. “These benches belong to the city. Are you Atlantic City?”
Her heart sinking, Em recognizes the tone of Daisy’s voice as the one she uses after she’s waged war and is isn’t planning on survivors. Em isn’t sure this is a guy who is going to shuffle off and not respond.
The man crosses his arms and takes a step closer with his long, wild hair moving with the ocean wind. “I’m the toll collector for ’em. You willin’ to pay the price sittin’ on this bench means?”
“These women aren’t paying your toll, Ace. They’re here with me.” Noah steps in between the bench and the man, Ace.
Her heart is beating again and rapidly. Em sneaks a peek at Daisy, who is now staring at Noah.
Click.
Em gasps.
Ace waves the knife in Noah’s face. “Preacher, you need to step back. I saw ’em first.”
“No, you didn’t. I’ve been talking to the one for a month now. She brought her friend along because I asked for two.”
“You can’t save ’em all and you ain’t gonna be with ’em all the time,” Ace snarls. He snaps the knife shut and points at Daisy. “That mouth is gonna get you in trouble. I’ll be lookin’ fer ya.”
Em watches Ace stalk off. Her breath is coming in quick gasps, matching the fast pace of her heart. She puts her head between her knees.
Daisy rubs her back. “Are you okay?”
“She’s having a panic attack,” Noah says, settling in on the opposite of Em. “I’m Noah. Has she ever had one of these before?”
Shaking her head, Daisy says, “No. I’ve never seen her have one but we also have experienced nothing like that Ace guy before either.”
Breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth, Em tries to slow her heart and breathing down.
“Yeah, you’re going to have to be on the lookout for him. He isn’t kidding that he’ll be looking for you. I saved his nephew from a beating a few months ago which has bought me some space from him, but I know it won’t last forever. The boardwalk is his territory.”
Straightening up, Em, who is breathing, normally says, “Why didn’t I see him the other times I was out here?”
Noah shrugs. “I don’t have an answer but you were lucky.”
“He just accosts people on the boardwalk and nothing is done?” Daisy asks.
“Pretty much,” Noah says and hangs his head. “If I’d been on time, this wouldn’t have happened. I had a kid almost OD early this morning, and I was at the hospital with her until her parents came down. I was afraid if I left, she’d skip out and we’d find her dead next time.”