Nice Girl by Kate Baum Page B

yelped in pain.  Then a hand reached out to stop my battle with the keychain.  It was Vinnie’s hand.
    “Stop it Grace.”  He said just as Anthony was hanging up the phone.
    I didn’t want to look at him.  With my thumbnail throbbing, I felt I was going to lose it at any moment.
    “Grace.”  He said again, almost gently.  “Grace, I’m sorry.  I was out of line.  It won’t happen again.  Please don’t quit.”
    I tentatively looked up but I still couldn’t meet Vinnie’s eyes.  Instead I looked at Anthony.  It was just easier. 
    Anthony was staring at Vinnie with his mouth open.  There was an uncomfortable silence.  Finally Anthony said something. “Well it’s not easy working in such a close environment at times.  Grace, why don’t you take the rest of the day off?  You definitely deserve it.”
    Somehow I found my voice.  “Uh, okay.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”  I was still unable to meet Vinnie’s gaze. 
    I walked out the door realizing that was the first time I ever heard Vinnie say my name. 
     

Chapter 8
     
     
    After an emotional afternoon, the last place I wanted to go to was my 4pm class.  But I knew I wasn’t going to blow it off.  Graduate students do not miss class.  Especially classes that meet once a week.   I learned early in my undergraduate days that the quickest way to piss off the professor was by skipping class.  So I was going to class even if it meant I would not be able to concentrate at all.
    We were having a lively debate on gun control.  This is normally a discussion I would enjoy.  I just couldn’t concentrate.  Halfway through the class, my phone vibrated.  I figured it was one of my girlfriends.  At break, I checked messages.  The text was from Jamie.
    Jamie:  Hey gorgeous.  We need to meet for a drink the minute you get out of class.  Meet Luke and I at Mahoney’s right away.
    He heard what happened.  I replied back.
    Grace:  Yes.  I’m in the mood for a drink.
    Jamie:  Girlfriend, I know you are!
    This class had to be the one that the professor took to the last minute of the hour.  All I could think of was unloading everything I was feeling to Jamie and Luke.  I almost quit a job I loved today.  No one but Jamie would be able to help me make sense of what happened. 
    Finally class ended and I speed walked the three blocks to O’Malleys.  Luke and Jamie were already there.  Thank God!
    “Oh my sweet girl.  What the hell happened today?”  Jamie and Luke both stood up and hugged me.  I held back a sob.  At that point, I could care less about strong confident woman.
    Luke quickly got me a light beer.  It was ice cold and went down so smooth. 
“What did you hear?”  I asked Jamie.
    “Well, I heard you almost quit.”  Then he paused.  “Because of Vinnie.  I almost beat him up right there on the spot.”
    “Yeah right.”  I laughed.  It felt good to laugh about it. 
    “I love it when my honey gets so tough” Luke cooed to Jamie.   
    Jamie air kissed Luke and continued.  “You had to see Anthony.  He was laying into Vinnie.  He said he never saw an office whipped into shape as quickly as you did, Grace.  He doesn’t want to lose you because of Vinnie’s temper.  Vinnie took full responsibility.  Here I thought I’d seen it all.   Anthony told me later Vinnie apologized to you.  No one has ever seen Vinnie sorry about anything.  What started all of this?”
    I told them the story then starting when Dolores first walked in the door.  It was hard to mention Dolores’ exact words on how she described her sexual encounter with Vinnie.  I mean I was talking to two guys about oral sex.  I know they’re gay but it is not the same as when I talked about sex with my girlfriends.  Maybe it was the alcohol making me brave because I told them word for word what she shouted out. 
    Luke cringed “Grace, I can’t believe you had to listen to that.”
    Then Jamie intervened “Grace, I know some