09 Nov The Lucky Man

The Lucky Man

It was a few nights before the event, and Aurora brought Angel and Tom to a small art gallery in the evening. A good time to wind things down, relax and have some casual fun before the show.

Wine and cheese were being served, and the crowds were small and dispersed, allowing Tom and Angel to take in the scene at their leisure. Everything was going well.

As they browsed, Angel ran into an old boyfriend named Marco. Surprised, they embraced, and Marco kissed her on the cheek.

Angel then introduced Tom to him.

“Nice to meet you,” Tom said with a smile, trying to hide his jealousy.

“Ah, super! Vous êtes l’homme chanceux!” Marco exclaimed, shaking Tom’s hand firmly. Tom indicated that he didn’t understand, so Marco clarified in a heavy French accent, “You are the lucky man.”

Tom nodded and replied, “I certainly am.”

Tom found Marco to be friendly, but he also had an edge to him. He noticed a sleeve of dark tattoos that ran up his arm, extending past his shirt collar and covering one side of his neck. There were a few small scars around his eye, and a deep scar ran down his cheek to his jawline. Tom sensed that he was a serious character.

Marco was very playful with Angel, right in front of Tom. Tom wondered if he might have been one of the guys she met at the clubs years ago, and maybe even invited back to the studio for an overnight rendezvous. He tried to push the thought out of his mind.

Angel could see the look on Tom’s face. He was reading Marco. Later, she told Tom not to worry. She confirmed that they had a brief relationship, but it wasn’t serious and was years ago. In fact, Angel said Marco used to protect her from some of the real slime-balls in the clubs and parties. People never messed with him, and so she enjoyed his protection.

That didn’t make Tom feel any better.

~CJ~