Read Online The Old Man in the Club by Curtis Bunn - Free Book Online

smile. “That’s funny. My name is Elliott and I’m probably too old for you. But I’d still like to get you a drink that is not too sweet.”
    â€œHow do you know I’m not too old for you?” she said.
    â€œOh, I can tell,” Elliott said. “But I see you ain’t scared.”
    â€œOf what?” she asked. “You? I would get my girls if I needed them, but I think I can take you.”
    â€œI get it now,” Elliot said. “You’re drunk.”
    â€œA little, yeah,” she said, smiling. “But I would call it a little tipsy. Still, my uncle used to say, ‘Being a little drunk is like being a little pregnant. You either are or you aren’t.’ What do you think?”
    â€œI think you are drunk—I mean, tipsy—and I think your uncle is right,” he said.
    â€œThat’s probably true,” she said. “But I’m still a lady. I’m not sloppy or anything. I’m still looking cute. I still have my wits about me. I’m not slurring my speech. And if I didn’t tell you, you wouldn’t have known I was tipsy. Right?”
    Elliott smiled. “In this big place, they might have somewhere I can get you some coffee.” He studied the young lady as he spoke to her. She was attractive, with beautiful locs in her hair, wearing a dress that was about four inches above her knees, exposing a shapely pair of legs. She smiled in a sort of devilish way, like Phylicia Rashad would to Bill Cosby on The Cosby Show.
    â€œCoffee? It’s June, about eighty degrees,” she said. “What will you suggest next? A sweater?”
    â€œWhat’s your name?” Elliott asked.
    â€œWouldn’t you like to know?”
    â€œOnly if you want to tell me. If not, I’ll just have to make up a name for you.”
    â€œReally? And what would that be?”
    â€œLet’s see,” Elliott said. “Maybe I’ll call you Supernova.”
    â€œNow why couldn’t you just say, ‘Tina’ or ‘Precious’ or even ‘Pumpkin?’ Super… Super what?”
    â€œSupernova.”
    â€œWhat does that even mean? Or is it a made-up name, like Shaneskaterra?”
    â€œSupernova means a star that gets so hot that it explodes into this brilliant burst of light. That’s what I see in you—this really special illumination. You project that.”
    The woman looked at Elliott for several seconds, making him feel awkward.
    â€œWhat?” he asked.
    â€œMy boyfriend—my ex-boyfriend—told me I was a dark cloud,” she said. “He tried to make me believe I was this evil spirit that cast darkness upon him. I knew he was wrong, but you can’t help but remember what someone who used to be important to you says about you. This was about a month ago, but I was talking to my girlfriend about it yesterday.
    â€œHer hating-ass said, ‘Well, he had his reasons for saying what he said.’ She’s my friend and I love her but I was so pissed that she said that. And then here you come along. We talk for three or four minutes and you say I’m a brilliant burst of light. A supernova. Wow.
    â€œI really needed that. Thank you? Can I hug you?”
    â€œIf I can hug you back,” Elliott said, and they embraced.
    â€œMy name is Nicole. But you can call me Nikki.”
    They separated. “Nicole, if I’m not mistaken, means victorious people. So, you’re a winner,” Elliott said.
    â€œOh, my God,” Nikki said. “Do you know that he also said I was a loser because I wanted to break up with him? He said it more than once. And I never even knew that my name means ‘winner.’ This is a trip.
    â€œI’m glad I met you…what did you say your name was? I’m sorry.”
    â€œElliott.”
    â€œAnd what does it mean?” Nikki wanted to know.
    â€œIt means ‘The Lord is my God,’ ” Elliott