Page 81 of Make Me Laugh

I catch Enzo waving me over to him and a few other guys I don’t know. Kell’s not with them, and neither is West.

“Where’s Franceska?” he asks when I get to the table.

I frown, tucking a strand of my extra curly hair behind my ear. “Her label called and told her she needed to be at a meeting early in the morning.” Enzo grimaces, and I nod. “She’ll call me as soon as it’s over tomorrow, but I feel bad she had to go home alone.”

Enzo pulls his phone out of his back pocket but doesn’t look down at it yet. “Yeah, me too.”

One of the guys behind him interrupts our conversation. “Is this the infamous Sexy Hexy everyone’s been talking about?”

I think everyone in this corner of the bar catches the shift in energy because it quiets for a few beats longer than natural. I freeze, eyes locking on the strangers.

“Don’t call her that,” Enzo says, barely missing a beat.

“What? Hex? That’s her name online,” the guy quips back with a laugh.

New Haven was my first experience with people calling me Hex and asking for pictures. I was able to avoid it most of the time, still unsure how I’m supposed to act in these situations, but I can’t do that forever.

I’m not like West—I wasn’t born for the spotlight. I liked my inconspicuous corner of the internet… which no longer exists, meaning I need to figure out how I want to handle assholes like this guy, because he won’t be the first or the last to pull this shit with me. It doesn’t feel any different than being a woman in business.

Good thing being mean to men is one of my favorite pastimes!

I fight the smile pulling at the edges of my lips, not letting this man see my cards before I lay them—and him—out.

“I’m not staring at a computer screen, are you?” The tone Enzo takes with the guy isn’t one of a friend. This dude must be here with someone else.

I rest my hand on his forearm. “Enzo, it’s okay,” I say loud enough for everyone to hear. Bringing my hand back to my side, I drag my gaze over to the stranger. “What’s your name?” I ask as sweetly as I can manage.

He smiles, and I’d like to reach across the table and smack it off his face.

“Larry,” he offers me his hand to shake.

What a stupid fucking name for a man in his twenties.

My eyes bounce from his hand to his smug smirk until he feels awkward enough to let it drop to the table between us.

“You can call me Sexy Hexy, that’s fine⁠—”

“See!” He cuts me off, patting Enzo on the shoulder once and thinks twice about going for another with the look he receives from the six-and-a-half-foot tattooed giant. “You didn’t need to get all⁠—”

I’m the one to interrupt this time, keeping Enzo from getting thrown into an NYC jail. “I wasn’t finished talking. Kinda rude, Larry.” The whole table stills again, but this time I’m the one in charge of it. “You’re not a rude guy, are you?”

Larry blanches, shocked at my outburst.

I wait until he’s about to reply, choosing to dismiss whatever he’s about to say before it’s even out of his mouth. “Actually, you know what? Don’t answer that. I get it.” Waving my hand, I fake an understanding smile. “Big guy want attention from hot girl he think not smarter than him.” I cut out all the connector words to make sure he follows. “Which just feels like you’re compensating for something other than your low IQ.” I tap my chin. “Oh, I bet I know! We can both have nicknames. How cute!” My nose scrunches, and I wiggle my shoulders. “I’m Sexy Hexy.” I touch my chest, preening. “And you’re Little Dick Larry.” The last part is said with a seriousness I find somewhere deep inside.

Everyone, including Enzo, bursts into laughter.

Larry obviously doesn’t laugh. He grinds his teeth, angry at becoming the butt of everyone’s joke.

I don’t laugh either, but I give him a smile I hope he never forgets.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

THE ONE WITH HAMILTON SPOILERS

WestParkerComedy: NYC, you kinda scare this small town dude, but I’m learning to love spooky things lately. Who’s coming to see me this weekend?

Comment: What if we just stop watching and interacting? Then they can’t ignore us