"The best" I said as I closed my eyes, feeling like we were partners in everything at last.
......
Another pair of Advil did wonders to mute the throbbing in my skull, but the dull ache was a useful reminder of what I was up against as I pushed open the door to the Pizzeria shorty after noon the next day. The smell of greasy chips and tomato filled my nostrils. Waiters bustled around delivering plates of peperoni and hawaiian to the lunch crowd.
It was your standard order Pizza restaurant with thick menus and illustrated pictures of well-known Italian monuments.
Fitting, I reasoned, as a hurried waiter rushed over.
"One for lunch?"
"No. I'm joining someone. You can tell Mr. Mahone I'm here"
The waiter looked confused, "Sorry. Who should I tell him is here?"
"Tell him the girl he's expecting to see"
"Okay" the waiter said, narrowing his eyebrows briefly at the request before turning on his heels to find the man in charge.
Moments later, a tall man in a sharp suit strode over to me. He had thick, dark hair and muddy-brown eyes and some what of the worst teeth I had ever seen. He wasn't thin, he wasn't fat; he was simply the sturdy type.
He extended a hand to shake.
"Lauren Jauregui" I said.
"Austin Mahone. I had a feeling I'd be seeing you. Come" he said, gesturing grandly to the restaurant as if he were quite proud of the joint he'd taken over on a debt that went belly-up, "There is a table for us near the kitchen"
"Fantastic" I said coolly, as if this were just another lunchtime business meeting.
After we sat, a waiter handed me the menu, "Thank you"
Austin tapped the menu, "Everything here is delicious. But may I personally recommend the spicy meat feast" he said, bringing his fingertips to his mouth and kissing them as a chef does.
"Consider it done" I said, pushing the menu to the side. I had every intention of not only talking to Austin, but breaking bread with the man. If there was one thing I'd learned in my years as a lawyer, it was that the more you knew about the opposing side, the better off you were. And the less fear you showed, the more likely you'd win the points you wanted. Besides, I had a hunch Austin was the type of man who would act supremely gentlemanly to a worthy adversary.
I planned to be just that.
"So, you messed up the nose of my new guy" Austin began, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.
"It got in the way of my fist"
Austin scratched his neck, as if he were a dog itching fleas, "He shouldn't have been there. He's too hot-headed to be on the street"
"Yeah?"
Austin shook his head, and blew out a long stream of air. A man frustrated, he placed his elbows on the table and steepled his fingers, "Matthew was supposed to give her the message, but he came down with the flu, he claimed" Austin said with a scoff.
"I'm guessing that's the last time he'll duck out of work for a sick day" I said dryly.
Austin laughed, throwing his head back and letting loose several deep chuckles. Then he took a deep breath, and the laughing silenced, "What are you here for?"
"Seems we have something in common, don't we?" I said, establishing first our mutual interests.
"Brown"
"That's what you call Camila?"
"Yes"
"Here's the thing, Austin" I began, keeping my voice completely even and controlled as I knew how to do, "Can I call you Austin? Or do you prefer Mr. Mahone?"
"Austin is fine"
"So here's the thing" I repeated, leaning back in my chair, mirroring Austin's moves, "You're going to need to go through me now"
Austin arched an eyebrow, "I am?"
"You are"
"And why would I do that?"
"I'm her lawyer and I'm handling you. And that's how it's going to work. You want your money, I presume?"
"I would like it" Austin said, "I am fond of money"
"I had a feeling you were, so I brought some extra to settle some matters" I said, then dipped into my pocket for my wallet. Taking my time, I opened it up, wet a finger, and counted some crisp bills. I laid $500 on the table, "this is for your guy. It's a way of saying I'm not sorry his nose ran into my fist, but I do aim to take responsibility for my actions"
Austin eyed the money approvingly, "Go on"
I peeled off another five one-hundred-dollar bills, adding them to the stack, "This is for you to leave her alone this week"
A laugh fell from Austin's lips, "It's going to cost more than that"
I added $500 to the pile, then raised an eyebrow in question. Austin nodded, "That'll do"
"And this" I continued, adding five more to the pile, "is a promise that we will have the ten thousand dollars remaining on the debt to you by next weekend"
"Or?"
"There is no or" I said firmly, never wavering as my eyes remained locked on the man across from me, "It will be paid. And you will be done with her. Is that clear?"
"Why should it be clear?"
"Because that's how deals are done, Austin. When the final ten thousand dollars is paid, she's free and clear and I never want you to talk to her, be in touch with her, or send your men after her again" I said, my eyes locked on the man I despised, never wavering.
"Are you going to ask me to sign something? A legal contract, perhaps?" Austin said in a mocking tone.
I shook my head, "They don't make contracts for this faith. Those are the terms of out contract. Good faith"
Austin paused, and cocked his head to the side. Looked me up and down. Then his lips curled, "I can live with those terms"
"And you can live with the other ones? When this is done, it's over and out?"
"If she has the money for me, I will not ever need to see her again" he said through gritted teeth.
"I told you. We will have the money. But she's not playing in your games anymore"
"Really?" Austin asked, doubt dripping from his mouth, "What is she going to do? Play the slot machines in Vegas to get my ten grand?"
I laughed and shook my head, "No. But does it matter? Do you care where your money comes from, or just that it arrives in a neat, green package?"
"Green is good. But I will be in California next weekend. I'm moving a game there"
"What a coincidence. I happen to live in California" I said.
"You will pay me there. By Sunday morning I want it. One week" he said, holding up his index finger in emphasis, "We will meet at eleven at my favourite restaurant in the City. I will get you the name"
"Consider it done"
"And we will do business like men. We will shake on it when the deal is done"
"I'll be there"
The waiter arrived then with two orders of spicy meat feast pizza's and two sets of cutlery.
"Dig in" Austin said.
I took a bite and nodded in approval, "That's some damn fine pizza"
"As you can see, it would have broken my heart to drive this place to the ground like I could have. I kept it open for the pizza. It's rated best dough in Miami. Nothing makes me prouder"
"It's the little things in life, isn't it?" I asked holding up a slice of pizza on the end of my fork as if in a toast to the dish.
"Indeed it is" Austin said, a smile spreading across his face, "I like you. You have balls. You should work for me. I can always use a good lawyer"
"Thank you. But I'm going to have to pass on that. I have a pretty full client list at the moment"
We spent the rest of the hour talking about sports and eating pizza and discussing whether Miami or California had better restaurants. Though I didn't enjoy the time, and in fact, I spent the vast majority of it in a coiled state of restraint so I wouldn't strangle the man with my bare hands, at least I left understanding the enemy.
And that always counted for something.