Chapter 7: Advice

Dexter dialed the number, hoping that he wouldn’t have another evening alone at home. Amber answered on the second ring.

“Hello, Dexter.”

“Hello, Amber.”

“What’s up?”

“I was sitting here feeling kinda lonely, and was wondering if you were free tonight. Are you?” Dexter asked.

Amber giggled. “I’m never free for lonely men.”

“I don’t mean like that,” Dexter said. “I was wondering if you wanted to get together tonight. Are you busy?”

“As a matter of fact, I am,” Amber said.

“Okay,” Dexter said. “I was hoping we could go listen to some jazz, or something.”

Amber said, “Why don’t I swing by your place after I finish up with my client? It shouldn’t be too late. He’s married and has to get home at a reasonable time.”

“What’s a reasonable time?” Dexter asked.

“We’ll be done by ten,” Amber answered.

Dexter said, “I can deal with ten.”

“Okay, I’ll see you then,” Amber said. She hung up the phone.

Dexter wondered what kind of guy had a prostitute for his best friend. He probably saw more of Amber than anyone else. Sometimes, they just went out for burgers at lunchtime, or met to exercise together at the gym, or generally hung out together. More often than not, she called him.

It was a strange kind of relationship. They seldom talked about what she did for a living. Mostly, Dexter talked about his various experiences in searching out places that still provided service. She made comments about his observations, reflecting a young disbelief that things had even been the way he described. She found his desire to change the world into a friendlier and nicer place, endearing. She wasn’t sure if she believed it was possible.

For his part, he enjoyed her company. Even when they did nothing but sit around saying little, he cherished the time spent with her. She was nothing like any woman he had ever known. She tended to be upbeat most of the time, but there were days when she was very depressed. On those occasions, she just wanted someone to hold her.

It was a little after nine when there was a knock on Dexter’s door. He opened it to find Amber standing there.

It was obvious that she hadn’t gone by her apartment to change clothes after her ‘date.’ She was dressed in a very revealing outfit. The skirt was way too short, and the low cut blouse barely concealed the treasures beneath it. He could tell that she was wearing stockings.

“Come on in, Amber.”

“My date ended early,” Amber said. She held out a paper bag and added, “I brought a little something to drink.”

Dexter accepted the bag from her. He looked inside. A glance at the label was sufficient to identify the source of the wine.

“German wine?”

“I don’t really feel like going out. How about we just drink a little wine and talk?” Amber asked.

“That’s fine with me. Why don’t you have a seat while I open the wine and get some glasses?”

“Can I use your bathroom to freshen up?”

“Sure.”

Dexter went into the kitchen to open the wine. It was only when he pulled the bottle out of the bag that he realized that he wouldn’t need a corkscrew. The wine bottle had a screw-on top. He grabbed two glasses and carried them out to the living room. He unscrewed the cap from the bottle, and filled two glasses with white wine.

Amber came out of the bathroom wearing one of his shirts.

She flopped down on one of the living room chairs and said, “I hope you don’t mind me borrowing one of your shirts.”

“Not at all,” Dexter said while handing her a glass of wine.

“I was getting tired of my ass showing and my tits hanging out,” Amber said.

“I can understand that. I guess that’s an occupational hazard,” Dexter said, although his shirt still showed nearly as much leg as the short skirt had.

Amber said, “My client tonight was one of my regulars. He’s not a bad guy, but he wants that street-walker look.”

“You looked kinda sexy,” Dexter said.

“Thanks,” Amber said. “Sometimes I get so tired of it all.”

“So quit,” Dexter said.

“It pays the bills,” Amber said shrugging her shoulders.

“So you’re going to stay with it until you find something better?”

Amber nodded her head in affirmation, took a sip of wine, and then sighed. She studied Dexter for a moment, as if he was some new species of bug.

“You know, I don’t understand you,” Amber said.

“You don’t understand me?” Dexter asked rather puzzled by that comment.

“Nope.”

“I’m a pretty simple guy. At least, I think so.”

Amber said, “Something has been bugging me for a while.”

“What?”

“You told me that you had been laid since leaving your wife. When and with whom?”

“I went to Nevada. Prostitution is legal there,” Dexter said.

“Really?”

“I thought everyone knew prostitution is legal in Nevada.”

“Not that. I was surprised you went to a brothel.”

“Why?”

“I never figured you to be the type to pay for it.”

“I get horny just like every other man.”

“I guess so. Still, it surprises me that you would pay for sex,” Amber said. She thought for a moment and then added, “Maybe I’m not surprised. You aren’t the ‘friends with benefits’ kind of guy or the ‘one-night-stand’ type, either.”

“I’m not into casual sex,” Dexter said.

He took a big sip of wine, wishing they could talk about something else.

“Why haven’t you ever tried to hire me?”

“You’re a friend,” Dexter answered with a shrug, earning a great big smile from Amber.

“I’m glad you think of me that way. I don’t have that many friends. It’s an occupational hazard. Women find out what I do for a living, and immediately start treating me like I’m slime. When a guy learns that I’m an escort, he either thinks I’m easy, or that he can hire me.”

“I can see where that is a problem. I guess you’re kind of lonely.”

“You can say that again.”

“I understand loneliness.”

Amber snorted. “If I were you, there’d be no way I’d be living in this dump, all alone.”

“Don’t call my place a dump. I like it, here,” Dexter said.

“Like I’m going to believe that? You’re living alone, when you don’t have to. I don’t have that option. There isn’t a man around who wants to marry an escort. There are lots of men who would be more than happy to fuck me on occasion, but they wouldn’t look at me for anything more serious than that. I just don’t understand why you would chose to be alone.”

Dexter stammered, “Women aren’t lined up to be with the great Dexter James.”

“You’ve got an ex-wife who still loves you. You could walk back into your house at any time and she’d welcome you home,” Amber said.

“I don’t think so,” Dexter said.

Amber shook her head in disgust. “I know so. Janet told me how she feels about you. Did you know that your ex is jealous of me?”