Where Nerves End

“Just need another hit.”
“Hey, whatever floats your boat, my friend.” El smirked. “But if he asks you to take your pants off, youll know hes planning on sticking more than needles inyou.”
I chuckled. “I wish, believe me.”
“Think that would help the pain?”
“Fuck, I dont care.” I grinned, not even a little bit ashamed of the goose bumps rising along my arms. “You should see this guy.”
“Is that right?” El thought for a moment. Then he put a hand on the small of his back and winced dramatically. “You know, I think I feel a sudden pain coming on myself.”
I laughed. “Yeah, well, before you go get treated for that, I need to see him about my shoulder.” Humor fading, I tapped the watch. “Which is why Im here.”
Els lips thinned. “How much do you need?”
“How much can you give me?”
He scowled, locking eyes with me for a moment. Then he shifted his attention to the watch. “Its in good shape, but these things dont sell so good.” His eyes flicked up. “Thirty-fives the best I can do.”
I exhaled. “Shit…”
He tapped his fingers on the glass beside the watch. “Sorry, man. Im stretching it as it is.”
Swearing under my breath, I absently rubbed my neck, trying to knead out some of the tension that threatened to creep up from my shoulder. Of course, if that ever did a goddamned bit of good, I wouldnt be here trying to score some cash like a jonesing drug addict so I could get a hit of the only thing that did help.
El eyed me. “How much do you need?”
Ishook my head. “Im not going to ask you to give me more than its worth.”
His brown eyes saw right through me. They werent as knee- weakening as Michaels, but they were just the right shade to make me think of Michaels, and there went my knees. I casually leaned against the case, holding Els gaze.
When he spoke, his tone was nonnegotiable. “Jason. How much do you need?”
“Im not—”
“Let me rephrase that,” he said. “How much is the appointment?”
I shifted my gaze to the watch to avoid his scrutiny. “Its sixtyfive.”
“And how much do you have?”
“Not enough.” But I knew the answer he was really looking for. Closing my eyes, I exhaled sharply. Shame tangled in my gut and heat rushed into my face as I muttered, “If I want to eat for the next week? I have about twenty.”
El pushed out a sharp breath. “Man, that club is going to suck you dry.”
“Yeah, tell me about it,” I muttered. “If the mortgage doesnt kill me, the club will.”
He scowled, but didnt say anything. Wed had this conversation enough times. Close the club, let go of the house, cut my losses; every option had its advantages and disadvantages, and El probably knew as well as I did there was no point in discussing it right now. Id deal with the long-term cataclysm that was my financial life. In the short-term; I needed this.
“Sixty-five, then?” he said.
I didnt look at him. “Thanks.”
He printed out the usual forms and wrote the pertinent information, then handed everything to me. I didnt bother reading it over. El would tell me if anything had changed since the last time I was in here, and God knew Id read this thing enough times I knew it by heart. I just signed on the dotted line and slid the form across the case. El looked everything over, signed it, and put it under the counter.
Then he pressed the bills into my hand. “Well, my friend, I hope the acupuncture keeps helping.”
“Thanks.” I took out my wallet and slipped the cash into it. “Believe me, I hope it does too.”
El and I made small talk for a few minutes, shooting the breeze about the ups and downs of our respective businesses, the amazing new microbrews a pub down the street had recently added, and if we thought the Broncos would pull it off this year. Then we shook hands, and I left with just enough cash in my wallet to pay for one acupuncture appointment.
    * * *
    Like the pawn shop, the acupuncture clinic had a distinct smell. Not quite as familiar since Id only been here once before, but enough to raise the hairs on the back of my neck.
    Nathan looked up from behind the tall desk, batting a few strands of hair out of his eyes. “Mr. Davis, right?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I hope Im not too late?”
“Oh, honey.” He waved a hand. “Michaels so far behind
    today, you could go get a coffee and read the paper if you wanted to.”
    “Hes behind already?” I glanced at my watch. “Its not even one oclock.”
“His first appointment of the