Opening Act by Dish Tillman Page B

“Didn’t work out with…what’s his name. Shay Dayton. That it?”
    â€œGot it in one,” he said, sitting back and yawning.
    â€œWell.” She gave a little sigh of admiration. “ You’re one hell of a stand-up guy, aren’t you? Considering how you must’ve imagined the night would go.”
    â€œHey.” He shrugged. “I invited her. I was responsible for what happened to her while she was there. Just doing the gentlemanly thing.”
    â€œThat’s what I mean.” She beamed a smile at him.
    He shook his head. “No one should be thanked for being a gentleman. It should be, like, every guy’s default setting.”
    â€œWell, there are a lot of should-be’s in the world.”
    He nodded. “Got it in one again.”
    There was a small silence. Loni opened her laptop, which was on the coffee table between them, figuring she might as well check her mail while Zee was finishing. Then she remembered her manners, looked back up at Lockwood, and said, “Get you a coffee or something?”
    He made as though to get up. “Nah. I should head out.”
    â€œNo, really. Just wait to say good-bye.” She looked over her shoulder and called out, “Zee?”
    â€œONE. MINUTE.” was the snarled reply.
    Loni looked at Lockwood in surprise. “What exactly happened to her?”
    He raised his eyebrows. “Not really my place to say. But I gotta wish you good luck with her.”
    â€œMe? Why me?”
    He rose to his feet. “Forget I said anything.”
    Zee came out of the bathroom, fully made up and dressed except for her stockinged feet. She saw Loni and Lockwood and came to a halt. “All yours,” she said to Loni, while looking at Lockwood.
    â€œNice to see you again,” Loni said, and she scurried to the bathroom.

    After Loni had entered the bathroom and shut the door, Zee turned to Lockwood. “Thanks. It was sweet of you to stay. You didn’t have to.”
    â€œDon’t mention it.”
    She gave him a look that made it clear that would be her preference, too. “Sorry I was such a mess.”
    He dismissed this with a wave of his hand.
    â€œYou didn’t tell her anything, did you?” she asked, nodding toward the bathroom.
    He looked shocked at the idea. “Not my story to tell.”
    She grinned in thanks. “You want some coffee?”
    â€œNo, no,” he said. “Gotta run. But…” He half turned, and gave her a sly look. “Check on you later?”
    She shook her head. “You don’t have to.”
    â€œI know. But can I?”
    â€œReally. It’s not necessary.”
    â€œRight. But can I?”
    She wanted to be angry, but somehow found herself laughing instead. “You can try,” she said. “I can’t guarantee I’ll be here.”
    He winked. “Chance I’ll have to take.”
    Then he gave her a courtly little bow and left the apartment.
    Zee sat down in the chair Loni had just vacated and pulled her boots from under the coffee table. When she looked up, she noticed that Loni’s laptop was open and that her Facebook page was up. As she pulled on her boots, she noticed that there was a new Friend Request. She suddenly went very still—her boot still only halfway on her foot. She had a gut feeling about that Friend Request…a very bad gut feeling. She looked up at the bathroom door. Still shut. And then something came over her…a kind of willful evil. She reached over and clicked on the Friend Request icon.
    And yes. She was right.
    There he was.
    Shay Dayton.
    And there was a message from him.
    â€œTell me more.”
    A sort of red haze blinded her for a moment. Her fingers seemed to dart across the keyboard of their own volition. Before her mind had caught up with them, they’d denied the Friend Request, erased the message, and blocked Loni’s—or rather “William