him made me want to hurl.
Garret leaned close and his lips twitched a smile. “The night is young. Who knows how it will end?”
Actually, I did. And so did he. He was going home to Sylvia. She owned the big house, and she paid the bills. Her grieving money probably bought the martinis on the table. The only thing I didn’t know was if I’d get out of there before smacking the creepy grin off his face.
I downed my drink and flexed my fingers. A few more of those and I’d go for his throat.
With an intimate gesture, Garret pulled two cigarettes from a pack and held one to my lips. I shook my head.
“I don’t smoke.”
His curious gaze dropped to the gold lighter on the table.
“I’m quitting. The lighter’s like a familiar friend.” I scooped it up quickly and stood.
“You’re not leaving?”
“I am.”
Garret’s hand restrained me. “Wait. How can I reach you?”
“We could meet here Friday,” I said all straight-faced.
Like between the wedding and the reception .
He exaggerated a sigh. “Unfortunately, I’m leaving on a business trip this weekend. I’d like to call you when I get back. You and me, we got something special here.”
“Do we?”
“We do.” He drained his glass. “I got a feeling the gods are smiling on me tonight.”
“Yeah?”
I dropped the lighter in my bag and slung it on my shoulder. Leaning low, I whispered in his ear.
“Cuz I got a feeling the gods are laughing their socks off.”
***
I slid behind the wheel and the smell of sausages filled my nostrils. I wasn’t alone. Fear froze everything but my eyeballs. A distinct wheezing sound came from the backseat. Inga was at grandma’s. And she didn’t have sinus troubles. But I knew who did.
My gaze whipped to my rearview mirror and I jumped.
Devin waved a sausage at me.
I opened my mouth twice before a sound came out. Then I reached over the backseat and slugged him with my bag.
“Get out. You scared the crap out of me.”
Devin snorted a laugh. I put the bag away. He clambered over the seat and plopped down beside me.
“I was just released from treatment. They let me out early for good behavior.”
I could smell the stench of cheap alcohol on his breath. I put the key in the ignition and rolled down the windows. The treatment did wonders.
“Yeah, right. They don’t let you out of rehab for good behavior, dumb ass. You escaped.”
Devin twisted his mouth. “You DeLucas think you’re so effin’ perfect.”
“ Seriously? Have you met my effin’ perfect family?” I closed my eyes and counted to ten. When I opened them again he was still there. “Why are you here, Devin?”
“I want to make things right between us.”
“Good luck with that.”
He threw me a look. “You’re not helping me with this situation here. I think it’s the least you could do.”
I bit my tongue. “Really? Please, continue.”
“I can’t remember much about that night—”
“That’s convenient.”
“I’m guessing things ended pretty badly.”
He waited for me to say something. I pressed my lips together to keep from screeching like a crazy person.
He finally said, “This is awkward.”
I screeched like Cleo. “Awkward? You tried to kill me. You crashed my thirtieth birthday party. I didn’t get cake! ”
“Chill, Cat. I’ll buy you a cake. I’ve changed.”
“Changed? You haven’t changed. You stole cars and ran a chop shop before they hauled you off to treatment. Then when you break out, the first thing you do is break into Tino’s car.”
“This is Tino’s car?” He looked like he was going to be sick.
“You ate my dog’s food. Dog food.”
He gagged.
“If Jack wasn’t your uncle I’d shoot you myself.”
It’s hell to find a good mechanic.
“No, you wouldn’t.” Devin grinned. “Besides you didn’t bring your gun. I can tell.”
He got me. My 9mm was at home in my lingerie drawer, keeping them safe.
“We grew up together, Cat. You wouldn’t whack me.”
“I
Garret leaned close and his lips twitched a smile. “The night is young. Who knows how it will end?”
Actually, I did. And so did he. He was going home to Sylvia. She owned the big house, and she paid the bills. Her grieving money probably bought the martinis on the table. The only thing I didn’t know was if I’d get out of there before smacking the creepy grin off his face.
I downed my drink and flexed my fingers. A few more of those and I’d go for his throat.
With an intimate gesture, Garret pulled two cigarettes from a pack and held one to my lips. I shook my head.
“I don’t smoke.”
His curious gaze dropped to the gold lighter on the table.
“I’m quitting. The lighter’s like a familiar friend.” I scooped it up quickly and stood.
“You’re not leaving?”
“I am.”
Garret’s hand restrained me. “Wait. How can I reach you?”
“We could meet here Friday,” I said all straight-faced.
Like between the wedding and the reception .
He exaggerated a sigh. “Unfortunately, I’m leaving on a business trip this weekend. I’d like to call you when I get back. You and me, we got something special here.”
“Do we?”
“We do.” He drained his glass. “I got a feeling the gods are smiling on me tonight.”
“Yeah?”
I dropped the lighter in my bag and slung it on my shoulder. Leaning low, I whispered in his ear.
“Cuz I got a feeling the gods are laughing their socks off.”
***
I slid behind the wheel and the smell of sausages filled my nostrils. I wasn’t alone. Fear froze everything but my eyeballs. A distinct wheezing sound came from the backseat. Inga was at grandma’s. And she didn’t have sinus troubles. But I knew who did.
My gaze whipped to my rearview mirror and I jumped.
Devin waved a sausage at me.
I opened my mouth twice before a sound came out. Then I reached over the backseat and slugged him with my bag.
“Get out. You scared the crap out of me.”
Devin snorted a laugh. I put the bag away. He clambered over the seat and plopped down beside me.
“I was just released from treatment. They let me out early for good behavior.”
I could smell the stench of cheap alcohol on his breath. I put the key in the ignition and rolled down the windows. The treatment did wonders.
“Yeah, right. They don’t let you out of rehab for good behavior, dumb ass. You escaped.”
Devin twisted his mouth. “You DeLucas think you’re so effin’ perfect.”
“ Seriously? Have you met my effin’ perfect family?” I closed my eyes and counted to ten. When I opened them again he was still there. “Why are you here, Devin?”
“I want to make things right between us.”
“Good luck with that.”
He threw me a look. “You’re not helping me with this situation here. I think it’s the least you could do.”
I bit my tongue. “Really? Please, continue.”
“I can’t remember much about that night—”
“That’s convenient.”
“I’m guessing things ended pretty badly.”
He waited for me to say something. I pressed my lips together to keep from screeching like a crazy person.
He finally said, “This is awkward.”
I screeched like Cleo. “Awkward? You tried to kill me. You crashed my thirtieth birthday party. I didn’t get cake! ”
“Chill, Cat. I’ll buy you a cake. I’ve changed.”
“Changed? You haven’t changed. You stole cars and ran a chop shop before they hauled you off to treatment. Then when you break out, the first thing you do is break into Tino’s car.”
“This is Tino’s car?” He looked like he was going to be sick.
“You ate my dog’s food. Dog food.”
He gagged.
“If Jack wasn’t your uncle I’d shoot you myself.”
It’s hell to find a good mechanic.
“No, you wouldn’t.” Devin grinned. “Besides you didn’t bring your gun. I can tell.”
He got me. My 9mm was at home in my lingerie drawer, keeping them safe.
“We grew up together, Cat. You wouldn’t whack me.”
“I
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