“Ok, ok. He was wearing jeans, a navy wool sweater that zipped at the top but not a nerdy one. Have you ever noticed the color of his eyes? Kind of that bluey-grey? The navy really brought out the blue. And a white shirt underneath with blue plaid, and then he took off the sweater and rolled up theshirt sleeves. He has this really cool steel looking watch with all these dials. I think it’s an old pilot’s watch. Remember he used to fly that Cessna? Man, his wrists are so strong looking. Not thick, just strong, you know? His hair is a little shorter because he got it cut, but still long on his neck, which would seem so douchey but he can pull it off. I think because he’s so tall. And broad shouldered. He asked me all about my research, and he had really good questions. Like I could tell he was listening to what I was saying, not just waiting to talk. And he…” I trailed off. Tara was standing in the kitchen door, grinning at me.
“Emmy and Lukie, sitting in a tree,” she chanted.
“Tara, shut up!” I glanced around as if there was a crowd listening. “It’s not like that!”
“Oh yeah? What’s it like then, Miss ‘The Sweater Brought Out the Blue in His Eyes’? You’re a total fangirl.”
“Shut up,” I mumbled again.
“Seriously, babe, you really like him!”
“He’s smart, nice, handsome. What’s not to like?”
“Rich too,” Tara added. “But I’ve heard he has a new girlfriend like every five minutes.”
I feigned total indifference. “Whatever, I’m not looking to be his girlfriend. I just think he’s cute.”
“Suuuuure,” Tara said. “I totally believe you.”
“Believe what you want,” I told her. “Help me carry these pots to the bathtub.”
We got Charlie going on the bath, and came back to the kitchento heat more water for Cassie.
“I’m on my own tonight with the fam at the meet,” Tara announced. “I feel like pizza. How about I pick one up, and we pig out and watch bad TV? If I can get that wire you have hooked up to your 1920’s TV to work.”
“Um, that sounds fun. But, um, I have something to do.”
“You mean, you have to go to work?” She raised her eyebrows and I had a flashback to many years before when Loretta asked me how I thought I was going to go study in the library when it was closed on Sundays. I couldn’t get anything by Tara either.
“How long have you known?”
“Since Diego texted me and said you left the meet before finals because you had to go home to get to work at Roy’s.”
Damn that man. I took back what I thought about him and his awesomeness. “Yes, I’m working there. Diego knows because he goes there a lot. A lot,” I repeated significantly. Two could play at the snitch game. Now Diego and I were even.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Tara asked me. “I could have helped you at night sometimes with Charlie and Cassie.”
“Tara, you do enough for me! It’s only three nights a week. And you’re always talking to me about getting a job in research, going back to school…I guess I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
“You’re my friend,” Tara said. “I’m only disappointed that you felt you had to hide things from me. Of course I don’t want you working in a place like that. I’m worried about your safety.”
I felt exactly like when Loretta caught me going to the “library.” I hung my head. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m talking to you like you’re Darby,” Tara huffed, then grinned at me. “What’s life like on the seedy side of town, anyway?”
“Gross,” I said. “You should see my ‘uniform.’”
“How bad is it?”
“Imagine if Hooters and Day-Glo had a baby. That would be the shirt that Roy picked out.”
She started laughing. “That’s soyou! Short shorts, too?”
“Roy hasn’t thought about that yet. Please don’t give him any ideas.”
She laughed again, then got serious. “Are you ok working there? I’ve only been in once and it was all alchies and hos.”
“Yep, just me, the alchies and the hos. No, really, it’s fine.”
