“And between the money you made here and what Rita gave you, I’d think you’d be sitting pretty.”
For some strange reason, I couldn’t tell him about Frank Darren. I had to protect Punc from this mess in my life. Him bringing up how my parents used to talk to me was bad enough. Admitting that Mom had - for some mysterious reason - gotten into debt with someone like Frank, no, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Besides, it wasn’t like Punc could help with this.
“That doesn’t change the fact that money goes quick these days, Punc. And Catalina’s senior year is coming up. Have you seen the prices of senior photos? She gets those done this summer, so between that and her cap and gown plus all the other stuff… it’s a whack.”
“All right, I get it, but you aren’t cleaning houses tomorrow,” he said.
I chuckled against my will. “And who made you my boss?”
“I did. My break’s almost up and you need to go to sleep. What do you want for lunch tomorrow?”
My brows drew together. “Lunch?”
“Yeah. I’ll be sleepin’ on your couch, but I have to hit the clubhouse before noon. When I’m done there, I’m bringing back lunch. This time I can get you something better than Mickey D’s.”
I hesitated because I wasn’t fussy, but I also wasn’t very decisive. “Um…”
“I’d get fajitas, but they don’t travel well.”
“A sub sandwich might be good,” I suggested.
He hummed for a second. “Fine. I get the feeling you’re trying to cheap out on me, so I’ll hit Rosina’s and get meatball subs and cannolis.”
My lips curled with a small smile. “Thanks, Punc.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you at your place.”
I ended the call half-wondering what the deal was with him. Right before the accident, all the signals were there that he was interested in me. However, the way we’d ended things Wednesday night after our kiss, he’d made it clear that we were co-workers and we both would pay the price for being more than friends.
The phone rang with Alanis’s ringtone. “Hey, kiddos are all in bed?” I asked.
“Yes. Triple encores tonight from Dalton. Thank God I’m not having any more kids, or I’d tell you to remind me of this shit. How are you doing now that you’re home?”
I stifled a yawn. “I’m as good as can be expected at this point. And I’m really sorry I hid the dancing from you.”
She blew out a sigh. “Wish we were face-to-face for this conversation, but I get your side of things.”
That was a complete one-eighty from how angry she was at the hospital. “You do?”
“You can thank Michael for that,” she said with affection for her husband in her tone.
I gave a short chuckle. “Why is that?”
“He played devil’s advocate. Pointed out that if you’d come clean about the audition I’d have probably come and blocked your driveway or your path to the doors at Platinum’s. Even if I had to have Nina strapped to my chest while I did it.”
I smiled at the visual. “Yeah. I could see you doing that, almost like Elastigirl fromThe Incredibles.”
“Exactly the description he used.”
Another reason I loved Michael for Alanis, he had a heckuva way of getting her to shift her perspective.
“Are we cool?” I asked.
“Yes, because you won’t be dancing anymore.”
I sighed. “Nobody said that.”
