“Run over by a car. Hit and run.”
“Fuck. When?”
“Last night. Around ten.”
He smirks. “You’ve got an alibi.”
Smiling brightly, I nod. “I do.”
He gestures his head in Laura’s direction. “Does she?”
“I do too,” she shouts back. “I was with…” She then mumbles, “Oh, shit. What the hell was his name again?” Her cackle makes me grin. I know I shouldn’t be happy since we’re talking about someone getting killed, but it’s that kind of morning, I guess.
“What are you doing after work?” Why does Nate sound so tentative?
“Nothing.” I was going to take a bike ride since I didn’t get one this morning with all the hullaballoo. I know me, though, and I’ll be too tired to ride my bike afterthisday.
“Come over. I’ll make you dinner.”
He’s recovering. “I’ll pick something up. You’re still healing.”
Nate snorts. “I’m not feeble. I can cook.”
I lift my shoulder and let it drop. “Fine. Cook.”
“I will.”
“Six thirty again?”
“Great.” He turns and stomps out of the store without looking back.
“What the hell was that all about?” When did Laura sneak up on me? She’s like a dang Ninja. “You need to spill the beans right this minute, Prudence Ann Coleman.”
I spend the time to tell her about Nate’s hives, our visit to urgent care, and as much of the rest as I can. I leave out the parts where he makes drug-induced declarations about his love for me. He’d be embarrassed by that, and Laura would absolutely bring it up the next time she saw him because she’s got no filter. None what-so-ever.
ChapterTwenty-Two
Nate
I made lasagna for tonight.Correction, Jackie made lasagna because I was so wiped from the allergy medication that a nap was all I could muster. When Jackie got wind of my medical issue, she stopped over to check on me. Without bothering to knock, she walked into the house and saw my lazy ass sprawled out on my couch napping, “One warning, Nate…you turn into an asshole, and I’m leaving.” Then she grumbled, “You’re the worst patient in history.”
“I know.” Not only that, apparently, I’m also one with loose lips when filled with meds, but I’m not gonna share that embarrassing fact with my ex-wife.
She got me a glass of water, sat at the end of my sofa, grabbed the remote from off my chest, and started flipping channels. From my prone position, I told her about my night, that Prudence took me to the urgent care clinic and that I invited her over for dinner as a thank you.
“You’re in no state to cook, dummy.”
“I know. I’ll order from––”
“You got the ingredients?” Jackie stood up from the sofa and made her way into the kitchen. “I’ll build it for you. You put it in the oven later. In the meantime, go on back to your bedroom and sleep off the meds.”
I was in no state to argue, so I did as she instructed. A first, probably.
* * *
The secondI see Prudence at my door, I release all the air that I was holding my chest. She’s beautiful. Even in a simple T-shirt and a flowy skirt, she takes my breath away. “Hey.” I attempt to sound cool as I push the door open for her to enter. As she passes me, I’m overtaken by her scent. Sort of like the flowers in my garden with a hint of spice.
“You look better.”
