“I appreciate it,” he said.
“I appreciate you not calling the heat on me.”
A few moments passed before he stuck his hand out and we shook. The old man needed a moment to collect his emotions. He seemed touched.
He stopped at a candy-apple red ’69 Mustang that looked like it never left the safety of a garage. He tipped his hat to me once more. “Tell Eunice I’ll see her on Thursday. Seven sharp. It’s a date.”
Eunice stood on the top of the stoop, waving at him as he roared down the street.
* * *
Stage two of Violet’s behavior in reaction to Mary purposely wandering off at the zoo had been anger. After Violet had almost smothered Mary with attention, she had flown off the handle, giving Mary a stern lecture that left the little girl in massive tears.
Scarlett had moved on to stage two.
Our room smelled of her shampoo and body wash. Humidity still lingered in the air from the hot shower she’d taken. With nothing but a silk robe over her frame, she was towel-drying her hair with a vigor that could’ve started a fire.
“Why didn’t you just invite him into the office?” she said. “Have him kiss your signet ring after business matters were settled?”
“Ha ha,” I said. “Such a wise woman.”
She flung the towel at me, and it hit me in the face. I flung it off and made it into the hamper. To avoid her furious gaze, I undressed in our closet. She caught me naked.
“Is it like that now?”
“Like what, Scarlett.” I opened and closed a few drawers, tossed a few shirts around, looking for something athletic to wear.
“You know damn well what I’m talking about.” Her voice vibrated with suppressed anger. “That man came to see you because he knows who you are!”
“You mean, what I am.”
“Don’t tell me what I mean!” she shouted. “What? Did he come to you for a favor?”
“I’m in the business of making money. He has something that might turn a profit. End of story.”
“No! Not end of story!”
“What the fuck do you want from me, Scarlett?” I shut one drawer and opened another.
She watched me struggle to find what I was looking for, no compassion to put me out of my misery.
“You put me through hell last night.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“Tell me if I scared you.” I looked up, meeting her narrowed-eyed gaze.
Her face went completely blank and then her eyes widened. “You ass!” Her hands fell to her sides and balled into tiny fists. “Was that payback?”
I shrugged. “Happenstance.”
“You had no right—”
The drawer shut with a soft click, making her flinch and cutting off what she had been about to say. She didn’t even need to finish her sentence—to do what you did.
I took slow steps toward her. She held her ground when our bodies collided, but she was forced to move with me, until her back hit the wall.
“Say it,” I whispered, looking down at her. “I had no right to what?”
She shoved at my chest, cool hands attempting to stop the charge that surged between her body and mine. It was savage, unforgiving, and selfish. She couldn’t stop it, just like she couldn’t budge me.
