“You took over everything. You made fun of him.” Her glare was icy cold. “You called all his readers nerds.”
My smile was flat. “Not my finest hour. Would you believe I was nervous?”
“No. You didn’t stop talking. You weren’t nervous about anything.”
“Some people show their nerves in different ways. I was definitely nervous. Unfortunately, I decided the best way to settle my nerves was to make fun of Brody.”
“That wasn’t fair,” Blair snapped. “He didn’t do anything to you.”
“He didn’t,” I agreed.
“You have no idea what it’s like to be nervous and the butt of everybody’s jokes.”
“That happens to you a lot, doesn’t it?” I realized, rolling my neck. “People make fun of you.”
“They say I’m too intense.”
Something I’d said to her. “They make fun of the lists,” I said.
Her eyes narrowed so thoroughly I wondered if she could even see through them. “Like you.”
I swallowed hard. “I wasn’t making fun of your lists?—”
“Don’t tell me what I know!”
“I wasn’t making fun of them. I was just trying to save Brody. You were really hurting his feelings, and it’s something he would have never said to you because he’s too nice.”
“I was trying to make him better. I wanted him to see that if we worked together, his books would be better than anybody’s books.”
“Ah,” I said. Her plan, while out there, likely made sense in her busy brain. “Well, I’m really sorry I said what I said. Brody had helped me with a problem, and I just wanted to help him.”
“You’re dating him. You stole him from me.”
Blair was in her forties, maybe even older. It was hard to tell with her because she dressed beyond her years. Brody was in his early thirties. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t date an older woman of course. But there were no circumstances where I believed he would mesh with Blair. He just wanted somebody who got him. Blair, despite all her efforts, was not that person. She was critical of his books because she had a picture in her mind of how things were going to turn out. Brody couldn’t live a relationship like that. He needed to be nurtured. He also neededto do some nurturing. Blair was not the sort of person who wanted to be nurtured back. She just wanted to be in control.
“Blair.” I had no idea what I was going to say next. I just knew I had to say something.
Before I could find more words, however, a flashing light appeared. Not one but two police cars had arrived on the street, approaching from different ends. They stopped in front of my house, facing one another.
I kept my eyes on Blair because it seemed like my safest option. If this was where she was going to melt down, I needed to keep my wits about me.
“You called the police!” Blair was incredulous as she glared at me.
“Not personally,” I replied. “My friends inside did.”
“I just wanted to talk.” Blair’s eyes sparked.
“Well, I think maybe it’s best if you talk to them.”
“I don’t want to talk to them.” She took a step toward me, and I remained seated. This situation required that everybody remain calm. Her. Me. Definitely my mother.
“Blair.” My voice was soft. “Just do what they say.”
She turned away from me and focused on the police officers, who did not have their weapons drawn. That was a relief. They were calm as they approached her. I didn’t even register their words. I just watched in sadness as Blair began to lose her mind.
She screamed that she wasn’t doing anything and they couldn’t arrest her for not doing anything. Then she insisted she’d just come here to deliver a gift to me. Once the officers had her under control, she wouldn’t stop talking about the gift. I started in her direction at that point, no longer worried. If I could help, I would.
“What did you want to give me?” I asked when I was about ten feet away.
