“Want me to pick you up?”
“Oh, yes. Crap. I didn’t even think about how I was getting to work,” I admitted. “I’m a little frazzled.”
He crossed his arms. “How was the blind date?”
“Ohmigod, it sucked. So bad. He was boring with a capital B. He went on and on about the mating life of silkworms.”
“You’d be well-dressed.”
“I’d be dressed in stuff that was dry-clean only. Pass,” I retorted.
Elliot chuckled. “I could set you up, you know.”
“No,” I said quickly. “I’m done for now. I just want to focus on getting my life back and maybe saving again.”
My brother’s face darkened. “Asshole.”
“Yes, I know, Ell, but there’s nothing we can do about it. Em did all she could legally and he’s making restitution.”
Our sister, Emily, was a lawyer and had been trying to deal with my issues from a legal standpoint for years.
“A hundred bucks a month is bullshit.”
“I agree. I’m hoping Emily can find more in his financials.”
Elliot studied me for a few tense seconds. “Okay, I’m going. I’ll pick you up tomorrow at six-thirty.”
“Thank you. You’re the best big brother on the planet.”
He grinned, his body relaxing a bit. “Don’t I know it.”
He gave me a quick hug and then he was out the door, and I locked up and flopped onto the sofa. I pried open the plastic wrapping containing the flip phone, plugged it in, powered it up and called Kim.
“This is Kim.”
“Hey, it’s me.”
“Well, hello ‘me.’” Kim giggled. “Got your text. Brilliant.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“I assume you’re home and safe?”
“No, I’m buried alive in a ditch on the side of the road.”
“Oh, where? I’ll come rescue you.”
I laughed. “I love how you’ve always got my back.”
“I’m a giver,” she retorted.
“On that note, can you give me the number I texted those pictures from, please?”
“Ah, sure? But you have to tell me why.”
“One of the guys said he’d call me tomorrow with an update on my car and I want to give him the new number.”
“Hmm-mm, I bet you do,” she said. “Tell me the real reason.”
