“No.”
She relaxed a little.“Do you have women in your family who…?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
Her face shifted through several sarcastic thoughts.
“Can we talk about this after I ask Don Manca?”
Ellie’s shoulders dropped.“What if he says no?”
A muscle in my jaw twitched.If he said no, I’d disobey him and marry her anyway.Then I’d be dead.The last thing I wanted to do was tell her that.
“About Johnny…”
Her eyes narrowed on me.“I’ll make a list.You can pretend you’re the insurance adjuster for the Mustang.It’s in my name, but his name was on the title.”
“You bought him a car?”
“What?Do you want one?”she shot back.
“No.I can afford my own cars, thank you very much.”
Her jaw stiffened as she shot me a look.“I made you eggs.I hope you choke on them.”
With that, she disappeared into the bedroom.As she slammed the door, she yelled out, “I’m going to change clothes, then I’ll be at the bar.Don’t bother following me.”
At least I knew where she’d be.“I’ll drop you off!”I yelled through the walls.
“Fine!”
“Fine.”I muttered under my breath.Then I smiled.My life, even it if was a short one, wouldn’t be boring with her as my wife.
I dialed Don Manca to tell him I was going to need help.A lot of it.
17
Ellie
Kat walked in the door, keys in hand and froze in place when she saw me behind the bar.“Not to sound like a cliché, but are you even supposed to be here today?”
I shrugged.The bar was a good reason to be out of the lakefront condo.If I stayed, Ringo would kiss me senseless again, and we’d end up in bed, and…
Well, none of that helped either of us.
Kat moved closer.“Are you hungover?”
“No.”Last night I quit at three drinks like usual.
“Then why so quiet?Usually, you would have hit me with at least two smart comebacks by now.Is your coffee machine broke?”
Until she mentioned it, I had blocked out the trouble at my place.Ringo wouldn’t let me go in this morning, but he’d parked across from the broken slider now boarded up with plywood and crime tape.
“Ellie?”She waved a hand in front of my face.
“He asked me to marry him.”
Both of her eyebrows went up.She blinked at least twice, open and shut her mouth, then finally got her synapses online and working enough to ask, “Which he are we talking?Ringo?”
