Dane’s making his way around the block again, and he rolls down the window and sticks his head out. “Everything good, chief?”
Miguel flashes him a thumbs-up. Dane must not believe him because he frowns, but the car behind him is honking now, so he rolls the window back up and drives away.
“Did something happen, that you stopped talking?” Miguel asks Vik.
“Something happened, all right—but I’m not so pissed that I’m going to run my mouth about it, even if you do seem innocuous. Or at least more so than most of his stalkers.” Vik adjusts the strap of the bag on his shoulder, then looks down his perfectly straight nose at Miguel. “I wish I could help you. I really do. But if you want more information, you’ll have to ask Fiona.”
Fifteen
When we get home, Miguel finds the little card Fiona gave him and calls her. I can’t hear what they’re talking about—he leaves me in the living room with Dane and shuts himself up in the bedroom during the conversation—but when he emerges, he tells Dane to change.
“Nah, I’m good,” says Dane from his spot on the sofa.
Miguel looks from Dane’s face to his shirt and back again. “You’re wearing half the sushi you ordered earlier.”
“You suddenly the sartorial police? ’Cause you and I are practically twinsies these days. Though I must say, you’re sharp as a shiv tonight.”
Miguel glances down and seems surprised to find himself dressed in a short-sleeved linen shirt. It’s the pale yellow one Amelia bought him, and evenIcan tell he looks nice in it. “Thanks, I think.”
“You’re welcome, I think. Anyway, I’m not going with you.”
“Why not?”
“How’d we go from ‘this is a solo endeavor’ to ‘Dane, you play Luke’?”
“I amnotasking you to play Luke. I just…expected you to join me.”
“Miguel, as much as I’m geeked you finally want to hang, you’regood.Fiona likes you. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t have invited you over a second time.” Dane rises from the sofa and ambles over to the fireplace, which Miguel’s standing in front of. He claps him on the shoulder. “You leaving our dog friend with me? Seems like Fiona’s not as big of a fan of his.”
“I got that impression, too, but she told me to bring him.”
Did she?
“She said the girl wants to see him,” Miguel adds.
Oh, I can barely contain my excitement.
“Then there you have it. It’s a double date!”
“It is not a date of any sort, Dane. I’m just going to have a drink with her and see if she’ll put us in touch with Jonathan.”
“Okay. But chief, your face.”
He reaches up and touches his beard, which he trimmed before we left town. “What? Do I have something on me?”
“Nope. You just look…happier than usual.”
Miguel immediately scowls. “I won’t be happy until JMB’s at the podium at our bookstore. And if I play my cards right tonight, that might finally happen.”
—
“There you are!” Her voice is higher pitched than when she growled at Miguel. But it’s her, the other Amelia, who has spotted me and thrown open the front door of her house. “I knew you’d come,” she says, guiding me into the townhouse. With its deep brick façade and wavy windowpanes, her homelooks far more like Miguel thought Jonathan’s would. “But it took you long enough—it’s ten minutes past eight! We’re going to have to have a talk about your owner’s punctuality, Harry.”
Harry!I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have a nickname. Now I know: It’s a warm hug made of sound.
She ignores Miguel, who’s standing mutely behind me, and points at the small bowl of water she’s placed on the floor. “That’s for you. Not sure what you eat, but it’s hot out, so I got you something to drink.”
I glance up in appreciation, then slurp greedily, even though I suspect I’m splattering all over the tile.
