“Come on, Indy. How often do I ask you foranything?”
“Um…all the time. I loaned you $300lastweek.”
“Oh, was that a loan? I wasn’taware.”
“They’reallloans, Shelby. You just never paythemback.”
“You’re rich. You don’t need all that moneyanyway.”
I laughed at that. I made a pretty good living for a single guy, but I was nowhere near rich. Hell I wasn’t even in six figures. Of course, when you compared my income to hers, I guess I could see where she would come up with thathypothesis.
“If…and I meanif… I loan you my car, it would be with the assumption that the junkyard number you’re unloading will get me where I’m going on time. Can you promisemethat?”
“I swear onmylife.”
“Because this weekend is important to me,Shelby.”
“I know. Ipromise.”
“I’m not joking. If you’re saddling me with a shitty drive just so yours will be pleasantly air-conditioned…and murder-free… I swear to god, I’ll makeyoupay.”
“I won’t letyoudown.”
I could almost see the victory smirk on her face. And now that she’d gotten what she’d called for, the conversation shifted to how much more she could squeeze out of me. “So can you bring your car by Fridaymorning?”
“Me? You’re the one who wants it. Why don’t you cometome?”
Silence.
“Shelby?”
“Come on, Indy, it’s out ofmyway.”
“Like fifteen minutes out ofyourway.”
“Gigi and the kids want to see you. Is a little drive going to kill you?” Shelby asked, sighing. “Besides, you have the wholeweekoff.”
“Because I’m injured. It’s not avacation.”
“It might as well be. You know, for being a full grown man, you sure are acrybaby.”
“You called me,” I said, bristling. “I was all happy not talking to you, and then the phone rang. And now you’re insulting me while trying to make a deal. You’re slipping,Shelby.”
“Oh, please, I’m at the top of my game, as always. Besides, you know it’s true. You take more crap than anyoneIknow.”
“What’s that supposedtomean?”
“Don’t make me say it,” Shelbygroaned.
I waited, knowing she would say it whether I gave her permissionornot.
“I’m talking about theskank.”
There it was.I was surprised it had taken her so long to bring it up. It really was Shelby’s favorite subject even though our relationship had been over for some time now. I couldn’t understand why she wanted to continually harp onthepast.
“It’s over. Letitgo.”
“What did you see in her, anyway? She’s not worth the pile of shit shestandsin.”
