“He what?” Xena yells. “Are you okay?”
Kaden bursts into action, running out the door before I can stop him. He’s on duty tonight, so he has his gun if anything terrible happens. If he finds Martin hanging around my apartment, he could probably bring him in for harassment or something. That would be an immense weight off my shoulders tonight, but would probably increase the chances of him making me homeless in the near future.
Xena made her way around the counter while I was watching Kaden run out the door and now she’s patting me down, making me feel like I’m acting the part of the victim in a first aid training class.
“I’m fine,” I say, brushing her off. “He didn’t do anything, just talked to me.” And scared me a little, but I’m not telling her that. Not that I need to, really. She saw me run in here at full speed, so I’m sure she’s aware. She leads me to the nearest chair and pushes me into it.
“He’s gone,” Kaden says, as soon as he pushes the door open. “I couldn’t see where he went.”
Kaden’s radio squawks from its place on his belt and he steps into the back hallway to answer it.
I put my head down on the table in front of me. “What am I going to do? I don’t want to move.” Not that I can afford it now, anyway. Plus, I don’t even have a job. Not too many places want to rent to the unemployed.
“Well, you could turn Aiden in,” Xena says, making it sound more like a question than a suggestion. “He’s the one who did it, after all. Not you.”
“No,” I say, without hesitation. “There has to be another way.” He may be shit at apologies, but I can’t turn him in for this. It’s not like he hurt anyone, really. Plus, he was trying to get revenge for me in a non-violent way. As ridiculous as it is, it’s kind of sweet.
Not that I think he’s sweet. I’m still mad at him.
Super mad.
Right?
My phone buzzes from the pocket of my hoodie. I pull it out to take a look and I notice it’s from Aiden. Speak of the devil. And of the incident in question. He’s sent me the drone video his friend took of the lawn dick.
And another apology.
And a joke.
“I think I have an idea,” I say with a laugh to a confused-looking Xena. “Kaden,” I yell so he can hear me from the back, “can you take me back to my place so I can get my car? I have something I need to do.”
I just hope it’s not as stupid as it sounds in my head.
Chapter 36
Aiden - Wooing. Wooing. Wooing? What the hell does that even mean?
I’m in bed for about half an hour before an incoming text disturbs me. It’s drone footage from my friend Nathan. I guess I made him promise to take some for me during daylight hours today, and I completely forgot.
Nathan - Here’s the footage. I got caught up in something after I shot it. Sorry it’s so late.
Me - Thanks man. I owe you.
Nathan - No problem.
I open up the attached video and check out my handiwork. That is one huge dick we made. It’s a good thing Nathan was able to help me out with the drone footage or I’d never have been able to see the whole dick in one pic. It would have been more like a dick pic puzzle than a dick pic.
Before I can talk myself out of it I pull up Rhea’s contact information and forward the video to her.
Me - That’s footage of the lawn dick if you’re interested.
Me - I’m really sorry about everything.
Me - Except that dick pic I just sent you :D I worked hard on that.
Me - Okay, I’ll leave you alone now. Again, I’m really sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I’m a stupid, fucked up, asshole.
There. Not that she’s going to magically forgive me now that I’ve made a pathetic dick pic joke. But I’ve already decided it’s probably better if she doesn’t forgive me, so it doesn’t matter if she likes the dumb joke or not.
