Chapter 15
“Avalon.Avalon. You have it wrong! I swear to God! Please, talk to me, for God’s sake!”
She only picked up the pace. Of course she knew how to run, sort of, in flip-flops. They’dlivedin flip-flops as kids. Running in them without falling flat on your face was kind of an art.
Between her flippy-flopping and him mincing in his bare feet over the ground, it was the slowest, most ridiculous pursuit ever.
“Avalon! LOOK OUT FOR THAT WELL!”
She stopped so abruptly her arms windmilled. Her head whipped to and fro looking down at the ground.
He caught up triumphantly.
Still hopping. He seized the opportunity to drop a boot and shove a foot in.
She glared at him. Two bright pink spots of temper high in her cheeks.
“There’s no well, is there? I should have known the only way you know how to get your way is throughbullshit.”
“No. I wouldn’t let you fall down it regardless. But I’m not going to let you walk back to the house by yourself.”
She just growled ferally and spun and took off again.
At a flippy-floppy trot.
He had a clear view for at least a few yards so he shoved his other foot into his other boot and stuffed the laces in and ran to catch up to her. He flanked her most of the way but she never turned.
Her temper was a force field that could have repelledStar Wars–type lasers and it didn’t matter because he was going to see her safely home.
She ignored him all the way to the house, rammed her key into the lock and slammed into the house.
ARRGH.
He clawed his fingers up through his hair.
“Well, fuckme,” he muttered. It was safe to say that hadnotgone the way he’d hoped it would.
He stood there indecisively, staring at the door.
She reemerged a minute later with the dog in her arms and gave a little yelp. “Jesus, Mac, are youstillhere? Shoo! Go home.”
“Not going anywhere until you talk to me.”
That was the plan, he decided.
Chick Pea selected the azalea nearest to the porch rail to tinkle on. Then returned and hopped up on the lounge chair.
Mac eyed her dubiously as she did all this. That was definitely a sort of hybrid dog-cat. Not necessarily a bad thing, just an unusual thing.
Avalon finally heaved a sigh. “Fine, Mac. Say what you have to say.”
“Can I come up there on the porch? Or do I have to semi-shout it from where I’m standing?”
She actually hesitated. And finally she stood aside.Wellaside. As if in the absence of the availability of a hazmat suit, distance would have to do.
Two pairs of brown eyes, hers and Chick Pea’s, watched as he made his way up the flagstone path to the porch.
He took a deep breath. And then the words came in a rush, as if he was arguing for his life. He kind of was.
