“Put your foot in your mouth?”
“Yeah, sorry. That happens when I meet a cute guy.”
He laughed. “Don’t worry about it. Actually, I used to be an educator.”
“A teacher? Where?”
“A private school for boys.”
Before she had a chance to ask him more about it, he was already rerouting the conversation to the present.
“And now I’m more of a security specialist. I analyze a company’s weak spots in its off hours and recommend the best protection to suit each company’s individual needs. My brother and I own the business together.”
Maybe the past isn’t something he wants to talk about.“He works nights too?”
“Sometimes, but not for the company. He’s a cop, but he installs our alarm systems during the day. It’s far more lucrative than teaching.”
“I can imagine. Teachers don’t get paid enough for all they do.”
“What brought you to our building? Did you move here to be near your friend?”
Roz wondered why he suddenly shifted the conversation back to her. It seemed kind of abrupt. “Yes, actually.”
“But you wanted to keep your being here a surprise until she gets home? Why is that?”
Roz bit her lower lip and then came out with the truth. “I figured after I was all settled in, she wouldn’t try to talk me out of it.”
Konrad leaned away from her and appeared puzzled. “Why would she want to do that?”
“Oh, uh…no reason. I was just kidding.”
“No, you weren’t.”
Roz’s shoulders slumped. “You have one of those built-in lie detectors, don’t you?”
“Comes with the teaching gig.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet you heard your share of dog-eating-the-homework stories.”
“Oh, yeah. Dogs, wolves, something was always eating homework.”
“Wolves?” Roz shivered. “Where did you teach? Montana?”
He laughed. “No, Newton, Massachusetts, but you should have heard the more creative excuses. Almost made me want to give extra credit for imagination.”
“Such as?”
“You’re distracting me from my original question, aren’t you?”
“Damn, you’re good.”
“What’s the answer?”
“What was the question again?”
He gave her the hairy eyeball.
“Okay, okay. Do you remember that day Merry and I were having lunch in the burger place?”
