family. I’m not as girly as Nicole and my mom, and Sadie is super smart, so I tend to feel inadequate around them for various reasons.
Reaching across the table, I squeeze Nicole’s hand.
“I’m going to be an aunt.” I give her the smile I know she needs, but inside I’m shaken from all the changes in my world in a short span of time.
After dinner, we get our manicures, something I’m beginning to love. Mom and Nicole ask about Adrian, and I tell them the innocent parts of my date from last night.
They can’t stop with their probing, asking about marriage and babies, so Sadie comes to the rescue, making them back off.
Adrian is the first man I could imagine myself marrying or having a family with, but to think about those life changes is something else that triggers a flight response from me.
After we leave the salon, Sadie drops off Mom, and then she and I go inside Nicole’s to hug Katsu and congratulate him on the baby news. Shocking headline is more like it. We soon begin our ride home in my sis’s old Ford Focus.
“So, how is school and work going?” I ask.
“School is stressful, but I’m doing well. Professor Edward has piled the research on me, but it barely pays shit, so I’m going to have to get another job.” My sister assists a professor on campus and is paid with grant money he receives.
“Uh, why are you helping him then?” I ask.
“I guess because he’s so close to making some major scientific breakthroughs. He needs me and doesn’t get much funding on his projects.”
“Oh, my god, you slept with him.”
“No, I didn’t,” she says loudly after whipping her head my way. “He’s my teacher.” Her tone is one of disapproval for even suggesting such a thing.
“That doesn’t stop everyone.”
“I’ve gone on some dates with a guy in one of my classes. Robert is his name. He’s smart and confident, but he’s all about himself. All the men I’m around seem to only want their needs met, if you know what I mean. Is that normal?”
My sister’s engine begins to cut out, so she pulls off to the side of the road. It dies right when she comes to a stop.
“Oh, no. I can’t afford to have my car repaired right now,” she whines before slamming her palm down onto the steering wheel.
Sadie has always been fiercely independent like me. She moved out at eighteen, surviving on little. “It’s dark, and this isn’t the safest road.”
“Thanks, sis. I can keep us safe.”
“You were pistol-whipped less than two weeks ago. I’m not counting on your protection.”
Before I can respond, headlights blind me as a vehicle pulls up to the rear bumper of her car.
“Dammit, see, someone is going to attack us. I know it.” OK, Sadie is fiercely independent but is an anxious person and a bit dramatic at times.
“Let me handle it.” I pull my purse from the floor into my lap and position my pistol to where I could access it quickly. A guy bends down and peers into my passenger window.
Simon.
“Hey, I know him. Isn’t that Adrian’s brother?” Sadie asks.
She turns the key over, and I’m able to roll down the window. “Simon, what are you doing here?”
“I saw the car stopped and thought we might be able to help.” He glances beside him, so I strain my head and see Kruse standing to his left. Hmmm …. Interesting that he happens to be in the area. Purely coincidental? My gut is telling me maybe not.
“Uh, I appreciate it, but we can call a towing service. My sister, Nicole, doesn’t live far from here, so I’m sure she can give us a ride.”
Sadie grabs my arm. “I can’t afford a tow truck,” she says quietly but urgently.
“I’ll cover it.”
“We’re already here. Let us give you a ride,” Simon says with a smile, his eyes directed to Sadie. “We have a towing service we use at the hotel. I’ll have them tow it to whatever garage you like.”
He’s not giving me his signature scowl, and he seems into Sadie. Maybe it’s safe to accept
Reaching across the table, I squeeze Nicole’s hand.
“I’m going to be an aunt.” I give her the smile I know she needs, but inside I’m shaken from all the changes in my world in a short span of time.
After dinner, we get our manicures, something I’m beginning to love. Mom and Nicole ask about Adrian, and I tell them the innocent parts of my date from last night.
They can’t stop with their probing, asking about marriage and babies, so Sadie comes to the rescue, making them back off.
Adrian is the first man I could imagine myself marrying or having a family with, but to think about those life changes is something else that triggers a flight response from me.
After we leave the salon, Sadie drops off Mom, and then she and I go inside Nicole’s to hug Katsu and congratulate him on the baby news. Shocking headline is more like it. We soon begin our ride home in my sis’s old Ford Focus.
“So, how is school and work going?” I ask.
“School is stressful, but I’m doing well. Professor Edward has piled the research on me, but it barely pays shit, so I’m going to have to get another job.” My sister assists a professor on campus and is paid with grant money he receives.
“Uh, why are you helping him then?” I ask.
“I guess because he’s so close to making some major scientific breakthroughs. He needs me and doesn’t get much funding on his projects.”
“Oh, my god, you slept with him.”
“No, I didn’t,” she says loudly after whipping her head my way. “He’s my teacher.” Her tone is one of disapproval for even suggesting such a thing.
“That doesn’t stop everyone.”
“I’ve gone on some dates with a guy in one of my classes. Robert is his name. He’s smart and confident, but he’s all about himself. All the men I’m around seem to only want their needs met, if you know what I mean. Is that normal?”
My sister’s engine begins to cut out, so she pulls off to the side of the road. It dies right when she comes to a stop.
“Oh, no. I can’t afford to have my car repaired right now,” she whines before slamming her palm down onto the steering wheel.
Sadie has always been fiercely independent like me. She moved out at eighteen, surviving on little. “It’s dark, and this isn’t the safest road.”
“Thanks, sis. I can keep us safe.”
“You were pistol-whipped less than two weeks ago. I’m not counting on your protection.”
Before I can respond, headlights blind me as a vehicle pulls up to the rear bumper of her car.
“Dammit, see, someone is going to attack us. I know it.” OK, Sadie is fiercely independent but is an anxious person and a bit dramatic at times.
“Let me handle it.” I pull my purse from the floor into my lap and position my pistol to where I could access it quickly. A guy bends down and peers into my passenger window.
Simon.
“Hey, I know him. Isn’t that Adrian’s brother?” Sadie asks.
She turns the key over, and I’m able to roll down the window. “Simon, what are you doing here?”
“I saw the car stopped and thought we might be able to help.” He glances beside him, so I strain my head and see Kruse standing to his left. Hmmm …. Interesting that he happens to be in the area. Purely coincidental? My gut is telling me maybe not.
“Uh, I appreciate it, but we can call a towing service. My sister, Nicole, doesn’t live far from here, so I’m sure she can give us a ride.”
Sadie grabs my arm. “I can’t afford a tow truck,” she says quietly but urgently.
“I’ll cover it.”
“We’re already here. Let us give you a ride,” Simon says with a smile, his eyes directed to Sadie. “We have a towing service we use at the hotel. I’ll have them tow it to whatever garage you like.”
He’s not giving me his signature scowl, and he seems into Sadie. Maybe it’s safe to accept
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