Ana craned her neck as if she had missed seeing a very-pregnant woman in the room.
As if that were possible.
"She and Riley are at Kroger picking up a few things."
" Riley's here, too?"
" Kevin's working late, with the new case." I gestured across the street.
" Full house."
I nodded, not minding the company one bit. Living alone was proving to be challenging for me.
Maybe I needed to get a dog.
Gracie looked over her shoulder at me and sneered, one snaggle tooth catching on her lip.
Or a cat.
" Well...I have some news," Ana said, scooping up Gracie and cradling her like a baby.
Ana apparently had no qualms about being peed on. "What kind of news? Good or bad?" I watched the way she held Gracie and gasped. "You're not pregnant, are you? Oh my God, you're pregnant!"
" No, I'm not pregnant. But remember a couple of minutes ago when you said that you know where I live?"
I thought back, searching my brain.
She sighed. "When you threatened me about the nickname 'the corpse whisperer'?"
I snapped my fingers. " Now I remember. And seriously, I do know where you live. I will come after you."
Her big brown eyes grew round as her face lit. "I won't be living there anymore."
" What's that mean?"
" I'm moving in with Kit. This weekend."
My gaze zipped to her ring finger. Her bare ring finger.
"I know, I know. I said I'd wait until he proposed, but it's a good time. My lease is up, he lives right across the street from you—and let's face it, someone needs to look after you—and..."
" And what?" I asked.
Tears welled in her eyes. "I love him."
Reaching over, I pulled her into a hug. "I know you do, and he loves you. The ring is only a matter of time."
She sniffled. "It is, right? Only a matter of time?"
" Kit's not a stupid man," I said, holding her close. "Obviously, since he fell for you."
Kit wasn 't stupid but he could be stubborn. I hoped he didn't wait too long to get that ring on her finger. Because she wouldn't wait forever. She was as proud as he was obstinate.
She swiped tears from her eyes. "Nina?"
" Yeah?"
" Can I borrow some clothes? Gracie just peed all over me."
***
N ight had fallen early thanks to the stormy weather. Maria and I sat side-by-side in the dark, Riley occupied the recliner, and the only light came from the flat-screen TV above the fireplace. We were still glued to the TV for the Project Runway two-part finale (finally!), and Heidi was just about to announce the winner when voices arose outside and footsteps landed heavily on the front porch.
I didn 't budge from my spot on the couch—I recognized the visitors' voices. They were friends, not foes. Most of the time.
There was a polite knock before the door swung open and Perry marched inside. Mario followed, nipping at his heels a lot like Gracie nipped at mine.
Mario was apparently in the midst of a long-winded lecture. "And what about the master bathroom? The pipe? It's not fixed, which means we don't have water. And the tile still needs grout, oh! And the washer and dryer hookup? Who's going to do that now? How am I supposed to wash my clothes? Never mind all the finish—"
" Make him stop!" Perry pleaded.
" —details. The painting, the trim work, the—"
Maria threw a piercing look over her shoulder. "Shh! Can't you see we're in the middle of something important here?"
They both immediately quieted. Maria had that effect on men.
Mario flicked a look at the TV. "Christian wins."
Riley groaned and stood up. "On that note, it's time for me to go." He headed for the side table by the door to get his car keys.
Maria let out a frustrated cry. "Way to ruin it, Mario!"
Dropping an overnight bag on the floor, he sat in the recliner Riley just vacated. "Do you want me to tell you about how my day was ruined?"
I eyed that bag.
Perry sandwiched himself in between Maria and me. "Oh, please do. Because we haven't heard enough about it yet."
Mario flipped him off.
"What's with the bag?" I asked.
" Kevin kicked us
As if that were possible.
"She and Riley are at Kroger picking up a few things."
" Riley's here, too?"
" Kevin's working late, with the new case." I gestured across the street.
" Full house."
I nodded, not minding the company one bit. Living alone was proving to be challenging for me.
Maybe I needed to get a dog.
Gracie looked over her shoulder at me and sneered, one snaggle tooth catching on her lip.
Or a cat.
" Well...I have some news," Ana said, scooping up Gracie and cradling her like a baby.
Ana apparently had no qualms about being peed on. "What kind of news? Good or bad?" I watched the way she held Gracie and gasped. "You're not pregnant, are you? Oh my God, you're pregnant!"
" No, I'm not pregnant. But remember a couple of minutes ago when you said that you know where I live?"
I thought back, searching my brain.
She sighed. "When you threatened me about the nickname 'the corpse whisperer'?"
I snapped my fingers. " Now I remember. And seriously, I do know where you live. I will come after you."
Her big brown eyes grew round as her face lit. "I won't be living there anymore."
" What's that mean?"
" I'm moving in with Kit. This weekend."
My gaze zipped to her ring finger. Her bare ring finger.
"I know, I know. I said I'd wait until he proposed, but it's a good time. My lease is up, he lives right across the street from you—and let's face it, someone needs to look after you—and..."
" And what?" I asked.
Tears welled in her eyes. "I love him."
Reaching over, I pulled her into a hug. "I know you do, and he loves you. The ring is only a matter of time."
She sniffled. "It is, right? Only a matter of time?"
" Kit's not a stupid man," I said, holding her close. "Obviously, since he fell for you."
Kit wasn 't stupid but he could be stubborn. I hoped he didn't wait too long to get that ring on her finger. Because she wouldn't wait forever. She was as proud as he was obstinate.
She swiped tears from her eyes. "Nina?"
" Yeah?"
" Can I borrow some clothes? Gracie just peed all over me."
***
N ight had fallen early thanks to the stormy weather. Maria and I sat side-by-side in the dark, Riley occupied the recliner, and the only light came from the flat-screen TV above the fireplace. We were still glued to the TV for the Project Runway two-part finale (finally!), and Heidi was just about to announce the winner when voices arose outside and footsteps landed heavily on the front porch.
I didn 't budge from my spot on the couch—I recognized the visitors' voices. They were friends, not foes. Most of the time.
There was a polite knock before the door swung open and Perry marched inside. Mario followed, nipping at his heels a lot like Gracie nipped at mine.
Mario was apparently in the midst of a long-winded lecture. "And what about the master bathroom? The pipe? It's not fixed, which means we don't have water. And the tile still needs grout, oh! And the washer and dryer hookup? Who's going to do that now? How am I supposed to wash my clothes? Never mind all the finish—"
" Make him stop!" Perry pleaded.
" —details. The painting, the trim work, the—"
Maria threw a piercing look over her shoulder. "Shh! Can't you see we're in the middle of something important here?"
They both immediately quieted. Maria had that effect on men.
Mario flicked a look at the TV. "Christian wins."
Riley groaned and stood up. "On that note, it's time for me to go." He headed for the side table by the door to get his car keys.
Maria let out a frustrated cry. "Way to ruin it, Mario!"
Dropping an overnight bag on the floor, he sat in the recliner Riley just vacated. "Do you want me to tell you about how my day was ruined?"
I eyed that bag.
Perry sandwiched himself in between Maria and me. "Oh, please do. Because we haven't heard enough about it yet."
Mario flipped him off.
"What's with the bag?" I asked.
" Kevin kicked us
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