Too Easy by Bruce Deitrick Price

here.”
    â€œThe guy’s a dinosaur. Totally obsolete. And he doesn’t know it. Gives him a certain power, I guess. Charm, too, I guess. Look, Louise, it doesn’t do us any good to be upset. If he ups the ante, you’ll tell him where I am. That’s all. ThenI’ll have to deal with him. Really. I appreciate you trying to keep him off.”
    â€œHe wants you back, Kath. You get this or you don’t?”
    â€œDoesn’t matter. Maybe he wants to own the New York Yankees. Same difference.”
    Louise makes her evil grin again. “He thinks you want him back. ‘Don’t let her kid you,’ he tells me. ‘Girl goes to sleep thinking about this,’ he says, grabbing you know what.”
    â€œWhat, Louise . . . his Harley?”
    â€œYeah, right, Kathy.”
    â€œGive me a cigarette.”
    â€œTouch a nerve, sweetie?”
    Kathy lights up, takes a deep drag, then mostly plays with the cigarette. “Jesus, Louise, you are something. You think I’d let a low-life like Keith threaten what I’ve got going?”
    â€œAnd what is that, Kathy? I’d like to know.”
    â€œDon’t be so tough. I hope you’re not pissed because I’m trying to improve my life. Come on.”
    â€œI love you. No, I’m not pissed about that. But I’ll tell you. My brother comes home and says he’s born again, I’d want some particulars. Guy’s almost as bad as Keith, so you understand my point.”
    â€œI don’t like that, Louise. I’m not born again, okay? I moved to Manhattan, got a pretty good job, nice little apartment. Starting over, not born again.”
    â€œNow how’d this happen—exactly? You maybe fuck somebody?”
    â€œLouise, stop. I went to the paper in Bergen, got a job as a secretary, office admin. Boring bullshit job. But I figured—pretend I’m an adult, give it a chance. Suddenly they need somebody to help with some promotions. Slogans. I was in some meetings, pitched in my bit. And they say, now you’re doing it full time. Eight months later I see an ad for a job over here, doing the same stuff. I figure, let’s take a shot. I walked in like I owned the place. Smiled a lot. Looked everyone in the eye. Whatever they asked, I said, ‘Noproblem.’ Truth. That’s the way it’s been. No problem.”
    Louise shrugs in surrender, maybe get Kathy back to what matters here. “I’m sorry. . . . Congratulations.”
    â€œI think I’m on a roll. I feel good. Hell, I feel great.”
    â€œRolled right into Mr. Right?”
    Kathy shrugs yes.
    â€œUh, tingling all over?”
    â€œLouise. Maybe you had some bedside manner. Once.” They stare at each other, smiling. “Hey, you jealous?”
    Louise shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe.” Her expression softens. “Yeah, maybe. If it’s real, what you got.”
    â€œOh, it’s real.”
    Louise smirks. “Oh, married guy?”
    â€œWould you stop? I told you, he’s not that married.” She smiles. “Less all the time.”
    â€œOh? He’s leaving his wife for you.”
    â€œHell,” Kathy says, “in his place, I would.”
    â€œGot to give it to you. You got good attitude.” She waits a few seconds, blows smoke up. “So you been fucking this guy. Like an hour ago. Which put the red in your cheeks.”
    Kathy thinking, Funny, a few years ago, I’d be telling her the size of the guy’s dick. Now it seems wrong. I live in Bronxville. We may fuck, but we do not talk so much.
    â€œThat smile means what?” Louise peers hard at her.
    â€œHe’s a fine man. Sorry, but I’m not telling you”—Kathy starts laughing—“how high he comes.”
    â€œWhat! Tell me. Seriously, you saw?”
    â€œA joke. Louise. Listen to me. About Keith. The reason he can’t find me is because I