The Gamble
Page 19

“Yeah,” Harry answered.
“Well, maybe we can get together some other time,” I offered and looked at Shauna. “Does Max have your number? I’ll call you.”
Before Shauna could say anything, Max’s voice rumbled from behind me but he sounded funny, like he was now choking back laughter. “I’ve got her number.”
I lurched up a bit and doing my best imitation of Becca I cheerfully cried, “Great!”
“See you around,” Harry said as he and Shauna slid out of the booth.
Shauna didn’t say anything.
Harry gave us a half-wave as he walked away, I waved back and Shauna didn’t even glance in our direction.
They were five feet away when Max got my attention by curling me into his body front to front, so close I was almost in his lap.
“Enjoyed the show, Duchess,” he muttered, his other arm sliding around me and he still looked amused.
I pushed against his chest and muttered back, “Show’s over, Max.”
He ignored me and held firm. “Though, it was unnecessary.”
I quit pushing against his chest and looked in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I know your computer password is her name but she’s just… not very nice.”
“She’s a bitch,” Max declared bluntly.
“Well…” I drew the word out and then let it hang, allowing the way I said it to speak for itself.
“And her name is my computer password because she set up the computer and the password.”
I tipped my head to the side. “So, she and you –?”
Max cut me off by informing me, “Yeah, I used to f**k her,” my body jolted at his frankness but he kept talking, “but it’s been over awhile.”
“You should change your password.”
“Not exactly a priority so I haven’t got ‘round to it.”
“I’ll do it for you,” I offered.
His arms gave me a squeeze and he grinned. “What’ll you chose?”
Before I could stop my mouth from forming the words, I said, “Shebitchfromhell666.”
He burst out laughing, giving me another squeeze while he did it.
When he controlled his laughter, he looked back at me. “That’s kinda long, honey.”
“Maybe so, but you won’t forget it.”
His face got closer when he murmured, “Don’t figure I will.”
I realized where I was and what I was about and I pressed against his chest again.
“Let go,” I whispered.
“Like you here,” he whispered back, something tingled someplace private, it felt altogether too good and I pulled in breath.
“I have to use the restroom,” I kind of lied. I didn’t have to use the facilities. I needed to blow my nose.
“Run away and remind yourself to be uptight?” he asked, again bluntly, and I felt my brows draw together.
“No. I need to blow my nose.”
He looked at me a second, seeming at a loss then said, “Do it here.”
I wasn’t going to blow my nose at the table in front of him.
“I forgot tissues,” I lied outright this time.
He grinned again and declared, “You’re so full of shit.”
What? Did he have x-ray eyes and could see in my purse?
“I’m not full of shit,” I returned and his face dipped close again.
His arms got tight before he whispered, “You like where you are just as much as I like you here.”
Before I could say a word, his hold loosened and he slid out of the booth, taking me with him and setting me on my feet.
“Hurry up, the food’ll be here in a minute,” he said when he let me go.
I looked at the table then at him. “We haven’t ordered yet.”
“Yeah we have.”
“I haven’t even seen a menu!” I said, my voice raised.
“You’re gettin’ a buffalo burger with jack cheese and onion rings, just like me.”
I shook my head, those short, jerky shakes and I wasn’t certain I’d ever really done that before but I seemed to do it a lot around Max.
“But –”
“Go blow your nose, Duchess.”
“But –”
“You a vegetarian?”
“No.”
“Then trust me.”
I leaned toward him and stated on a hiss, “You’re impossible.”
He leaned toward me, grinning, and returned, “And you’re cuter than hell.”
“Don’t call me cute when I’m angry!” I exclaimed, now totally loud.
His eyes went over my shoulder before coming back to me then he asked, “You want the whole restaurant in on our conversation?”
I looked in the direction his eyes pointed and saw a lot of people, including Trudy, Sarah, Harry and Shauna as well as others were watching.
Then I turned back to Max, gave him a glare which would have melted paint off the walls but didn’t appear to affect him in the slightest and I flounced (yes, flounced but I decided I could forgive myself for flouncing as it was definitely a flouncing moment) in the direction where I hoped there would be restrooms.
Luckily, I was correct.
Once there, I blew my nose, washed my hands and looked in the mirror wishing I’d brought my purse so I could fix my lipstick.
Then I pulled in breath through my nose, rested my hands against the sink and whispered to my reflection, “What on earth am I doing?”
You’re living your life, Neenee Bean, Charlie said into my head, he sounded pleased and I watched my eyes go wide in the mirror.
Then I looked behind me. Then I looked under the two stalls behind me. The room was empty, except for me.
“I’m going insane,” I muttered. “Going insane in the snowy mountains like Jack Nicholson in The Shining except without the spooky hotel.”
No one replied because no one was there.
I decided being alone wasn’t good. I was hearing voices when I was alone. Charlie’s voice and as much as I wanted to hear Charlie’s voice, would have paid every penny I had, sold everything I owned, made a deal with the devil to hear Charlie’s voice, I didn’t want to hear it in my head.
I walked back into the restaurant smiling at Sarah and Trudy along the way, noticing Harry avoid my eyes and Shauna stare daggers at me and then I looked at Max.
He was eating an onion ring while he slid out of the booth.
“I see you didn’t wait for me,” I noted, my eyes on his chewing mouth then I slid into the booth.