“It’s eleven thirty.”
“Eight thirty in my time zone. You know how early that is?”
“It’s not that early.”
“It’s early.” A deep male voice rumbled in the background. “Your dad says he’s sleeping and to leave him alone.” Jacqui moved the phone from her mouth. “It’s your daughter, Dan. Be nice.” The rumbling sounded again. She put the phone back. “He says hi and that he loves you, but he’s still sleeping.”
“I need to talk to you. I don’t have long.”
“Hold on, I’ll get up.” She murmured some words of endearment to Dan, and then there was rustling as she threw on a robe, followed by the sound of a door closing. “Okay, I’m up. Putting on coffee so I can stay that way. What’s going on?”
“Well, you remember mystery man?”
“Did he call?” She instantly sounded alert.
“Yep.”
“And? Tell me everything!”
Eva told her about what happened at Bootleg.
“He’s a musician? Oh honey, he sounds perfect!”
“Yeah, I was pretty blown away. Like... really blown away.”
There was a pause. “You slept with him, didn’t you?”
“Um...”
Jacqui burst out laughing. “You were supposed to be finding out whether you hallucinated a supernatural fight scene!”
“I know, Mom, but I— He— Damn it, you have no idea how hot he is.”
“I really want to. Send me a pic? What’s his Instagram? I’ll check him out.”
“He doesn’t have Instagram.”
“Who doesn’t have Instagram?”
“Hedoesn’t! That’s what I’m trying to tell you. He—”
“Was he good in bed?”
“This is so weird to talk about with you.”
Jacqui scoffed. “Whatever. Tell me.”
“Yes, he was amazing. The best I’ve ever had.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah, but I’m trying to tell you, he didn’t exactly pass my investigation.”
“What, is he underequipped? That’s not necessarily a deal breaker. Before your father, I had a lover who was smaller than average, but let me tell you, he knew how to wield the thing like—”
“Ew, Mom! And no, he was not underequipped. Definitely not. The opposite.”
“So what’s the problem?”
