Hank’s dad gave him a long look. Hank let his head flop against the back of hisseat.
I dialed Pepper who answered right away, and then I realized she had just as many margaritas as I’d had. Crap. “I’ll call you back,” I said abruptly. I hung up, got on my cab app, and scheduled one to pick me up using the gps feature on my phone. Five minutes. That’s all I had towait.
Hank’s dad stepped away from the window leaving us in the truckalone.
“I can still take you home,” Hanksaid.
I shook my head. I felt like I’d been slapped in the face. “No thankyou.”
“You can’t deny what just happened,Helen.”
“I’m not denying anything. Charity deservesbetter.”
“Wearen’t-”
“Dating. I know. You’ve said that. But your father and Charity’s mother seem to think you are. You’re supposed to meet her parents.” I ran a hand through my hair, mussing it up even worse. “I am such an idiot.” I was never going to have another margarita as long as I lived. The effects of it had slowly worn off, but I still didn’t feel comfortable enough to drive myself or to really speak without saying something regrettable. But the terrible thing about margaritas and body chemistry was the fact that as much as you might have wanted to stop talking, your mouth disagrees. “I really liked you. Ilikeyou. But this feels wrong. I think I need to step back and you need to speak toCharity.”
“I’ll be at your house on Monday to start your landscaping.” He didn’t acknowledge anything I just said. He didn’t even say he likedme.
“Fine,” I snapped. “I’ll leave a check in mymailbox.”
“You won’t bethere?”
I snort laughed. “I don’t know. But I don’t want to see you for awhile. Consider us to be involved in a business relationship right now.” Lights illuminated the cab of the truck. I grabbed my purse and slippedout.
“Helen! Can’t we talk aboutthis?”
“We already did.” I shut the door and headed over to the cab. Hank’s father watched me the entiretime.
The cab driver was a vamp. Why could I not get away from dead people? I slid in, punched my address into the tablet he handed me, and slid my card into the reader to pay for the ride. In less than a minute we wereoff.
Icamehome to a very excited Margo. I bent down and gave her a hug around the neck. “Ready to go out?” I asked. She gave me an urgent yap which made me laugh. I unlocked the back door and she shot out like abullet.
Five minutes later she was back in, so I wrestled with her a little bit and tried to forget about my night. What a disaster. I went out to forget about my love life only to awkwardly get stuck with the one man I was trying not to think about. Then I ended up making out with him only to find out from his dad that he reallywasdatingCharity.
Men were not all that bright on a good day. At least in my opinion, but this one kind of took the cake. Guilt roiled in my stomach. I wasn’t going to have a single thing to do with Hank until he completely broke it off with Charity. Maybe not even then. I kicked off my shoes and padded into my bedroom. My gaze snagged on a white card left on my dresser. I picked it up only to realize it was Lucien’s. I smiled and set it backdown.
Maybe I would take him up on the date. But not tomorrow. It was toosoon.
I changed into a pair of sleep shorts and a tank and scrubbed my makeup off with a washcloth and some cold cream made by a friend of mine. Less than ten minutes later I was curled up with Margo doing my best to get somesleep.
The next morningI woke up feeling like I’d been hit in the head with a sledgehammer, and the events of the night before came slamming in to me like a freight train. I should have drank more, if only to avoid the embarrassing memories. Margo jumped out of bed and waited by the door expectantly. I pulled the pillow over my head and she gave a little warningwoof.
“You can’t wait five minutes forfood?”
Margogrowled.
I snort laughed and threw the pillow at her. Margo dodged and jumped onto the bed where she promptly sat on my chest and started to lick myface.
“Get off!” I cried through mylaughter.
She shoved her wet, cold nose in myear.
“Uncle!” I cried. “Uncle!”
Margo jumped off the bed and stared atme.
“You’re theworst.”
