Page 66 of Something True


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I considered the timetable. I'd left that enraged message shortly after sunrise. Based on what I'd just learned, odds were pretty good that Luna hadn't even heard it.

I wasn't sure how that made me feel. Relieved? Or frustrated?

I looked down at my phone. Either way, it meant that whatever message she'd left formewas probably ten times nicer than the one I'd left for her. Feeling a different kind of dread, I pulled up the voicemail.

I hit the play button and lifted the phone to my ear. Luna's voice, sounding remarkably friendly, informed me that she was sending over a terrific sewer contractor, just like I'd asked.

I felt my eyebrows furrow. Ihadn'tasked. Had I? Oh wait. I'd made some throwaway comment in the elevator, but I hadn't thought she'd take me seriously.

She went on to say, "Oh, and by the way, they're my brothers, so you can totally trust them." She paused. "Except with your phone. Oh, and your beer. And, um, come to think of it, you'll probably want to hide your good towels – don't ask."

Her voice picked up steam. "Anyway, they might not look it, but they're super good at what they do. They're licensed and everything, so whatever the problem is, I'm sure they can fix it."

She ended the call with a cheery suggestion that we all get together soon.

Well, that answeredonequestion. She definitely hadn't gotten my voicemail.

I gave Anthony a worried look. Whether he and his brother were legit or not, it didn't matter. I couldn’t afford to pay them.

Talk about awkward.

Before I could even think of how to explain, I heard movement behind me and turned to look. It was the blond, Steve, who said, "You're out of toilet paper."

"What?"

"Yeah," he said, moving to stand beside his brother in the entryway. "I had to wipe with the towel."

I stared at him. "You're kidding, right?"

He burst out laughing. "Of course I'm kidding. Shit, what kind of animals do you think we are?"

"Uh…"

"Eh, forget I asked." He shrugged. "Wasn't kidding about the toilet paper though. Ididuse the last of it." He looked to Anthony. "And we know how pissed-off girls get when you use it all."

I felt my gaze narrow. "Of course we get 'pissed off'. We need to use it every time."

Steve rolled his eyes. "So we hear." He looked to his brother and said, "So, did you plug it in?"

"Not yet," Anthony said.

Steve frowned. "Why not?"

Anthony glanced in my direction. "Because we were talking."

I spoke up. "Wait. Plug what in?"

Anthony glanced in the general direction of the driveway. "The job trailer."

I didn't know what a job trailer was, but I did know that I couldn’t afford any of this. "Actually, that won't be necessary."

"Why not?" Anthony asked.

I didn't want to hurt their feelings – or confess how broke I was. I tried to smile. "Because my sewer's fine."

"The hell it is," Steve said. He looked to Anthony and added, "I had to flush like five times."

He had to be exaggerating. For one thing, he wasn't gone long enough for five flushes. Three maybe, but five was a bit much. Still, that was hardly the point. I tried again. "Yeah, well, I'm still getting estimates. And I think I'm gonna have to wait 'til spring." I gave them an apologetic smile. "So I'm really sorry you made a special trip."