"Why?"
"Because you won't tell me what's in it." His gaze became crafty. "But if you must know, I figured I'd take it off your hands."
I gave him a stiff smile. "Oh, like a freebie?"
"No," he laughed. "Like I'd buy it."
What trickery was this?"But whywouldyou?"
"Maybe I’m thirsty."
"But if youare," I said, "I could just make you something new."
He gave a slow nod. "I know what you're getting at."
"What?"
"You want the drink for yourself." He winked. "Am I right?"
Normally, I hated guys who winked. The winks nearly always seemed smarmy, like their sole purpose was to grease the pathway to my pants. Butthiswink seemed playful, and I fought a sudden urge to giggle like a schoolgirl, which unnerved me in a totally different way. "No," I bristled. "It's just that, well, I don't want to sell you a used drink."
He gave the beverage a wary look. "So the guy drank out of it?'
"No, but—"
"Did you spit in it or something?"
"God no." I was glaring now. "What kind of business do you think I run?"
"Well, judging from your people skills, I'd say it's an exciting one."
This made me sputter. "Mypeopleskills?"
"I'm just saying, your last customer looked pretty pissed off." The guy leaned forward and said in a low, conspiratorial tone, "Tell me. What'd you say to him?"
"Nothing."
He chuckled. "Yeah, like I believethat."
"It was just a misunderstanding, that's all."
"Lemme guess?Hisfault?"
"No." I cleared my throat. "The fault was, um, mine actually."
The guy blinked. "No kidding?"
"What? Are you surprised?"
"No, but I'm surprised you'd admit it."
"So, you think I'd lie about it?"
He reached up and stroked his chin as if thinking. "I wouldn't put itthatway."
"Well, howwouldyou put it?"
"I figured you'd put the blame onhim– not as a lie, but as…" He shrugged. "Self-delusion?"
