He reaches across the table to the bottle and pours me another glass. I motion for him to keep filling when he tries to stop halfway. I’d drink rubbing alcohol at this point.
Turning my head slightly over my shoulder, I try to make eye contact with the waiter. We’ve been waiting for our food for what seems like forever. I guess I could have another piece of bread, but I think I’ve had enough carbs for the night.
The place is packed for a Wednesday night. Adam tried to pull the cop card to get us a good table, but we had to take the one right near the entrance. It’s fine by me. The entrance is also the exit. I like being near an out in case I have to make a run for it. I may have to run soon, especially if he licks his lips and looks at my mouth one more time.
“You look really nice tonight.”
“Thanks.”
“Did you ever find that lady you were looking for?” Adam pretends to scoot his chair closer to the table, but all he does is move closer to me.
“Yes, I did. Thanks again. It was really nice of you to help me.”
He places his hand over mine and I pull it away and pretend to itch my head. Ugh. Can this night get any worse? I take another sip of my wine. I’d better slow down or I’m going to say something I’ll regret.
“Hi, you should have an order under Rhode Bennett. I paid by credit card.”
The sound of his voice makes me gasp and I start choking on my wine.
“Joss, are you okay?” Adam pats me on the back as I hack and wheeze.
I pray he didn’t hear him say my name.
“Joss? Is that you?”
Dammit! I cough a bit more and cover my mouth with my napkin as Rhode walks over to the table. I can’t breathe. It definitely went down the wrong pipe.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“She’s fine,” Adam responds protectively. “And you are?”
Rhode watches me for a moment and then holds out his hand to Adam. “Rhode Bennett.”
“Adam Donovan, police officer and Joss’s date.”
I clear my throat and simultaneously roll my eyes at Adam.
“How do you know my girl?” Adam asks.
His audacity makes me feel the need to speak. I barely make the words out through the burn.
“I’m no one’s girl.”
Rhode smirks at me briefly before returning his attention to Adam. “I live next door to Joss’s friend, Annie.”
“Annie McClintonuck?” Adam asks, leaning forward.
“That’s right. Do you know her?”
“What are you doing here, Rhode?” I ask somewhat coherently, trying to divert the conversation before Adam gives me away.
“Annie asked me to get dinner from here tonight. She never asks for anything, so I thought it must be special.”
I narrow my eyes. That stinker. What is she doing? I remember our conversation. Is she trying to set Rhode and me up together? Why else would she send him here? Rhode keeps looking back and forth between me and Adam. Is it possible he could be jealous? It would serve him right. Hmm . . .
I lean into Adam and give him an adoring smile before turning my attention to Rhode. “Adam asked me to dinner tonight. Some people like me, I guess.” I hope he gets my drift.
“I’m sure there are a lot of people who like you, Joss.”
He’s riding the waves I’m creating. Let’s see where this goes. He shoots me a cocky grin and it pisses me off. He thinks he knows me. He doesn’t know anything!
“I know there are!” I reply confidently. “Some people aren’t afraid to say what they feel while others send mixed messages.”
His lips purse and I know in my gut it’s to keep from smiling. Asshole. But dammit, why does he have to look so good all the time? He’s got the scruffy beard back that I adore and his smile makes me want to lick his teeth. I hate him for liking my sister. My sister . . . I’m reminded why there will never be anything between us.
“I saw you at the bakery yesterday morning. I hope you got what you were looking for.”
His smile drops. “You saw me?”
“Yeah. I guess you like Jorgie’s muffins. She was always a better cook than me.”
“Who said I liked her muffins?” he asks.
Adam glances back and forth between us like he’s watching a tennis match.
“I could see you liked her muffins by the way you hugged them.”
“He hugged her muffins?” Adam asks, confused.
“Shh,” I say, waving him off but never breaking eye contact with Rhode. “This doesn’t concern you.”
Rhode’s eyes meet mine. “Why would you think my hugging her had anything to do with her muffins?”
“Please,” I say, rolling my eyes. “I could see the way you were looking at her. And you know what? That’s great. Jorgie is an amazing girl, but if you hurt her, I will personally kick your ass.”
Rhode leans forward directly in front of me, placing his hands on the table and squaring his body with mine. “For a smart girl you sure don’t have a clue, do you?”
“Hey . . .” Adam says defensively as he stands.
I push him down with my hand.
“I know what I saw.”
“Do you? Have you spoken to your sister?”
“I don’t need to,” I say, throwing my napkin on the table and standing up from my chair.
Rhode takes a step toward me. “I think before you go making assumptions you should get your facts straight. I’m surprised for a fact-checker that you don’t do a better job at that.”
Those are fighting words. “Who do you think you are?” I ask as I take a step closer to him.
“I think I’m the guy you didn’t let explain himself last night.”
Adam seems angry. “What the fu—”
Rhode and I glare at him saying the exact same thing. “Shut up.”
Adam stands and throws his napkin on the table. There’s a lot of napkin throwing going on.
“You didn’t need to explain. You made yourself perfectly clear!” I shout, placing my hands on my hips. I think I see a vein twitch in his neck. We’re really close. He smells good.
“You don’t know anything about what I was going to say.”
“Um, Mr. Bennett? Your food is ready.”
A young girl holds out a bag to him as if her arm is a fishing rod and the bag is at the end of the line. I guess we’ve made quite a scene.
Brushing my hands on my pants, I sit back down in my chair. “Have a nice night, Rhode. Tell Annie I said hey.”
Rhode glances at Adam for a moment before staring at me. If he’s expecting me to say another word to him, he’s going to be standing there all night. He’s currently invisible to me. He takes his food and stomps out the door. I inhale a large gulp of wine.
Clenching my teeth, I decide I hate him and never want to see his ugly, beautiful, nasty face again. I shouldn’t be jealous, but I am. I love and hate my sister for being so perfect.
“What in the hell was that all about?” Adam asks.
My heart sinks. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”
“I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU did that!”
“All I did was set the scene. You played the role.”
“Is that why you wanted me to go on a date? You wanted to send Rhode there?”
“It worked out, didn’t it?” Annie responds. “I knew I was right. It is lawnmower boy you’re crushing on.”
I open my mouth to deny it, but I don’t see the point. I’m interested in what she knows.
Stupid swirls around my legs and I scratch his back. He’s the highlight of my visits to Annie these days. “How was Rhode last night when he brought dinner?”
“Very irritated. Not himself at all.”
“Good.” I smile. “At least something came from it.”
“How was your copper?”
“Awful. After the scene with Rhode, I had to avoid his advances all night. I’m afraid the only one who ended up jealous was Adam.”
Stupid darts off toward the liv
ing room and runs into the wall again. I cringe as he shakes his head and keeps walking. You’d think he’d know the house layout better by now.
“Did you talk to your sister?” Annie asks.
“No, and I’m not going to. As far as I’m concerned the whole thing is over.”
“Child, anyone can see from your face it isn’t over.”
“Can we please stop discussing my lack of a love life and talk about reviews again? I’m only here today and tomorrow and I we’ve barely scratched the surface.”
Annie holds out her hand. Some things never change.
After several minutes of scrutinizing the money quality she finally places the bills in her wallet. I’m ready to get cracking. I need something juicier.
“Besides irritating TV commercials, what are other things that move you?”
“You mean like move my bowels? I ain’t constipated.”
I frown at her. “You know what I mean.”
“Do I?” she asks, drying a glass.
“I mean make you want to write to someone. And why are they always negative?”
“What you talkin’ about? They aren’t bad. They’re honest. I swear, everybody wants a trophy for getting out of bed. I’m telling people what I think.”
“Yeah, but the review for the boot said it was a piece of garbage. You didn’t even try it. How do you know it’s bad?”
She points her finger at me. “You forgot I said the commercial was bad too.”
“Basket Case” from Green Day sounds on my phone. It’s my ringtone for my mother. I quickly reject the call and focus on Annie. “Ugh. Sorry. Go ahead,” I say, motioning to her to speak.
“There are a lot of reasons I write what I do. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me.”
Once again, “Basket Case” sounds off. I slide the button to vibrate. “You were saying?”
“You sure are popular lately. Do you need to get that?” she asks, pointing.
“No. It’s only my mom.”
“Child, you answer your momma right now.”
“No, you don’t understand. She’s awful.”
“Don’t you talk about her that way!”
“Annie, you’ve never met her. Trust me when I say she makes you look easy.”
My phone begins to vibrate again.
“Pick it up or we’re done.”
“Are you serious?”
She nods.
“Okay, you asked for it. Here we go again.” I press speaker and say hello.
“Why do I have to call you three times before you answer your phone?”
“Hi, Mom. Nice to hear your voice, too.”
“I asked you a question.”
“I’m working.”
“You mean you’re pretending to work.”
I roll my eyes at Annie.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“Your father has to go out of town for work on your birthday next month, so I’m calling an impromptu dinner tonight at five.”
“It’s not until next month. Why would we get together tonight?”
“Your father and I have plans and this is all I have free.”
Annie’s eyes open wide.
“That’s okay. I’m fine with no family function. No need for a birthday celebration.”
“Well, I’m the one who suffered through nineteen hours of labor with you and if I want to have a dinner to remember what my body used to be like before you destroyed it then you’re going to come. You owe me at least your presence for what you did to me.”
“Remembering your figure sounds really special and everything, and I’m touched that you want me to share in your special day, but no.”
I hear static and multiple voices talking in the background.
“Hi, Joss. Please?”
I sigh. “I see she’s playing the Dad card. Well played, Mom, well played. Did she tell you to make me feel guilty?”
“Yes. Yes, she did. But the truth is, I’d hoped to see you and I feel terrible about being out of town. So what do you say?”
“Can’t you and I go to lunch another day?”
“We already spoke to Jorgie. Grandpa’s already here and I know he wants to see you.”
“Like I told Mom, I’m working. I can’t.”
“She ain’t working,” Annie says as she bends to look out the window.
“Really?” I question sarcastically, covering the phone.
“You’re just sitting there whining as usual.”
“What was that? I couldn’t hear,” he asks.
Annie makes that clicking noise with her mouth and it gives me an idea. “Hey, Dad, is it okay if I bring someone?”
“Sure. Anyone special?”
“Oh, just my friend, Annie.”
“Nu-uh. I ain’t going,” she says, leaning to speak into the phone.
“What? Who was that?”
“Don’t worry. We’ll see you later, Dad. Bye.”
I quickly end the call and smile at Annie.
“You aren’t dragging me to some family thing and I ain’t your friend.”
“You’re the one who wanted me to call my mom. It’s the least you can do for putting me in that situation.”
“I don’t owe you anything.”
“The hell you don’t! I’ve given you four hundred and twenty dollars for one review, some ruined jeans, and a lot of grief. Today, you are going to give me another review and then you’re coming to my mom’s stupid pretend party for me.”
“You think you gonna tell me what to do?”
“Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Humph.”
I sigh. She’s so stubborn. “Please? You made me take the call. I already said you were coming and I could use a buffer with my mom. Then she can see that I am trying to do an article. You can talk about your review process.”
“I thought you said it was dinner, not a symposium.”
“You heard my mom . . . She doesn’t think I work.”
“You don’t.”
My head falls to my chest. “I’ve had such a crap week.”
“Your life is what you make it.”
Rising from my chair at her table, I walk over to where she’s standing by the stove. “Think of it as a night of not having to eat with Rhode. My mother never cooks. It’ll probably be take-out. Plus birthday cake, I’m sure.”
Her mouth swishes. “What kind of cake?”
I see an in. I need to answer this correctly. “Chocolate of course.”
“Ice cream too?” she asks.
“Absolutely.”
“What do I have to wear?”
“Will you please stop fidgeting? You’re driving me crazy.”
“You ain’t wearing a dress. Why did I have to wear one?” Annie squirms in her seat.
I roll my eyes as I stop at a light. “I never told you to wear a dress. But to be honest, after I spent half the day watching you go through your closet, I’m just glad to see you in clothes.”
“I didn’t tell you to look at me naked.”
“You left the door open and called me.”
“I called you to tell you I was changing.”
“You said my name and rattled something that I couldn’t hear. How was I supposed to hear you? You mumble all the time.”
“Mumble schmumble.”
“See?” I say, pointing at her.
“If I knew you were gonna wear pants, I would have worn them too.”
“There’s no dress code. Plus, you didn’t even try on pants today during the ridiculous fashion show you made me sit through.”
“It’s a party and I ain’t nothing if not fashionable.” She smooths out her dress and picks a piece of lint off her arm.
“Well, you look nice,” I tell her.
She eyes me up and down. “Wish I could say the same for you.”
I glare at her. “That’s rude.”
“Did you just throw something on? You need to take more time with your appearance. I’ve seen you in s
weats, shorts, jeans, and yoga pants. No wonder that boy likes your sister. She must not be frumpy.”
“Why do you start this shit with me? This is not what I need to hear.”
“Calm your tits. Don’t have a rack attack.”
Shaking my head I glare at her. Where does she come up with this shit?
“You should change.”
“If I change will you shut up?”
She shrugs. I glance down at my clothes. My mother will comment for sure. Maybe she’s right. I make a U-turn and head to my apartment.
As soon as I park she speaks.
“I’ll wait in the car.”
“No, you will not. I’m not going up and down the stairs fifteen times so you can tell me that you don’t like my outfit every time. Come on, let’s get this over with,” I say with a wave of my hand.
She huffs her way up the stairs. As soon as we reach my door, I spin on my heel to face her. “And by the way, if you think for one second I’ve forgotten the review you owe me, you’re mistaken. I’m not dropping you off tonight until I get one.”
She turns around and steps down. “I can take a cab then.”
I reach for her arm and pull her back up the stair. I turn my key in the lock and gaze back at her. “Why can’t you just say, ‘Okay, Joss. Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten.’”
“You gettin’ bossy. I created a monster.”
I flip on the switch and walk inside, dropping my purse on the couch. Annie is still in the doorway.
“Are you a vampire? Do I have to tell you you’re welcome inside before you can cross the threshold?” I ask with a laugh.
“Lord have mercy. Did you get robbed?” she asks, placing her hand over her heart.
I roll my eyes. “I know it’s a mess. I get busy.”
“You busy being a slob. Child, no wonder you’re single. There’s probably a man buried in here somewhere and you don’t even know it.”
“What do you want me to wear? Can we please get this over with?” At this point, I’m not sure what’s going to be worse, her dressing me or dinner with my family.
Annie slowly takes a few cautious steps inside the apartment. “Please tell me your clothes aren’t on the floor.”
“Not all of them.”
Annie waves her hands in the air and spins out the door. I chase after her and pull her back by the arm.
“This was your idea.”
Angry Annie Page 10
