by Melinda Metz
Nah, David typed back. Gonna go see if she needs anything.
A few seconds later, Adam sent another text. Lucy says you’re sweet. I say you’re whipped. Another time.
Yeah, David answered. He couldn’t do it tonight. It had felt like he was about to have a panic attack. Maybe at some point, he’d tell Lucy and David that he and Jamie had just been fake-dating to give themselves a break, and then the four of them could go out.
He grabbed his keys and tossed Diogee a massive rawhide. “You’re in charge, big guy,” he told his dog on his way out. It felt like the sidewalk had become rubberized, giving his walk a bounce. Canceling with Adam and Lucy was a huge relief. Now he could enjoy the night with Jamie.
He grinned as he turned up the walkway to her house, thinking of the perfect place—places—to take her. He couldn’t go to the restaurant he and Adam had picked. Adam and Lucy would probably still go there. They wouldn’t want to waste the sitter.
“You up for walking?” he asked when Jamie opened the door.
“I thought we were going to Santa Monica,” she answered.
He’d already almost forgotten they were supposed to be double-dating. “Lucy isn’t feeling well,” he told her, mostly managing to ignore the jab of guilt he felt lying to her. It wasn’t like it was a big lie. “We’ll have to reschedule.”
“I’m kinda glad,” Jamie admitted as she and David started down the walkway. “I was a little nervous about meeting them.”
David looped his arm around her shoulder. “For Helen and Marie,” he said. It was a reasonable precaution, he told himself. They did spend a lot of time looking out their windows. “You don’t have anything to be nervous about. You’ll like them, I know.”
“I’m not worried about liking them. I’m worried about them not liking me,” Jamie told him.
“Not possible,” David answered, pulling her closer to his side.
“You going to tell me where we’re going?”
“Nope. It’s a surprise,” he said. They walked a few blocks, then David cut across the parking lot of a run-down strip mall and over to a video store.
“Did I miss something? Has VHS become the new vinyl?” Jamie asked as they walked inside.
The dimly lit place didn’t have a DVD in sight, just wire racks jammed with VHS tapes.
“There are a few movies that never got transferred. Take a look back here.” He headed toward the pink neon ADULTS ONLY sign in the back.
“Are we already so bored in our fake sex life that we’re renting porn?” She sounded a little wary, but looked willing to play along.
“Well, it has been a few weeks.” David pulled back the black velvet curtain, revealing a grimy little room stuffed with X-rated videos.
Jamie glanced at the closest shelf. “Womb Raider? That’s just wrong. ‘Womb’ is not a sexy word,” Jamie commented. “Or is that a girl reaction? What do you think of the word ‘womb’?”
“ ‘Womb’ is all about babies,” David answered.
“Exactly!” Jamie exclaimed.
“The really good stuff is back here.” David swept back a second curtain at the other side of the room, revealing a bar with high ceilings, soft ambient light, cushy sofas, and stained-glass windows. Barbarella was playing on the large screen above the archway leading to the billiards room.
Jamie laughed just the way David hoped she would. He was getting addicted to the sound. He’d chosen the place because he thought she’d get a kick out of it. And because it hadn’t even opened until after Clarissa died.
“Welcome to LA’s speakeasy scene,” he told her. “There are places like this hidden all over. To get to this other one I go to sometimes, you have to go through a barbershop. You can actually get your hair cut there, too.”
They settled in on one of the empty sofas. David picked up one of the VHS boxes that served as the drinks menu and handed it to Jamie. “I usually get this one, with the mescal and cilantro.” He pointed to one of the cocktails on the list.
“Sounds good,” Jamie said. “Hey, look. They have a photo booth! We have to get pictures. I might need hard evidence of our couple-hood for Marie and Helen.”
“Do they ask a lot of questions about us?” David asked.
“Helen, not so much. But Marie asks a lot of questions about everything. We share a trash can, and she’s actually asked me questions about the contents of my trash. Like I had a Lean Cuisine box in there, and she said she saw I was trying to lose weight. I’ve never had a neighbor who was so . . . let’s say involved in my life,” Jamie answered. “On the upside, she does make the best coffee and sends Al over with a cup any time I’m out in the yard in the morning. She can be annoying, but she has a good heart.”
“She does. But I’m still afraid to see what will happen if Diogee ever manages to poop on her lawn.” The waitress came by and David ordered two of the cocktails. “We’re going to swing by the photo booth, but we’ll be back,” he told her.
“It might be fun to do some pictures of my happy job people as strips from a photo booth,” Jamie said as they walked across the room, past a DJ who was getting set up.
“That story about the Grauman’s Wonder Woman you put up on MyPics was great,” David told Jamie as they waited for the booth to free up.
“You saw that? I just added that this morning.”
“I have an alert,” he said.
Jamie smiled at him. “That’s so sweet.”
“You’re racking up some nice comments. I’m assuming you saw the one from John Schuller.”
“I did. And don’t think I don’t know you had something to do with that,” she informed him. “I know he’s the star of the show your best friend writes for.”
“I told Adam to check out what you were doing. He probably tweeted about it,” David said, pleased that he’d help get her some extra attention.
“We’re up,” Jamie said as a twenty-something couple came out of the booth. They both looked flushed, and he suspected they’d been using the booth for more than getting their picture taken. Jamie shot him a wink, and it was clear she was thinking the same thing.
They got inside the booth and sat down in the two seats upholstered in well-worn plush. The little space was done up to make it look like the people getting their photos were part of the audience in an old-timey theater. Rows of other people were painted on the backdrop behind them.
“Ready?” Jamie asked.
“Ready.”
She pushed the button and cried, “Duck face!” David obediently pushed out his lips into an exaggerated pout. “Watching a scary movie!” He widened his eyes and pretended to scream, while Jamie gripped his arm with both hands and buried her face in his shoulder. “Heart hands!” He wasn’t sure what she meant by that one, and she didn’t manage to get his fingers curved into half a heart before the picture snapped. “Lovey-dovey for Marie and Helen,” Jamie called out. He didn’t know what she was expecting, but he grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her.
A few moments after the sound of the photo being taken, Jamie pulled back. “Good one,” she said. She sounded a little breathless. He’d probably sound a little breathless, too, if he tried to talk. One kiss from her was all it took. They got out of the booth, and as they waited for their strip of photos, the DJ started playing “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”
“This was my dad’s prom theme song,” David said. “My brother and I used to look at the pictures and crack up. There were all these black hearts with a neon yellow glow around them hanging from the ceiling. My dad wore this pale blue tuxedo with a ruffled shirt, and his date had on a metallic pale blue dress with a short poufy skirt.”
“I didn’t even go to my prom,” Jamie said as she took the strip of pictures the booth spit out. “My boyfriend did that classy move where he broke up with me about two weeks before. I had the dress and everything.”
“Okay, we’re dancing. This wouldn’t have been your prom song, but it’s a prom song.” David grabbed her hand and pulled her out onto the dance
floor. He took her by the waist, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “What was your dress like?”
“It was beautiful.” Jamie gave an exaggerated sigh. “Dark purple. Spaghetti straps. Long. Really simple.”
David pulled her closer, until her body was flush against his, and she rested her head against his chest. It felt so good to hold her. “I bet you would have been the prettiest one there. The guy was a jerk.”
“He was,” Jamie murmured without looking up.
Why was he doing this? Why was he slow-dancing with her when she’d made it clear she just wanted to be friends, no benefits? Why had he kissed her in the photo booth? It hadn’t been a long kiss, but it had been long enough to leave him aching for more.
David pulled in a deep breath, trying to get control of himself, but instead he was flooded with the scent of her. He had to stop this. He had to get them off the dance floor. Instead, he slid his hands lower down her back. She didn’t pull away. She hadn’t seemed to mind when he kissed her, either.
“Friends with benefits works out for some people,” he murmured in her ear. He hadn’t been planning to say that. It was like the words had come out of his mouth without getting an okay from his brain.
Jamie jerked her head back and stared at him. “What?”
“Someone I work with was talking about how he and this girl he was friends with started sleeping together. Neither one of them was with someone else, and they just fell into it. But he said it’s working out.” Total lie. But he had to say something.
“Okay. So you just decided to share this conversation. While we’re dancing,” Jamie said. “Or . . .”
“Ever since you said that Ruby thought that’s what we should do, that’s all I can think about,” David answered, deciding it was time to start telling the truth.
“Me, too,” Jamie answered. The song changed to “Let’s Hear It for the Boy,” but they didn’t pull apart. They continued to sway to the fast music, staring at each other. Then they both spoke at the same time.
“You thought that it wouldn’t—” David began.
“You aren’t ready to—” Jamie said.
They both broke off and danced in silence for a few moments. “We’re good friends,” Jamie finally said. “I think we could handle, um, more without it getting messed up.”
“You want to go?” All David wanted was to get out of there and get her home, get her in bed.
“Yeah.”
They started for the exit. David stopped to drop some bills—probably way too many, but who cared—on the table next to their untouched drinks.
Their pace picked up with almost every step they took on the few blocks back to Storybook Court. By the time they got to the courtyard, they were jogging. Then, laughing, they both broke into a sprint. While Jamie fumbled with the key, David shot Zachary a text asking him to walk Diogee. He had a dog door, but he was used to a before-bed walk.
Jamie got the door open and pulled him through. She shut the door fast. “Don’t want Mac to—”
David didn’t let her finish. He couldn’t. He had to taste her—now. He backed her up against the door and caught her mouth with his.
He had to stop to kiss her six more times between the front door and her bed.
* * *
Mac scaled the inside of the chimney with ease. He’d used the escape route many times since his person had repaired the screen. He paused on the roof to enjoy the feel of the breeze ruffling his fur and the sense of accomplishment filling him. It was like he’d eaten a whole can of sardinesies and then played with Mousie until his head felt lighter than his body. Jamie had her packmate in the house, and they both smelled like they had been eating sardinesies and playing with Mousie for hours.
He opened his mouth and flicked out his tongue. There were two scent trails that were so similar it was hard to separate one from the other. But he’d done it before, and he’d do it again tonight.
But first, some fun.
He scrambled down the sloping roof, leapt down to the bushes below, and from there to the ground. He gave the biggest palm tree by the fountain a good clawing—the bonehead had been peeing on it again—then began to run across the complex. He needed to run. Every muscle was begging to be used.
He heard the bonehead whining before he got to the mutt’s home. He slowed down to a creep in case whatever had caused the dog to make such a pathetic sound was still around. Cautiously, he moved closer. He didn’t sense any danger. There probably wasn’t any. The dog was a wimp. He couldn’t even take a little swat with the paw without whimpering.
He moved even closer. No, there was nothing anywhere near the bonehead that was threatening. He was probably just crying because he couldn’t get out and have a good time the way Mac could.
Mac was feeling so good that he decided to do Diogee a favor. He sprang to the top of the gate and gave the latch one expert flick of the paw. He leaned his body halfway over the gate to get it to swing open.
Even though he was free, the dog just sat there. He really was a bonehead.
Obviously, he needed some help getting started. Not a problem. Mac jumped from the gate to the dog’s back. The mutt stopped his blubbering and let out a howl. Then he barreled through the gate with Mac riding him. Yee-haw!
The mutt raced down the street, then skidded to a stop and looked around. He turned his head to the left, then to the right. Then he seemed to finally realize he had freedom. He gave two happy barks, then ran over to the closest tree and peed on it.
Mac didn’t need to hang around for this. He dismounted and picked one of the two nearly identical scent trails to follow. He hadn’t gotten far when he heard a high “yip, yip, yip.” It was a dog, but it wasn’t the bonehead. There was another yip, then a sound Mac had heard before. The sound the bonehead made when Mac gave him a dose of the paw.
Mac spun around and ran toward the yipping and howling. A little, almost-hairless dog in a polka-dot sweater was chasing the bonehead, biting the big, galumphing dog’s ankles.
Not on Mac’s watch. The bonehead was his toy.
Mac let out a battle cry and launched himself at the little yipper. He rammed his head against the thing’s sweater-covered belly and the yipper toppled. Mac got in its face and gave it a warning growl. That was all it took. The yipper ran away with his tail tucked between his legs, going home to Mommy, Mac was sure.
Clearly the bonehead couldn’t handle himself in the big world. Mac herded him back into his own yard with a few paw whaps, then latched the gate behind him. The big dog wagged his tail like he was happy to be in prison again. Pathetic.
Well, he’d tried. Now he had to get back to his latest mission.
CHAPTER 18
David stared up at the ceiling of Jamie’s bedroom. Her head had been resting on his upper arm so long it had gone to sleep. His body was tense with the need to move. Move, move, move. He needed to lace on his sneakers and run until he dissolved into a puddle of sweat, even though his heart was beating as fast as it would have been if he’d been about to cross the finish line in a marathon.
What the hell was wrong with him? He’d almost had a panic attack when he’d thought about Jamie and him going out with Adam and Lucy, because it would have felt wrong to be on what was pretty much a double date without Clarissa.
So, what did he do? Genius that he was. He’d slept with Jamie. Like that would get to him less than sitting with her at a dinner with Adam and Lucy.
He looked over at Jamie. She was sleeping soundly. He began to slowly ease his arm out from under her head, while simultaneously sliding a pillow in as a new headrest. It was that or chew his arm off at the shoulder. He had to get out of there.
Adrenaline was surging through his body. He could feel it jolting through his already-pounding heart. It felt like it was going to explode. He had to get out of there.
He continued transferring Jamie’s head from his arm to her pillow. There. Got it. He stood up, and just getting off the bed sent a burst of cool reli
ef through his veins. He quickly, and quietly, pulled on his clothes and picked up his shoes. He could put them on outside.
David took three steps toward the door, then stopped. As much as he wanted out, he couldn’t go. Not like this. He slowly slid open the drawer of Jamie’s nightstand, praying she wouldn’t wake up. He found a pencil and a scrap of paper and wrote her a quick note: “Had to go check on Big D. Glad we’re friends.” He added a smiley face. Disgust at his behavior almost got him climbing back into bed with her, but he couldn’t make himself do it.
He crept out the front door, making sure it locked behind him, then ran for home without even bothering to put on his shoes.
* * *
When Jamie woke up, the bed was empty. It took her a minute to remember why that felt wrong. Then it hit her. She’d slept with David. And it had been wonderful, maybe because they’d been such good friends before taking the plunge.
What had she been thinking? It was crazy to think David would keep her from exploring all the things she might want to do with her life. She felt like she’d received a jolt of adrenaline, like she was ready to take on the world. David had been so supportive about her photos. It wasn’t like he was going to turn into another person now. Ruby had told her that. What had she been thinking, ignoring her friend’s advice?
David must be foraging for coffee, she decided. She got up, pulled on the Minions T-shirt she used to sleep in, and practically skipped to the kitchen. The earth seemed to have less gravity than it did yesterday.
But David wasn’t in the kitchen. Or the bathroom. Or the screened-in porch. He wasn’t there. Jamie rushed back to the bedroom and ran her hand over his side of the bed. It was cool. How long ago had he left?
She spun around in a circle as if he was going to pop out from behind the dresser and yell “surprise,” then she sank down on the bed, the euphoria draining out of her so quickly it made her dizzy. “David wouldn’t just take off,” she said, speaking aloud. “He’d leave a note.”
Jamie looked on the nightstand, and—yes!—there it was. The note said he had to go check on Diogee. Which made sense. Diogee was probably crossing his legs, waiting by the door for David to let him out. Except David’s place had a dog door. Well, maybe he wanted to make sure Diogee had water. Or maybe his dog was like her cat. Maybe he would be extremely displeased if his breakfast was late.
