I nodded. "Sure, hundreds of them. But you're not ready to answer them, right?"
He nodded. "Roger that.” He traced circles on the back of my hand with his finger. “I'm not trying to shut you out. I love you and I do trust you. That isn't the problem."
I reached across the counter and took his hands. "I know and it's okay. There are things I could never tell anybody about my life." I looked up at him. "Except Zelda. Because I don't have to tell her because she knows." I made a face. "I'm not saying war is like a crappy childhood. I'm just saying that I know some things are too hard to say out loud."
He stood and pulled me into his arms. "We'll work on it. A little at a time."
I wrapped my arms around his waist and squeezed. "Yeah, we will."
<<>>
Zelda never came home, and we were still awake at four in the morning. "Are we staying up all night? Because if we are, then it must be breakfast time." I rolled off the bed and searched for my robe. Ted sprawled, hands behind his head and watched me. I put on my robe and met his gaze. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"
He grinned. "Can't help myself. It's impossible not to look at you."
I stood at the foot of the bed and took in the view of Ted in all his glorious nakedness. "Okay you silver-tongued devil, enough. Nobody’s that irresistible. It's not humanly possible."
He tried to hook my leg with his foot, but I jumped back. "Can I help it if you're my everything?" He wiggled his eyebrows and batted his eyelashes. “My one and only.”
I rolled my eyes. "And now you’ve taken it just way too far. I'm making breakfast." I paused in the doorway. "You're welcome to join me."
He lay there with that silly grin on his face and said, “Breakfast in bed sounds mighty fine.”
I laughed all the way to the kitchen and started breakfast. I was crisping the bacon and about to crack the eggs when Ted walked into the kitchen naked. I glanced over. "At least put on your shorts."
He pulled out my usual stool and sat. "Zelda doesn't sit on this stool, right?"
I frowned. "No, I do." I waved the spatula at him. "You'll turn every shade of red if she walks in on you."
He eyed the clock on the wall. "If she's not home by now, I think we can safely have naked Sunday without worry.” He clutched a fork in one hand and a knife in the other. "Mmm, grub."
I plated the eggs and bacon, grabbed the stack of toast, and brought it all to the butcher-block. "Breakfast is served." Both of us hungry, we disposed of the meal in minutes. Crickets serenaded us through the open kitchen windows, and a cool breeze rustled my curls. I sighed, relieved that Ted had opened up to me a little about his past. He was more relaxed too because he didn't have to work so hard to keep things from me.
Ted ran a finger over my hand. "What are you thinking about?"
I looked up from my empty plate. "Nothing, actually. For once."
He tilted his head in surprise. "No plans? No theories? No plots racing through your mind? That's what I call a banner moment."
I sipped my decaf, but it tasted like stewed gym socks. "I need to sleep."
I started clearing the dishes, but Ted put his arm around me and said it would keep until morning. I was too tired to argue. He guided me out of the kitchen and back to my bedroom.
When we got into bed there weren't any ghosts between us, getting in the way. A kind of calm fell over us, and all the tension was gone. Relieved, I snuggled in his arms, and fell into blissful sleep.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
We woke to Zelda pounding on my door. "You in there? You guys decent?"
We scrambled to cover up then I said, "Yeah, come in."
Zelda opened the door and peered into the room like it was a sacred crypt. "You're still sleeping?"
I shrugged. "The baking is done no need to get up at the crack of dawn."
She smirked. "Yeah, except it's three o'clock in the afternoon."
I squinted at the bedside clock and frowned. "Where have you been all this time?"
She flicked her hand at me. "Doesn't look like you missed me any." She hooked her head to the right. "Bathroom's free if you two want to shower. Which I'd highly recommend." She pinched her nose with her fingers then closed the door.
Ted slid his arms around my waist and pressed against me. "Do we have to get up? It's naked Sunday."
I laughed. "I think naked Sunday is over now. Come on big guy." I untangled myself from his embrace and rolled out of bed. By the time I got my robe on Ted had drifted back to sleep and was snoring softly. There wasn't any reason to make him get up, so I let him sleep. And while he slept I could smooth things over with Zelda.
I went into the kitchen prepared to clean up the mess Ted and I had left, but there was nothing to clean. “Did the cleaning elves come over while I was sleeping?”
Zelda looked up from the butcher-block and smirked. “I know how to clean.”
I smiled. "Thanks, roomie. Good job." I poured a cup of coffee, but after one sip, I dumped it in the sink and grabbed a fizzy water out of the fridge. Plopping onto a stool I said, "Where have you been?"
"I had a date."
"With?"
"With benefits."
I nudged her arm. "You're not going to tell me with who?" I stuck out my lower lip. “No fair.”
She studied me with critical eyes. "You promise not to judge?"
I nodded and crossed my heart. "Swear to God. Who was it?"
"Henry."
I cupped my ear. "What's that? Did you say Henry?" I leaned across the butcher-block. "Henry your ex, Henry? How did that happen?"
She stared at her coffee. "You're sounding judgy."
I sat back. "Not judgy, just surprised. I thought he moved to Nebraska or somewhere in cowboy country."
Zelda looked up from her coffee mug. "Yeah, he did. He's just here for the weekend." She shrugged. "Convention or something."
"Well, what happened? Did you just run into him on the street?”
Zelda didn't respond right away. She stared at her coffee and sighed, tapped her fingers — anything to avoid looking at me. Then she said, "I know it’s hard to believe, but it was really nice to see him. I missed him. And he missed me too." She squirmed in her seat then looked up at me. "He wants to get back together."
I chuckled. "California to Nebraska, that's what I call a long distance relationship."
Zelda shook her head slowly. "No, he wants me to move out there."
I chortled. "Oh sure, you in Nebraska? How’d he take it when you told him no?" She said nothing. "Oh come on, are you seriously moving to Nebraska?"
She held her coffee mug to her chest. "He’s got a big cattle ranch out there. A thousand acres. It's not like he could move that to L.A."
Stumbling and soft cursing came from the other room. My big gorilla was awake and looking for food and affection.
Zelda pointed at me. “I’m not going to talk to you about this with him here.”
Ted appeared in the doorway with Boomer under his arm. "Morning ladies." He grinned but got an awkward silence in reply. He raised his eyebrows at Boomer then frowned at us. "What’s the matter, is my fly open?"
I shook my head. "Just some girl talk."
Understanding, Ted nodded. "How about Boomer and I go get some fresh bagels? Sound good?"
I nodded. "That would be great, honey. Thanks."
Ted did an about-face out of the kitchen. We paused while Ted put on his shoes and leashed up Boomer. All the while thunking and barking.
When the front door closed, I lowered my voice. "Zee, are you kidding me? You're not really considering moving away from everything you know because of one date."
"You’re acting like I just met him. We have a history, Scotti."
I smirked. "Yeah, I remember."
She stared at me and folded her arms over her chest. "He's changed." I waited, but she offered no proof of the alleged change.
I nodded and acted nonchalant. "Okay, Zee if you say so. He’s changed. Yup, tha
t’s good enough for me.” I sneered. “So it’s decided then or are you just thinking about it?"
Zelda sighed and shook her head. "You don’t have to be such a smart ass about it."
I couldn’t look at her, so I stared at the floor. "Because if you've already decided, then we need to talk about the food truck. I'll have to buy you out because I'm not moving to Nebraska." I flicked her a look. "And since you don't cook, you sure as hell don’t want a food truck. I'll ask Joe if he knows a business attorney who can advise us on how to proceed." I blew out a sigh and tapped my finger against the water bottle. "I've got the funds though. So, not to worry. I can pay cash up front. So you can buy all the cowboy boots you want."
Zelda took my hand and tugged on it. "Scotti…"
I snatched my hand away. "So, when’s the move? Should I place an ad for a room mate today? Or can you give me a little notice?"
Zelda groaned and pounded the countertop. "Will you stop this? I didn't say I was going."
I pointed my finger at her. "You didn't say you weren't going either."
She flapped her hands at me. "You promised not to judge!"
I put my hands to my chest. "I'm not judging." My voice grew louder with every word. "You said you're getting back together with Henry and he can't move here. If he can't move here, then you have to move there. How is that judging? That’s just logic." And I was on my feet pointing and waving my arms around. "I'm just trying to make sense of the situation."
Zelda jumped off her stool so fast she knocked it over. "I'm sick of this shit! Everything always has to be your way. Ever since we were kids. If you didn't get what you wanted, then you'd pout or cry until I gave in." She slapped her chest. "This time, it's about me! Not you!"
Ted appeared in the doorway with a big sack of bagels. He held up the bag and shook it. "Who wants a bagel?"
I flung out my arms and screamed. "Everything is about me? I wish! You've dragged me into one crazy scheme after another for as long as I've known you!"
Ted backed out of the doorway and disappeared from view.
Zelda mocked. "Oh poor Scotti. Her life is such a big fat bore that nasty old Zelda has to force her to have fun."
I cackled. "Fun? Fun? How many jobs did we lose because of you? How many apartments have we been kicked out of because of your big mouth?" I flailed my arms at her. "You have no filters. None whatsoever. You just say or do whatever comes into that crazy head of yours and screw the consequences. Doesn't matter how many dead bodies pile up at the door, you just step right over them." I slapped my chest. "And expect me to just fall in line!"
She flipped me off. "Tight-ass!"
I flipped her right back. "Nut-job!"
She charged me, jabbing her finger in the air. "And another thing. I'm sick of driving you everywhere. Why don't you grow up and face the freeway like the rest of us?"
I threw my water bottle at the wall. "I'm sick of feeding you ten times a day! I'm not your mommy. It's not my job to cook for you, do your laundry and clean up after you."
Zelda shook her fists in the air. "Screw you!"
She stormed out of the kitchen and I followed after her. "Screw you!"
She threw open the front door and stomped out. Then she jumped into her jeep and peeled toward the gate as it was opening. She flipped me off one last time before she pulled out and roared down the hill.
"Damn you!" I screamed, but she was long gone. I slammed the door and threw myself on the sofa. "Damn it. Shit. Hell. Sonofabitch. Fuck!"
Ted came out of my bedroom and stood in the doorway. "What was that about?"
Crying, I said, "Nothing much. I just lost my best friend."
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Monday was awkward. Zelda and I bent over backwards to say please and thank you while trying our hardest to say little else. The forced politeness was exhausting, and I spent the day in the back of the truck because I couldn’t bear to ride in the cab with her. When we finally pulled into our drive, I couldn't get out of the truck fast enough.
Before she'd turned off the engine, I rushed into the house, grabbed a club soda from the fridge and went to my room. In the twenty years we'd been friends, we'd never had a real falling out before. Plenty of fights but nothing that a little screaming and double fudge brownie ice cream couldn't solve.
Ice cream wouldn't solve our current problem, and I didn't know what would. We'd both said things that were hard to take back. I understood that she wanted love in her life, who doesn't? But was halfway across the country the only place she could find it? And Henry — the man who’d nearly destroyed her was her idea of love? Why would she go back to him? Did she want to move away from all her friends, her business and her home for Henry? Or was she feeling like an outsider because of my relationship with Ted? Was it a knee jerk reaction to her own prediction that Ted and I would marry? Did she pick the fight because it would hurt less than if I deserted her?
Ted suggested I wait it out. If she was serious, then nothing would stop her. If she was being reactive, then she'd come to her senses eventually. Sound advice. But in the meantime, I had to keep my distance. Easy enough since I was hurt and didn't feel like being ripped to shreds again. Except that I missed her, even though I was furious, I missed her like hell. What would I do without her in my life? I couldn't let myself think about it.
Ted was working late so I had no dinner plans, but I was desperate to get out of the house. I washed up, put on a fresh pair of jeans and a tee-shirt and rushed out of the house for Joe’s. I needed to smooth things over with him about Beidemeyer which gave me an excuse to drop by.
Joe looked up from his computer when I walked in. "Howdy."
I ventured a few steps into the room. "Still mad at me?"
He made a face. "Heck no." He waved a hand at the visitor chair. "Take a load off."
I slouched in the chair and sighed.
He put down his pen down and slid his reading glasses on top of his head. "Wanna tell Gramps what's troubling you, Sunshine?"
I sighed again. "Believe me, you don't want to know." I sat up in my chair. "I came by to do damage control on Beidemeyer."
Joe puckered his lips and shook his head. "That’s yesterdays’ news. All done." He looked me over and smiled. "Looks like you caught up on your beauty sleep. Looking right as rain again."
I gave him a half-hearted smile. "Do you have a case for me?"
Joe shuffled papers on his desk. "I don't expect so. Let me see…" He liked to think that I believed his country bumpkin act and that he was hopelessly disorganized. But though he was in his sixties, the man was as sharp as Ted. And twice as wily.
"Holding out on me, huh?"
He looked around the room as though something was missing. "Where's Miss Zelda?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. But she has other things on her mind. So, I'd be going it alone. If you had a case for me." I raised an eyebrow. "If you haven't, then I'll come up with something to occupy my time." I winked and clucked my tongue. "Something creative. Something different."
Joe frowned. "That sounds near-on to a threat."
I shook my head. "Not a threat, just a fact."
He squinted at me. "Ted know you're up to no good?"
I fanned my face with my hand. "Why Mr. Joe whatever makes you say such a thing?"
He wagged his finger at me. "Because I know you and your shenanigans Scotti Fitzgerald."
I slung my bag over my shoulder and stood. "No shenanigans Gramps. Scout's honor." I shrugged. "But you’re not the only game in town either." I flipped my hair. "Call me if you happen to find a case in that mess you call a desk."
“You get yourself back here, missy.”
I walked out and slammed the door behind me. Zelda was trading me in for Henry. Joe was withholding work, and Ted was trying to shorten my leash. And I was the devious one? Fine, while they conspired, I had a project of my own to keep me busy.
<<>>
On the way to the Foothill station house, I called to see if Dani
els was on duty. When they connected the call, I hung up. Better to show up unannounced than to give him a heads up. I didn't know if he'd try to duck me, but I didn't want to take the chance, either.
The heat wave had officially broken according to the weather casters, and the temps were mid-eighties and breezy. Perfect weather for buzzing down the windows and blaring classic rock. By the time Clapton was wailing his last Layla, I was pulling into a parking spot in front of the station house.
M.urder R.eady to E.at (A Scotti Fitzgerald Murder Mystery Book 2) Page 17
