The Hard Bounce - страница 70
The phone picked up on the third ring. “Kelly Reese.”
I pinched my nose and spoke in a high register. “Hi, my name is Fitz Benwalla. I’m calling from the Boston Phoenix. We’re doing a piece on Boston’s sexiest tough guys.”
“Excuse me?”
“Rumor has it you’ve got one of the most eligible, sexiest, smartest, and hunka-hunka burnin’ love bachelors in town knocking at your door at all hours. Also that he’s super manly. And did I say sexy?”
“Don’t believe all the rumors you hear, Boo.”
“Okay. That hurt.”
She laughed, and I felt a goofy smile play across my face. “Get over it, tough guy.”
“Too bad. I was going to ask you out for a very expensive dinner just as soon as the check from your boss cleared.”
Silence.
“You still there?” I knew she was, but I was savoring her surprise.
“Ohmygod! You found her?”
“Got her.”
“Ohmygod!” she said, her voice rising an octave in excitement. I liked the sound of it. The receiver clunked painfully in my ear. I think she dropped the phone. After some quick scrabbling sounds, “Where was she? Is she okay?”
“She’s a little banged up emotionally, but otherwise seems okay.”
“What happened?”
“You know, guy stuff. She was staying with a guy. He wasn’t what she thought he was.” And that was the cleanest and most biblically understated way I could put that.
“Aw, poor kid.”
“Yeah. We boys sure can suck.”
“Maybe I should come over and talk to her? Maybe I could help her, girl to girl.”
“Not a bad idea, that. When can you come over?”
“I can get there by nine.”
Nine. That would leave me a little over an hour. “Sounds like a plan. Oh, and bring her a change of clothes, if you can.”
“No trouble at all. I’ll run by The Gap.”
“You need her size and stuff?”
“Nope. I’d say she’s about a one. I’ll get a two, just to be safe. See you at nine.”
“See you.”
I hung up and started frantically cleaning. I started in the kitchen. Lacking much in the way of cleaning fluids, I just used an old sponge I had in the sink and elbow grease.
When I made it to the living room, Cassandra was watching a talk show. She looked over and watched my half-assed speed cleaning. Finally, her curiosity got the best of her. “What’s going on?”
“You know Kelly? Works for your dad?”
“Yeah, she’s nice.”
“She’s gonna swing by, hang with us. Maybe you two can talk. You know, girl talk.”
Cassie made a face.
“What?”
“Why can’t I talk to another girl without some guy calling it girl talk?” She folded her arms in feminist self-righteousness.
Jesus H…
“I don’t know. It’s just a term. Me and Junior? When we talk, it’s guy talk. I was just projecting. Would you mind helping me clean up a bit?”
“Why? Trying to impress your girlfriend?”
My ears went hot. “She’s not my girlfriend,” I said in a tone more appropriate for denying a cootie infestation.
“Then why are you blushing?”
“I’m not.”
“Whatever. It smells funny in here anyway.”
“What? Hey!”
The apartment would never get a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, but it was as clean as it was going to get by 8:30. I hopped in the shower and gave myself a good scrubbing.
At five minutes past, Kelly was at the door. Since Kelly hadn’t had dinner, Cassie had a teenager’s bottomless appetite, and I’m a fat fuck in training, we ordered Chinese. The three of us were watching The Simpsons in an awkward quiet when the food arrived. I carried the greasy bags into the living room and heard Kelly opening the kitchen cabinets.
“Do you have plates?” she yelled toward the door.
“I have plate.”
She walked back into the living room. “Why don’t you have plates?”
“Never needed more than one. How many am I supposed to have?”
“Three would be nice.”
I went into the bag and pulled out four Styrofoam plates. “Now we have an extra.”
She gave Cassandra an exasperated look and stormed back into the kitchen, muttering. I caught the words “bachelor,” “unbelievable,” and, I think, “zoo.” But that could have been “Boo.” Then, louder, “Where are your forks?”
“I have fork.”
After we ate, I broke out my beat-up poker set. Kelly had obviously played before, and was good enough to make me nervous. This girl was full of surprises. Cassie had a harder time picking up the game. After dropping another hand, she threw her cards on the table.