Playing the Player(58)
“Of course,” Sharon said. “I’ve kept you all long enough. I’m sure you kids have fun plans on a beautiful summer night.”
Trina looked at the floor. I wondered if she wanted to bail on our dinner date. I could give her an out, but I didn’t want to. She glanced up at me then Alex. “Um, would you guys mind giving me a ride? I took the bus here.”
“The least he can do is give you a ride, since you’re buying him dinner,” Alex said, before I could even open my mouth to reply.
“What he said,” I agreed.
Trina smiled shyly at me then turned back to Sharon. “I’ll see you next week. Tuesday?”
Sharon nodded, wiping perspiration from her forehead. “Absolutely. And if you can bring more picture books, that would be great.”
“Sure,” Trina said. “I’ll check with the library.”
At my car, Alex leaped into the backseat before I even had a chance to offer Trina shotgun. Subtle was so not his middle name.
I caught a faint whiff of lavender as Trina settled herself next to me, and it made me smile. I glanced in the rear view mirror and locked eyes with Alex. Crap. His cocky grin told me he hadn’t missed anything between Trina and me. I wanted to slap the smug right off his face, but didn’t think that would win me any points with Trina.
“So where to?” I kept my eyes on Alex in the mirror.
“Home,” he said, still smirking like a satisfied cat.
“I thought you had a date.”
“I do. But I’m going to shower first. So should you. For Trina’s sake.”
I sighed, embarrassed. I was going to kill Alex once I got him alone.
“It’s okay,” Trina said. “We don’t have to go to dinner. You probably have other plans.”
“He doesn’t,” Alex said at the exact same time I said, “I don’t.”
Death was too good for him. I’d start with torture. Slow and painful.
“I’ll drop Alex off first,” I said, glaring at his mocking face in the mirror. I glanced at Trina. “You can hang out at my house while I shower and change.”
Trina stiffened next to me. “Y-your house?” She sounded panicked.
“Yeah.” I wondered why she sounded so worried. I didn’t look in the rear view mirror because I knew Alex’s eyes would be bugging out. I never asked girls to my house.
“Um,” she sounded hesitant. “Maybe I should go home and shower, too? You could drop me off…then pick me up in an hour?”
“Nah,” Alex piped up from the backseat. “You don’t stink. Girls never do.” He leaned forward and waggled his eyebrows at Trina. “Girls don’t sweat. They glow.”
I snorted and gave her a sympathetic grin. “I could just make him walk home.”
“But then I’d be late for Tim,” Alex said. “And he hates that.”
“You two are like an old married couple,” I muttered.
He sighed dreamily from the backseat. “I should be so lucky.”
Trina giggled softly, which made me stupidly happy.
“Make sure he treats you right, Trina.” Alex leaned forward again, shoving his head between our seats. “If he’s not a perfect gentleman, just text me. I’ll beat his ass.”
She turned to laugh with Alex, and my breath caught at the sparkle in her eyes and her sly smile. I accidentally slipped a gear, grinding and popping the clutch.
“Drive much?” Alex smirked. He turned back to Trina, talking like I wasn’t there. “So, a few things you should know. He hates sushi. Likes country music. Pathetic. His music taste is almost as bad as his fashion sense.” He took a breath. “Movies: action flicks, of course. Nothing with subtitles, God forbid. But…” He leaned in close and stage whispered in her ear, “Chick flicks? He’s your guy.”
Trina’s deep laughter bubbled through the car. If I didn’t need to shift gears, I’d have grabbed Alex by the hair and launched him right out the window.
After we dropped off Alex, I turned on the radio because I had a desperate need for background noise to calm my nerves. “So, how long have you volunteered at the shelter?”
“About a year. I started out reading to the kids one night a week, and then it expanded from there. I do whatever Sharon needs me to do.”
“That’s cool. It seems like a good place. Not that I have anything to compare it to.”
She relaxed into the seat and stretched out her legs, which I tried not to notice. “It’s a safe place for women and kids. Not that all homeless men are trouble, but sometimes bad stuff happens at the bigger shelters downtown.”