Eventually I overheated in my hat, mittens, wool coat, scarf and snow boots. I needed to cool off and shut down the endless loop of questions circling my brain.
I shed every piece of clothing and crawled between the sheets naked. I slipped in my earbuds and cranked my MP3 to hearing-damage levels.
But it worked. I fell asleep and I didn’t dream.
*
The next morning I woke up to the “We’re Not Gonna Take It” anthem by Twisted Sister.
It was exactly the kick in the ass I needed.
Furious, I got dressed, drove to work and stormed into Lund Industries with all the swagger I could muster. I took off my coat and turned around.
Sydney, Penny, Belinda and Margie gaped at me.
“What? You’ve never seen tattoos?”
“Uh, we’ve never seen them on you, Lennox.”
“Yeah, well, I got tired of wearing itchy sweaters all the time to cover them up.”
“The lip ring is cool,” Penny said. Then she confessed, “I’ve been debating on getting my nipples pierced.”
With the tight shirts she wore . . . that was not a good plan.
I said, “I had mine done and let them close up. It was more annoying than I thought it’d be.”
“Good to know. Thanks.”
I glanced over at Lola’s closed door. “Is she in there?”
“She was. I got a peek at it before she ran out. Her office looked like someone ransacked it.” Penny wrinkled her nose. “She’d better not expect one of us to file all of it.”
It’s not like filing office documents is rocket science.
I hated hearing that sentiment echoing in my head, especially when that was so unlike the Brady I knew and loved.
Sydney poked the tattoo on my arm. “I’m happy you’re not hiding these anymore. They’re much more mainstream.” She cocked her head at me. “I heard that Brady got a tattoo. Rumor is he got a shark bursting out of where his heart would be. Is there any truth to that?”
“I’ll never tell.”
“I know you’re working on the main floor today, but please come upstairs and have lunch with me.”
“You’ve got it.”
And I held my head high as I went to the reception area to answer the damn phones.
*
I’d taken one bite of my soup when she walked in wearing a gorgeous fur coat that brushed her ankles. Her gaze swept the room in that haughty demeanor few women could pull off—but of course she did.
Then Selka Lund looked right at me. And started toward me.
I sat up straighter. I wasn’t a bootlicker and she could just deal with that.
She stopped just short of the table. “Lennox. A moment of your time, please.”
“I was just having lunch with my friend—”
“It’s fine,” Sydney said. “Go ahead. I’ll catch up with you later.”
Pushing my chair back, I grabbed my lunch combo and headed to the back of the room.
She followed and sat across from me. “I haven’t been in here for ages.”
I wasn’t in the mood for small talk. “Mrs. Lund. Why are you here?”
“I was too hasty in judgment of you.”
Not the same thing as an apology. “Okay. And . . . ?”
“And two things I’d like to talk about today. First thing. I hear your roommate, this Kiley, is very special social worker, yah?”
“Yes. She’s a wonderful person. She is appreciative of the caliber of the volunteers LCCO sends to help out.”
“Of course she is. We strive for best.” She leaned in and her long hair, almost the same color as mine, brushed the table. “Brady said their regular meeting place had been changed?”
“Closed down completely. So Kiley has been getting creative in finding places for them to go on Saturdays. But she’s afraid the kids will stop coming, especially now since it’s the start of winter and she’s running out of options. Why do you ask?”
“Why didn’t she ask LCCO for help?”
“She did. LCCO sent Brady as a volunteer.”
“No. Help in finding a permanent space. We have many buildings at our disposal. Tell Kiley to call this number.” She reached in her pocket and pulled out a business card. “We will get her fixed up in a place at no charge.”
I barely kept my jaw from dropping—or from whipping out my phone and texting Kiley right then. “She’ll be thrilled. Thank you so much, Mrs. Lund.”
“Second thing. You and my son.”
I bristled automatically.
“You like him.”
“Yes.” Very much but I’m pretty sure that’s a moot point.
“When we first meet, I thought you were like Loki—the trickster. Telling me what a mother wants to hear about her child.” At my blank look, she said, “You talked about Brady being so kind. That is not how he is viewed. It surprised me equally that you saw it in him as it did that he showed that part of himself to you.”