What You Need(74)
The skies were gray, the streets were gray, my mood was black.
I wanted to slip into my pajamas, crawl in bed and pull the covers over my head, and hope tomorrow was better.
Kiley had counseling sessions on Monday nights, so I had the house to myself.
I was hungry but I hadn’t been grocery shopping in ages, so my choices were a) starve, b) eat Kiley’s food, c) call for carryout.
Then I remembered I’d stashed a candy bar in the glove compartment. That would tide me over until I could grab a breakfast burrito in the morning.
I slipped on my coat and opened the door.
Brady froze as he reached the top step. “Hey. I was just about to ring the doorbell.”
Hey? All I got was . . . hey? Where was my hug? Where was my kiss hello? Where was my I missed you, baby?
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why were you going to ring the doorbell? Because it doesn’t look to me that you’re too thrilled to be here.”
His eyes narrowed. Then his gaze moved over me in my long coat, snow boots and keys in my hand. “And it looks to me like you’re going somewhere.”
I would not admit my pathetic plans to this man who thought I had a wild streak as wide as the Mississippi River. So I did what any self-respecting wild woman would do: I lied my ass off.
“I was just about to hit the gun range.”
Brady laughed.
His laugh pissed me off. “I’d be careful—you’re laughing at an armed woman who has had one shitshow of a day.”
His smile slipped. “You’re seriously going to the gun range? Right now?”
“Yes. Why?”
“I’ve had a shitshow of a day myself and I’d like to tag along.”
Crap. This was exactly why I didn’t lie. “Oh. I can’t promise you range time, since you’re not on the schedule, but if you don’t mind just standing around watching me enjoying my bullet therapy, then it’d probably be okay.” Bullet therapy? God. Next I’d be bragging about busting a cap in a paper target’s ass.
“Sounds good.” Then Brady moved in, lowered his head and fused his mouth to mine.
I leaned into him, grabbing on to his lapels, losing myself in his kiss.
He curled his hand over my cheek and pulled back. “I missed you today.”
“Same.”
“Let’s go.”
Time to stall. “Come inside for a minute. Right before you got here I realized I don’t have a gun. I usually borrow Kiley’s, but she has hers in her car, so I have to call the range and see what they’ve got for me to rent.” I gave him a smacking kiss on the mouth and said, “Be right back,” and ran upstairs.
Maxie had called me Saturday night but hadn’t left a message, so I hoped she picked up.
The phone rang four times before she answered. “Damn, girl, I’m glad it wasn’t an emergency with as long as it took you to return my call.”
“I was at a cabin up in the North Woods with no cell service. Look, Maxie, I need a huge favor.”
“What?”
“Does Pistol still work at that gun range?”
“Yeah. He’s there tonight. Why?”
“I need range time tonight. And a handgun. And ammo.”
“Need someone to aim and shoot for you too?” she said snottily.
“Hilarious.”
“Lenni, what’s going on?”
“It has to do with my job.” Another lie. I was on a roll. “I have to show I have some self-defense skills to get an additional monthly discount for my health insurance. And I just found out today that the option expires tomorrow.”
“Those HMO bastards have too damn much power.”
“I agree. But it isn’t something I want to argue with. I just want to get signed off on it.”
“Pistol mentioned he was closing tonight, so I’ll call him and let him know you’re on your way.”
“Thank you, Maxie. So, so much.”
“Any chance you can swing by the bar when you’re done?”
“I can’t, because my boss will be with me at the range. To, uh, make sure I’m not falsifying the claim. So could you ask Pistol to play it cool when he sees me?”
Maxie laughed. “Never a dull moment with you, Lenni. I miss your crazy ways. But, darlin’ girl, you gotta make time for me, because we have to talk. Soon.”
Just as I hung up I heard the stairs creak. Then Brady filled the doorframe. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes. They put me on hold but we’re good to go.”
His focus wasn’t on me, but on the bed behind me. “So this is your room.”
I waited for him to continue.
“Does the bed creak as loudly as the floors?” He started toward me.