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“I’m not home, and my dorm’s really small. Rum.”
With her enthusiasticrum, I sigh. “You want to come over?”
At that, Wendy’s eyes snap to mine, and she motions to me to mute the call.
“Can I have my friend Laura over here?” I feel about ten years old.
“To Tizio’s home? You have to be kidding. And it’s risky.”
“This is my friend,” I say.
She sighs. “I don’t trust anyone, and she hasn’t been here, doesn’t know you’re staying here?”
I roll everything back in my head. “No.”
Wendy nods. “Tell her we’ll meet at your place—Tizio’s other place seems good. And I know that one. Tell her you’ll meet her in an hour, you’re just getting some groceries.” She holds up her phone. “I’ll place an order, and one of my people can pick it up.”
My cheeks heat, and my stomach clenches at her words. Did she and Tizio . . .
I force my mind from there and give the address to Laura.
“Grab some things, and hon?” Wendy looks me over. “Freshen up, kid. The answer’s no, by the way.”
“What answer?”
“To the blindingly bright question on your face about Tizio and me. Never happened. Not interested, and he wasn’tinterested, either. So go change or whatever, make yourself feel good, because you look like shit. And Karlee?”
I pause on my way to the bedroom. “Yes?”
“Known Tizio Manolo a long time, your brother too. Both are good guys, or I’d never have worked for them, never bought the business from them. And Tizio and Fallon? Well, everyone had a crush on them. All the women, some of the men too, but they never stepped over the line. Especially Tizio. I’ve been on jobs with him where hot clients throw themselves at him, and he hasn’t looked twice. Except you. He looks at you.”
“I . . .”
“Take it for what it is. Observation.” Then she smiles. “And you challenge the hell out of him.”
“I piss him off.”
“You’re good for him.” She checks her watch. “I’m not in the game to trust, so I’ll be in the bedroom, door open tonight. The others will split watch between here and there. So, let’s get this show going.”
“Well,” Laura says, stretching her feet out and admiring the blue glitter polish she put on her nails, “this place he keeps you is at least nice.”
I swallow my bite of pizza and wash it down with the coconut, pineapple, and rum drink Laura insisted on making. She’s had a few, and this is technically my first, as I’ve emptied them each time I’ve gone for a top-up. I don’t think I can handle getting drunk tonight.
“It’s okay. Are people really talking?”
“He beat up Hazard.” Laura shakes her head. “You don’t like him, do you?”
“No.” It takes me a moment to realize she meant Tizio, but I leave it.
“Good.” She puts another coat of paint on her fingernails, then sips her drink. “I don’t think you should trust him. That day you took off, he . . . he hit on me and then got mean.”
I nod. “Trust me, I’m not a fan.”
“Good.” Laura breathes out and holds up her glass. “More rum!”
“I’ll get it.” I take the glasses and make the drinks.
The thing is, that’s not Tizio at all. If he’s got issues with me being young, then he’s not going for her. She’s a few years older, but . . .
