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“No fault of yours. I enjoyed it.”
“I hope you did. Do you want to leave the charges on your card?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“Just give me a moment.”
“I think I’ll grab a couple bottles of water for the road.”
“Help yourself.”
When she went in, he stood in the kitchen chatting amiably with Carolee. “Thank you, Austin. Have a safe trip.”
“You went out of your way.” He took her hand, pressed bills into it.
“No, that’s not necessary.”
“Please. I’d consider it a favor if you’d take it. It was nice meeting both of you. You take care now.”
As he left, Hope looked down at the two folded fifties in her hand.
“It’s his way of apologizing,” Carolee said. “You don’t turn away a sincere apology.”
“It still wasn’t necessary. Here. Your half.”
Carolee shook her head. “That’s yours, honey.”
“Carolee—”
“No.” To add emphasis, Carolee shook a finger. “That’s yours, and you earned it. Why don’t you go on up for a little bit, get some rest?”
“Too much coffee.” The combination of fatigue and caffeine made her feel like an exhausted hamster who couldn’t stop running on its wheel. “Maybe later. But Avery’s opening today. Maybe I’ll run over, talk to her.”
“You do that.”
Time with a friend was as refreshing as a nap, Hope thought as she crossed Main. And she needed opinions, advice, commentary. She rapped on the glass door and waited for Avery, hair clipped back, bib apron in place, to come out of the closed kitchen.
“Hey, what’s up? I thought you had a full house.”
“Carolee’s got it for now. I’m taking a break, and boy, do I have a load to tell you. I wish Clare was around.”
“Good stuff? Juicy gossip?”
“All of that and more.”
“Come on back and spill it. We had a run on pizzas last night, and I’m prepping more dough.”
“I’m grabbing a Coke. I shouldn’t have any more caffeine, but I have to function.”
“Rough night?”
“All of that and more.” She walked in the back where Avery stood at the stainless steel worktable cutting dough for the rising pans. “First, there was The Pill.”
“Birth control pill?”
“You have a one-track mind. The Pill in the form of one Lola Redman.”
“Oh, I know the type,” Avery said when Hope elaborated. “We get them. You can’t deal with the public and not. Did I tell you about the guy last week who—Sorry, your story time.”
“And there’s more. I’m trying to decide if I tell it chronologically or in order of impact.”
“Impact.”
“Even then it’s hard to judge. So I’m going with sex.”
“You had sex?” Avery fisted flour-covered hands on her hips. “When did you have time for sex since I talked to you last?”
“I didn’t have sex. I’m going to have sex. Thank God. Next Tuesday night.”
“You’ve made an appointment for sex.” On a pitying look, Avery let out a sigh. “Only you.”
“There are logistics involved,” Hope pointed out. “We don’t have any bookings Tuesday night. I can’t have sex when I have guests.”
“Why not? You have an apartment with a door and a lock on it. I suspect, call me crazy, some of your guests have sex behind their own closed doors.”
“True, but I don’t want to risk it the first time. We could have another group who wants to party until one in the morning. I’d like more privacy.”
“Are you planning to raise the roof?”
“It’s been over a year,” she reminded her friend. “The roof may be raised. I need to buy some new underwear. Sexy underwear. I haven’t bought sexy underwear in a year either, which is a sad, sad thing. This requires new, doesn’t it?”
“Absolutely. Not that Ryder’s going to pay much attention to that before he yanks it off you.”
“I didn’t say I was having sex with Ryder.”
“I read the subtext.” Avery carried dough pans to the under-counter cooler, stirred the sauce already simmering on the stove. “Are you going out first, like dinner or a movie, or just jumping?”
“I suggested we order in, which got his approval. Then I’ll jump him.”
“That’s so sweet.” Avery beamed at her. “Why don’t I make you something, a grown-up meal? One of the entrees from MacT’s.”
“You don’t have to do that. Pasta’s fine.”
“Vesta’s pasta’s more than fine, but why not bump it up a level? It’ll be my contribution to the Hope Finally Gets Laid Event.”
“We thank you for your support.”
“Leave that to me. You can pay me by calling or texting at the first possible moment to confirm liftoff.”
“Done. Should I be worried about complications with this? With Ryder.”
“Ryder’s not a complicated guy. Him man, you woman. I’m pretty sure he’ll be okay with that. I know some of the women he’s dated in the past.”
“What are they like? Come on,” Hope added, “who wouldn’t want to know?”
“Hope, he’s been dating—and I assume ‘dating’”—she gave the word air quotes—“since he was in his teens. It’s a variety pack. But I can say he manages to keep it friendly after the ‘dating’”—more air quotes—“stops.”
“That’s all I want. Uncomplicated, friendly sex with a man I like—which is a surprise—and am attracted to, which really isn’t. Okay.” She swiped her hands in the air. “Settled. Now for the rest of the story. I fell into bed about twelve thirty last night. And woke up just after two, due to the screaming from downstairs.”
“Oh my God.” Avery stopped stocking her toppings dish. “What happened?”
“Let me tell you,” Hope said, and did.
At the point in the telling Avery doubled over with laughter, Hope shook her head. “I should’ve known you’d think it was funny. You and Lizzy have a lot in common.”
“She did it on purpose. You know she did. Lizzy likes us, and The Pill was treating you like a mentally challenged servant instead of her gracious and classy host. She deserved a good scare.”
“She got one. Everybody’s packed into the second-floor hall, in their underwear, robes, or skimpy nightclothes—including me—and she’s screaming like somebody jabbed her in the eye with an ice pick. I feel guilty not telling her she actually did see something—or someone, but—”
“She’d have been more freaked.”
“Exactly. Judgment call. I did tell Jake and Casey. He’d kind of seen Lizzy earlier on the porch. He’s into ghosts, but doesn’t seem weird about it. I’m absolutely sure he’s going to be wandering around tonight, trying to get her to make another appearance. Anyway, two cups of whiskey-laced tea, and we got Lola settled down again. But in T&O. Jake and Casey switched with them, which, of course, meant I had to change the sheets and towels in both rooms, but it was worth it for the peace.”
“What time did you get back to bed?”
“It was going on four.”
“God, you must be dead on your feet.”
“Caffeine.” She held up the Coke. “It’s my best friend today—besides you. But that’s not the end of the story. I saw her.”
“The Pill?”
“Lizzy. Eliza. I was talking to her while I got ready to go back to bed. I do that sometimes, thinking it may ease her into communicating. Boy, did it work.”
“She was in your apartment?”
“It’s not the first time, but it’s the first time she let me see her. Or I could see her. And, Avery, she talked to me.”
Eyes wide, Avery reached over to grab Hope’s hand. “What did she say? Did you ask her about Billy?”
“The first thing, which showed admirable control and presence of mind, by the way.”
“Kudos. What did she tell you?”
“I wrote it all down. I think I got it word for word, so I can share it with Owen. Everybody, but Owen especially.” She pulled out the note she’d folded into her pocket, and read it to Avery.
“What’s it got to do with Ryder?”
“I don’t know. My take is she’s got that romantic streak, and she sees me and Ryder matched up.”
“She’ll be very pleased Tuesday night.”
“Maybe so, but we’re going to disappoint her with this love angle.”
