“Oh, come on. They can take a joke.”
But maybe I can’t, because it feels like I just swallowed broken glass.
“Sure, we can take a joke,” Cormac says, his voice hard. “Were you planning on telling one? I don’t find insults to my girlfriend amusing.”
I peer at him in wonder. “Cormac.”
He nudges my foot again, continuing our silent conversation, and I lay my hand on his thigh, not even thinking about it. He flinches, and I start to pull away, but then he sets his warm, large hand on top of mine. Peering into my eyes, he says, “Don’t worry, though. We have every intention of breaking her old record.”
I’ll be damned if a kaleidoscope of fucking butterflies isn’t unleashing in my stomach. I’m seeing another side of him tonight, and it’shot.
He holds my gaze for a long moment, the corners of hismouth inching upward, and then shifts back to face Pansy. “Why don’t you give me your card, Pansy?”
“Yeah, of course,” she gushes, pulling a business card out of her oversized bag.
He pockets it, then nods to José and pulls out his wallet. “I’m sorry, but we have to get back home to check on my dog.” He sets a hundred-dollar bill on the table and reaches for my hand. “Nora?”
I let him help me up, my eyes glued to him. “Are we leaving Hotel California?”
“Consider us checked out.”
“But…you can’t beleaving.” Pansy tucks a golden lock of hair behind her ear. “Aren’t we all going bowling? I reserved two lanes.”
Honestly. Did José tell her about the C-minus I got in bowling as well?
I look at him for confirmation, but he’s pointedly looking away. He seems embarrassed by her behavior, which is a first. That’s good news for our unmasking project, I suppose.
“No,” Cormac says. “But I hope you enjoy yourselves. Be sure to use plenty of hand sanitizer.”
Pansy rubs sweat off her upper lip. “We’ll do this again sometime.”
“Probably not,” Cormac says. “But I have your card. I’ll be in touch.”
“What about your change?” José asks, gesturing to the cash on the table. “I can return it to Nora tomorrow.”
“No, get yourself some dessert,” Cormac says. “I hear they like apples around here.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CORMAC
José really surprised me earlier, when we went inside the restaurant to get drinks. He actually apologized for Pansy’s poor behavior.
His apology was appropriate for two reasons: the first for Pansy’s poor treatment of Nora, and the second for everything related to Pads by Pansy. So I nodded, because I didn’t want to say no apology had been needed.
He then offered to buy the round of drinks, and since it seemed important to him, I allowed it.
We settled into an awkward silence while we waited for the drinks. I was content to keep it that way, but José seemed antsy, tapping the bartop as if nervous. Finally, he looked over at me and said, “When Nora told me you were dating, I thought she was bullshitting me.”
“Oh.”
He shrugged. “You’re not her type.”
“Apparently I am,” I responded, even though he had a point.
“Maybe.”
“Definitely.I have it on good authority.”
