But I don’t want to talk to him.
I’m also salty because O.G. can’t get me in for this freaking séance and I have no idea how we’re going to pull it off. I don’t want to be nagged anymore. I’m feeling like a hack and seeing Mr. Smooth-As-Glass will only hurt my self-esteem. Also, there’s the issue of my growing harder to ignore attraction to him.
Basically, I’m stuck on all routes.
“And that makes you angry because?” Russell asks, a little haughtily, in my opinion.
“Oh, let me take you back to her house. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind,” Mrs. J. says.
I barge into the room like the sheriff in an old western. “You’ve got some nerve showing your face ’round here.” I point an outraged finger at Roe.
Mrs. Jenkins looks up with a smile, her mink slipping from her shoulder. Roe has a grin that many people would describe as “shit-eating.” I find that a little too vulgar but apt.
“Oh, hi, doll! We were just talking about you,” Mrs. Jenkins says.
“Were ya?” I ask.
“Hi, Maggie.” Roe waves. Still grinning. Even his damn eyebrows are arrogant.
“Here, help me for a minute.” Mrs. Jenkins tries to stand and we both rush forward to help her up. We glare at each other behind her back. She pats me and turns to Roe. I use the chance to stick my tongue out at him.
“You want some coffee, Shug?” she asks him.
He looks to me and then back to Mrs. J. His smile is saccharine. “That would be lovely. Can I help?” That’s the smile the fan-girls create GIFs of that get reposted a million times.
She waves away his offer before hooking her arm through mine. We shuffle back into the kitchen. We pass Danny and Russell still in the same position, faces frozen in shock.
Mrs. J. picks up Pepper, who followed us in, and sets him on the counter. He spins three times before sitting down, legs splayed like road kill. He blinks at me. Well, with one eye at least. The other stares at the wall. His tongue curls under his mouth looking like a dry-rotted rubber band. Meanwhile, Mrs. J. starts to collect her silver set. I move to the cabinet to get out the coffee grounds.
“Now listen, honey. I know you aren’t really aware of what’s happening in this town…” She halts mid-task to lean her elbows on the counter, one hand absent-mindedly petting Pepper.
There’s a small chance I never mentioned to Mrs. J. what I do for a living. She continues without comment.
“But back in that room is James Roe. He’s a Hollywood big shot. You go in there and wow him.” She smacks my bottom. “Shake that skinny white girl booty.”
“Oh God.”
The guys join us, standing around the island, listening intently.
“Don’t talk too much,” Danny suggests.
“How rude. I’ll have you know I am a delight.” I lean back and scowl. Well, I can be. If I try, but I don’t because nobody is worth it.
“The first time we met, you spent forty-five minutes discussing the neighborhood association’s rules.”
“I was trying to politely inform you that you were in direct violation of three of them and you had just moved in.”
He sighs and Russell makes a gesture like this only proves his point.
“Whatever. Mrs. J. liked me right away.”
Mrs. J. pointedly examines the carafe, rubbing a spot and mumbling about it not coming out.
Russell jumps in. “But…” He shakes his head. “He said your name. Do you know him already?”
“Clearly.” Danny’s arm flails up in disgust. “She yelled at him.”
“This is why she’s still single. She’s so prickly,” Mrs. J. jumps in.
