Page 48 of The Woman with the Handcuffs

“Why not? It’s a great price. And none of the reviews mention bed bugs.”

“Honey, not having bed bugs is the fucking floor. I want a bed that doesn’t smell like unwashed bodies and a room where I’m not worried every surface is covered in sex fluids.”

“Ew.”

“Exactly.”

“Well, there really isn’t anything else close-by. Well, except this place. But it’s insane.”

“Insane meaning it’s got theme rooms and heart-shaped beds, or insane as in expensive?”

“I stayed on a heart-shaped bed once. It had a quarter machine to make it vibrate. My father was horrified. But it was the only room we could find. And theme rooms could be fun. No, though. It’s just expensive. For just a couple hours.”

“Are there rooms with a double?”

“Yeah, but—”

“Book it.” I handed her my wallet. “Use whatever card.” When she hesitated taking it from my hand, I sighed. “Book the damn room.” When she still didn’t move to do it, I shook my head. “Give me the phone then.”

“You can’t be distracted while driving,” she objected, yanking it out of my reach. “I’ll book it!” she said when I reached again.

“Was that so hard?”

“This is six hardcover books and one paperback,” she told me.

“Book math?” I asked, laughing.

“Book math is how I talk myself out of buying silly seasonal decorations or too many takeaway coffees. Because I love my coffee, but just two of them a week is worth a whole book that I will enjoy for a lot more hours than the coffee.”

“You sound like my sister. Meanwhile, all she had to do was call up one of us and she’d get her coffee and her books for free.”

“That’s sweet. Had?”

“She’s married now. Her husband gets to spoil her now.”

“Are all your siblings married?”

“No. Leo, Zeno, and I are still single.”

“By choice?”

“Leo wants a family. Just hasn’t been lucky in that department yet. Zeno is usually too distracted to notice a woman who isn’t thrown right in his path.”

“And you?”

“Who the hell would want to shack up with my ass forever?” I asked, meaning it in an unserious way.

But Caitlin watched me with scrunched brows. “You know, you keep making comments like that. But you’re not that bad.”

“Gee, thanks, Cait.”

“I mean it! I mean, you might be a little grumpy sometimes. But you’re a nice guy.”

“Christ. Don’t go spreading that shit around.”

“The truth?”

“Honey, you barely know me.”