Page 2 of On the Line

Well, hello, gorgeous.

She takes a stool two down from mine and drops her bag at her feet. Mikki is there before it hits the floor.

“Hey there. What can I get you?”

“A margarita, please. Frozen if you’ve got it.” She sighs. “And a small miracle, if that’s on the menu.”

Mikki grins. “Rough day?”

“You have no idea.”

I mind my own business for about fifteen seconds. Then her phone rings, and she looks at the screen and groans.

“That bad?” Mikki asks.

“It’s one of the people I just lied to.”

Okay, now I’m listening.

She answers. “Hey, Nora.” A burst of noise comes out of the phone. “Yes, I’m here. No, I haven’t checked in yet, I stopped to get a drink first. Because I’ve been in the car for three hours, Nora, that’s why.”

Mikki slides the margarita over, and the woman mouths a thank-you. Then her face changes.

“No. Do not invite him.” A pause. “Nora. I don’t need you to bring me a man. I’m not a charity case.”

I sip my beer. This is better than anything on the TV over the bar.

She catches me listening. I look away and study the beer taps like there’s going to be a quiz later, but I can feel her glaring at the side of my head.

“Because I’m not the only single person on the planet,” she says. Whatever Nora says back makes her close her eyes. And then she says, “Well, I’m not single, actually.”

My head turns before I can stop it. Her eyes cut straight to mine, and I raise my eyebrows. She looks like she’d give a kidney to take it back.

“Yes,” she says into the phone. “Yes, really.” Her gaze darts around the room, like a boyfriend might pop out from behind the soda fountain. “Sure… yeah… of course, he’s coming tonight.”

Oh, no. How’s she going to get out of this lie? I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning.

She points at me and shakes her head. It isn’t a threat, exactly. It’s more of a don’t you dare laugh… or else. I press my lips together and nod.

“Why haven’t I mentioned him before?” She drains about a third of her margarita. “Well… it’s still kind of new.”

I cough into my fist. Her glare could kill a smaller man.

“Fine. See you in a bit.” She hangs up, sets the phone face down on the bar, and tells nobody in particular, “I hate my friends.”

Mikki snorts. I give up on pretending.

“So what time is your boyfriend getting here?”

She turns her head very slowly. “I hope your beer’s warm.”

“It’s actually pretty cold.”

“Then I hope the next one’s warm.”

“That seems a little hostile.”

“You were eavesdropping.”