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I looked down the street at the rooming house, wondering if Melvin Barrel was in there melting down in a pool of sweat. No air conditioners sticking out of any of the windows in the rooming house. For sure no central air.
“I bet that skinny guy you almost killed was running away from someone, and that’s why he wanted your car,” Lula said.
I leaned against the building. “It was a bad choice of cars.”
“Yeah, but he didn’t know that. All’s he saw was two women sitting in a car like a couple dummies. He probably figured if we was stupid enough to be sitting in the car, we was stupid enough to give it over to him.”
“He was wrong.”
“Not by much,” Lula said.
Fifteen minutes later Ranger eased his black Porsche Cayenne to a stop in front of Lula and me. I got into the front passenger seat, and Lula got into the back.
Ranger glanced at the charred cadaver of twisted metal and smoldering tires that used to be my car. “Yours?” he asked me.
“Yep,” I said.
“Do I need to know how this happened?”
“Nope.”
Ranger idled in front of the bonds office and Lula got out. I moved to follow Lula, and Ranger wrapped his hand around my wrist. “Stay. I want to talk to you.”
I’m not currently in a physical relationship with Ranger. Ranger has clear priorities and matrimony isn’t high on the list. In fact, it isn’t on the list at all. Until recently marriage hasn’t been high on my priorities list either, but my mother feels otherwise, and as much as I hate to admit it my mother is wearing me down.
“I need a date,” Ranger said.
My voice ratcheted up an octave. “You want me to get you a date
?”
“No. I want you to be my date. I have to attend a black tie event, and I need someone watching my back.”
“Me?” I wasn’t exactly The Terminator.
“People would talk if I brought Tank.”
Tank is appropriately named. He’s Ranger’s shadow and second in command at Rangeman. And Ranger was right. Tank would make a controversial date.
“When is this?” I asked Ranger.
“Tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow? I can’t just drop everything and do this tomorrow. You should have asked me sooner. I’m seeing Morelli. It’s Friday date night. We’re going to the movies and then . . .”
“I can give you a better and then,” Ranger said.
I went breathless for a beat at the thought of Ranger’s and then. Morelli was an amazing lover, but Ranger was magic. I pulled myself together and narrowed my eyes at Ranger, hoping I looked determined.
“You and I are done doing and then with each other,” I said. “There is absolutely no more and then. Morelli and I have an understanding.”
“Which is?”
“It’s vague.”
“Babe.”
“I’m serious this time. I might be ready to have a committed adult relationship.”
