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TWELVE
Lisa hadit all planned out. First, Maddie would meet her at Murphy’s, a place she’d picked because she knew none of the security cameras in the building or the parking lot worked. According to her friend Danny, the restaurant’s assistant manager, they hadn’t worked in over a year, and the owner had no intentions of fixing or replacing the system.
During dinner, the pill in her purse would find its way into Maddie’s drink. Lisa didn’t know what it was. However, Jeremy assured her it would make Maddie drowsy and appear drunk, so no one would find it odd when Lisa helped her outside and to her car. And since the cameras didn’t work, there would be no record of them being together.
Then she’d drive to the abandoned warehouse on Fowler Street and meet Jeremy, who would do the actual dirty work. Lisa didn’t need a man to take care of things for her, but why get your hands dirty if you didn’t need to? Especially when Jeremy took such enjoyment in his work, and since he was helping her, it was the least she could do.
She had to put everything on hold now because Maddie had invited a damn friend to join them. It had taken all her self-control not to react when Maddie told her. She’d been waiting over a week to see Maddie. Before today, every time she’d asked, Maddie had plans. And after tonight, who knew how long it might be before Lisa saw her again?
“You look familiar, but I don’t know from where,” Alex said, after placing her dinner order.
Oh, I know where.
Not long after Lisa and Keith began dating, they’d been walking into Murphy’s one night as Alex and a man exited. Both couples stopped long enough to say hello. Lisa didn’t remember if they had even made any introductions. And tonight, when Maddie’s friend sat at the table, she’d never been happier that she’d cut and dyed her hair in August.
“I’ve done some television commercials, and I had a small role onPrecinct 3.”
If Alex assumed that was why Lisa looked familiar, she wouldn’t spend more time thinking about it. The last thing she needed was for Alex to recall their brief encounter and mention Lisa’s connection to Keith.
Alex nodded as she lifted her wineglass. “Yeah, that must be it. I enjoyed that show. I was bummed when they canceled it.”
“You and me both.”
Lisa had thought her career would finally take off when she got the role. Then, just like that, she was back to recording audiobooks while auditioning for any part she could get. To date, she’d only landed a few more television commercial jobs.
“So, how much yelling do you think is going on over at Spike’s house?” Alex asked.
Thank you.
If Alex was wondering about what was happening at someone else’s house, the woman had accepted Lisa’s reason for why she looked familiar and dismissed the thought from her mind.
“Keith and a few other guys we work with are watching the football game tonight,” Maddie explained before answering Alex. “It’ll depend on the teams playing. Keith probably told me, but I don’t remember.”
“So, you two work together?” Lisa asked.
“That’s how we met,” Maddie answered before turning her attention to Alex. “You started at the firm, what, two months after me?”
“Something like that.”
“And is Spike the hot guy I saw you and Keith in here with that has a girlfriend?” Lisa didn’t care who Spike was, but it seemed like an appropriate question.
Maddie shook her head as the waiter set down their drinks. “No, that was Connor you saw with us. Spike’s single.”
“And frigging gorgeous. I’m talking panty-melting, drool-worthy gorgeous,” Alex added. “The man should be in Hollywood making movies or something. I almost wish he was my type.”
“What makes him not your type?” Lisa asked.
“Family is important to Spike. He once told me he wanted to have three or four kids. I’m not interested in that. The only diapers I ever plan to change is if I have any nieces or nephews.”
Lisa wasn’t for or against having children. She’d simply never thought about it. Now that Alex mentioned them, though, she wondered what Keith’s take on the subject was. When they were together, he’d never mentioned children except to say he had a niece who lived in Rhode Island.
“You sound like my brother,” Maddie replied. “It’s too late now, but maybe I should’ve set you and Spencer up.”
“Even if things don’t work out with Brandon, I’ll pass. Spencer is a nice guy, and I like him. But I made the mistake of dating a friend’s brother in college and will never do it again.”
“Does Brandon work with the two of you too?” Of course, who they worked with was irrelevant, but asking allowed Lisa to control the conversation.
“No, we’re both regulars at a café near my house. And one Sunday morning, we just started talking. That was about two months ago, I think. Last night, he invited me to his mom and stepdad’s house for Thanksgiving. So we’re going there for dinner, and then after, we’ll head to my parents’ house for dessert so that he can meet my family.”
