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The cracked ice in my chest has given way to a massive aching hole.
“Better make it sixteen.”
“You want it with sides?”
I’m not going to be able to manage many more of these questions without the crazy laughing/crying returning.
“Yeah, whatever sides are popular. And biscuits, please. I’m gonna need a whole lot of biscuits.” A sob makes the last word come out choked.
She rattles off the total, and I pull around to the window to pay. A short woman wearing a goofy chicken hat gives me a kinder smile than I was expecting after my breakdown.
“I slipped an extra biscuit in there,” she whispers while passing me the armload of fried comfort.
“Thank you,” I mutter, keeping my eyes to myself and hoping I never run into this lovely woman again.
For a moment, I park and consider consuming the entire order myself.
The idea is tempting.
But I still need a shower and a bed.
Penelope’s engine purrs like a comforting embrace, as I pull back out on the road. The headlights point toward my childhood home.
My parents are about to get a late-night visitor, bearing fried chicken and a broken heart.
Chapter Two
DASH
Two weeks later
“You smell like piss.”
Cole glares at me and doesn’t bother to take a step back. He invades my office with his presence and pungent scent.
“That’s what happens when three different cats use you as a litter box.” He crosses his arms, smirking down at me. “You saying I should take the rest of the day off to go wash my clothes?”
I snort, which is a mistake because it just drags in more of the urine smell. We both know he can’t afford to take any time off. Every cent of his paycheck counts.
Which is apparently why he’s in my space.
“Remember the rent’s due by Friday. It’d be better if I could get your half before then.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll get it to you.”
Cole is always on my case about rent. The guy gets antsy about money. I can’t complain though. He’s just trying to keep us on track.
Not that I’m not, but I have a few more debts to deal with than he does.
“And you might want to go help Kim out,” he throws a thumb over his shoulder.
“Kim?”
“The new front desk worker. She’s got an intense customer, and I don’t think she’s handling it well.”
Crap.
The last thing I need is for our newest hire to quit during her first shift because of some random customer yelling at her. I shut off my computer screen and slide past Cole, holding my breath until I’m a good ten feet away from my roommate.
