AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He drove off. Ryan had released my hand.
“How do you know him?” he asked, an edge to his voice.
“He was the detective who came when I brought the baby home. Do you know him? I mean, you seemed like you did.”
“He’s the asshole who arrested me for the rape that never happened.”
“Oh, ugh. I’m sorry, Ryan. What a coincidence, of all the cops in New York.”
“Yeah. Just my lucky day, I guess.”
We walked to the donut shop, not touching, me trying to make small talk. At the counter, we got donuts and decaf, then sat on a bench out on the sidewalk to eat.
“You should get some to take home,” Ryan said.
“And have you leave them with me tomorrow? I don’t think so. I never had to watch what I ate until I moved here. The feed is constant.”
“You’re the only person I know who doesn’t like to go out to eat,” he said, taking a bite.
I ignored the tone, which almost sounded like an insult. “This is decadent. It needs vanilla ice cream to go with it.”
We finished eating, the meeting with Detective Spinoza forgotten, or so I thought. When we reached my place, Ryan had another surprise for me.
“I think I’ll head home tonight. I have a few things I have to do before we leave, like clean out the refrigerator.”
“Oh, okay. Will I see you before you leave?”
“I’ll let you know, okay? Randy may want to get together with the cast and crew one more time.”
So, this was it for Ryan and me. A wave of hurt flowed over me that shifted to anger, and I didn’t know if it was justified. But I wasn’t going to let him get away with it.
“Okay, Ryan, what happened between the screw before dinner and now? You’re going to be gone six weeks and you’re breaking up with me? This can be it for eternity, if that’s the case.”
That threat didn’t seem to faze him at all. “Yeah. I get it. The cop on the street was a buzzkill.”
“What? Why? And what does that have to do with us? With me?”
“Too much reality. You’re the girl with no associations, and you know the cop who arrested me by name. That’s a little too coincidental. It’s almost like you planned it.”
“Ryan, get real. What does no associations mean?” I asked.
“You only know Randy, and that relationship doesn’t seem deep.”
Bristling, I wondered why he’d added that last part. Randy and I didn’t know each other well enough for it to be deep. Then I wondered if he’d heard about my past, maybe from a client I was unaware of.
“Thanks for that observation. I’m sure Randy will be thrilled to hear it.”
“You’re going to tell him?” he asked, acting surprised.
“I’m taking it under advisement.”
I was tired of talking to Ryan, angry that my first impulse had been to avoid him like the plague, and I’d ended up in bed with the guy in spite of it. I studied his face and decided I didn’t like him after all.
“Fuck off,” I said, turning to run up the steps.
“Can I at least come up and get my stuff?” he asked, looking up at me.
“No. I’ll pack it up and leave it in the lobby. Never call me again.”
