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I turned the hairdryer back on, subject closed.
After visiting Ally, I went home. I cleaned my house, went through my mail and watered my yard and flowers. Then I watered Tod and Stevie’s. Then I went to their front door and knocked.
Stevie answered then looked beyond me in case he could see a sniper.
“I watered your flowers,” I told him.
“That’s nice.”
“I’m sorry about last night,” I went on.
“I’m not sure I forgive you. Though Tod says you threw yourself on top of him to protect him from bullets so I guess I’m not so mad. Tod thought it was a blast. Says it reminded him of home.”
“The way Tod tells it, I don’t think I want to go to Texas.”
Stevie didn’t say anything.
“Anyway, it’s easy for Tod to say it was a blast. He was protected a foot deep by foam rubber.”
We both knew bullets would tear through Tod’s rubber.
I kept talking. I knew Stevie was mad and somehow couldn’t help myself.
“The dead body of the guy who started it was set in the front door of Fortnum’s this morning.”
Stevie’s eyes widened.
Okay, so now I was beginning to let the shock of it all wear through me. Not to mention Stevie was mad at me, and I didn’t like people I cared about being mad at me. It wasn’t my fault, even though it felt like it was.
Tears sprang into my eyes.
“Talk to you later,” I said.
“Girlie, you’re a mess. Get in here.”
He yanked me inside, gave me a drink and sat me on the sofa. I let it all hang out, including the fact that even though we’d get closer each time, Lee and I hadn’tdone ityet.
Stevie listened, hugged me occasionally, got me tissues when the tears threatened to spill and cast no judgment. Then he took me home, snapped through the hangers in my closets and opened and closed boxes of shoes until he found what he was looking for. All the while he communicated His Plan.
While Stevie walked me to the Crossfire, he told me that Tod was at Denver International Airport. He had a flight and wouldn’t be back for a few days. Stevie was leaving late the next morning to do the same and asked me to look after Chowleena while he and Tod were gone.
“If I need to take her to Lee’s, would that be a problem?” I asked.
“Just write us a note.”
Then, like a fairy godfather (pun intended), he waved me off on my errands that would eventually end with Lee.
I went to Cherry Creek and popped into Linens-n-Things. I grabbed a few necessities and went over to Fresh and Wild, got the stuff I needed for the night and added a few things for the morning (and just in case my stay at the condo was even longer). I carted it all, plus the stuff from Kumar’s store and the dress and the shoes, up to Lee’s condo.
I dumped everything and started work. I made the chocolate cream pie first then prepared the au gratin potatoes and topped them with aluminum foil ready to put in the oven. I trimmed the green beans, ready to be blanched. I left the steak in the fridge. I could broil it in ten minutes and Lee told me he’d phone when he was coming.
I set the table and put out the placemats and cloth napkins circled with napkin rings that I bought at Linens-n-Things. I tried to buy the most macho placemats, napkins and rings I could find, as they would be adorning Lee’s table, but they didn’t really do macho in that kind of retail.
In the center of the table I placed the high, tapered candles in silver candleholders I also bought. I arranged the flowers I got at Fresh and Wild in the vase I purchased. I got out the deep bowled glasses I’d noticed in Lee’s cupboards, and, as a finishing touch, I put the expensive bottle of red wine between them on the dining room table.
I didn’t exactly need to plan a seduction, but a little romance never hurt, or at least that’s what Stevie said. And anyway, Lee was running himself ragged. I knew he liked steak, au gratin potatoes and chocolate cream pie. Kitty Sue made it for him every birthday. He deserved a treat, and maybe after I gave him one, he’d give one to me.
I went into the bedroom with dress and shoes and stared at the chair. Both my bags were gone. I did a check in the closet and a couple of drawers. Not only were my clothes put away, but the dirty ones were cleaned, ironed and also hung in the closet or were folded in the drawers. I looked around the room and the bed was made with fresh sheets, the carpets freshly vacuumed.
