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I hadn’t had the chance to process kissing Eddie. I certainly wasn’t ready for a date.
Luckily, I had an excuse. “I can’t, I have a shift at Smithie’s.”
Eddie was not deterred. “Tomorrow.”
Damn, I had the night off from Smithie’s tomorrow.
Before I could think of a plausible excuse, Eddie grinned. He knew he had me.
“Six o’clock. I’ll pick you up here.”
He didn’t give me a chance to say anything. His lips came down and touched mine. I could feel most of his body pressed up against me, his arms were around me. I could smell him and he’d just touched his lips to mine.
Therefore, I lost the ability to think.
His lips went away and he asked, “How’re you getting to work tonight?”
I blinked to clear my Eddie Daze. “Smithie found out about the knife thing. He says I have to be escorted to and from the building, and while my car’s out of commission, he’s arranging for one of the bouncers to take me to work.”
Eddie ran his fingers through my hair at the temple and I had to admit, it felt nice.
“Maybe he isn’t the asshole I thought he was,” Eddie said.
“He takes care of his girls,” I told him.
“At least that’s one person trying to look out for you. Though, if last night’s any indication, he’s not doing very well.”
“Last night was a fluke,” I tried to reassure him.
“Last night is every night at a strip club. You dress like that around drunk guys, shit’s gonna happen.”
I stared at him.
“Do youwantme to get mad?” I asked.
His eyes changed. They got warm but serious.
“Chiquita, I’ll take anything I can get from you.”
I didn’t know what to say to that so I didn’t say anything at all and just kept staring at him.
Eddie let me go and held the card up between us.
“I gotta get back to work. You need anything or your mom needs anything, call me.”
I took the card. Although I kind of wanted a repeat of what happened when I didn’t take it, Ireallyneeded to check on Mom. Then I needed to check on Dad. Then I needed to do a million other things.
“Thanks, Eddie,” I said.
He smiled at me, dimple and all, ran his knuckles along my jaw and then he walked away, and without looking back, Iranaway.
* * *
When I hitthe living room, Mom was in her chair at the window and Ada was standing beside her.
“Is that Eddie?” Mom asked, not turning her head away from the window.
I went to the window and saw Eddie standing and talking to Mr. Greasy Coveralls.
