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“Nora,” I said firmly, desperate to reach her even though I was trying to keep my emotions hidden. “Are we still on for our date?”
This made her look up at me with something like panic…and sadness. A confusing mixture of feelings that baffled me. A quick glance at my bedroom showed nothing in there that could have somehow disturbed her. No pictures of naked women on my dresser, and I hadn’t left my gun sitting on the dresser like I usually did. Whatever happened had happened in her head, and I had no idea how to get her back to where we were.
Nora looked away as she said, “I—”
“Will be ready at 7 o’clock,” Shyla said in a firm voice as she gave Nora a ‘don’t fuck with me’ look. “Is there a dress code for our evening out?”
Nora was glaring at Shyla, but she wasn’t arguing, so I went with it. “Something casual and comfortable walking shoes.”
“Got it,” Shyla, who had a couple inches in height on Nora, looped her arm over her friend’s shoulder with a big smile. “Nora will be waiting for you at seven o’clock with bells on.”
“Don’t I get any say in this?” Nora muttered.
“No,” Shyla quickly answered, “because when you have a sub crash, you are often an irrational, angry, and yet sad and weepy bitch. Like PMS times one thousand. You know this is true. Go ahead, deny it and I won’t let you drink hot chocolate in bed with me and watch cartoons together.”
Nora’s lower lip quivered, and tears filled her eyes, but before I could go to her, she said, “You’re such a stinky twat. Fine, Tyler, I’ll see you at seven.”
Shyla gave Nora’s butt a swat that made me wish I was the one doing it. “Try being polite.”
“You’re not my mom,” Nora said in a more normal voice, the coldness almost gone.
“Don’t make me beat you like your mama should’a!” Shyla yelled and tried not to giggle as she said, “Mind your manners.”
Nora rolled her eyes at her friend, but when she turned back to me, pink heated her cheeks as she looked at my left ear and said, “Thank you for the lovely evening, Tyler. I had a wonderful time, and I will eagerly await your arrival tomorrow.”
“Smartass,” Shyla muttered. “Come on, we have a long drive, and I’m beat.”
“Actually,” I raised my hand, motioning for them to wait a moment. “If you ladies would permit it, I’ll have one of our drivers take you home.”
“What about her car?” Nora asked as she fiddled with the ends of my t-shirt.
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s back in your driveway.” I took a slow step forward then gently cupped Nora’s face, grateful when she didn’t pull away. “Please, let me do this for you. I hate the thought of you two having to drive home while you’re tired.”
She searched my face for a moment before leaning slightly into my hand, letting me support the delicate weight of her head. “I wouldn’t mind, if Shyla’s okay with it.”
“Fine by me,” Shyla said with a bright smile.
“Excellent, one moment.”
As I made my way over to my computer to send the message to have a car brought around, Shyla and Nora leaned their heads together, whispering. After I finished up my message, I looked up to find both women staring at me so intently, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. Standing, I glanced down at the front of my shirt to see if there were any stains or something that would have them giving me such an odd look.
“What?” I asked.
Shyla smirked and said, “Nora thinks you’re so perfect, you have to be a serial killer. I told her you don’t look like one, and now we’re trying to figure out what serial killers look like. Nora thinks the more perfect someone is, the higher the likelihood of them being a serial killer. I told Nora she sees you through some thick rose-colored glasses on because you are far from perfect.”
“Wait…I…thanks?” I responded, once again thrown for a loop around these two.
“Oh my God!” Nora moaned as she wacked Shyla’s shoulder with the back of her hand. “What is wrong with you? I did not say I thought Tyler was a serial killer. I’m just saying that serial killers gain their victims trust by appearing to be their dream come true.”
Despite the rather morbid turn of the conversation, I couldn’t help but perk up as she pretty much just called me her dream come true. In a roundabout way. Jesus, this woman had me spinning in mental circles.
A knock came from the door, followed by a smiling Donya. “Good evening, ladies. If you’re ready, we have a driver waiting for you at the side entrance.”
Shyla gave me a quick hug and said, “Later, Skyler.”
