Jessica’s face fell. “Then I won’t be able to make him pay.”
“I think both of you are going to be paying for a good, long time.” I took a step back to make room for hospital security to help Eliot. “Wow. That’s a good way to get the juices going, huh?”
Eliot’s eyes filled with concern. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I flashed a smile. “I wasn’t even really worried. I had everything under control.”
Now it was Eliot’s turn to scowl. “I hate when you say that.”
“I know. I ....” I broke off when the nurses returned with Carly, rolling her through the door and taking a sharp right. “Where are you taking her?”
This time Carly’s eyes sparkled. She grabbed my hand as they passed. “The baby is coming. It’s time.”
“Oh, well ... good luck.”
Her expression darkened. “You’re coming with me. Don’t even try to get out of it.”
I felt sick to my stomach. “This day just sucks.”
Eliot chuckled as he offered up a little wave. “I’ll be in the lobby when you’re done. Then we’ll go home and ... probably pass out.”
“I’m going to need a bath first.”
“I can arrange that.”
“And liquor, a whole big bottle of it.”
“Sure.”
“And ice cream.”
He bobbed his head. “Absolutely.”
“And I don’t want to see another soul but you for at least twenty-four hours.”
His smile was soft. “Consider it done.”
29 Twenty-Nine
I met Eliot at his shop shortly before we were supposed to leave for a family dinner. He greeted me with a smile, held up a finger to say he would be ready in a moment, and focused on his ledger.
“I thought you would be done by now,” I complained.
“Almost done. Give me a second.” He kept his attention on the book. “Did you park in the back like I said?”
I nodded. “I think it’s weird that they don’t allow cars on Main Street when they’re cleaning it, but whatever. It’s not a big deal. The alley smells gross.”
“The diner dumpster is back there.”
“Don’t remind me. It will ruin the coneys next time we have them.”
“Please. Like anything would stop you from having a coney.” He lifted his eyes and studied me, as if searching for cracks in my exterior. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be fine?”
“You’ve had a very busy twenty-four hours ... and now you’re being forced to have dinner with your mother.”
I cocked my head, excitement building. “Do you think I could get out of dinner by claiming I’m exhausted from watching a birth?”
He snickered. “Your mother wouldn’t let a zombie apocalypse stop family dinner.”
I drifted toward the front of the store, to where he’d pulled down the blinds to cover the windows. “Why don’t you have anybody on the night crew? You usually don’t close this early.”
“It didn’t work out. I should have the new schedule set next week.”
I reached for the blinds to peek through them, but he cleared his throat to draw my attention. “What?” I asked as I swiveled.
“Maybe we should talk about it,” he suggested. “You’ll feel better once you get it out of your system.”
Agitation reared up. “I’m not worked up about what went down with Jessica. On the long list of people I’ve fought with, she was more sad than fearsome. I’m fine.”
“I wasn’t talking about her. I know you’re fine. By the way, Jake says she and Ray are fighting to see who can secure a deal to turn on the other faster. Apparently, the prosecutor isn’t going to offer either one a deal.”
“That’s good.” I pursed my lips. “Wait ... you talked to Jake? He wouldn’t accept my calls after the news conference. He answered, like, five questions and then disappeared.”
“Did you need him to answer more questions?”
“No, but ... whatever.” Weariness threatened to overtake me as I dragged a hand through my hair. “This has been a really long freaking week. I’m so glad it’s Friday.”
“Me too. I was thinking we could be hermits and spend the entire weekend at home. The only people we’ll see are delivery drivers.”
“I’m totally up for that.”
“Good.” He was quiet a moment. “Just one more bit to record and then we can go.”
“Hey, if we have a math emergency, maybe that will be enough to get us out of family dinner.”
“Yeah, something tells me that won’t work either.”
I started drifting toward the windows again, but he called out. “You haven’t told me how Carly is doing. All I know is what you told me last night.”
I scowled at the memory. “You would think somebody would’ve come up with a better way to give birth by now.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Did I mention the afterbirth thing? It looks like a bloody alien.”
He made a face. “You did mention it. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t mention it again.”
“Hey, if I have to think about it you have to be haunted by it, too. Those are the rules.”
“I don’t particularly remember reading that section in the Relationship Handbook.”
“Well, get some glasses, because it’s there.”
“Fair enough.” He closed the ledger and smiled. “Have they named the new addition yet?”
I shook my head. “Last time I checked, they were arguing between Kyle Junior and Carlin.”
“They both want to name him after themselves.”
“Pretty much. At this rate, I don’t think the kid will ever be named.”
“Oh, they’ll come to a compromise eventually.” He moved out from behind the counter and grabbed his coat from the rack. “I just have to put the ledger in the safe. Why don’t you head out front and start the truck for me?”
He tossed me a set of keys before I could answer, causing me to scowl. “Why do you get to park on the street but I have to park in the creepy alley?”
“Because I’m leaving right now, but you would be parked here all night.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” I pulled open the door and stepped out, bracing myself against the cold. My breath on the night air only served to depress me. We had months of winter yet. I hated this time of
