here. I've got customers to help, you know. Can't let this goddamned place go unattended."
I blanched at this, still forcing calm. We had a line of about four customers listening.
"No. Let's go in the back."
He rolled his eyes and threw a friendly arm around me. "Christ, you're uptight. What's this about?"
"You know what it's about," I returned, wiggling out from under the arm. "You're out of line today."
His smile fell. "No, you're out of line. What's with the attitude anyway? You can't talk to me like this."
He was still too loud. More people were stopping. "I can talk to you like this when you're acting like a jerk. You're upsetting customers. You're doing stuff that's completely inappropriate, and you know it."
"'Inappropriate?' Jesus Fucking Christ, Kincaid! You sound like Paige now. I'm having fun. Remember that? Remember when you and I used to do that around here back before you got this stick up your ass?"
We had a bona fide audience now. Customers and staff alike. Dead silence, save for the faint sounds of Vivaldi playing through the store's sound system.
"I mean," he continued, thriving on the attention, "where do you get off acting like this? Who put you in charge? You and I are the same rank, remember? It's like you get ten seconds of fame in Mortensen's story, and now you think you can put on airs. Why don't you go find him? Maybe if you got laid again, you'd stop being such a bitch."
"Doug," I said, astonished at how firm and strong my voice was. It was like someone else was using my body to confront him, and I only watched. "You need to go home. Now. If you don't leave, I'll have you removed."
Of course, I had no clue how I was going to pull that off. As it was, I felt almost terrified to be facing off against him like this. My heart raced. We were standing close, thrusting our wills at one another, and he had half a head's height on me and a bigger build. I didn't really fear violence from him, but the physical intimidation was as scary as the psychological. Still, I held my ground, keeping my expression commanding and decisive.
At last, he backed down, breaking eye contact. He shrugged and gave his goofy grin to those watching, like they were in on some joke with him. "Sure. Whatever you want. I don't care. I could use a day off anyway."
He looked around again, face smug and defiant, like he'd won. After another survey of the crowd, he laughed and stalked out.
Nobody spoke or breathed after that. I drew myself up, like none of this had bothered me either. I strode purposefully away, saying to Beth as I passed: "Will you cover the desk now?"
I went upstairs to the café and had the barista make me a mocha. I took it with shaking hands and turned around to find Seth standing there. He wore a Ratt shirt today.
"Thetis," he said softly.
I walked over to one of the windows, and he followed. Outside, cars and people moved throughout Queen Anne. I watched them without seeing them. Seth moved behind me, his presence steady and reassuring. Waiting to catch me, even though I refused to fall just yet. This, I realized, was why I chose to stay with him, sexual mishaps or no.
"I suppose you witnessed all that."
"Yeah," he said. "You handled it well."
"I didn't want to handle it at all."
"Someone had to." He touched my arm gently. "You can be pretty fierce sometimes."
I shook my head, still numb. "I don't want to be fierce either."
"Georgina. Look at me."
I turned and looked. Those lovely eyes were soft and full of love, yet underscored with strength.
"You did the right thing." He rested his hands on my arms, thumbs stroking the bare skin. "You did the right thing."
"He's my friend."
"That doesn't matter."
"What's wrong with him, Seth? What's gotten into him?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"Not to me."
He smiled ruefully. "The same thing that made you eat a bag of Taco Bell food last night."
"What? Pot doesn't do that. Make him behave like he did, I mean. Not the Taco Bell thing."
"No," he agreed. "Pot won't do that, but he was obviously on something. "
I turned back to my view, thinking. I recalled Doug's nonstop vigor, that feverish look in his eyes. Yes, it made sense, and it was saddening. I'd never known him to mess around with anything much harder than alcohol and marijuana. Yet...there was more to his