little, anyway. You need to hurry those renovations up, Ang. I didn’t ask for this inconvenience in my life.”
He chuckles. “It’s going, Chuck. You see them working every single day, so now you gotta be patient. Are we good now?”
“Yeah. I’ll try to be quieter and shit.”
“She’s a little better in the daylight,” he adds. “Once nighttime comes, she gets a little edgy. But in the day, you could almost jump out in a clown suit.”
“You’re just trying to get me killed.” I roll my eyes. “That’s a suicide mission if I ever heard one.”
He laughs. “Yeah, don’t go out and buy a clown suit. You won’t survive it. Alright, your five minutes is up, and my girl just stepped out of the shower. I’m done with you.”
“No love. I was yours before she was. I want that on record.”
“She’s been mine since we were kids, but nice try.” Fuck him for the kissing sound that comes through the phone. A gentle peck, and then the sound of springs moving in a mattress. “Chuck says hey.”
I smile when she takes the phone.
“How are you doing, handsome?”
“Hey, Mami. I’m a little sad.”
“What?” Her tone changes in an instant, from smiling to worry. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“Don’t listen to him,” Ang complains. “He’s pouting.”
“I’m eating dinner all alone,” I reply. “I asked Ang to ask you to come eat with me, but you’re not here.”
“He didn’t pass on the message! Angelo!”
“Ouch! Chuck!”
Pleased with myself, I scoop up my dinner and slowly pick through the pieces of chicken. “Love you.”
Laine gives a happy sigh and settles into bed. “Love you too. See you tomorrow? I miss your face.”
“I’ll come looking for you. Save me a smooshy hug.”
“Always. Goodnight, Tucker. Sweet dreams.”
“I’ll be thinking of you.”
She only laughs and passes the phone.
“You gotta stop flirting with my wife, motherfucker.”
“But she’s so pretty. She’s kinda like a mom and a siren in one, yeah? She gives me the mom hugs, but when she does that, she doesn’t feel like a mom, ya know? She feels like a chick I wouldn’t mind fighting you for.”
“Asshole. You gotta keep your eyes to yourself, or I’ll rip your nuts out and bury them in the forest. Don’t test me.”
“Pfft.” I scoff. “You don’t have the nards for that kinda badassery. You just need to sit down and let the big dog speak.”
“Goodnight, Tucker. You can sit in your apartment, alone, while I’m in bed with Laine. Now who has nards?”
“Burn!” Laughing, I toss another piece of chicken into my mouth and shake my head. “Jesus, Ang. That was a solid burn. Go, bang my wife. You live for today. I might go knock on Nora’s door.”
“Don’t you dare!” he roars. “Dammit, Chuck. You leave her alone.”
“I was kidding. Geez. ‘Night, boss. Catch you tomorrow.”
Nora
Work
The next morning, with a half-empty coffee cup in my hand, my dog appropriately chastised on obeying anyone that isn’t me, and my Glock safely holstered, I step out of my apartment to collect the paper, only to stop with a squeak when the door across the hall opens at the same time.
Tucker Morris stops with surprise. He wears much the same as he wore last night: torn jeans, and a black shirt that grips his chest with a little too much fervor. He also wears socks, but no shoes, a hat pulled low over his eyes, and he holds a chipped coffee mug in his left hand.
He studies me, almost like he’s unsure if I’m going to attack, but when I say nothing, he gives a tentative smile. “Good morning.”
Bending, he collects the paper from the ground and tucks it under his arm. When I still say nothing, he takes a step into the hall – a slow, deliberate step – and studies my face.
“Um… truce? I don’t wanna be your enemy, Nora.”
“How…” I clear my throat and rest my hand on Galileo’s head when he nudges forward. “How do you know my name?”
“I asked around.” Another step. Slow. Deliberate. “We got off to a rough start, and I realized we have a couple mutual friends, so I asked.”
“What did you ask?” My heart races when he takes a third step and stops at the top of the stairs. “Did you… uh…”
“I just asked who the chick is that lives in 4A. I work with Mac… and you know Mac, right?”
I nod. “He’s my friend.”
Gone is his tentative smile, and in its place, a smirk. “Exactly. So I told him I got this new neighbor,