“Oh shit,” Elvira muttered.
“Jesus,” Camille murmured.
“Oh man,” Gwen whispered.
“Everything?” Tack asked.
“Absolutely everything.”
“That’s gonna take a long time, Red,” Tack observed.
“No. The everything we need to talk about requires yes or no answers from you.”
“It’s nearly two in the morning,” Tack noted.
“Are you too busy to talk about everything which means everything important… in life?” I asked with grave, but drunken, seriousness and the drunken part was communicated by me slurring my words more than a little bit.
Silence then, “Are you smashed?”
“Completely and totally.”
“What are you wearing?”
“Who cares?”
“I do.”
“Why?”
“’Cause you’re smashed, you been with your girls, you somehow got riled up about somethin’ and once I settle you down about whatever’s aggravating you, I’m gonna rile you up a different way.”
My toes curled. Promptly after that, I got annoyed.
“Stop turning me on when I have the weight of my future happiness on my mind!” I snapped.
“Oh lordy,” Elvira muttered.
“Right on,” Gwen whispered.
“Why do I suddenly want a scary biker dude?” LaTanya asked.
From Tack with a smile in his voice, I heard, “I’ll be there in ten.”
“No, I’m getting a ride with Big Hearted Mitch.”
“Big Hearted Mitch?” Tack asked.
“Big Hearted Detective Mitch Lawson,” I clarified.
“Seems she knows your story,” LaTanya muttered to who I guessed was Mara though I wouldn’t know since I was staring at the table.
“I like that title for Mitch,” Mara muttered back, confirming my guess. “It fits.”
“I’ll be there in ten, Red,” Tack repeated.
“No, really, I want to ride with Mitch and Mara. I’ll meet you at my place.”
“Baby,” his voice gentled, “this is me seein’ to that soft spot when I say quiet-like that I… will… be… there… in ten. And what I mean is, when I get there in ten, your ass better be there.”