Okay, so it was time to let it al hang out.
“I’m not crazy, I’m anything but crazy, I’m so not crazy that I’m anti-crazy. Eddie, I hate to tel you this, but I’m boring.” He waited a beat, watching me, and then burst out laughing.
My mouth fel open.
Then his head dropped and he nuzzled my neck.
“Definitely crazy,” he muttered against my neck and then lifted his head and looked at me, “and total y ful of shit. You couldn’t be boring if you tried. And if this is your next tactic to try to get me to give up, go for it. It’l be amusing to watch you try to be boring. Almost as amusing as it was to watch you pretend to be normal.”
Wel , what could you say to that?
Except, I’m so… very… sure.
He didn’t read my look of supreme unhappiness, or more likely, ignored it. Instead, he touched his lips to mine and he was gone.
Yeesh.
Even the truth didn’t work.
* * * * *
Mid-morning, Indy swung through the door. “How’re you doing?” she asked when she got to me, her eyes concerned.
“After work, Eddie and I are going shopping… for a coffee maker,” I answered, thinking she’d understand my plight.
She blinked.
“No, I mean with the guy who’s threatening to rape you.” I waved my hand and went back to steaming milk.
“Oh that. I’m over that,” I said.
Her mouth dropped open.
She snapped it shut and said, “Last night, with that phone to your ear, you looked like you were going to have a coronary.”
“That was last night, I was taken off guard. Now I feel like throwin’ down, kickin’ butt and takin’ names and…
whatever,” I petered out, not having any more macho-speak at the ready, “I’m done with being scared.”
“Right on, Loopy Loo!” Tex encouraged, pul ing a portafilter off the espresso machine with brute force, even though he didn’t need to, and slamming the grounds out of it.
“What are you going to do?” Indy asked.
I looked at her. “I have no idea, but I’l think of something.
The only thing I know I’m not going to do is nothing.” She looked at me for a beat, then she smiled.
* * * * *
It was close to noon when the bel went over the door and Mom and Blanca walked in. “Great, Tex, here she is,” I said to Tex, “Now you can meet my Mom.”
Tex looked up and across the store.
Then his face froze. “Un-unh,” he muttered.
“Hey, dol face,” Mom cal ed.
I smiled and waved at Mom and Blanca but turned to Tex.