It was early afternoon. I’d made my calls to set Brody and Darius on Smithie’s case. I was working at Fortnum’s and Stevie had just called me.
Also, word had gotten around about Ren and me. I knew this because not only were Indy and Jet at Fortnum’s (like normal) but Roxie, Sadie, Stella and Ava were also there. Jules was at the shelter for runaways where she worked, and since we were all heading out early to go to the church for the rehearsal, she had to stay there and sort some stuff before she left. I knew this because she called and told me.
They knew, but no one got in my face or space.
But that didn’t mean all of them, including Tex (Duke was still a no-show), weren’t being watchful, though cool.
It felt nice.
I knew that the word would spread, but I was glad the ones who knew last night gave me that time, and when they let the word out, they made it what it was.
Safe for me.
And I knew by Stevie’s tone he was going to do the same.
“I’m hanging in there, Stevie,” I told him.
This was when he proved me right by letting that go and asking, “T minus two hours and twenty minutes before rehearsal. You’re there?”
“Absolutely,” I answered.
“You still in for dinner? Because I can call the restaurant and change our numbers without them charging us. Tod will be cool. We have a big enough party and folks are ordering off the menu. It’ll be good.”
“I’ll be at the dinner too, honey. Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I replied.
“Okay, sweetie. See you soon.”
“’Bye, Stevie.”
“’Bye, baby.”
I smiled into the phone, slid it into my back pocket and my head snapped up when I heard Indy breathe, “Holy crap,” and felt the vibe all around change.
But I made no move and uttered not a sound.
This was because Ren had entered the store and he was currently stalking to me.
Then he’d stalked to me.
Then he’d grabbed my hand and tugged me from the table I was about to clear and he yanked me down the center aisle.
He turned us at the self-help section and tugged me down the row to the side aisle which had a wall of books.
Once there, he pulled me around, pushed me into the shelves and got in my space and my face.
Deep in the first, way close to the other.
“You kissed Smithie?”
I was not following. I had no idea how I was one second in one place, another second standing with Ren in my space. And I had no idea because I was totally freaked due to his actions breaking a very important breakup law.
Maybe the most important there was.
That was, if you shared friends and acquaintances, during breakups any guy who wasn’t a dick didn’t show their faces for ages. Ren was also classy. And classy guys gave you plenty of time to get over it so the hit when you saw them again didn’t kill you. It just maimed.
So by my estimation I had at least five months and twenty-nine days before I saw him again.
And anyway, what he asked made no sense whatsoever.