“I’m at Walgreen’s with Eddie. I’m actually glad you called because Eddie is refusing to help. What kind of condoms do you use? And please, nothing colored or flavored or any of that crap. I want the ones that are known for long-lasting reliability.”
Silence.
“Lee?”
I could swear that the mouthpiece was being covered on his phone.
“Lee!” I shouted.
“Let me get this straight,” he said and I could tell he was laughing, “you dragged Eddie to Walgreen’s to help pick out condoms for me?”
“Well, I didn’t know! I’m not the kind of girl who keeps condoms around. That’s the guy’s job and you said we were gonna have to use different precautions.”
“Did you tell Eddie the part about long-lasting reliability?”
Oh Lord.
“Forget it,” I said.
“Indy?” he called.
“What?” I snapped, kinda pissy.
“I love you.” He still had laughter in his voice and there was something very cool about him laughing and saying I love you at the same time.
He hung up before I could say anything.
I grabbed a smorgasbord of condoms, Lee could have a selection.
Eddie caught up with me while I was lost in the lip gloss section and pulled me away. I managed to snag a bottle of multi-vitamins (just in case) and several bars of watermelon taffy before Eddie marched me up to the counter.
I bought my seven boxes of condoms, six taffy sticks and my vitamins and then our little shopping expedition was over.
* * * * *
After we closed Fortnum’s, Eddie drove me and the Crossfire the one block to my house and parked it in the second space I owned behind the house, a space relegated to visitors.
I was pretty certain I was going to start hyperventilating at the idea of the visitor’s parking spot being the permanent residence of Lee’s Crossfire but I managed to tamp down the panic.
We walked through my backyard and Eddie took my keys and opened the door.
The minute I walked in, I knew something was wrong.
“Someone’s here,” I whispered to Eddie and put my Walgreen’s bag on the kitchen counter.
Eddie turned and looked at me. “No shit, there’s a television on.”
Okay, so maybe I wasn’t a natural-born detective with a keen sense of danger.
“Stay here, I’ll check it out,” he said, pulling a gun out of his waistband and walking into the dining room.
I followed him.
He turned to me. “Which part of ‘stay here’ didn’t you understand?”
“You’re not leaving me behind, I don’t like to get left behind. Sure, I get kidnapped and find dead bodies when I don’t stay where I’m supposed to be but I’m pretty certain it’d be worse if I stayed behind.”
Eddie gave me a look that said I was quickly curing him of his unrequited passion.