“They guy who sent these to me. He looks like Grandpa Munster except genuinely scary.”
“You didn’t send them?” Tod turned to Lee.
Lee didn’t answer, just grabbed the box and tucked it under his arm. “I’m returning this,” he announced and he was using his scary voice.
I nodded.
“Don’t leave the house. Don’t open the door to anyone. Bobby’s following up on Rosie and after we visit Wilcox, Matt and I will run down that lead. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
I nodded again.
“I’ll do my best to convince Coxy that you aren’t interested.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
Lee’s face was totally blank and he watched me for several seconds. Once he started speaking, I realized that he’d been in a struggle with how much information to share and he’d decided he’d trust me not to freak out.
“You’ve captured his attention. Coxy’s a man who’s used to getting what he wants. He knows I consider you mine. This is a declaration of war.”
I gasped. Tod gasped. Chowleena barked.
“But I don’t want him! He’s icky,” I said.
“A lot of women get past icky when they get seventeen hundred dollar dresses delivered to their door,” Lee answered.
“I might get past icky for that dress. It’d go with my shoes,” Tod put in.
Lee was looking at me. “What about you?”
I felt my blood begin to boil and my eyes narrow. I put my free hand on my hip and assumed a posture that screamed attitude.
“Seriously?” I asked, I couldn’t believe he actually expected an answer.
Lee kept watching me.
“Icky is icky. There’s no getting past icky. He’s not only icky, he’s creepy. Even if you could get past icky, you can’t get past creepy. Jeez.”
Lee showed no reaction to my response. “Don’t leave the house.”
Then he was gone, leaving me with the roses.
Once the door closed, Tod turned to me.
“Girlie, he is fine. He’s fine times twelve. He’s the new definition of fine.”
“I’ve been in love with him since I was five,” I told Tod.
“I’m in love with him now. I want to have his children,” Tod told me.
We were both still staring at the door and I was still holding the roses.
“He scares me now. He’s an adult. He has a head on his shoulders. He’s good at this relationship stuff. I think he’s serious about me. And he runs in some pretty frightening circles.”
“Girlie, you f**k this up and I’m calling the boys in the white jackets. You let something that fine slip through your fingers, you deserve a padded room. Especially if he’s good at relationship stuff. Most especially if he’s serious about you. No one who looks like that and fills out a pair of jeans like that is good at relationship stuff. I don’t care if he runs through the seven circles of hell.”
Tod had a point.
I put the roses down on a side table, I needed to do something normal. If I didn’t do something normal, I was gonna get a first class ticket on the first plane to San Salvador. I was beginning to realize the allure of San Salvador.