Brody obviously was in the mood to “jack around” and he didn’t let me go.
Instead he remarked, “I thought you English people were reserved.”
“I’m not, um... exactly –”
He cut me off noting, “But you’re sweet.”
“Um…”
“Can you cook?” he asked, still holding onto my hand.
“Cook?” I asked back.
“I heard English food sucks.”
I tried another pull, met with more resistance and answered, “I think that’s what Americans think when they go to England and eat American food. English food is delicious. English doing American food isn’t as successful.”
“Yeah, Arlene said she had some kind of fish casserole thingie-ma-bobbie over here last night that Neens whipped up and Arlene said it was unbelievable,” Mindy put in.
Brody looked toward Max. “Arlene’s havin’ dinner at your house?”
Max came up close to my side and answered, “She’s taken a shine to Nina.”
This for some reason made Brody throw his head back and burst out laughing.
“Brody,” Max said over his laughter, not a lot of humor in his voice, in fact none at all, “would you f**kin’ let her go?”
Brody let me go, then again anyone would let me go with the way Max asked for it to be done. I stepped back, my shoulder hit Max and his arm immediately curled around my waist from behind.
“Relax, bro, just bein’ friendly,” Brody said over my shoulder.
“Too friendly,” Max said back.
“We’re that,” Brody’s eyes came to me, “friendly.”
“I’ve noticed,” I replied.
Then Brody asked, “Arlene?”
“We got slightly snockered with Arlene at The Dog before Max kicked Damon’s ass,” Mindy shared.
“Ah,” Brody nodded, light dawning, “Arlene held the sacred ritual. Snockered with her at The Dog. She’s usually ornery as hell but you’re in now, Nina, never to be let out.”
“You make that sound not so good,” I noted.
“Arlene’s good people, if she likes you, but when she likes you, she’s opinionated, in your business good people.”
“Oh dear,” I muttered and Brody burst out laughing again.
Max gave my waist a squeeze.
“Either of you think to call the cops about Nina’s car?” Max asked.
“Yeah, about fifteen minutes ago. They’re on the way up,” Brody answered.
“Mick should set up an outpost next to the house, he’s been here so f**kin’ much this week,” Max muttered.
“Why’s Mickey been here?” Brody asked and I felt Max’s body get tight against mine.