the curb.
Jogging toward my house, I answer, “What’s going on is I should kick yer ass.”
“Again, my apologies, but I was getting a little sick of you bitching and complaining about a woman you’re obviously attracted to and too much of a pussy to —”
“Not a pussy.” I open the garage door and stalk toward my car. “A man who’s lived enough drama, a man who kens better than to toy with the idea of playing grab-ass with women like Ms. Bloom.” I throw my car in reverse and hit the gas.
His voice automatically comes through the car’s sound system. “Should I be expecting that ass kicking anytime soon?”
“The fuck are ye talking about?”
“I heard your car start.”
“That’s because she just took off with the asshole in the Prius.”
“Well, shit, maybe she does have a fuck buddy.”
“She’s in no shape to be fucking anyone tonight,” I snap as I speed to catch up to them as they take a left at the stop sign.
“Exactly why I called and asked you to check up on her,” he says. “But she’s a grown woman, and if she has a man—”
“She doesn’t have a man. She’s not had a man in over two and a half years,” I bite out, holding back from saying, until last night.
“Hmm …” He snickers.
“What the hell does hmm mean?”
“Just wondering if you ask all your patients such personal questions.”
Ignoring him purposely, I watch the car in front of me as it slows down and pulls over in front of a house. I pull to the side of the road.
“Never thought to ask one of mine how many years it’s been since they’ve been snogged.”
Ignoring his ribbing, I tell him, “They pulled over.” I watch the man get out. “He’s a little worm of a man, for fuck’s sake. My dick’s bigger than his leg.”
Simon chuckles. “Don’t get arrested, Ethan. You have a kid.”
“No shit,” I snap.
He sighs exaggeratedly. “Please tell me you aren’t parked right up beside them.”
“I’m not a goddammed fool,” I sneer then growl, “Fuck!”
“What’s going on now?” he asks.
“Opening the fucking door for her.”
“What an asshole,” Simon jokes.
“Very funny,” I say as I sink down in my seat because, although I’m not too close, I’m also not completely out of eye shot if she were to look back.
“What the fuck?” I whisper as I see her hand him a pizza and a fast food restaurant bag.
“They go into his place?” Simon asks as I watch the man knock on a door and hand the food to the kid who answers it. He then runs back to the car, gets in the driver’s seat, and pulls out.
I allow them to get to the next stop sign and turn right before pulling out to continue following them.
“Ethan, you there?”
Letting out a breath that I hadn’t realized I was holding, I answer, “I’m fine.”
“And Lizzie?”
I watch the car pull over again and do the same. When he gets out, I lean forward and watch him walk around the car.
“Ye have got to be shitting me.” I laugh when I see her hand him some sort of take-out container.
“What is it?” Simon asks.
“They’re delivering food.”
“What did you just say?” he asks, sounding completely confused.
I laugh when I see him hand the food to the woman who answers the door. “Sure as shit are.” I laugh harder now.
“Does she deliver food as well as waitress?” Simon asks.
“Not that she’s mentioned,” I say as I pull out and, this time get a little closer.
When I see the sticker on his back windshield that says, “Uber Eats,” I laugh out loud.
“What now?” Simon yawns.
“I think she just pulled a fast one on me.”
As the car pulls away, I think to myself, Well played, Ms. Bloom.
When the car pulls up in front of her house, she gets out with a pizza box in hand.
I smile, feeling relieved.
“Simon, let’s not bring this up to Bridget or Elizabeth.”
“I’m going to assume she’s home?”
I confirm, “She’s home.” With a pizza from James, the Uber Eats driver whom she pretended was a date to get back at me, in hand.
I watch Uber James pull away and decide to circle the block to give her time to get inside before parking my car.
“Mum’s the word, man. Enjoy your staycation with Kai. We’ll have to get together so she and Brendan can meet.” He laughs. “Just dawned on me; they’ll be attending school together.”
“And that’s funny, why?”
He chuckles.
“I have a girl; you have a boy?”
“Yep.” Simon snickers.
“Dinner should