Page 10 of Say Yes to the Death

“Yes?” He sounded clueless.

“Remind me. What day is today? Is this tomorrow?”

“No,” he said slowly.

“Then why did a velociraptor disguised as a businesswoman named Rachel who claims to be your mother just drop in unannounced? And while we’re at it, maybe you could explain why she has no idea who I am.” Claire picked up the lounge chair she had flipped over.

“Oh, shit.”

“‘Oh, shit’ doesn’t even come close, Luke. I almost assaulted her with the pool skimmer. Your mother has seen my breasts, in broad daylight. But it’s okay, because she thinks I’m just your topless pool girl.”

“You were topless?”

“So not the point.”

He paused. “I was going to call and tell her about you tonight. Before she met you tomorrow. I guess she decided to come early.”

A likely story. Claire righted another lounge chair so aggressively that it almost flipped into the pool. “I have been practically living with you for the past week while I recover from the worst night of my life, and you couldn’t tell your mother you were harboring that stab victim who’s all over the news? Does she even know what happened?”

“Not exactly.”

Claire swore. “I won’t be here when you get back. I’ll see you for dinner tomorrow.” She ended the call and flung her phone into her bag. Her fingers brushed the stack of legal papers, and a knot grew in her stomach. She ignored the phone vibrating in her purse as she scrambled to get her things together.

She dragged the unicorn float to the edge of the pool and picked Rosie up, almost tripping over the edge of the towel that was starting to unwind. Was there a judgmental gaze emanating from the oval-shaped window in the guest bedroom? She shuddered. Tossing on a T-shirt and a pair of shorts, she abandoned her floating bikini and stormed over to her car. Goosebumps prickled her skin as the sun sank below the trees.

A white Infiniti sat in the driveway, as shiny as if it had just been driven off the lot. Claire fought the urge to kick the tires as she skirted around it.

She tucked Rosie into her car seat and pulled her phone out again. Her hand froze on Nicole’s contact. One of her best friends was finalizing her flower choices today. No bride needed an emergency call in the middle of that.She dialed Mindy’s number instead.

“Yeah?” Mindy answered, sounding distracted.

“Mindy, I need you. This is an emergency. Even worse than the me-getting-sued thing. Can you meet at my place?”

“What the hell happened?”

“I’ll explain when you get there,” Claire said.

“I’ll see you in thirty. I’ll bring ice cream.” There was the sound of a laptop snapping shut on Mindy’s end.

“Thanks. I’ll pick up the wine.”

“Red or white?”

“Both,” Claire said firmly.

“Oh boy. This must be a big one. See you soon.”

Claire’s face was still hot when she hung up. Rosie whined from the back seat, looking at her inquisitively. Claire practically pulled her arm out of its socket to scratch Rosie behind the ears.

Claire’s anxiety slowly died down as the rolling hills of the country turned into a slew of Mexican restaurants and mom-and-pop stores. She pulled into the liquor store on the outskirts of town, leaving Rosie with the car running and the air conditioner on.

She treaded the familiar path through the store, tucking wines into the crook of her arm. When she reached for a top-shelf cabernet sauvignon, a camera shutter sound came from the cashier’s desk. Claire whipped around, expecting to see a reporter. Instead she saw a sheepish looking twenty-something woman with stringy black hair. Her brown eyes were wide with surprise, and her bubble gum popped in her face.

“Sorry, ma’am, I was taking a screenshot and forgot the sound was on.”

“It’s okay,” Claire said, turning back to the shelves. She glanced at the woman out of the corner of her eye but resumed her shopping. Surely a liquor store employee didn’t moonlight as a reporter for Channel Eight News.

Claire walked carefully to the register, gingerly setting four bottles on the counter.

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