Page 35 of Ravenous

As soon as I settled in beside her, the doorbell rang.

This wasn’t my house, so I wasn’t sure who to expect. Wes would have walked right in.

“Who could that be?” I asked Remy, who was tucked into my side.

She shrugged but kept her eyes on the screen. Why would she know? She was four.

The rain hadn’t started yet, but the evening sky was filled with heavy and dark clouds and the wind had picked up.

I peeked out the side window before I opened the door. Not that a bad guy was going to stand there with a sign that said,I’m dangerous.

It was a woman on the porch.

A very pretty woman. Unnaturally so. Raven black hair. Wide set green eyes. Full lips. She was tall. Slim, but had curves. I was very envious.

“Hi, can I help you?”

While I’d given the woman a quick three second assessment, she was looking me over as if judging a cow in the county fair. She took in my sloppy bun, my makeup free face, my old t-shirt, ratty jean cutoffs, bare feet.

Every inch of me was inspected. Then she sniffed.

God, did I smell? It was a warm day, and I’d been in my clay, but I didn’t think I was as rank as the way her nose curled up meant.

“I’m looking for Wes.” She leaned to the side to look inside past me.

I turned my head and saw Remy on the couch. She was totally engrossed in the movie. “I’m sorry, he’s not here right now.”

“He’s out? And you are?” she asked.

“I’m Joy. Are you a friend of Wes'?”

She laughed, set her hand on her chest. She even had a nice manicure. “A friend? Oh, honey, I’d say we’re more than friends.”

I frowned. They were together? Was that what she was insinuating?

“Ok-ay.” I drew the word out.

“He left Remmington alone with you?”

Remington? That was Remy’s full name. Cute. But I never once heard Wes use it.

What was her deal? Was she an ex-girlfriend? Jilted lover? I didn’t recognize her from Cooper Valley, but she could be new.

“Um, yes.”

Remy turned her head at being mentioned. The movie had just ended, so the little girl climbed off the sofa and came to stand beside me. “Hi. Do you know me?” Remy asked with the innocent query of a child.

The woman reached out and tousled Remy’s hair, which Remy didn’t appear to like because she stepped back and leaned against my leg. “Yes, Remington. I’ve known you since you were born.”

Remy shrugged. “I don’t remember.”

Maybe I was jealous. If this was an ex or wannabe lover of Wes’ I already hated her. She had a bad vibe, and I wanted her out of the doorway. “Well, it’s Remy’s bedtime, so we need to go.”

The woman sniffed again, giving me a cold look. “Tell Wes that Soraya stopped by. He has my number.” She looked at Remy. “Good night, Rem-Rem.” Her syrupy voice only made Remy lean more into me.

“It’s Remy,” Remy said from behind my leg.

Soraya turned and walked away.

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