Page 90 of Something Tattered
"You're not going to believe this, but a water pipe exploded in the back room."
"Exploded? Seriously?"
"No. Not literally." She gave a weak laugh. "Although you'd never know it from the looks of things."
"Oh no. That bad?"
"You don't know the half of it. I'll have to close for at least a couple of weeks, maybe longer."
The worry in her voice hurt to hear. "Oh, Cassie, I amsosorry. Do you need any help?"
"No. But thanks. Actually, I was calling for another reason. You're scheduled to work tomorrow, but I just don't see the point." With a note of false cheer, she added, "So congratulations, you've got the day off."
This wasn't good news, and not only because I was worried for Cassie. I didn't make a lot of money at the cookie shop, but itdidhelp with expenses. So much for grocery money.
Damn it.
But even as the thought crossed my mind, I mentally kicked myself. The way it sounded, Cassie's business had taken a huge hit, and what wasIdoing? Worrying about a lost paycheck.
Mortified by my own selfishness, I said, "Are you sure I can't help? Not as an employee. But as a friend? I mean, you wouldn’t have to pay me if that's the issue."
"It's not." She paused. "Well, actually it is. I mean, it's not like we're going to be selling any cookies. But the truth is, I've got to wait on the insurance adjustor before I do a single thing."
Hoping to cheer her up, I said, "At least you have insurance. So that's good, right?"
"I guess," she said, "but the deductible's a killer. A thousand bucks. I'll probably have to sell a kidney or something."
I almost didn't know what to say.Poor Cassie."Are you sure I can't help?"
"I'm sure," she said. "But Iamwondering something."
"What's that?"
"What happened with you and Joel? Are you guys on the outs or something?"
I tensed. "What makes you say that?"
"Because I just saw him at T.J.'s, and he wasn't with you."
T.J.'s? The bar?Sothat'swhere he was?
My fingers flexed around the phone. Trying not to sound as irritated as I felt, I said, "So, who was he with? A couple of guys who looked like they could be related?"
"Well, hewaswith two people. And now that you mention it, theydidlook like they could be related to each other, except…" She hesitated. "They weren't guys."
Chapter 42
It was already past two o'clock in the morning when I finally heard a car pull into the driveway. From my spot on the sofa, I opened my eyes just in time to see headlights bouncing off the far wall of the darkened front room.
After getting off the phone with Cassie, I'd opened the front curtains, but turned off all the lights. And then, I'd slouched onto the sofa and mentally rehearsed all of the rude things I was planning to say when that ass-hat showed his face.
Or who knows? Maybe hewouldn'tshow his face. Maybe he'd just slink over to his car and drive off without so much as a hello, or a goodbye for that matter.
My shoulders tightened. If so, that was fine by me.
It would save me the trouble of telling him where he could shove whatever excuse he was planning to give me, assuming that he'd even bother.
Outside, I heard a car door slam, followed by the muffled sounds of male voices, and then, even more slamming, like the idiots were getting in and out of the car – orcars, as in plural.
