Page 35 of Danny Hall Gets a Lawyer
“I’ll call Grandma tonight and tell her,” I said.
“Oh, I already spoke to her,” Miller said and paused before adding, “This just gave me an excuse to call you.”
Oh.Warmth spread through my chest and I fought back a smile. “You could have just, y’know, called. Or texted. You don’t need a reason.”
There was a moment’s silence before he said, “I didn’t know if that was something we did. And I didn’t know when you were working.”
“The amazing thing about texts is that when you send them, they can just sit there until the other person gets a chance to read them,” I said, letting an edge of laughter creep into my voice. “Like, if I sent you a dick pic while you were working, you could just wait until later to look.”
“Don’t send me a dick pic,” Miller said quickly. “Seriously.”
I laughed at his obvious panic. “I won’t, counselor.”
Someone knocked on the truck window, and it was followed by a loudhonk. I jolted in my seat and my heart thumped hard enough to rattle my rib cage.
“What the fuck wasthat?” Miller demanded.
“Hang on,” I said and lowered the window a couple of inches.
Bobby nodded at me, clutching Lucille in his arms. “Evenin’. Just checking you didn’t break down again.”
“No, just taking a call,” I said, holding my phone up like he’d asked for proof. The goose promptly tried to stick her head in the window and eat it. I snatched it back hastily, shoving the phone face down into my lap.
“Lucille, be a good girl for Daddy,” Bobby said, sounding for all the world like he was talking to a tired toddler and not a missile that was made of feathers, claws, and spite—not to mention a vicious beak. Lucille honked angrily and Bobby sighed and petted her head. “I’d best be going. She wants her dinner.”
And then he ambled back over to his truck, talking nonsense to the goose the whole way.
My pulse was still racing when I picked the phone up and said, “Sorry. It was Bobby checking I hadn’t broken down again. He had his goose.”
“I fucking hate that goose,” Miller said, and I could almost hear the shudder.
“Trust me, you’re not alone.”
There was a few seconds’ awkward silence before Miller said, “So I?—”
At the same time, I said, “So when do you—” and broke off with an embarrassed laugh. “You first.”
Miller cleared his throat. “I have a half day tomorrow. I wondered if you were free.”
Even though it had only been a few days, excitement bubbled up at the thought of seeing Miller again. “I’m working till two but I can probably be at your place a little after three.” I winced internally as I tried to figure out if I had enough money for gas.
Miller went quiet, and just as I was starting to wonder if I’d overstepped by inviting myself to his place, he said, “It’s a hell of a drive for you. Maybe I could come to your place? If you wanted.”
I smiled, and it wasn’t just relief at not having to drive all that way. The gods of dick were smiling on me because I knew that everyone else was working tomorrow. “That sounds great. And just so you know, we’ll have the place to ourselves. Plus the bathroom’s clean for once.”
“So Wilder caved?”
“Yeah. Told you he would.”
Miller gave a soft laugh. “In that case, see you tomorrow.”
“See you then.” I ended the call and sat there for a minute, smiling to myself. Then I started the truck and headed for the Food Lion. If Miller was coming over, the least I could do was put some burgers on the grill and invite him to stay for dinner. That, and I needed condoms and lube.
Lots of lube.
My shifton Thursday started with a bang.
Not ten minutes after I’d arrived, Renata let out a shriek when she heard one of the “raccoon” traps in the stockroom going off. She fixed me with a look and declared that she wasn’t paid enough to deal with that shit and to get in there and get rid of whatever it was. Ialsowasn’t paid enough to deal with that shit, but we both knew there was no point in leaving it for Chase when he started. There was no way in hell he was going in there. So that left me.
