Page 128 of Things I Read About
Shep rubs his hands together. “We’re going to help you win our girl back.”
I grunt again not thinking.“Mygirl.”
“Ooooo. Testy, like a bastard in love.”
Still gritting my teeth, I ask Shep, “I went to war, but what exactly scrambledyourbrain?”
Shep stops his hooting and slapping to give me a glare.
“I really do like him,” Matt says about me again, laughing.
Emerson ignores Shep and leans in toward me. “Do you have any initial ideas?”
“To get her back?”
He nods.
I lean back and think. “I mean I was planning on spilling my guts out to her, but I couldn’t get her alone. She won’t see me.”
Shep nods. “Classic.”
“So, we enlist our wives to help you get her alone.”
“What about Kat?” Matt asks Emerson.
“Samantha can handle Kat,” he replies.
Shep chuckles. “That’s the truth right there. But do you have something planned, something romantic to say?”
“I… I have an idea, actually. But I need help. Sadie’s help, probably.”
He smiles. “I bet my wife has already texted me fifteen times asking what the grand gesture is and how she can help.”
“First, though, I just want to talk to Sally. Then if I can’t get through”—I pause, looking at the three rather intense dudes around the table—“we enlist reinforcements.”
“Deal. Sammy gets Kat out of the way; you make your move. Easy as pie.”
Emerson looks from Shep to me. “What is it? You’re… bothered.”
I clear my throat. “Easy as pie. The idiom. It comes from New Zealand, the nineteen…” I search my memory. “Twenties. The 1920s. From the Maori word pai, different spelling, meaning to be good at something.”
They stare, until Emerson says. “You really do love her.”
“That’s it!” Shep sits up, way too excited. We all look at him. “Tomorrow, when you cry like a baby and tell her you love her, use idioms, man. All the idioms.”
I fight a smile.
For the first time ever, I think maybe I can stand Shep Riggs.
33
“Ladies!”
Thud. Thud. Thud.
“Sal. I think it’s Dean,” Kat says.
“It’s dark,” I say.
