Page 32 of The Love Scam
“It wasn’t that. I started thinking about Mama and wondering what she’d do. And then I thought maybe I should go with him, try to figure out what they want. Or let him get me outside and yell for help until thepoliziacame. But before I could make up my mind, you drove him off with your vomit.”
“Possibly my finest moment,” he agreed with a chuckle.
He felt her small hand curl into his. “But you didn’t know I was thinking up a plan. And you came to get me anyway.”
“Yeah, course I did.”
“So are we friends now?”
He blinked at her. “Well.” He’d saved her. She was saving him. “Yeah. I suppose we are. Which is a bit of a new thing for me.”
“How come? You’re nice. And usually rich. You prob’ly have lots of friends.”
“Fair-weather friends,” he corrected her. “The kind who disappear if they think I’m not picking up the bill. This is gonna sound dumb, but I’d say Blake is probably my best friend.”
“But you hate him.”
“No.” He shook his head at her. She looked earnest and focused, like this was the most important conversation of her life; the least he could do was be honest. “No, I complain about him—”
“A lot.”
“—occasionally, but I love him and he loves me. If he were here, he’d be kicking ass all over the place on my behalf. Andhe’s the same way—I’m probablyhisbest friend, though he’d choke before admitting it.”
“Well, now you have two friends. Right? Rake?”
“Yes, absolutely. It’s a tiny elite group and you’re now a member in good standing. Okay?”
“Okay.”
He stifled a yawn. Ginger ale staying inside? Check. Roof over his head, however temporarily? Check. Delaney amused and Lillith safe? Check-check. “Think I’m gonna sleep some more. Don’t go off with any weirdos without coming to get me first.”
“Defineweirdo.”
He was out before he could oblige.
Twenty
Later that day
(night?)
over a robust meal of clear vegetable broth and staletaralli,Delaney remarked that he looked slightly better than half-dead, which she termed “a remarkable improvement.”
And it got me out of filling more Easter baskets, which made it almost worth it. Almost.That, he figured, was best kept to himself.
“Still, I got alotof work done for you guys before I came to Lillith’s rescue,” he pointed out. “Which also should be worth something. What do bodyguards get paid in this country?”
“About sixty euros an hour.”
“You— Whoa.” He was so surprised, he thought he might fall off the bed. “I thought that was rhetorical. Oh my God, so many new questions now. But getting back to me—”
“Of course. Don’t we always?”
“—you wanted me to help with your cover, which means I’m probably halfway to a new iPhone at least.” At her glance,he added, “What, I have to provide cover for whatever it isandwork for free? I figured I’d use my wages to get a new phone. This can’t be news to you. Besides, don’t you want me off of your hands? Y’know, eventually?”
“Well…”
“Can you believe it? I actually can’t wait to call Blake. Blake!”
