Page 38 of Shape Of My Heart
“What are you doing here? It’s Saturday, isn’t it?” These days he had to check. He’d been known to sleep through the whole weekend on a binge-drinkingspree.
“Yes, and you have a bigger TV than me, with more channels andbetterfood.”
He sat on the sofa opposite her. She looked over at him when an infomercial came on advertisingslinkies.
“You came for the TV andthefood?”
“Yes, what else is here? Oh right, the beach and the whole Malibuthing.”
He looked at her, trying to figure her out. “What’s withyourhair?”
“Nothing, it’s my Saturday morning hair. So that by Saturday night it’s all curly. That way I don’t have to use my curling wand. Too much heat isn’t good, it gives you split ends. Especially if it doesn’t have a ceramic coating on it. But a ceramic coating with tourmaline is even better because it makes the ions all the correct charge forhealthyhair.”
All that explanation for his simple question. Again he just lookedather.
“What?” She narrowed her eyesathim.
“Nothing.”
She focused her attention back on the TV and munched away on thecereal.
While she did that he continued tostare.
“There’s a surfing competition in about an hour. Do you wanttocome?”
He laughed. She was up to something. He didn’t know what it was yet, but she was definitely up to something. Imagine him and herhangingout.
“Since when does Kansas want to hang out with JoshuaMancini?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know who Kansas is. I don’t even know why you callmethat.”
“Well, I imagined you with your hair in bunches, making sure all your clothes are neat, and look at you.” He pointed toherhair.
“You leave my hair alone. Worry about your own,” she huffed, pointing her spoon at him. “You look like you’ve been rolling aroundwithdogs.”
“There you are,” Allegra said, walking into the room. She frowned when she saw Amy and looked at him askance. “What’s shedoinghere?”
“I guess I was right,” Amy stated through a tight-lipped smile in reference to her dog comment which Allegra hadn’theard.
“She’s my assistant,” Josh said toAllegra.
“It’s Saturday.” She wore one of his shirts and pulled it closer to her chest as she continued to stareAmydown.
Amy didn’t give her the time of day. She just focused her gaze ontheTV.
Now what did hedohere?
“Sometimes duty calls,” he told her. He didn’t want Amy toleave.
“I thought we could go to the beach party later. Cindy will bethere.”
Cindy.As if her presence could make him wanttogo.
“I’m going to sit this one out, I think.” He needed to, even for today. He wanted to think about tomorrow and didn’t want either Allegra or Cindyaround.
“Come on, baby. Just get rid of her.” She moved over to him and put her armsaroundhim.
He saw Amy look over at him out of the corner ofhereyes.
