Page 48 of Out to Get Her
“Details.” He walked in and said hello to Marty, who began excitedly screaming his own name as usual.
“Have we discussed your future in bird ownership?” she asked.
“Not happening.” He whistled at the spread on the living room floor. “Who threw up a craft store in here?”
“Good news, finally. That storm is buying me a couple days to fill these ordersandfinish up my business here.”
“Lucky New Orleans.”
She groaned, feeling a little guilty about her glee. The storm shouldn’t be bad, but everyone in that area got twitchy whenever something even mildly big came near, and half the neighborhoods flooded in an afternoon shower thanks to the craptastic drainage. “But I definitely have to get back as soon as it passes. And bring this giant order with me.”
Thankfully, she’d brought plenty of supplies with her. At least, she hoped she’d brought enough of everything. If she was short even a single pin or bead, there wasn’t a nearby store to restock at and certainly not enough time to have anything shipped.
Zach held up a card holding dangling silver earrings with green and blue glass beads. “Pretty.”
“Thanks. Those are my favorite.”
He smiled and held them up to her hair. “Can see why.”
“No, I just like those.” She tugged at a strand near her face. “The hair changes. Sometimes monthly. If I stay much longer, you’ll start seeing my roots.”
“Like I don’t remember your roots.”
Erin happened to be knee-deep in her roots this week. Just so happened she was the only one who’d forgotten them.
“Soooooo.” Zach sat on the floor cross-legged beside her, just like when they were kids playing board games in this very living room. “Heard you went to Addie’s last night.”
“Uh-huh.”
She’d bet money he heard a lot more than that. And she’d double down on that being the real reason he’d come over. But she wasn’t about to spoon-feed his own question to him.
“Did you really go down there and accuse Addie of slashing your tire?” His gleeful expression turned serious. “And when exactly were you gonna tell me someone slashed your tire?”
She shrugged. He’d get to his real question, eventually. No need to rush him.
She wasn’t itching to talk to someone about what she did after she left Addie’s. Nope. Not at all.
“You found out before I could tell you. And I’m pretty sure now that Addie didn’t do it.”
She put the earrings back in their box and started packing up the rest of her supplies. She needed to take a break, and she had checks to write before the mail passed.
“But you thought she did and stormed down there, anyway?” Zach laughed. “I guess you haven’t changed allthatmuch.”
“Guess not.”
“So who did slash your tire? Any idea?”
“I was hoping you might help me figure out who besides Addie hates me that much.”
“No idea.” He shook his head. “You haven’t even been here long enough to piss anyone else off yet.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“You’re welcome. But between that and… you know. The other thing.” He scratched at his head. “It’s just creepy. That kind of stuff doesn’t happen around here. You know that.”
“Not like I had anything to do with it.”
“I know, but…” He placed his hand on her arm to stop her from closing containers. “I’m just worried about you being here alone. I don’t know why any of this is happening, but even if it’s all just a big string of coincidences… I don’t know. Maybe you should stay at my place? Or something. Maybe find someone to stay here with you?” He grinned and raised his brow. “Captain Tight Pants?”
