Page 39 of Archer
She turned to me with a sly, challenging smirk. “Maybe you’re just too sensitive.”
Crow burst out laughing once again, saying, “Yeah! Ever thought of that?”
“I’m not too—”
“You also thought she was mean to you,” Crow interrupted me, pointing to Rose. “She seems perfectly fine! You are too sensitive!”
“You should have seen her befo—”
“I was adelight,” she said, smiling angelically and I had to laugh at their collective joke. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“All right, fine.” I held my hands up in defeat. “I can tell I’m outnumbered. You win. I’m too sensitive and you two are always the epitome of kindness. There.”
“’Bout time this dumbass grew a few brain cells, huh?” Crow said, covering his mouth so I couldn’t read his lips, but speaking loud enough that I could hear, and pointed his thumb at me.
Rose raised her drink in the air. “Cheers to that.”
They continued to laugh and joke with each other as we drank our beverages. While they chatted, I couldn’t help but go quiet and simply observe the scene in front of my eyes. There was something so warm about their exchange. I’d known Crow for years and aside from Evelyn, men included, he was just a dick to everyone. Even if they didn’t deserve it, it was his default personality.
Yet within minutes, Rose had done the impossible and got into his good books. The way he smiled at her was kind of touching. Like he appreciated being seen as a nice person for once. I never thought about it before, but maybe he acted the way he did because of the way we treated him. Rose walked right up to him and treated him like anyone else, and he appreciated it.
As Crow began telling her a story about me trying to climb one of the hills in the desert while drunk, resulting in me tumbling into a cactus, a smile grew on my face. Even if they bonded over jokes made at my expense, it showed how special of a woman Rose truly was. An image of the three of us sitting around the island, three years from now, laughing and drinking, popped into my head. The scene was comforting. Cozy, like it had a homey sense, but not because we were in my house. It was that feeling of belonging people felt when they were in good company.
My thoughts were interrupted when Crow said, “Ah, fuck. I almost forgot why I came here in the first place.”
“Oh, yeah,” I said. “What are you doing?”
He reached into his pocket as he said, “Actually, I saw your dad.”
Rose piped up. “Mine? Why?”
My stomach dropped as I knew reality was going to come crashing into my daydreams. Pushing my own selfish thoughts out of my mind, I turned to Rose and explained, “Crow is one of the guys I told you about last night who’s going to help protect your dad.”
“Oh,” she said, pursing her lips together, trying not to frown. “So? What’s going on? What happened?”
“Well, I was sick and tired of all these guys acting like this guy is impossible to get information out of,” Crow said. “Figured he just needed… someone who showed him how important it was to cooperate with us if he wants us to help.”
I looked at Crow eagerly, surprised that he’d take it upon himself to do that. If anyone would be able to intimidate someone into giving up information, it would be Crow.
Rose, however, didn’t appear to share my optimism, giving him a flat, “And?”
Expecting Crow to drop a bomb of information, I watched intently only to see him slowly shake his head. “That guy is locked up tight, goddammit.”
Rose took a sip of her drink. “Sure is.”
My shoulders slumping, I said, “So? Why’d you need to come here?”
“Well, he gave me something,” Crow finally pulled his hand out of his pocket grasping a rectangular jewelry box. “Don’t know what it is, but he asked me to give it to you.”
Rose accepted the box from Crow and stared at it, stroking the deep purple felt with her fingertips. Waiting for her to open it, I stared at her with anticipation watching a frown grow on her lips. Then, she set it to the side and forced a smile on her face. “Thank you, Crow. I appreciate it.”
“Yeah, whatever,” Crow said, not wanting to appear too friendly. “That guy needs a fuckin’ drink.”
Rose giggled. “Oh god yeah. Guaranteed, my life would be much different if he knew how to relax.”
Finishing off his beer, Crow stood from his seat and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’d better take off.”
“Okay,” Rose said. “Well, it was really great to meet you, Crow. And thank you, so much, for helping Archer and me protect my dad. Seriously.”
