“Let me get this straight,” she says. “You want me to go with you to your brother’s house—a small-time petty drug dealer—and help get the money he owes you.”
“Yeah. He might not have the cash, but at this point I’ll take anything of value.”
“Should I, like, steal something while you distract him?”
“What? No.”
“Do I need to bring a weapon?” Okay, now I can hear the barest hint of humor in her voice and I know she’s just fucking with me.
“Absolutely not, we’re just?—”
“Fine, I’m in, whatever.”
Well, that was too easy. And now I’m having second thoughts. Rory sounds excited about the danger, and thinking about her with a weapon . . .
Huh. I’m turned on. How ’bout that.
But I also want to spend more time with Rory and get the money. Two birds, one stone. I push the concern away. “Great.”
“How do we want to play this? Good cop/bad cop? Should I play the dumb bimbo or the bitchy badass?”
“How is bitchy badass different from your regular self? And also, can we someday role-play you as a dumb bimbo?”
“Rude,” she says, but it’s half-hearted. “And no.”
“When can you come out?”
We pencil in Tuesday afternoon, pending Hunter taking over the bar for me. Normally Rory leaves Here in her rearview mirror headed off to wherever Monday morning, so I’m thrilled that she’s going to hang around another day for me.
“By the way, my grandma wants your phone number,” she adds.
“Yeah? You can give it to her.”
I can’t see Rory’s face, but I can feel the suspicion over the line. “She wouldn’t say why she wants it. And honestly, I’m not sure I want you two conspiring.”
“Oh, I know why she wants it.”
“You do? Why?”
Rory’s gonna be mad. “I sent her flowers.”
She gasps. “You did not.”
“Yup. The card thanked her for kicking you out.”
“Fuuuuuuucccckkkkk,” she groans. “You asshole. I’m never going to be able to sleep there again.”
I just grin.
“Why am I helping you?”
“Because you secretly like me. And you feel bad that I’m pretending to be engaged to you so you figure you owe me a favor.”
“Oh I do?”
“Absolutely. Help me with this and we’ll call it even.”
“I’ll call it even for the fake fiancé bit, but I’m going to get you back for those flowers, Morgan.”