Page 13 of Plum

He chuckles. Actually chuckles. “I was making a comeback.”

“You were gettin’ your ass handed to you.”

“Yeah. Probably.” His gaze turns vague, and his smile goes somehowoff. “I was gonna lose that one, wasn’t I?”

“You did lose.” He’s still lookin’ a little down in the mouth. Don’t know why I care. “Nickel feels no pain. He’ll keep punchin’ after he breaks his hand. You didn’t have a chance.”

“Are you trying to make me feel better?” The bright-white smile is back.

“I’m just sayin’. You shouldn’t feel bad.”

“Youaretrying to make me feel better. I knew you were soft-hearted.”

“Hooker with a heart of gold. That’s me.” Since we’re bein’ friendly, I flip the wallet open again and finger through the bills. They’re so crisp and new, they stick to each other. He must’ve stopped at the ATM. “It ain’t smart to walk around with this much cash on you.”

“It’s not that much. Only five hundred or so.”

I snort. Yeah. Only five hundred. I got my electric turned off in the middle of a heat wave overonlyeighty-four dollars and fifty-two cents. All the food in the fridge spoiled, and I had to take my cat to my girl Annie Holt’s ‘cause it was too hot for her inside or out.Stillhaven’t gotten her back. The kids got attached.

Only five hundred, my ass.

“Go ahead. Take it.” He smiles all coaxing, the way any cartoon villain does when his nemesis is unsuspectingly walking over a trapdoor.

“I ain’t fallin’ for it.”

He closes his eyes, as if in aggravation. “You’re stubborn as hell, Plum Pudding.”

“Why do you want me to take it if it ain’t a setup? I ain’t done shit for you.”

It’s strange. The question seems to confuse him. I can tell the minute he gives up tryin’ to figure out what he should say.

“What’s the name of the guy standing in the hall?”

“Austin?”

With no warning, Adam calls, “Austin!”

The kid comes in at a run. Austin probably thinks I’ve lost my mind again and started in on this guy with my shoe like I did his stepbrother the other day.

“Sir?”

“See this wallet Plum has in her hands?”

Here it comes. The net is lowered. I’m an idiot. I saw it comin’, and I’m still happily sitting and waiting for it to scoop me up, all for a foot rub.

“Should I call management, sir?”

“No, no.” Adam drops my feet—damn—and wraps his arms around my butt, holding me in place. “Everything’s fine. I need you to hold something for Plum here.”

“Yeah?”

“Hand him the money, Pudding.” It makes no damn sense, but I ain’t stupid. I pass the cash quicker than a blunt behind the bleachers when the teacher shows up.

“Will you hold that for her until she’s done?”

“Yes, sir.” Austin folds and wedges it in his back pocket. “You need anything else?”

“Only privacy, my man.” Adam sounds like some action movie superspy. Shaken, not stirred.Only privacy,my man.

---