Page 15 of S.O.S. Billboard

Billboard shrugged, dishearteningly. “There’s nothing much to tell. When we were down in Louisianna, she kind of let me know she was interested, and Brigidmade sureI knew that O’Shea was sniffing around, but I didn’t start anything because, well, she lives and works there and I live and work here.”

Mizzay scoffed. “Youz have heard of airplanes, right?” she asked sharply.

“I—”

“And zoom? And sexting?” she added before he could defend himself.

“Yeah. I have. But the first one means taking time off, and I hate leaving the guys short-handed,” he answered stubbornly. In truth, work was the only thing that kept him sane. “The second and third things…” Billboard deflated. It was time to let Mizzay know just how lacking he was around the female sex. “…they require talking. And I’m not so good at that.”

“Whadjou just say?” Mizzay asked, putting one hand to her ear.

Billboard groaned. “I said I’m not good at talking.”

“Oh really? What ahh we doin’ right now?” she grilled.

“Talking, I guess,” he muttered.

“You guess?” Mizzay didn’t let up, and he wouldn’t have been surprised if any minute, he didn’t get a slap on the back of his head. He hoped not. The lump was still there from this morning.

“Uvcoursewe’re talkin’,” she corrected him. “And even though it’s like pullin’ teeth, we’re at least startin’ to getsomewhere,” she stated smugly. “What does Doc Ed have to say about ya situation now that things with Peggy are kaput?”

BB didn’t know how Mizzay had found Doctor Edwina for him, but he’d be forever grateful to her that she’d set up that first appointment for him several months ago.

Billboard also felt he was on firmer ground with this question because Doc Ed hadn’t beat around the bush when responding to his new, single status. “She thinks it was too long in coming. She thinks…” BB swallowed. “…I like hanging on and beating myself up over things I can’t fix, rather than doing the smart thing and letting go.”

“And that describes ya relationship with Peggy?” Mizzay questioned, but clearly she already knew the answer.

“Yeah,” he admitted. “We were fine during…uh, in bed.” That felt awkward. “But she wanted more. Things I couldn’t give her, like why I’m so fucked up and quiet a lot of the time.”

“Uh, huh. I don’t blame her, then.” Mizzay shook her head.

Billboard bit his tongue. He deserved that.

Mizzay continued. “What makes you think things’ll be different with O’Shea?”

“Huh?” Billboard blinked. He hadn’t said a word aboutstartingsomething with O’Shea. He’d simply agreed that she’d caught his interest. Mizzay had obviously drawn her conclusion without any evidence. “With O’Shea?”

“Yeah. You heard me. I got eyez in my head, Mr. Seingold. When we were down south, youz couldn’t be around her enough. And O’Shea? Well, she looked at you like you hung the moon.”

“She did?” Billboard brightened. That was news to him.

“Men are so dense,” Mizzay returned with a huff. “Youz think it was a coincidence that every time we got in a vehicle, she managed to sit next to you?”

“Well, I, umm…”

“And whose opinion did she ask whenever there was a question that came up?”

Billboard thought back, and a smile twitched on his lips. “Mine, I guess.”

“Again, there’s no guessing about it.” Mizzay looked smug as she regarded him keenly. “Now she’s in Boston. Fah what reason we don’t yet know. But if I had to take a shot, which I will, I’d say she’s thinkin’ of relocatin’ and wants to see if there’s anything heah fuh her.”

“Like a job,” Billboard responded knowingly.

“Like that, and maybe like a certain man whose too hahd-headed to see what’s right in front of him.”

“You think?” His gut was beginning to unwind until…

Billboard groaned. “Oh, shit. Brigid put me on speaker when she called, and now O’Shea thinks I’m dating Peggy.”

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