Page 5 of Missed Exit

“I do not have atwang.”

“You’ve got a little twang. And for the record, Greta Gaines would be a terrible stripper name.”

“Are you done insulting me?”

“Oh, now it’s an insult if youdon’thave a stripper name?”

“I’m only insulted because you think you can make assumptions about me. You don’t know me. There’s nothing wrong with being a stripper, by the way. Sex workers deserve the same respect as anyone else, but thanks to men—”

“Maybe we should do a little more moving and a whole lot less talking.”

She huffs at me, but she lifts her end of the footboard again. She’s stronger than she looks, and she’s got really pretty eyes, even when they’re glaring at me.

I doubt she’s going to be any quieter than the last guy who lived here, but I don’t think I’m going to miss him at all.

3

Greta

Too Close for Comfort

Lawhelpsmemoveall my heavy stuff off the driveway. He even sticks around to help me carry in boxes. Maybe he’s not as bad as I thought. But I’m not rushing to judgment. I’ve only known him a few hours.

“Do you want help putting your bed together?”

“You have tools for that?”

He laughs, and I’m not sure I like the sound of it. “Yeah, I have tools.”

“Okay. If I’m not keeping you from anything.”

“I’ve got time to put a bed together before I head out. If you have anything else that requires assembly, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”

“Where are you heading out to?”

“My job.”

“You work nights?”

“Mostly. How about you?”

“I’m a school teacher. But I’m on a break. For now, I work here.” I look around at my small living room separated from the kitchen by a Formica-topped bar. There is no hallway between the living room and the bedroom, just a door. And to get to the only bathroom, I have to walk through my bedroom, which means any guests I have over will have to do the same.

Not that I plan on having any guests. But this place looks a lot smaller than it did in the pictures.

“What do you mean you work here? As in, right here?”

“People work remotely now. It’s not unusual.”

“Some people do. But the pandemic’s been over for a long time. Are students still attending school remotely?”

“I have some other work to do. I’ll be . . . well, I, I write things.”

“What kind of things? Like textbooks or something?”

“When you look at me, that’s all you think I’d be capable of writing? Textbooks?”

“You said you were a school teacher, so I assumed if you were writing . . . forget it. I’ll just put your bed together and get out of your way.”

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