Page 49 of Love Like This

Spencer scoffed. “No one said anything about lovestruck, allright? I’m just…intrigued and now preoccupied. Let’s not get crazy.”

“Sure. You’re not mooning over this woman and I’m not a sucker forIdris Elba with his shirt off, and oiled up, and caressing a woman’s face,preferably mine, and—”

“You’re stealing from my crisis with a straight girl fantasy.”

“I’m using it as a stepping stool to Idris.”

Spencer smiled at Kendra being Kendra but moved beyond it. “MaybeI should stop seeing her.”

Kendra pulled her face back and studied the tables around them asif to say “did you just hear this woman?”

“I’m serious, Ken. I don’t like feeling like my brain is all overthe place, and besides that, we have very different beliefs about love andmarriage and the grand scheme. I’d probably be a letdown for her in the longrun. Those are big issues one shouldn’t ignore.”

“Oh, are we back on your fear of marriage because your parents’didn’t work? That old chestnut?” She rolled her eyes as if the subject was atired one.

“You’re minimizing my whole ideology, but yes, it’s a factor.”

“Let me help you unfactor that nonsense, because I work withfamilies bringing little ones into the world every day, and that love is purerthan anything you can toss forth in an argument. So, you need to checkyourself, Spencer, before you blow something that could, in the end, be yourmother-effing everything.”

“I always know you’re serious when you almost swear.”

“Good, because that’s now. Eat your burger. We’re not just herefor Dr. Phil time, Lil Miss. You need nourishment or your mama would kill me.”

Obediently, Spencer took a bite of her burger and then a couplemore, because hospital food had never been this good. Seriously? Where did theyhire their chefs? “What about you?” she asked around three fries. “Staying awayfrom Tucker, right?”

“Away is such a general definition.”

Spencer shook her head. “You’re going out with his ass again?Speaking of mamas killing their kids, it’s my job to stand in for yours sinceshe can’t be here. Don’t be an idiot. Don’t.”

Kendra shrugged and pulled a pathetic face. “He says he’s sorryand only wants to be with me from now on.”

“Are you stupid? Were you dropped on your head? Those are the onlyexplanations I can summon in this moment.”

Kendra waved her off. “Don’t go getting all worked up. I get it,okay?” She tapped her chest several times with force. “I know he’s a playernow, and what to watch out for. Knowledge is power.”

“What a pair we are, sitting here,” Spencer said. “You runningaround with a no-good dog, and me chasing a—”

“A starry-eyed white woman with moves,” Kendra said, laughing.

“What am I gonna do with you?” Spencer asked.

“More like what am I gonna do withyou? Eat your burger, Spencer Spice, anddon’t forget the tomato. It’s good for you.” A pause. “When do you see heragain?”

“As soon as humanly possible,” Spencer said, with a very guiltysmile.

* * *

Janika and her co-captain, Roger Raines, were running out of air.They’d managed to cram themselves into a small pod before the spaceship lostall power, careening to Earth where it would undoubtedly burst into flames.Gah! Hadley swallowed and turned the page, her heart rate out of control, andwhy wouldn’t it be? This mission was crazy! The move had been a risky one, butsomehow Janika and Roger had made it out of there in time. Now it was a matterof finding the space station before the pod itself became a death chamber fromwhich they’d never escape!

“Hurry, Janika,” Hadley murmured. She was tempted to look ahead tobe sure they made it out in one piece, but that would be cheating and Hadleywouldn’t be able to live with herself if that’s who she became. A knock at thedoor. She glanced up but couldn’t stop reading. Not yet. She flipped the page.Roger suggested they take turns breathing, to which Hadley wanted to scream,“That’s not practical, Roger. Hurry!That’swhat you need to do!” Another knock. “Oh, dear goodness,” Hadley said, closingthe book and scurrying to her front door. She found Larry Herman there, theirinteresting and sometimes tightly wound landlord. She happened to have a softspot for him.

“Hey, Larry,” Hadley said, smiling. “What can I do for you?”

“I’m here to report that Gia Malone is officially sick. I’mfilling in tonight.”

Hadley watched him shuffle nervously, and push his plastic-framedglasses farther up on his nose. “You’re filling in forbabysitting? Withme?”

“Well, she certainly shouldn’t be around children with themultiplicity factor of germs. Consider the likely outcomes, Ms. Cooper.”

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