Page 15 of Loathe Thy Neighbor

“Because I was the only person desperate for the paltry salary you were offering? Which reminds me…you are payingmeto be here today, not yourself. So…”

I lift a brow. “Your subtlety needs work.”

“Oh, I wasn’t trying to be subtle, River. You need a break from this place. Takeat leastone night off. It won’t kill you.”

“How do you know? It could. I’ve never tried, and I’m still alive. Why risk it now?”

“Thatis the exact problem—you’ve never tried. Everything is fine here. Go home.”

I groan. “All right. I’ll leave.”

“And go home, where you’ll stay the entire night,” she instructs. When I open my mouth, she shakes her head and points a finger at me. “Nope. I don’t want to hear it. No calling either.”

I smash my lips together, nodding, accepting my fate. I grab my purse, rounding the counter.

“Home and no calling,” I promise.

“Good.” She grabs me by the shoulders, ushering me toward the shop door. “Take a bath or something. You need to relax.”

Oh, man. A bath. Water so hot I can barely stand it. Candles and a good book. That sounds like heaven… “A bath does sound good.”

“Have a whiskey in there. Or cake. Eating cake in the bathtubalwaysmakes me feel better.”

“Cake in the tub? But pie…”

“Then get pie. Do it. Trust me.”

“Whatever you say.” I wrap my arms around her, squeezing her tight. “Thank you, Caroline. I don’t know what I’d do without you sometimes. I’m so happy you said yes to the paltry salary.”

She laughs, hugging me back. “Me too. Now go home.”

“I thought I was the boss around here…”

“Not today. I’ll call you tomorrow.” She practically shoves me out the door, clicking the lock shut behind me.

“You better remember to unlock that!”

She rolls her eyes, waving me off.

I take a deep breath and turn toward my apartment building, which is five blocks away.

Home. A nice bath. A glass of whiskey.

They’re all calling my name.

First stop,pie.

* * *

“Morris! Get down from there!”

Meow.

“Yes.”

Meow.

“I am your treat-giver. You better listen to me, mister.”

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