Page 45 of Space Balls: Houston, We Have Liftoff
“Shhh.” I put my finger to my lips then point to the window above us, where his mother is probably still in the kitchen, cutting radishes into roses. “I’ll be back,” I whisper, finger gunning him.
Vance snorts. “Oh, no you don’t. You’re not leaving me this time, Rosie-girl. Not again.” He covers my hands with his, pulling me to him. “Besides, what are you? The Terminator?”
I feel my smile dim, his words making me pause.Meleavehim?
In a flash, all our previous interactions wash over me. Me leaving him in the guest room at the wedding, turning him down for dates at the strip club, declaring I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend at the bar, trying to sneak out in the morning after sex rounds three and four, kicking him out of my apartment after declaring friends with bennies.
I’ve been pushing him away, making him leave. But he keeps coming back. Does… does that mean he cares? Like Ian said?
“Rosie?” He tilts his head, frowning, oblivious to the emotional shock I’ve just had.
Shaking it off, I pull my hands from his and unlatch the gate. Reaching back to him, I deepen my voice in my best Arnold Schwarzenegger imitation. “Come with me if you want your turkey.”
Vance
“Where are we going?”I hold on to the oh-shit handle above the door as Rose takes a turn at high speed. “Also, side note, turkey is not worth dying over.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “You strap yourself on top of a tank full of rocket fuel. You can’t tell me you’re scared of little old me behind the wheel, can you?”
She weaves in and out of holiday traffic like a drunk sailor on leave. It would be frightening if she didn’t do it so flawlessly.
“Of course not,” I lie. “Just wanted to make sure you’re aware of the limit on how far we’ll go for a bird.”
She revs the engine.
“Death.” I glare at her. “Death is the limit in case you didn’t get that.”
Exiting the neighborhood by taking a right on Lake View Boulevard, Rose simultaneously thumbs the buttons on her steering wheel. The car speakers start ringing.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Robert Vincent?” Rose guns it to the traffic light. “This is Rose West of West Ranch.”
A beat of silence. “Uh, hello.” He clears his throat. “Yes, Ms. West, what can I do you for?”
Thankfully she stops at an intersection at NASA Road 1. “Well, Bob, I need a turkey.”
“A turkey.” Pause. “On Thanksgiving.” He sounds dumbfounded.
“Yep. And I know you’re just the guy who can help me.” The light turns green, and the back of my head hits the car seat when she stomps on the accelerator.
“Well, Ms. West, the shop is closed and I—”
“I’m two minutes away.”
“You’re what?”
“I’m two minutes away from your butcher shop, Bob, and I’m telling you now that if you meet me there with a turkey, I will make it worth your while.” She makes the left onto NASA and immediately changes lanes and shifts gears, shooting ahead. “Not just for today’s turkey, but for your next order of beef from the ranch.”
“I… I mean, I would, but you see—”
We pass by Jules’ apartment building on the right.
“How does fifteen percent off wholesale sound?”
Silence.
Rose downshifts, slowing as she hits a red light. “Did I lose you, Bob?”
