Page 45 of A Spot of Tea
Eliza couldn’t tell if he was playing dumb. She laughed. “I’m not questioning you being handsome. I’m questioning the bank robber being handsome.” She turned back to the manager. “So you got a good look at him?”
“No, not really. He had a ski mask over his face, but he looked, you know. In shape. Muscles. And he had good hands. Do you know what I mean?”
Eliza nodded. “I do know what you mean.”
“What are good hands?” Joey asked. “Do I have good hands?”
Eliza and the manager both glanced at him and replied, “Yes.”
Joey held his hands out in front of him. “Who knew?”
“Can you focus for one second?” Eliza asked.
Grinning, he put his hands in his pockets. “Yes. Sorry. It’s not every day you find out you’ve got good hands.”
Eliza tried to keep the smile off her face and turned back to the manager. “Did he have any tattoos or scars?”
She shook her head. “He only took his gloves off for a moment, but he looked strong. Big forearms, you know?” She nodded at Joey. “Like you. Do you work with your hands?”
Was it possible for her eyes to roll all the way into the back of her head?
Joey shook his head. “No. I’m a pilot.”
“A pilot. Fascinating.” She leaned in. “Did you fly here?”
He shrugged. “We did, yeah.”
She looked him up and down. “Well, anytime you’re in the area again, please come and pay me a visit. Iloveto fly.”
“Sure,” Joey said with a nod. “Thanks for talking with us. If you think of anything else…”
“Write down your number,” she said, handing him a business card. “I’ll get in touch.”
“Sure.”
“Excuse me,” Eliza said, “can I get one of those?”
She pulled out another business card and handed it over without making eye contact. “Of course.”
Pretty hair, perfect makeup, an expensive-looking outfit. She seemed like the kind of woman Joey should be with. Eliza watched as he jotted down his phone number. There was no use being jealous. This was the natural state of things.
She shoved the card into her back pocket and turned to leave. He caught up with her outside.
“Looks like you’re not the only one people like opening up to,” he said, a smirk on his face.
“I don’t want to ever hear you claim I’m good with people again,” Eliza snapped. “I think she was about to give you the key to her house.”
A laugh burst out of him. “That was weird, wasn’t it?”
“I’m surprised she didn’t ask the bank robber out, too.”
“I bet she did but he turned her down.”
She cracked a smile. “That’s probably what happened.”
Joey’s phone rang – Russell asking if he could stop by Anacortes to pick up his stranded agent.
“No problem. We’re really close.” He ended the call and made a face. “Do you mind?”
