Page 22 of When You Least Expect It
I didn’t stop until we reached my house, and as soon as I opened the door, I ushered Calista inside, trying to get her as far away from that scumbag as possible.
Religious prayer meeting my ass.
As Calista got comfortable at the kitchen island, I went straight for the fridge and the beer.“Do you want a beer?”I asked.“I also got some hard liquor if you need it after that shit.”
She laughed before saying, “A beer is fine.”
After grabbing two bottles from the bottom shelf, I slid hers over to her as I stood on the other side of the marble counter, still trying to process what’d just happened.I mean, while I’d been expecting something new and different, I hadn’t ever expectedthat.
Looking at the beauty across from me, I asked, “So, am I the only one thinking that Jury Patton has himself a little sex sect?”
Calista shook her head.“Nope.”
“What in the hell?”I remarked absently.“I mean, seriously.”
“Did you notice how they all looked similar?”she asked.“I mean, if that isn’t a dead giveaway, then I’m not sure what is.”
I eyed her as I said, “He seemed particularly interested in you.”
“Oh, please,” she huffed.“His GQ smooth moves might have worked on his little quartet over there, but not me.”
Then, because I needed to know for my own personal reasons, I asked, “Do you have a boyfriend?I mean, is my lie going to come back and blow up in our faces?”
Shaking her head, she said, “No, we’re good.”
The relief that I felt at this moment was very telling and a bit scary.I didn’t realize how much I’d wanted her to say no until she’d said the word, and it had me wondering if it was too soon to ask her out on a date.Of course, just because she’d said that she didn’t have a boyfriend didn’t mean that I had a chance.For all that I knew, she could have a crush on a co-worker or something.
After a few seconds, I asked, “Do you think that he has Louise recruiting for him?”
Calista immediately scowled.“That sounds a lot like trafficking.”
I shrugged.“Maybe a subtle version.”
“Well, if she is, then she’s stupider than I thought,” she replied seriously.
“All the same, I think that we should internet stalk him,” I suggested.“The way that those women never uttered a word has me feeling like Satan’s raking his fingernails across the bottoms of my feet.”
“Well, that’s a cheerful nightmare that I can look forward to tonight,” she grumbled.
That made me grin.“Just make sure that you don’t fall asleep with your leg hanging over the side of the bed.”
“Because demons are only under the bed?”she sassed back.“I don’t think so.”
Then, overstepping when I shouldn’t, I said, “Do me a favor and stay on this side of the street from now on.I just...while I don’t think that you’re in actual danger, I don’t like the idea of you being anywhere near those people.”
She looked at me pointedly.“Ihavebeen staying on this side of the street.For a few months already, might I add.”
“Yeah, but now that Jury Patton has met you in person, I think that they might become more aggressive in their pursuit of you.”
Calista took a drink of her beer-super unimpressed by my possessiveness-before saying, “You know, I’m thirty-six, Myer.I’m officially a big girl.”
“I just don’t want him anywhere near you,” I told her.“That whole...kneeling and not speaking is super weird, and I’m beginning to wonder if Louise’s fruit baskets are really gifts or if she’s trying to apple poison you like Snow White.”
“The big difference here is that the apples in Snow White were edible,” she retorted.“Louise’s fruit baskets are a danger to the environment.”
“Nevertheless, just don’t answer the door if she knocks,” I said.“And the next time that she delivers you a basket, we’re throwing that shit out where she can see.”
“Awwwe,” she cooed.“You really are worried about me.”
