Page 39 of Demon
“You don’t want to take a day off?You’ve had some pretty shocking news.”
Ronnie shook her head.“I can’t.I need to keep moving, to keep going, or I’ll over think this whole thing.Then I’ll freak out.Even if it weren’t that, I can’t change my routine.Dad would notice, and that will screw everything up.”She pushed herself up off the couch, picked up her half-full coffee cup and took it with her.“I’ll be out in about twenty minutes.We can take off any time after that,” she said over her shoulder as she headed for the bedroom.
When she’d finished in the shower, she carried her empty cup with her as she went into the living room.Gavin was dressed.He looked ready to go, except the hat she knew he would slip on as they headed outside, and it hung on the rack next to the door.
“I’ll be ready in just a minute.I’ve got to take care of this.”She lifted the mug in her hand, so he knew what she meant as she passed through the room.
“I’m not in a hurry.”
Something about his tone made her question that.She set her cup next to the sink, in case she wanted more with dinner tonight, then glanced around to see if there was anything else that needed her attention.
“Have you even talked to Dad since you got to town?”
“Nope.”
She stepped around the corner so she could see him.From this angle, she could only see half of his face, but that didn’t keep her from seeing the tension in his jaw.
“When’s the last time you talked to Dad?”
“I don’t know.Months.I called him on his birthday.”Gavin tilted his head back and looked up at the ceiling.
She wondered for a moment what he was looking at, then realized his eyes were closed.He was stretching.
“The bed not agreeing with you?”she asked, moving in behind him and putting her hands on his shoulders.
“The bed’s fine, I’m just used to my pillow and that one isn’t measuring up.”
“I’ve got other pillows.Check the closet in your room, or the hall closet.I’m sure you can find one you like.”She dug her thumbs into his trapezius muscles on either side of his neck.Gavin groaned and let his head fall forward.
“I’ll give you a week to stop that.”
“We don’t have a week, and my hands wouldn’t last that long anyway.”She continued for several minutes, until her hands ached and the muscles weren’t as hard or tense as before, then stepped back.“Come on.We might as well get moving.While we’re out we can pick up some icy hot or something.I’ll use that on your neck tonight, then a better pillow and you should sleep better tonight.”She didn’t wait for him, but went to the door, geared up then went out to her SUV.
Thirty minutes later she walked in the front door of The Darq Side Bail Bonds just like she did every morning.
“Good morning, Mercedes, how are things today?”she greeted the woman who had worked the front desk here since Ronnie was a child.
“Good, Mija, how are you this manana?”Mercedes asked with a smile as Ronnie went to the coffee pot in the corner and filled her travel mug.Mercedes’ broken English was just another part of her day, one she was used to and loved.
“I’m doing okay.”
The bell on the door jingled as Gavin came in.
“Oh!Mijo, why you no tell me you were coming to visit?”Mercedes stood, moved around her desk, and went to him.By the time Ronnie had her coffee done to suit her and turned around, Mercedes had Gavin wrapped in a tight hug.“You need a good woman to take care of you.Why you not find one up there where you are now?”
“It’s good to see you too, Mercedes.I’ve missed you.”Gavin hugged her back.Then looked down at her, his eyes narrowed in playful suspicion.“What makes you think I don’t have a woman at home waiting for me?”
“If you have woman, she not doing her job.You go away and every time you come home, you skinnier.You need someone feed you up proper.”She looked him up and down again, then returned to her seat behind the desk.“Did you know Mercy is single again?I don’t know why you two never got together.”
The ghost of a smile curved Gavin’s mouth.“You know I love Mercy.But that’s never what we were to each other.Mercy’s like a sister to me.She’s a lot like that one.”He tilted the top of his head in Ronnie’s direction.“Well loved, but a bit headstrong and sometimes a pain in the ass.”
Mercedes shook her head and laughed.“You are not wrong.Tell me, how long you here for?”
“I’m not sure yet.It started as a couple of days in between assignment, but things have changed and I’m not sure when I’m headed back yet.”He turned his attention to Ronnie.“Jesus, more coffee?”
“It’s rude to comment on what other people eat and drink, Gav.”Ronnie tipped her cup up and took a sip just to spite him.
“But you drank four cups at home.Aren’t you worried about overdosing on caffeine?”
