Page 84 of Until Landon
“Here it is. Before I call, let’s take some notes. We have to figure out what he’ll ask and have our answers ready.”
“If we tell him the truth, they will be ready.”
“Good point. Landon is the only one that can know the real story though.”
“You mean the one about how two college men got drugged and robbed by two bitches?”
“Yeah. That one. I’m going to plug this in. See if it works.”
As I move to the kitchen, something down the hall, in my peripheral vision, pulls my attention. The door to the bathroom is ajar, and the round mirror is partially visible. As I get closer I see a big red heart with a message inside, written in lipstick. Only a few letters are visible until I push the door open.
Her name, finally revealed, is the finalfuck you.
Maneater.
CHAPTERNINETEEN
Landon
“Motherfucker! Are you shitting me, Hunter?”
The tourists at the end of the bar are rethinking their visit.
The pressure in my head builds and my temples actually beat.
“I wish I was. I’m so sorry, Landon. Both of us are. We wanted to tell you right away.”
“What the hell were you thinking?”
“They seemed normal, and we were just going to get cleaned up then go get something to eat.”
“Oh yeah! You were going to get a snack! On your way to church. Who do you think you’re talking to? It was the pussy!”
The lady wearing new leathers gathers her things and slides off the stool. The man puts a twenty down for an eleven dollar tab. They make for the door.
“Well…”
“Well nothing! Son of a bitch. So are you feeling alright? Is Bing okay?”
“We’re fine.”
I don’t know what to do or ask first. A hundred questions pop in my mind.
“Does your mom know yet?”
“Um, no. We wanted to talk to you about that.”
“What about it?”
“We think it would be so much better if the moms don’t find out.”
I am pissed beyond belief, but the kid’s idea of the man code is comical. I hope he can hear my sarcasm.
“I bet you do. But that isn’t gonna happen.”
“Wait! Before you make up your mind, Bing and I are one hundred percent okay. As far as we can tell, the most expensive things they took were our phones and an iPad. We will pay you back every cent of the items they took. Every cent. Even if it takes a year. It’s a promise.”
“Stop. I’ll give you fifteen minutes to get your shit together and tell your mother. Fifteen. Got that, Hunter? After that I’m calling her. And tell Bing that goes for him too. Fuck!”
