Page 114 of Dream House
As usual, now that Tyler’s with us, she climbs into the back—behind me (better vantage point to sneak peeks at him).
“Thanks for picking me up.” This is also her norm. She doesn’t have to thank me, but she never neglects to.
“No problem.” After what happened Friday, it’s a wonder she can bring herself to go in at all. But it’s just for another couple of weeks. She gave her notice, and though her boss Aggie was broken up about it, I think she’s also relieved.
“Any trouble today?”
I catch her head shake in the rearview as I reverse out of the parking spot. “No.” Then she surprises me. “You have any trouble?”
Shifting into drive, I glance back. “Me?”
Nina is scrutinizing my reflection.
“No trouble. What d’you mean?” As soon as I ask, I know I shouldn’t have. Nina’s focus goes pointy.
In the month or so I’ve known her, Nina Lemoine has shown me zero assertiveness. So the look she’s giving me now stuns the hell out of me.
“Are youcausingany trouble?” she asks. Her tone is shy of accusation but full of concern.
When I turn around in my seat to meet her face to face, I clock that both she and Tyler are zeroing in on me.
What the hell?!
“Am I missing something?” I ask, my eye contact bouncing between them.
Nina draws in both of her lips, and I see that meeting me head on makes her nervous. “Maggie said you are a heartbreaker.”
“WHAT?!”
The word is like a crack of thunder, and Tyler literally bares his teeth. He seems to swell in the seat beside me, and without even pondering it, I know that if Stella’s brother socks me in the jaw, I can’t hit him back.
I raise a hand. “Whoa. Hang on a second.” I honestly don’t know if I’m talking to Tyler, Nina, or myself. “Start over. What did Maggie tell you?”
Nina looks to her left and right. “Let’s get out of here first,” she says, anxiety narrowing her eyes. “I-I don’t like just sitting here.”
She has a point. I turn back to the wheel and hit the gas. But if she thinks we’re going straight back to the house, she’s crazy.
I check Tyler to see he’s still glaring at me like a psycho.
I hang a left out of the parking lot and another left onto Jefferson Street, no sign of the black matte Camaro in any direction. The downtown law offices and advertising firms are emptying for the day and people in suits and power blazers file into their Beamer coups and Kia Sports to head home.
I turn onto West Convent Street, but instead of taking it all the way home, I pull over next to Pop’s Poboys.
“Why are we stopping?” Nina asks.
I throw the Jeep in park. “Because I need to hear what Maggie told you, and I need to hear it before we get back to the house.”
Yeah, I might sound a little irritated. It’s more with my sister-in-law than with Nina, but one look at Tyler let’s me know he’s not making that distinction. We both might benefit from a little space.
“Y’all hungry? Let’s go in and grab some poboys. My treat.” I gesture to Pop’s. Both of them look at the poboy joint first and then at each other.
Neither of them says a word, but they have a whole conversation.
You want to?
Maybe. Do you?
I could eat.
