Page 68 of The Missus

‘What are you talking about?’

‘You could have just gone out for the evening and hooked up, right? Gone to their place? Broken your rule about second locations.’

Keira chewed her lip. ‘I guess.’

‘Actually, when was the last time you brought anyone home?’ Alanna thought about it and she couldn’t recall.

Keira was quiet for a moment. ‘Last week, wasn’t it? That, err, that girl with the hair?’

‘Her name was Joelle, and it was a pink pompadour. And that was ages ago.’

‘I guess they all blur after a while,’ Keira shrugged.

‘Yeah. How did you… I…’ She stopped, realising what her tipsy mind was telling her to ask. ‘Never mind.’

‘No, what?’ Keira pressed.

‘It’s too personal.’

Keira looked embarrassed. ‘Look, we’re obviously past the point where we don’t ask each other personal questions. I mean, we’re friends now, right?’

‘Of course we are,’ Alanna assured her quickly, pleased. ‘But still, I was going to ask something I’m not sure whether you’d like.’

‘You want to know what I get out of one-night stands, don’t you?’

‘I’m not asking. You told me I couldn’t,’ Alanna said.

Keira gave her a lopsided smile, and one of those famous dimples made an appearance. ‘As long as you’re not gonna make a thing of it. I guess I’ve always seen people as mini-mysteries that you unlock. Only no one ever really takes that long to solve.’

‘I’ve never found that to be true, myself.’

‘No, I suppose in your job, you take longer to draw the picture. Because you’re trying to solve their issues, fill in every detail. I don’t want to do that. I just want, you know, an outline. The outline is all I ever need. I get bored after that. It all feels very obvious.’

‘Youneversee anything that makes you want to take it down to the next level? Fill in some detail? Just in case it’s more complicated than you think it is.’

‘Not usual—’ Keira stopped mid-sentence. ‘No, never. It’s never that complicated.’

Alanna tried not to show the disappointment that Keira’s statement inspired. This wasn’t about her, anyway. She was letting that go. This was not abouther. ‘OK.’

‘That’s it? OK? You’re just gonna accept that?’

‘Yes.’

‘I bet you wouldn’t accept it if one of your patients—’

‘We call them clients.’

‘Alright, if one of yourclientssaid what I just said, would you push it then?’ Keira asked.

Alanna nodded. ‘Absolutely.’

‘What would you say?’

Alanna looked at her. ‘I thought you didn’t want me to shrink you?’

‘You get a pass. For today only.’

‘You were pretty emphatic about it, Keira,’ Alanna pointed out.