Page 48 of The True Garza

Unconvinced, he passes me his glass of sparkling water before sitting back down.

Tiny bubbles burst on my tongue as I guzzle down the sparkling water, slowly recovering.

“Sorry. Wasn’t trying to… kill you.”

“Get over yourself,” I snap, annoyed with myself. “The food just went down the wrong pipe. Nothing to do with you.”

His smile as he watches me is small, but there nonetheless. “Sure about that?”

Now I’m glaring at him. “You smug little shit. I don’t know what you’re—”

“Hold that thought,” he cuts me off when his phone starts vibrating on the table. Then answers, “Yes, ma’am? … Where? … And I’m the only one who’s close? … Kinda, but not really. ... All right, be there in about seven.”

He hangs up and gestures to my half-eaten meal. “I’ve gotta go take care of something real quick. You wanna stay here and finish up until I get back, or do you wanna box it up?”

Considering my appetite is hiding in shame from my almost choking to death, I opt for the latter.

He gets the server to box up our meals, pays the bill, then leads me out of the restaurant with his palm flattened at my back.

“You don’t have to open the car door for me,” I grouse when he opens the passenger door for me and all but lifts me in. “We’re not on a date.”

“You must be new here. I don’t take women on dates. It’s the other way around,” he says as he pulls the seatbelt across me. “I just feel like I need to look out for you since you’re incapable of doing basic things like swallowing your food without choking.” He buckles me in. “Don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you’re special or anything. It’s like helping an old lady cross the street.”

The seatbelt restrains me when I lunge at him.

He jumps back and slams the door in my face.

When he gets in on the driver’s side, he says, “You might want to check your contract again. Assaulting your superior will result in immediate termination.”

For the love of…. I decide to ignore him. It’s the best thing to do at this point. I want to fuck him, but I also want to stab him in the eye. I don’t know why I let him get under my skin. I’m more composed than this.

As he reverses out of the parking lot, I turn on the stereo. “What is it that you have to do?”

“Help my girlfriend with her flat tire.”

A pinch of something dangerous pricks at my skin.Is that anger? With forced nonchalance, I ask, “So, you have a main girlfriend in addition to your flings?”

“Hmm, let me see…. I’ve got two main girlfriends and a half wife so far.”

A half wife?“How does one have a half wife?”

“It means I share her with someone else.”

“Wow—I… yeah, I don’t want to know.” I turn up the volume on the stereo.

Good. This news is good. My aching desire for him was starting to feel like a nuisance. But that foolish desire just had a gust of cold, numbing wind sweep over it.

A smile tugs at my lips. I’m free.

Hallelujah, I’m free.

CHAPTER Fourteen

“I’m not a piece of meat that you can take advantage of.”

Lonny

About seven minutes later, justoutside a quiet neighborhood, True pulls up behind a white SUV with blinking breaker lights on.