Page 9

LEXI

T he next day I called Jen after a bit of puttering around. “Want to come to dinner tonight?”

She said, “I can’t, I got a date.”

“With the guy from the art gallery?”

“Yep, but… I already know it’s not going to work out, so once I ditch him I’ll come over.”

“You already know?”

“Yep, I’m wondering... was his voice too high?”

“Ugh, Jen, you said you liked him. You said he was funny. You always find issues and you haven’t even given him a chance.”

“But I don’t know, Lexi, his voice ! I thought it wouldn’t bother me, but listening to that guy at the hospital with that deep Scottish accent — oh my .”

“Yeah it was really good, it resonated, when he said, ‘My deepest apologies?—’”

“When did he say that?”

“Um… yesterday, he was here for?—”

“He was there? Why was the guy in a kilt there?”

“I have no idea, there was a…” I meant to say storm, but it wasn’t possible that there was a connection. Guy in yard plus storm? It would be ridiculous to mention it.

But what other way to explain what happened? The whole thing sounded insane with or without the part about the storm.

So instead I finished with, “...and he was in my yard again.”

“Why didn’t you call me? I was bored last night, I would have stayed over!”

“It’s fine, he’s gone.”

“Did you call the police? Oh my god, Lexi, you called the police, right?”

“No, I didn’t. Honestly, Jen, I think he just ended up here again accidentally , by mistake, somehow, and he left when I told him to. He didn’t come back. I have a gun. He knows I have a gun. He doesn’t seem to want to cause me any harm.”

She exhaled irritably.

I said, “And I was so tired last night I fell right to sleep.”

“Fine, okay, but you’re not sleeping there alone again, after I ditch Mr High-Pitch, I’m coming to spend the night tonight.”

“You need to give that guy a chance, you were happy when you met him. Be cool. It’s been forever since you dated someone good.”

She wailed, “I know, because there are no good men anymore.”

I sighed. “Your standards are really way too high.”

“Maybe I should date your stalker.”

“That is a terrible idea. Besides, he’s not around here anymore. He’s gone. Don’t have terrible ideas, date the nice guy you met at the gallery.”

“But I don’t want to!” She laughed. “Okay fine, I will go out, I will be nice. I’m the nicest person in the world?—”

“Totally overly opinionated about yourself, you’re like the third nicest at most.”

“Well, either way, whether I adore him or ditch him, I’ll come stay the night. I have a duty to keep you safe.”

“You know how to protect us?”

“Nope, but as you know I’m kinda a bitch?—”

I said, “One second ago you were the nicest person in the world!”

“Third nicest. And I don’t know how to protect you, but as we all can see, I’m totally necessary. I need to be there to call 911, because you, bestie, have no idea how to, apparently.”

I said, “See you tonight.”