Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 78142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
I’d like to tell him that it meant something to me. That he fulfilled a need, and I’m grateful.
I can’t bring myself to talk to him at all.
So I finish my spaghetti, sop up the excess sauce with my slice of bread, wipe my lips with my napkin, drain my glass of water, and take my plate to the sink.
Dragon is finishing up as well.
“There’s more if you’d like another helping,” I say.
“Yeah, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.”
I walk to the table, take his plate, serve him what’s left over, about half a helping, and hand it back to him along with another slice of bread.
He doesn’t say thank you, but I don’t expect it.
I don’t think he means to seem ungrateful. I just don’t think he knows how to act. He’s always been quiet and dark. And he’s probably embarrassed by what happened between us.
He doesn’t need to be embarrassed about that. I enjoyed every minute of it. In fact, I’ve had a hard time not thinking about it.
Worrying about my wardrobe didn’t get it out of my mind. I tried to sit down and read, which also didn’t help.
Nothing’s going to get my mind off him.
Nothing until I start that job tomorrow.
Then I’ll have so much to think about, I won’t be able to give Dragon Locke a second thought.
At least I hope not.
I wipe my mouth with my napkin again. “Put your dishes in the sink when you’re done. Or better yet, rinse them off and shove them into the dishwasher. I only run a load when it’s full.”
He nods, grunting.
I leave the kitchen, head back to my bedroom, and turn on the television.
As usual, with nearly six hundred channels, I can’t find anything to watch.
I don’t know why I pay for cable anymore. Most of my friends only get streaming services. Mental note—call the cable company first thing tomorrow and cancel everything.
My phone rings with a number I’m not familiar with.
Normally, I ignore numbers I don’t know, but after yesterday and Dragon’s call, I can’t. What if it’s another emergency? Someone who needs me?
“Hello,” I say into the phone.
“Hi, Diana. It’s Antonio Carbone.”
I nearly drop the phone. I certainly didn’t think that I’d be hearing from him again, not after last night.
“Hi, how are you?”
“Good, good. I dropped by my store for a minute this evening to check on a few things, and my cashier told me your friend Dragon had been in looking for a drumming instructor job.”
“He told me he stopped by a music store. I figured it might be yours.”
“My cashier was pretty smitten. She wants me to hire him. But given the fact that you had to bail him out of jail last night…”
“Right. You want my opinion on the matter.”
“Let’s just say I’m going to need a reference. What can you tell me about him?”
Despite the fact that he gave me the best sex I’ve ever had, I barely know him. Still, I want him to get the position, so I tell Antonio what I do know.
“He’s my sister’s husband’s best friend. You know about their band, Dragonlock. You know how they opened for Emerald Phoenix.”
I leave out the tidbit that Dragon wasn’t part of that tour—at least not after the first night.
“And he’s your roommate. And he was arrested last night.”
“Yeah. I suppose you’re right.”
“I’d like to give the guy a break,” Antonio says. “But I’m a little apprehensive given the fact that he was caught soliciting.”
“He claims he wasn’t. He said he was just giving the woman some money out of the goodness of his heart. She gave him some sob story about getting in trouble with her pimp, so he gave her the money he had on him. And then of course the cops thought… I guess I don’t have to spell it out.”
“You believe him?”
I don’t even have to think about my response. “Absolutely, I believe him. He’s been through a rough time, and he’s trying to get back on his feet.”
“Rough time?”
Uh-oh. I said too much. I can’t tell Antonio that Dragon is an addict. That would really be breaching a confidence. Dragon never said it was a secret, but it’s not my place to tell anyone about it. Certainly not a potential employer.
“Yeah. I don’t know all the details. And I didn’t ask. I don’t consider any of it my business.”
“Diana, the guy lives with you. Don’t you have a right to know a little bit about him?”
I know more about Dragon Locke. Biblically, at least. But the man who was trying to make out with me last night probably doesn’t need to know that.
“I know all I need to know about him,” I say. “He’s a truly gifted percussionist, and I trust the opinions of my brother-in-law and sister. They adore him.”
Antonio sighs into the phone. “Well, it’ll make Annalise happy. She was a giggling schoolgirl over him when I stopped in the store earlier tonight.”