Yowza.
“It’s your funeral,” Al y shot back, total y unaffected by the squinty look.
Holy cow.
Then Daisy’s eyes came to me. “Honey bunches of oats,” she said, “your man is outside having an extreme conversation with her man.” A toss of her head indicated Al y.
“I know,” I told her.
She nodded and looked around. “Al right then, who brought the stun guns?”
Shit.
* * * * *
Carl, Al y and Indy rode in Carl’s Pathfinder. If you could believe this, Annette, Jason, Jet, Daisy and I fol owed in the back of Daisy’s limousine. Daisy’s bodyguard drove.
“I f**king love Denver,” Annette said, staring out the window and sprawling in the luxurious space, completely at home, as if she rode in the back of limousines every day.
“You gotta stay until Thursday, Sugar, come to my do. I’m having a fancy soiree,” Daisy invited.
“We… are… fucking… there,” Annette said.
Jason looked at me and closed his eyes in good-natured frustration. When he opened them I was smiling at him. We’d shared these looks a lot over the years.
Then I turned to Jet. “What’s Smithie’s?”
“Pardon?” she asked.
“Smithie’s. I overheard you say when you came into Fortnum’s the day I met you that you worked there.” She grinned at me. “Wel , official y, I don’t work there anymore.”
“You let Eddie win,” I said.
“Eddie wins a lot,” she told me.
I found this sobering information, considering the fact that I figured Eddie was a lot like Hank.
“What is it?” I asked.
“A strip club. I was a cocktail waitress there.”
“Cool!” Annette cried.
Jet smiled ful out to Annette and we al sat in the limo dazzled for a moment by her smile.
“My sister is a stripper there,” Jet went on. “She debuts tomorrow night. You can al come if you want. I can get you VIP passes.”
“Sugar! That would be hot!” Daisy screeched with excitement, then did a glance sweeping around al of us.
“Her sister is Lottie Mac.”
“Queen of the Corvette Calendar?” Jason asked, clearly intrigued.
“Fuckin’ A,” Daisy replied.
I stared around them. It was like they were talking in a different language.
“You want to come?” Jet asked me.
“Love to,” I answered.
She grabbed my hand and squeezed then let go.
Through the hand squeeze I felt something pass between her and me. The hand squeeze wasn’t about me going to watch her sister strip; it was her giving me strength. I was reminded that just over a week ago she’d been through a trauma much like mine. She’d almost been raped and her Dad was stil in the hospital. She knew my pain in many different ways, hers was nearly as fresh.
“I see you took my advice about Hank,” Daisy said, taking me out of my thoughts.
I looked to her. “No, I’m leaving as soon as they find Bil y and al of this is over.”
The limo went deathly quiet.
“Come again?” Daisy said into the silence.
I sighed and looked out the window. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try us,” Jason prompted softly.
I sighed again, this time, deeper and louder. I explained my Hank-deserves-better-than-me philosophy. After I stopped talking, there was more silence.
“Come again?” Daisy repeated.
“I knew you wouldn’t understand,” I returned.
“I understand,” Jet said.
I looked to her.
“Hank doesn’t see shades of gray,” she continued.
I blinked at her. “What?” I asked.
“You think he doesn’t see shades of gray. You think he sees black and white. Good and bad. Crime and justice.
He doesn’t see shades of gray. You’re gray.” I swal owed.
That was so it.
“Jet, Sugar Bunch, I don’t think Roxie’s gray,” Daisy put in gently.
“She’s gray. And you’re gray too,” Jet replied, just as gently.
Daisy was silent because Daisy was definitely gray.
I felt my nostrils start to burn, bit my lip and looked out the window. I was trying hard but I felt tears leak out the sides of my eyes.
“Roxie, you’re about as f**king gray as the f**king sun.
I’m sorry, Jet, but I’ve known Roxie for years and she isn’t f**king gray,” Annette said.
“I’m not saying gray is bad or that Roxie’s gray. Just that I understand how she’s feeling and that she thinks Hank’l think she’s gray.”
“She isn’t gray,” Annette repeated.
“I know that but she thinks Hank’l think she is,” Jet
“I know that but she thinks Hank’l think she is,” Jet returned.
“She isn’t f**kin’ gray,” Annette was getting heated.
“I know that!” Jet was getting heated right back.
“I’m going to have a talk with Hank,” Jason cut in and I could tel by his tone he meant to do it, and soon.
“Don’t you dare,” I said to Jason, my head swiveling to him.
“Are you crying, Sugar Bunch?” Daisy asked.
I shook my head even though I was.
“Oh God, I’m sorry. I just wanted you to know I understood,” Jet grabbed my hand again.
I wiped away my tears with my other hand. “It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Roxie, look at me,” Jet urged.
I turned to her and tried to give her a smile, but it was weak. “It’s okay,” I repeated.
“I’m not very pretty,” she said suddenly.
I blinked at her. “Excuse me?” I asked.
“At least, that’s what I thought,” she carried on like I hadn’t said anything.
How could she think that? She was flat out pretty.
“Don’t you look in the mirror?” I asked, not meaning to be a bitch but… seriously.
“I thought, once Eddie saved me he’d lose interest in me because he’s so good-looking and I’m… not.”
“You’re loopy,” Annette told her.
I kept staring at her and her hand squeezed mine.
“Eddie saved me awhile ago,” she whispered.
I felt my throat close.
I felt my throat close.
“Jet…” my voice was barely audible.
“Hank sees gray. You may think he doesn’t, he may act like he doesn’t, he may even say he doesn’t. But he does. I promise,” her voice was just as low.