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"I couldn’t do it, Glory" Lacy prowled the shop like a caged tiger

"He wouldn’t get in the shower?" I was learning way more about Lacy’s sex life than I wanted to, but I had a nagging feeling my security was at stake Oops At stake Gee, I hate vareat body, absolutely nothing to be ashamed of on his part So we’re in the shower, the water’s just right, but I just couldn’t hts Ryan’s insisted he’s not put off by my flat butt, but what if he hates it?"

A flat butt, what a body issue I didn’t have to look back to know my own butt was ass tronoot dressed? Couldn’t you take a chance and read his lasses, but he got all antsy Had to go, early class, a bunch of excuses that a few ot another girlfriend One with a nice ass like yours" Lacy was still pacing Have I mentioned how much I love Lacy? "Come back into the storeroom with me" Valdez still snoozed by the door In the hours just before daere never busy I should probably close, but it gave me time to catch up on paperwork Lacy plopped on a chair in the storeroo spray" I nodded toward the shelf "Ryan ever talk about his bug fetish?"

"What?" She sat up straight "That’s ridiculous He’s not into bugs" She looked thoughtful "Though I have to adot a hard-on for old comic books about superheroes that I find a little weird Did you know there’s a vampire hunter named Blade in one series?"

"Lacy, concentrate here You want to knohy Ryan’s acting funny about his glasses You want to know if he has another girlfriend And I think his glasses are keeping us fro his mind They’re so thick"

"Maybe they are blocking us" Lacy got a gleaet theirlfriend situation I haven’t used th on hih for you to get his glasses off, then I’ll try to do the whaet him under, we can ask him all the questions ant And I’ll be able to read his mind So will you"

"Why do you want to read his ot We needed help in the shop and you immediately er things have happened I call it synchronicity The universe provided Ryan just e needed him--a lover for ht I’ve lived too long to believe in coincidences But I really think Ryan’s legit He’s a great saleshed "He’s sure sold ht, Lacy But since we both have questions, I think we need to take a shot at reading his otten Lacy worked up and I had absolutely no proof that Ryan was anything but a lucky hire for ets mad at us?" Lacy’s eyes filled "I love him, Glory"

"We blaive hilasses" Lacy giggled "Yep, I think that’ll play He likes you, but he does wonder about some of your friends"

" I wonder about some of my friends So what do you say? Are you in? Do we take down Ryan together?"

"Sure When is this intervention going to take place?"

"Monday When we’re closed Tell hiot another commission check for him About nine o’clock here in the shop"

"That’s still a few days away In the lasses I hate to see us use violence" I patted Lacy’s shoulder She was a little bony "I’ paranoia Ryan’s probably fine, just into a feeird hobbies"

"I hope you’re right I can deal with bugs and graphic novels But if he’s cheating… He swears we’re exclusive, but he’s been out of pocket a few evenings and gave ue excuses" Lacy slid off the stool and walked to the door "Da before I relieve you here See you in a few"

I watched her snarl at Valdez, who didn’t even bother to look up, then she was gone An intervention I glanced up at the shelf where the cockroach still sat in a puddle of spray Maybe I’d get some answers to questions I wasn’t even sure I had

"Are we going to church tonight, Flo?" I was still inmy wake-up Bloody Merry

"I asked Ricardo to take us Do youdark hair

"I think he’ll mind, Flo I’m not his favorite person" Well, shoot I’d really looked forward to going to church and sitting through the whole service this time "Are you sure you trust him? He hates me"

"I know, Glory" Flo frowned and set down the brush "I don’t understand it He hates Damian too Which I do understand My brother is not popular with otherto Richard except chew hiet over it" And I needed to get overto be a couple He was here alot home from the shop So Valdez--who see out in the living roo froive up TV and hole up inme read wasn’t Valdez’s entertainot a faraway look "We will go to Ricardo’s place from now on I promise"

"I don’t want to run you off" Maybe I should put up a block to Flo ThisBut at least ere co