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I shrug "Mental illness is a tricky thing"

Her eyes squint doubtfully "You’re not serious are you?"

Crap No lying

"Technically, she’s never been diagnosed But her ideas about justice and revenge are certifiable Iine Delores…with a decade oes slack with understanding "Oh"

Yep--welcoht me coffee," Kate says "Should I drink it?"

We both eye the Starbucks cup on her desk suspiciously

When I was thirteen, I auctioned off a pair of Alexandra’s underwear in the boys’ locker roorapevine of older sisters, she played it cool--never let on that she knew And then she spiked my Coco Pebbles with chocolate-flavored laxatives I didn’t leave the bathroo that kind of grudge against Kate, but still…

"I wouldn’t"

She nods stiffly and slides the cup back away from her

"What’d you think of Mackenzie? I really wanted to be here when you enuine "I think she’s a"

"I’m sure you’ll be thrilled to hear she used your calculator on me when I ran into them downstairs"

Her smile widens "That’s nice"

I shake my head, and Kate says, "I see nohy Alexandra started the Bad Word Jar, since you seem to spend so s "She talks like you It’s not every day you hear a four-year-old say Prince Char Cinderella back"

That’s ood for the soul"

Kate stifles a laugh And she looks so te her with et back to business

"Come for a ith me"

My voice is low Persuasive

"No way"

And utterly ineffective

"Come on, Kate, it’ll just take a "

She snorts "What’d you do? Hire Ringling Brothers to do a show in the lobby? Organize a ticker-tape parade in h "Don’t be ridiculous I wouldn’t do that"

Kate raises one skeptical brow

"Okay, you’re right--I would so do that But not today"

She pushes me back and stands up I let her

"You’re not scared, are you?" I ask "Afraid you won’t be able to control yourself if you’re alone with me?"

To people like Kate and me, a dare is kind of like a hooker at a sex addicts’ convention There’s alet turned down

"If you mean am I afraid I’ll kill you if there aren’t any witnesses to testify against h Ilike a small price to pay at the moment"

Do you think she enjoys the verbal foreplay as ood at it

She circles around, putting her desk between us

"Look, Drew, I have a new client I told you that You kno it is I can’t afford these…distractions right now"

I take that as a compliment "I distract you?"

She huffs "That’s not what I , "You have to stop this--" her hands wave in the air "--this o Please"

When Steven was eleven, he ran into a tree during a game of touch football in his backyard--and busted his forehead open For as long as I live, I’ll never forget the sound of hi with his mother not to take him to the hospital Because he knew he needed stitches And stitches just--suck At any age

But Janey Reinhart didn’t give in She brought hih it wasn’t what he wanted--she knehat he needed

You see where I’ with this?

"The ball’s in your court, Kate I told you that froo out with me on Saturday"

She bites her lip And looks down at her desk

"Okay"

Coain?

Sure, I’d love to With Kate

Okay--not the time to joke

"I’m sorry? Could you repeat that, please?"

Her eyes ned Like soet on but not exactly sure what the hell they’ve gotten themselves into "I said yes I’ll have dinner with you on Saturday"

It’s official Brace yourselves Hell has actually frozen the fuck over

"After talking with your sister, I realized a few things…"

You love me? You need me? You can’t live without me?

"…I think you need closure, Drew"

Oh no Not closure Anything but fucking closure

Closure is a made-up word that wo and talk about it--to death And then, after it’s been blessed and buried, closure gives the the poor fucker up and talk about it--some more