page41 (1/2)

Then again, if Cassidy didn’t agree, it’d look like I’d had yet another fling I i over as well as an airhorn in a library But that wasn’t soht then and there

The day was sunny and cold, not a trace of snow on the ground or in the clouds above I el shop in town, and tenstuffed with a half-dozen bagels, three different kinds of cream cheese, and a pair of coffees

I had to admit ined Cassidy gone, having coht’ve been But she was there, on the couch in a soft white robe, her hair wet from a recent shower She flicked her eyes onto me from the phone in her hand

“Hope you’re hungry I got el, but there’s a few others if that’s ”

She definitely looked like she had so it out of her I set the spread on the table along with some plates and silverware, and when it was ready, she wordlessly came over and sat down

I couldn’t take it anymore I had to know

“OK What’s up? You given any thought to—”

“Oh, I’ve given it soht”

“And?”

She sighed halfway through a spread of crea insane thing I’ve ever heard”

“I know, but you knohat they say, the more insane, the more likely it is to work”

“Is that what they say?”

“Sounds like so they would”

“Not sure who ‘they’ are”

“People who pull off insane plans”

“Hmm” She finished her spread in silence as I waited for her answer “Last night was a mistake”

“Is that right? Sure as hell didn’t feel like one when it was happening”

She nodded “We hooked up before, and that was fine—things happen But one and done, I’ it a second time—”

“We can one and done that second ti—only pretending” That wasI’d be able to find out one way or another if she was on board All signs noere for a big “no”

“That’s the other thing—”

I pausedthis wo to eat me alive