Since I stood only five steps from the back door, I escaped before any further conversation delayed me. Clay hadn’t been fast enough for a change and I had to leave him behind.
Not knowing what else to do, I went grocery shopping, taking my time reading the labels of the different orange juices the store offered.
Even after shopping, I had to drive past the house three times before the truck finally disappeared.
When I staggered in through the back door laden with groceries, Clay sat waiting for me in the kitchen. Setting down the bags, I peeked around the corner for Rachel before whispering, “You better keep reading the books I bring home. You can be our repair guy. It gives me the willies knowing he knows where I live.”
Clay nodded his head in agreement, which Rachel saw as she walked into the kitchen.
She paused mid-stride her eyes wide. “Did he just nod?” she demanded.
“Yep. I’ve been working on it with him. He caught on really fast. The nodding isn’t bad, but his smile can be a little scary.”
Rachel recovered and shook her head. “You’re weird Gabby, but in a good way. Anyway, it was one hundred and twenty-five dollars to fix the washer. I covered your half. With the vet bill, you’re up to one hundred, minus the burger and drink from disaster night.”
Ouch. “Okay. I’ll run to the bank after class to tomorrow.” I chewed my lip for a moment. My pathetic savings couldn’t take these kinds of unexpected hits. Life was more expensive than I’d anticipated.
I turned to unpack the rest of my groceries and noticed Clay watching me closely. Not wanting to draw Rachel’s attention to him again, I ignored his look and finished up to go study.
On Friday afternoon, Rachel rushed in through the back door calling my name in a panicked tone. I jumped up from the bed calling, “here!” We nearly collided as she flew through my bedroom door at the same time I tried to leave it.
“What’s going on?” I said catching her by the arms seriously concerned.
“Peter broke and told Scott he had plans to go to dinner with me tonight,” she panted.
She ran through the house to tell me she had a date? I really didn’t see how I qualified as the weird one sometimes. “So?”
“Peter’s coming here to pick me up… and Scott’s coming with.” She stood framed in my bedroom door shifting from foot to foot. “Gabby, I don’t think he’s going to take no for an answer for a date tonight. Peter can’t shake him.” Her emphatic expression told me the degree of insistence Scott had used to accompany Peter.
I groaned and flopped back on my bed forgetting about Clay and landing on him. He didn’t even twitch, but I still reached back to pat him, “Sorry Clay.” I froze mid pat staring at the ceiling in revelation.
“I’ve got an idea!” I exclaimed scrambling off the bed. “If you have any clothes I can borrow that would say I’ve been dating a guy for a while, can I borrow them?” I didn’t want to spend any money unnecessarily.
Rachel moved out of the way as I rushed from my room. I heard Clay hop down from the bed to follow me. I grabbed shoes from the closet, lost in thought. My plan could work. I just needed to convince Clay. They both trailed behind me watching struggle to slip on some shoes as I walked to the kitchen. It wasn’t easy. I almost tripped twice and covered most of the distance hopping instead of walking. I grabbed my car keys before Rachel spoke up.
“Sure, but who are you dating?”
“I’ll let you know when I bring him home. Come on Clay,” I called holding open the door for him. With a baffled glint in his eyes, he willingly followed me.
Rushing to the car, waving for him to hurry, I had the doors slammed closed and the engine rumbling seconds later. I felt him study me as I careened out the driveway and took off in the direction of the shopping district.
“You’re here to keep me safe, right?” He grunted which I took as a yes and continued. “Then I need you to be more than my dog.” I risked a glance at him. He titled his head at me clearly confused. I pleaded, “Will you put on your skin tonight to be my date?”
I sounded desperate, but I didn’t really care. The thought of Scott cornering me gave me shivers. Not the good kind. His personality probably normally qualified as nice, but I’d seen the obsession at work on others before. Scott’s fascination with me had obviously advanced. Asking Clay to run interference as my date could permanently dissolve Scott’s interest.