Cali stepped up to the apartment door and knocked. She knew she was going to wake Tanya. If Eric was with her and Cali interrupted their “morning after”, she was going to cry.
Actually, she was pretty sure she was going to cry anyway.
She heard footsteps then saw the peephole go dark. The door opened. Tanya wore a pair of green panda-bear pajamas. “Cali?”
Her friend’s non-sexy attire gave Cali hope that Tanya was alone. “Please tell me you don’t have Eric in the bed with you.”
“No. We just had dinner. No hanky panky. Come in.” She threw open the door.
“I was just going to get my car and find a hotel, but I think my keys fell out of my purse at Brit’s.” Cali’s heart ached.
A cold wind tousled Tanya’s hair, and she wrapped her arms around herself. “Something bad happened, didn’t it?”
Cali hesitated. “Sort of.”
“What happened?” Tanya stepped back into her apartment.
“I don’t know where to start.” Cali bit down on her lip as her sinuses started to sting.
Tanya’s eyes tightened in sympathy. “Come on, I’ll fix us some hazelnut coffee. There’s nothing flavored coffee can’t cure. It’s right up there with chocolate.”
“Make it a big pot.” When Cali got to the kitchen, she spotted the phone. “Before I weep, or OD on caffeine, can I make a call?”
“Yeah.” Tanya went to the cabinet and got the coffee.
Opening her purse, Cali found Brit’s card and saw he’d written his home and cell phone. Susan answered on the second ring. “Hi. This is Cali. Is Brit home?”
“Hey,” Susan said. “I saw the taxi and tried to catch you.”
“I’m sorry. I just had to...to get out for a while.” Cali didn’t know what else to say. After insisting she wasn’t dating Brit and then having Susan discover them in bed, Cali knew Susan probably considered her a real loony-toon. “I didn’t want Brit to worry. I’m at a friend’s. I’m safe, and I’m going to stay here for a while. Can you tell Brit I’ll call him later?”
“Sure,” Susan said. “But why don’t you try his cell number?”
Cali considered it. “I don’t want to disturb him at work. Can you just leave him a message?”
“Sure.” Susan hesitated. “Is everything okay?”
“Fine. Except, I think my keys may have spilled out of my purse on Brit’s front lawn. Can you check? I’ll come by later.”
“Okay.” Susan paused. “He’s really a good guy.”
“I know.” When Cali hung up, she leaned against the wall and tears filled her eyes. She swallowed and looked at her feet. Painted toenails make you happy. She recalled her mother saying. She kicked off her shoes. “Do you have some nail polish?”
Chapter Thirty
The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled Brit’s nose as he unlocked his front door. Hedropped his keys on the table as he walked inside. He heard someone in his kitchen and prepared himself to eat crow, beak and all.
As he stepped inside the room, he saw his sister. Susan turned around, holding a box of cereal. His gaze cut around the room. Cali must still be asleep. Good. He’d only have to eat one bird at a time when he apologized to them separately—his sister for ignoring her and Cali for doubting her about talking to Stan.
He touched his pocket where he’d tucked the computer printout of Cali’s MasterCard bill. Somehow, Humphrey had gotten her computer password and printed out the paperwork that showed Cali had charged a room. When Stan had been tossing the clerk around to get the key, the paper must have slipped from the idiot’s pocket. The desk clerk had found it after they’d left.
“Hey.” Brit removed his windbreaker and pulled out a chair.
Susan looked him up and down, her sisterly gaze checking him over with protectiveness. “You’re going to kill yourself. You can’t keep going like this without sleep.”
He pushed a hand through his hair. “I’m too mean to die.” Brit noticed the laundry room door standing open. “Are the cats okay?”
“Fine. The mama still won’t come out. But the kittens peeked out a couple of times.
You want some cereal?”
“Sure.” He glanced back down the hall toward his bedroom. He watched Susan place a ceramic bowl in front of him, then turn to get a spoon. “What time does your plane leave?” He leaned his chair back on two legs.
She turned around, spoon in hand, surprise widening her blue-green eyes. “You remembered?”
He shrugged, not wanting to admit he hadn’t, but willing to admit his bigger mistake. “I’ve been a piss-poor host.”
“Yeah, you have.” She dropped the spoon in his bowl and rested her hand on his shoulder. “But I understand.” She ruffled his hair the way she used to do when he was a kid. “I need to be at the airport at five. However, I have to drop off the car at the rental place. It’s right by the airport and they offer a shuttle service.”
Brit watched his sister sit down across from him, peel a banana, and slice it into her bowl. “I’ll follow you and drop you off. It’s the least I can do.”