“You’re jealous of a dog?”
“Fuck no,” he answered, staring at me like I had a screw loose. “But I might have a mind to put my mouth on you and I don’t want to do it after a dog.”
Well.
Had to admit, he had a point.
And it was an interesting point.
And the thought of his mouth on me made me forget all about the crazy, mean, fucking, Balduccis.
Ralphie and Buddy made it to us and they gave chin lifts to Hector, (Ralphie’s came with a, “Hey, Double H”) and hugs and cheek kisses to me (Ralphie’s hug was tighter than normal, longer and after, he looked into my eyes until I smiled at him, only then did he move away).
“Lisette is gonna freak. She’d been working on that collection for over a year,” Ralphie said, his eyes now on the blackened building and my thoughts went right back to the crazy, mean, fucking Balduccis.
“Hector said it was Donny Balducci,” I informed them and, in unison, they looked at me. “I know. But you aren’t allowed to threaten his life, not in front of the police, or so Hector says.”
“Can I threaten to beat the crap out of him?” Buddy asked.
I looked at Hector to assess his response to this.
He was fighting a grin but he shook his head at me.
“Probably not,” I told Buddy.
“Well!” Ralphie cried (loudly). “Life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. We’re insured against loss of income, this means vacation. This means shopping. This means trips to the spa. This means learning how to make that complicated lemon soufflé.”
“You don’t cook,” Buddy cut in.
“Well, I’m gonna learn,” Ralphie shot back. “And that means Sur La Table, Cherry Creek Mall, after breakfast. Maybe Williams Sonoma. I’m calling the Rock Chicks. I’m thinking Mercury Café.” He turned to me. “You call Lisette and after I’m done calling Daisy, I’ll call the insurance people. We eat then we’re shopping for kitchen implements.”
“We don’t need any kitchen implements,” Buddy cut in again.
“One always needs kitchen implements,” Ralphie returned.
“No shopping and no breakfast with the Rock Chicks. Unless I can get a man on Sadie, she’s staying at the offices today,” Hector entered the conversation.
“That’s all right, Double H, I’m on the case,” Ralphie assured him.
Hector’s face went a weird mixture of hard and soft and I realized why when he started speaking in a voice that was the same as his face.
“No. I want a trained man on her. Buildings are burning. The Balduccis are feelin’ pressure. I want her covered by a professional.”
I stared at Hector, cuddling YoYo closer to the warm, happy glow in my chest because at that point it hit me not a lot of macho, badasses would hang out with Ralphie (maybe Buddy but never Ralphie). They wouldn’t watch TV with him. They wouldn’t have dinner with him. They certainly wouldn’t be nice to him when they knew what they said could hurt his feelings.
And that’s when I knew.
Right then and there, watching Hector be careful with Ralphie’s feelings, I knew.
It had happened.
I was living the dream.
The dream of a good man who would save me. The dream of a man who would sweep away my bad life and take me to a jumbled bungalow (though Hector’s house wasn’t a bungalow but still) and make me safe. Make me happy. Make me so warm, I’d never feel cold again.
The force of this realization caused me to take a step back as if it was a colossal weight that landed on me and I had to hold it up but couldn’t quite manage it.
Hector, Buddy and Ralphie’s eyes all snapped to me.
“Sadie?” Buddy asked but Hector got close.
“Mamita?” His hands came to my neck.
I looked up at him. “I’m okay.”
He scanned my face and his brows drew together.
“You’re shuttin’ down,” he said but, immediately, so he wouldn’t think that, I shook my head and got closer, a lot closer, crushing YoYo (who didn’t seem to mind) between us.
I tilted my head back further.
“You don’t get it,” I whispered to him. “I’m okay.”
He stared at me and I went on.
“My gallery is burned beyond recognition. I’m estranged from my father. Crazy men are after me. I had the freak out to end all freak outs in front of friends and most of my clients last night but… I’m okay.”
I felt his fingers squeeze my neck as I watched his eyes grow warm and I knew mine were the same.
“Finally!” Ralphie cried, Hector and I lost the moment and turned to look at him. “Told her to enjoy the ride, Double H, ages ago. She didn’t listen. Finally, she’s learning to enjoy the fucking ride!”
I shifted and pressed my side against Hector’s front.
His arm curled around my neck.
Then I felt his lips kiss the top of my head.
I mentally pried my hands off the safety bar that was tucked, tight and secure, across my lap and lifted them straight in the air.
*