“Sweetheart,” I cooed to her, “I have full coverage on that rental. It’s no big deal.”
Well, it was since I really now couldn’t escape Max unless I somehow managed to make off with his Cherokee in the dead of night but I couldn’t tell Mindy that.
I’d worry about that later, though hopefully not too much later. I had to worry about Mindy now as she was hiccoughing and still hadn’t taken her hands from her face even though I was holding her.
“Yes, but it’s such a dick thing to do,” Mindy said from behind her hands.
“You’re right about that, still, if he didn’t do it, really I would just be throwing that insurance cover away. I should find him, thank him for making that financial outlay worthwhile.”
Her body jerked, her hands went down and her head came up.
“What?” she whispered and I looked over my shoulder at the car then back at her.
“And, Mindy, seriously, he made that insurance really worthwhile. I mean he was thorough. Don’t you think, darling?” I teased.
A surprised giggle came up her throat, she gulped it back and I smiled at her as I pulled one side of her hair over her shoulder.
Then I put my hands to her face and used my thumbs to rub away the tears as I said softly, “All right, you’ll probably shed more tears over that Neanderthal before you’re well and truly over him, but please, don’t do it on my behalf. Okay?”
“You aren’t pissed?”
Oh, I was pissed. Damon Matthews had taken away all hopes of escape and he was, indeed, a very serious dick. Still, Mindy didn’t need to know any of that.
“I’m of the opinion, the more evidence he presents that you can so way do better than him, the better it is.”
“Already, I like her.” The deep, rumbling voice of the redheaded man came from close.
I dropped Mindy’s face and stepped away, looking up at him.
“Brody,” he introduced himself, hand up, eyes (Mindy’s eyes, which was why they were familiar) smiling and open as well as openly curious.
But I wasn’t breathing.
Brody. Mindy’s brother. Max’s best friend! Here to “check me out” no doubt. Why did this continue to get worse? Why?
“Nina,” I introduced myself back, unquestionably unnecessarily, and I took his hand.
His grip was firm, strong and overlong. Overlong in the fact that he didn’t actually let me go. His hand, like Max’s, engulfed mine.
“You’re pretty,” he told me.
“Um… thanks?” I answered on a question, giving a small, polite pull which was met with firm, impolite resistance.
“You’re right,” he said, eyes still on me but I got the sense he was talking to someone else and his next words would prove me correct. “She’s got fuckin’ great eyes.”
I didn’t know if he was talking to Max or Mindy but I didn’t ask nor could I care because I was back to not breathing and he still hadn’t let go of my hand therefore I had more pressing things on my mind.
“Um…” I muttered.
“You wanna let her go?” Max suggested and there was humor in his tone, humor mixed with an indication that his words weren’t entirely a suggestion.
“Not really,” was Brody’s insane and alarming answer and he coupled this with his grip becoming stronger.
“Brody,” Mindy said on a mini-giggle, “quit jacking around.”
Brody obviously was in the mood to “jack around” and he didn’t let me go.
Instead he remarked, “I thought you English people were reserved.”
“I’m not, um... exactly –”
He cut me off noting, “But you’re sweet.”
“Um…”
“Can you cook?” he asked, still holding onto my hand.
“Cook?” I asked back.
“I heard English food sucks.”
I tried another pull, met with more resistance and answered, “I think that’s what Americans think when they go to England and eat American food. English food is delicious. English doing American food isn’t as successful.”
“Yeah, Arlene said she had some kind of fish casserole thingie-ma-bobbie over here last night that Neens whipped up and Arlene said it was unbelievable,” Mindy put in.
Brody looked toward Max. “Arlene’s havin’ dinner at your house?”
Max came up close to my side and answered, “She’s taken a shine to Nina.”
This for some reason made Brody throw his head back and burst out laughing.
“Brody,” Max said over his laughter, not a lot of humor in his voice, in fact none at all, “would you fuckin’ let her go?”
Brody let me go, then again anyone would let me go with the way Max asked for it to be done. I stepped back, my shoulder hit Max and his arm immediately curled around my waist from behind.
“Relax, bro, just bein’ friendly,” Brody said over my shoulder.
“Too friendly,” Max said back.
“We’re that,” Brody’s eyes came to me, “friendly.”
“I’ve noticed,” I replied.
Then Brody asked, “Arlene?”