Page 56 of Badd Love
She snorted. "Youdoknow they have bars there? And you are currently a cocktail waitress, despite having a BS in psychology from fuckingStanford.”
"There are no jobs here."
"Exactly! In Ketchikan, you can do what you're doing while paying less in living expenses and figure out what you want to do that's not serving booze." Her eyes narrowed. "Unless there’s—ah-HEM—someotherreason you may have for wanting to avoid Ketchikan.”
"No!" I said, too immediately and too vehemently.
"Methinks the lady doth protest too much," Rune said.
"You just…shush." I said, pinching her lips together. "Shushy time for you."
She blew a raspberry at me, but it just came out the sides, along with some spit, which sent us both into paroxysms of laughter.
Once we'd regained our composure, Rune pushed me out of the kitchen toward the front door. "Shoes, phone, keys, purse."
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"To get you some fresh air and sunshine."
"But the daystar burns us."
"Lindsey."
I stomped a foot. "Ugh! You're mean. I don'tlikefresh air and sunshine."
"Oh, stop being dramatic. It's good for you, and you know it. Now get your shit, woman, we're going."
Which ishow I found myself sweating like a pig as we hiked through hell—I mean, some ridiculous trail or other in the hills. I don't know. This girl doesn'thike;I walk where I need to go and no further. I know, I know, I used to be an athlete, I should be able to walk a slightly challenging and well-groomed trail without falling apart, but here we are. Duncan trailed behind us,earbuds in his ears and a happy smile on his face. Rune was waddling along happily as well. I was the only one with a murderous expression on her face.
Eventually, Rune, puffing, called a halt as we reached a bench on a crest with a sweet view of LA. We sat, and Duncan fished a pair of water bottles from his backpack and handed them to us, wandering away to sit by himself.
"Start talking, Linz," Rune ordered. "Leave nothing out."
"Well, it all started roughly six billion years ago, when an ape decided it wanted to be a homo sapien…"
Rune rolled her eyes at me. "Ha fucking ha."
"Rune—"
She stuck up an index finger. "NO! No excuses, no rabbit holes, no bullshit. Tell me what happened and why is it Dane?"
I sighed. "God, pushy."
"I know you. You can squirrel out of conversations with other people, but not me. I know your tricks. Spill, bitch, or I’ll have to get creative."
That usually involved bribery—I could be persuaded to do just about anything if you offered me high-quality gelato. Don't tell Dane, though.
Why did I think that?
Fuck!
"I see that brain doing things. Make word sounds, woman. You know you'll feel better. Talk to Mommy."
I reared back with a horrified expression. "No, no, no, no. Nope. Absolutely the fuck not. You wanna have Duncan call you mommy? Cool. Butweare not doing that."
She grimaced. "I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry. That was weird, and it just sort of came out."
"Hopefully, the baby comes out as easily."
