Page 50 of The Payback Adventure
“Don’t worry about her.” Sam stuck a new game into the video game console. “She’s with Gabe. He’ll take care of her.”
That was what Henry was afraid of. Knowing Gabe Logan’s reputation, he could find plenty of ways to entertain Elisabeth.
Henry wrung his hands.
Sam sat next to him. “Are you ready to play the snowboarding game?”
Anticipation filled his voice. Sam wasn’t so bad once you got past the apathy and the sneer and his being eleven. Hisvocabulary even included other words besides “whatever” and “sucks.” Not to mention, he had amazing hand-eye coordination. Henry needed something to take his mind off Elisabeth. Maybe a different game would do the trick. “Sure, but I’ve never played that one.”
“It’s not hard,” Sam said. “Even you should be able to figure it out.”
“Even me?”
The corners of Sam’s mouth edged up.
Henry picked up his controller and readied himself like a sharpshooter from the Old West. “I’ll show you.”
By the time midnight rolled around, Sam was asleep in bed. Henry had played enough video games to give him carpal tunnel syndrome, and Elisabeth still wasn’t home.
He didn’t like it.
He didn’t like the way he kept glancing at the clock.
He didn’t like the way he wanted to call the police station and make sure there hadn’t been an accident.
She was his friend. His boss. That was why he was concerned about her. There wasn’t any other reason. Henry picked up toys and put them in the basket. He wasn’t much of a housekeeper, but he had to do something to keep himself from imagining Elisabeth lying on the side of the road or kissing Gabe in the front seat of his truck.
Don’t think about either of those things.
Henry carried the popcorn bowl into the kitchen, dumped the half-popped kernels into the garbage, and washed the bowl.
Why hadn’t he been the one to go out with her? He could show her a better time than Gabriel Logan.
The answer hit Henry: Sam, Abby, and Caitlin. If Henry hadn’t suggested that Elisabeth go out, she would be home.
With him.
Henry tossed the dish towel on the counter. He only had himself to blame.
He returned to the living room and plopped onto the couch.
Headlights shone through the front window, and then a vehicle pulled to a stop outside.
A two-ton weight fell off Henry’s shoulders. Now, if he could just see her.
Henry watched the clock. A minute passed. And another. Yet another. The seconds dragged on. Each minute seemed like an hour.
What was going on outside?
It didn’t take that long to say good night. Unless…
Henry sprang to his feet. He was halfway to the door when it opened, and Elisabeth stepped inside.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“I, uh, was going to let Ritz out.”
She hung her purse on a hook by the door. “He has a cat door.”
