Page 95 of Tap Left
“You’re more than welcome to come. You can be my side bitch. I’ll tell my parents I picked you up on an abandoned highway and they’ll fawn all over you.”
I laugh and shake my head. “Wish I could, but I need to stay to help at the shop. I have a feeling it’s only going to get busier.”
“What about your mom?” she asks.
I shrug. “Don’t know. Last I heard she was making plans with dad again, for when he gets out of prison.”
“I imagine that conversation went well,” Mellie says.
“About as well as could be expected. I just don’t have the patience for it anymore. She doesn’t get that he’s never going to change. He’ll be right back in within the year. Guaranteed.”
Mellie’s eyes soften. “You know you can’t help who you love.”
“Maybe,” I agree. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to condone it either. He was never around when I was growing up. And it isn’t me he wants to see anyway. He just wants to use her for a place to crash.”
“So, no Christmas then, I take it.”
“Not with them,” I answer. “But it’s fine. I’ll stay home and watch cheesy Christmas movies and eat junk food. Sounds way better if you ask me.”
Mellie frowns. “Please just consider coming to Ohio with me.”
“I will.” But I know that I won’t. We finish our coffees and walk back to the shop. Mellie hugs me goodbye and goes back to her life while I go back to mine. The store stays busy until late since the hours are extended for the holiday season. But I let Britt and Bonnie go home before closing anyway because they’ve had a long day and I can handle the few stragglers that are left.
I’ve just finished ringing up the last customer and flipping the closed sign when my phone chimes from beside the cash register. I pick it up and see a notification from Tap Left, which my first instinct is to ignore. But then I notice the name attached to it. My heart spasms when I open the icon.
ThatGuy:
We never did get to meet.
It feels like a game, but it’s hard to tell. I reply anyway because I’m too tired to try to figure out Daire’s motives.
LolaB:
No, I guess we didn’t.
ThatGuy:
How about tonight?
Ibitemy lip and leave my fingers dangling over the keyboard.
LolaB:
I don’t know. I seem to recall that last time you stood me up.
ThatGuy:
Not exactly true. I was there, you just didn’t know it.
LolaB:
Right… well, what did you have in mind?
ThatGuy:
How about a wheelchair ride?
I’m typingout my reply when the bell on the door chimes. I must have forgotten to lock it. “I’m sorry, we’re closed,” I call out.
