Page 20 of A Shade of Myself
5
My lovely,lazy intention of sleeping late on Wednesday morning was thwarted by a loud pounding on my front door. I jolted awake, decided that being upright was a really bad idea, and flopped back onto my pillow with a groan. Moscato went down a little too easily, especially when it was ice cold, the weather was hot, and I was playing a drinking game where I had a glass for every way that I planned to tell Laurent off.
I am a very creative person.
I forced my eyes open, the light filtering in from the slit in my curtains burrowing into my brain with razor-sharp teeth. The asshole sun was almost as bad as the tenant above me who decided to tap dance. Shit. No, I lived in a house. That was my head.
I pulled the pillow over my face, intending to lie there and moan, but sadly, the person at the front door didn’t respect my privacy during this difficult time. Also, it might be Ryann with an update, so I dragged my butt out of bed, raking a hand through my hair to push the tangled mess out of my face.
When I finally made it downstairs and saw who it was, I sighed, resting my forehead on the door just in time to have my visitor’s next burst of knocks slam into my skull like an ice pick.
I threw the door open. “It’s my day off.”
Emmett’s face fell. “You invited me.”
It took a moment for his two faces to resolve into one. Back to bed for me.
“You didn’t forget, did you?” With the slouchy jumpsuit that matched her huge red glasses and a big floral wreath on her head, Tatiana looked like a pixie. An evil one.
I was about to reschedule but the golem looked so forlorn that I pasted a smile on. “Of course not. I’ve been looking forward to our visit.”
“Awesome.” Emmett stepped inside, rubbing his hands. “Today is going to be epic. What’s up first?”
My smile dimmed. He expected me to entertain him all day? “We’re gonna party like we’re 1999,” I said.
“You suck at song lyrics. You mean like it’s 1999,” Emmett corrected.
“Do I?”
Tatiana looped her purse strap over her arm. “I’ll pick him up tonight after my client meeting.”
“I’d like to come to that.” I’d been meaning to broach the subject with her for a while.
She crossed her arms, exposing a jangle of thin gold bracelets. “You look like death warmed over.”
Emmett was already opening and closing cupboards in the kitchen. He was welcome to whatever he found. I didn’t have the energy to corral him.
“Be that as it may.” I leaned against the door frame, swallowing to clear the gummy feeling in my mouth. “I’m the one carrying out the jobs and I’d like to get a sense of who’s hiring us. My impression of the person could come in handy.”
Coffee or cold shower first? My stomach lurched at the thought of anything in it. Shower it was.
Tatiana thought about it, then nodded. “Remember, I have final say on whether we take the assignment or not.”
“Sure.”
“Bear’s Den at seven sharp. And look nice. Vikram enforces a more formal dress code a couple times a month.” Tatiana paused, looked me up and down, then jabbed me in the chest. “Better yet, have Sadie pick something out for you.”
What were those bony digits of hers made of? Titanium? I rubbed the sore spot, far too hungover for a snappy comeback.
“Don’t be late.” She tottered back to her behemoth of a car.
I shut the door before I saw her maul the curb in her attempts to back her vehicle out of its spot.
“I’m bored.” Emmett wandered back into the foyer.
I rested my head against the door frame again because it was easier than using my muscles. “Let me take a shower and then I have a super fun activity planned for you.”
“What?”
