“A bit?” I snapped.

Her hand came away from her hip, her face changed and she grabbed my arms.

“Jet, honey, who made the rule that you weren’t al owed to be happy?”

“No one. I’l be happy… someday. Just not with Eddie.”

“Why not with Eddie?”

“Have you looked at Eddie?”

Her eyes got kind of dreamy.

She’d looked at Eddie.

“Enough said,” I finished.

She stared at me, coming back into the room.

“What’s the way Eddie looks got to do with the price of tea in China?”

How to explain?

See, the thing was, good things didn’t happen to me. It wasn’t as if I had a sorry, sad life. My life wasn’t better or worse than anyone else’s. I’d had ups, I’d had downs.

Okay, so there were a lot of downs, but there were also a lot of good times too.

I just knew I wasn’t lucky. I also knew my limitations. And final y, I knew that dreams didn’t come true, not your Mom’s dreams for you, not your Mom’s best friend’s dreams for you and certainly not your own. Life was finding your piece of happiness, even working for it if you had to, and settling in.

I knew I’d find my piece of happiness but even if Eddie truly did have some weird attraction to me, I’d never, not in a mil ion years, settle in with him. I’d always be wondering when he’d figure it out or find something better. And I didn’t want a life like that.

That’s why good looking people were with good looking people, and plain folk were with plain folk. You didn’t court that kind of unhappiness.

Trixie had been married twice and was currently on the market. She had taste in men like my Mom and Lavonne but enough confidence to get them to take a hike when she was done carrying them. She’d find someone else, I knew it, she always did. She was that kind of woman. When she was done being alone, she wouldn’t be alone. She’d never understand.

“Never mind,” I said.

She stared at me.

“Next time I see Ray, I’m gonna kil him.” She’d have to stand in line.

“Why?” I asked.

“Never mind,” she said.

We rinsed the dishes and put them in the dishwasher.

Trixie carried out the sheet cake and I trailed with ice cream and plates. Trixie served up while I did coffee. The whole time, I avoided looking at Eddie.

“I’l come around at 5:30 to pick you up tomorrow,” Eddie said, finishing his cake and looking at Mom.

Uh-oh.

I stil hadn’t told Mom about Blanca’s dinner.

“Pardon?” Mom asked, looking between Eddie and me.

“I forgot to tel you, we’re going to Eddie’s Mom’s for dinner tomorrow,” I said.

Trixie smiled. Mom beamed. Ada actual y clapped.

I sat back in my chair and closed my eyes.

“You ladies can come if you like, Mom’s having a party,” Eddie told Trixie and Ada.

I leaned forward in my chair and opened my eyes, turned to Eddie and glared.

“What do you mean, a party?”

“She’s asked the cousins, Indy and Lee, al of the Nightingales and Indy’s Dad.”

No.

No, no, no.

This was not happening.

“I’d love to come,” Trixie said.

“I’d be delighted. I never go anywhere,” Ada said.

Wonderful.

“I’l come by at 5:30, I’l take Ada and we’l fol ow you,” Trixie planned, talking to Eddie and Eddie nodded.

I got out of my chair again, this time, I had a valid excuse.

“I need to get ready for work.”

Without waiting for a reply, I walked to my room.

I was in my Smithie’s uniform, sitting on the bed and slipping on a pair of black pumps when a knock came at my door.

“Come in” I cal ed, thinking it was Mom or Trixie to give me another lecture.

Eddie walked in and closed the door.

Damn.

“I’m almost ready.”

I stood and grabbed my jeans jacket, pul ing it on.

Eddie watched me; shoulders against the door, arms crossed on his chest, eyes on my uniform. For the first time that night he looked unhappy.

“What?” I asked.

“I don’t like you working there,” he said.

I grabbed my purse, but he wasn’t done.

“And I really don’t like that outfit.” I sighed.

“I don’t have much of a choice,” I said, walking toward him. “Anyway, it doesn’t much matter if you like it or you don’t, it doesn’t have anything to do with you.” He was standing against the door and not moving.

“Can you get out of the way?” I asked, looking up at him.

I should have looked sooner. His eyes were glittery which meant he’d gone from unhappy to pissed off.

“I thought we’d been through this,” he commented, his voice scary quiet.

Uh-oh.

I decided to ignore it.

“I can’t be late for work.”

“I can see my plan isn’t working,” he replied, changing the subject.

“What plan?” I asked, staying as far away from him as I could without retreating or looking like I was staying as far away from him as I could. I was beginning to feel a thril of fear working up my spine.

“Honesty, being a nice guy, doing good deeds, getting you indebted to me.”

I stared at him, scared of what he’d say next.

“So?” I asked.

Okay, so I had to know, even though I didn’t want to know.

“So, I’l have to try a new plan.”

If his old plan was honesty, being nice and doing good things, I didn’t want to know what his new plan would be.

He told me anyway.

“The way I see it, the minute I got my hand in your pants and made you come, that bought me nearly an entire day of you bein’ nice to me. You didn’t yel at me once, you cried in my arms and fel asleep in them too. So, I’m guessin’ that’s the way to keep you sweet.”

Oh… dear… Lord.

I just stared. I mean, what did you say to that?

He kept going, “I’l take you to work, I’l pick you up and you’re spendin’ the night at my house.”

Eek!

“I don’t like your plan,” I final y found my voice.

“Then quit behavin’ like a bitch, it isn’t you and doesn’t suit you.”

My mouth dropped open. I knew I was being a bitch, but I never expected him to cal me on it.

My eyes narrowed and I put a hand on my hip. I’d been doing that a lot lately. I didn’t think I was the kind of woman to put a hand on her hip, but there you go.