set off for L.A.
At first Sid had kept his promise, and Mat had been able to do some good work. But Byline ’s ratings didn’t grow fast enough, and before long he found himself producing stories on cheating husbands, lesbian wives, and clairvoyant pets. Still, he held on, fueled by pure stubbornness and the inability to admit he’d made a mistake. Finally, as the stories had grown sleazier and his old newspaper friends started ducking his calls, he’d known he couldn’t do it any longer. He’d turned in his resignation, put his luxury condominium up for sale, and walked away.
Now he wanted to find a couple of great stories to redeem his pride before he went back to Chicago. He’d already stumbled on some good stuff—a group of street kids in Albuquerque that’d tear a reader’s heart out, a small-town bank making a fortune off farm foreclosures. But neither story was enough. He wanted something bigger.
Until two days ago, finding that big story was all he’d been able to think about. Now, however, he’d been distracted by a pair of kids who weren’t his, along with a pregnant lady who had skinny legs, a quirky sense of humor, and an allure he didn’t understand. Even though he wasn’t much of a drinker, he decided he deserved to find a little oblivion in that pint of Jim Beam he’d spotted in one of Mabel’s overhead bins.
7
“I’ M NOT SLEEPING with you!” Lucy declared. “how do I know you don’t have lice or something?”
“Fine,” Nealy sighed, pulling down the spread on the bed. “Then sleep up front.”
“You said Mat was going to sleep up there.”
“He probably will.”
“Make him sleep in the back.”
“Think for a minute, will you? Marigold’s sleeping on the floor by the double bed because it’s the only place to keep her contained, so it’s not hard to figure out that Mat will make sure he sleeps in the front. The banquette makes up into a small bed. The couch makes up into another bed. You can either sleep back here in the double bed with me or up there with him.”
“That’s so gross. How do you know he’s not one of those kiddy porn creeps or something?”
“Instinct.”
“Yeah, well, that’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one who might get overpowered.”
Why did the idea of being overpowered by Mat Jorik not seem all that awful? But sex was one thing she absolutely never let herself think about, so she looked around the kitchen for some cleanser.
“Let him sleep with you,” Lucy said. “He wants to.”
Spray bottle in hand, Nealy turned back to the hostile teenager with the small, perfectly proportioned features. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. He only likes me marginally more than he likes you, which isn’t saying much. Now I’m taking a shower. Sleep anywhere you want.”
Nealy didn’t have much experience cleaning, but she couldn’t stand using the bathroom as it was. It took her a while, but when she was done, she felt reasonably satisfied with the result. Afterward she showered, then reluctantly fastened the padding back around her middle. It would be uncomfortable for sleeping, but in such close quarters, she didn’t have much choice.
She’d picked up the inexpensive long blue cotton nightgown she’d bought at the discount store. She was accustomed to silk, and the fabric felt strange as she settled it over her head.
When she emerged from the bathroom, she was relieved to see that Lucy had fallen asleep. Still wearing her clothes, she lay sprawled across the double bed. The smeared makeup formed a mask over her delicately innocent face.
Marigold lay on the bed Nealy had made for her on the floor. She was curled on her side, her plump, baby lips parted, fragile lashes lying in dainty half-moons on her cheeks, the Beanie Baby walrus under one knee. For the first time Nealy noticed that all ten of her tiny toe-nails were painted iridescent blue.
She smiled down at Lucy, then opened one of the back
At first Sid had kept his promise, and Mat had been able to do some good work. But Byline ’s ratings didn’t grow fast enough, and before long he found himself producing stories on cheating husbands, lesbian wives, and clairvoyant pets. Still, he held on, fueled by pure stubbornness and the inability to admit he’d made a mistake. Finally, as the stories had grown sleazier and his old newspaper friends started ducking his calls, he’d known he couldn’t do it any longer. He’d turned in his resignation, put his luxury condominium up for sale, and walked away.
Now he wanted to find a couple of great stories to redeem his pride before he went back to Chicago. He’d already stumbled on some good stuff—a group of street kids in Albuquerque that’d tear a reader’s heart out, a small-town bank making a fortune off farm foreclosures. But neither story was enough. He wanted something bigger.
Until two days ago, finding that big story was all he’d been able to think about. Now, however, he’d been distracted by a pair of kids who weren’t his, along with a pregnant lady who had skinny legs, a quirky sense of humor, and an allure he didn’t understand. Even though he wasn’t much of a drinker, he decided he deserved to find a little oblivion in that pint of Jim Beam he’d spotted in one of Mabel’s overhead bins.
7
“I’ M NOT SLEEPING with you!” Lucy declared. “how do I know you don’t have lice or something?”
“Fine,” Nealy sighed, pulling down the spread on the bed. “Then sleep up front.”
“You said Mat was going to sleep up there.”
“He probably will.”
“Make him sleep in the back.”
“Think for a minute, will you? Marigold’s sleeping on the floor by the double bed because it’s the only place to keep her contained, so it’s not hard to figure out that Mat will make sure he sleeps in the front. The banquette makes up into a small bed. The couch makes up into another bed. You can either sleep back here in the double bed with me or up there with him.”
“That’s so gross. How do you know he’s not one of those kiddy porn creeps or something?”
“Instinct.”
“Yeah, well, that’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one who might get overpowered.”
Why did the idea of being overpowered by Mat Jorik not seem all that awful? But sex was one thing she absolutely never let herself think about, so she looked around the kitchen for some cleanser.
“Let him sleep with you,” Lucy said. “He wants to.”
Spray bottle in hand, Nealy turned back to the hostile teenager with the small, perfectly proportioned features. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. He only likes me marginally more than he likes you, which isn’t saying much. Now I’m taking a shower. Sleep anywhere you want.”
Nealy didn’t have much experience cleaning, but she couldn’t stand using the bathroom as it was. It took her a while, but when she was done, she felt reasonably satisfied with the result. Afterward she showered, then reluctantly fastened the padding back around her middle. It would be uncomfortable for sleeping, but in such close quarters, she didn’t have much choice.
She’d picked up the inexpensive long blue cotton nightgown she’d bought at the discount store. She was accustomed to silk, and the fabric felt strange as she settled it over her head.
When she emerged from the bathroom, she was relieved to see that Lucy had fallen asleep. Still wearing her clothes, she lay sprawled across the double bed. The smeared makeup formed a mask over her delicately innocent face.
Marigold lay on the bed Nealy had made for her on the floor. She was curled on her side, her plump, baby lips parted, fragile lashes lying in dainty half-moons on her cheeks, the Beanie Baby walrus under one knee. For the first time Nealy noticed that all ten of her tiny toe-nails were painted iridescent blue.
She smiled down at Lucy, then opened one of the back
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