it’s an Elton John song,” she sounded vaguely insulted. “Why are you singing it to me?”
“Because I’m tragically in love with you,” he said, then realized that she actually believed him. “I’m kidding,” he quickly backpedaled, but he could tell from the look in her eyes that it was too late.
So he tried to prove he was only kidding by slamming her with reality. “You know, the chances of finding Oz before Tommy gets home are slim to none. The chances of finding him at all are…” He shrugged. “Highly unlikely.”
It was a shame he’d had to do that, because she’d stopped crying. Of course now her eyes filled up again.
“I know,” she said bravely. “I’m so stupid. This is all my fault.”
She was looking at him as if she wanted to be comforted. No doubt about it, she wanted strong arms around her, with a little,
Aw, honey, no it’s not. It was a mistake anyone could’ve made. Cheer up, we’ll find the dog…
“Damn straight it’s all your fault,” Izzy told her instead, opening the fridge and helping himself to a can of soda. “You totally blew it. Didn’t it occur to you to ask before you opened that door? That
was
stupid. What were you thinking?”
To her credit, she didn’t immediately dissolve into tears. She defended herself. “I heard the dog whining and tapping on the sliding glass door when I went past on my way to the bathroom. On the way back, I didn’t hear anything, so I opened the door and peeked in, and he was in that squat that dogs do? And all I could think was, outside—do it outside! I was trying to help.” The tears finally came. “I always screw everything up.”
Again, she wanted him to tell her she was wrong.
Again, he didn’t give it to her. But wow, it wasn’t easy. She so wanted to cry on his shoulder, even though she’d been doing that mating ritual fox-trot with Jenk just a short time ago.
Crying on his shoulder would involve her pressing her entire amazing body against his, which would’ve been a nice reward for having to sing
Rainy Days and Mondays
to Master Chaz. Seven times in a row.
Walking around, some kind of lonely clown…
He’d been right about Tracy, though. She flirted with anyone with a dick. Poor Weeble. All that hard work he’d done tonight was for naught.
“I suck at my job, in case you didn’t notice,” Tracy told Izzy, starting to get angry with him for just standing there like an idiot, watching her cry.
He took his time answering, taking a long drink of his soda. “I
have
heard rumors that it’s not going well,” he finally said, which, again, was way not what she wanted to hear. “But I thought you did okay this afternoon. Calling Tommy to tell him that the circus had come to town? That was good. I mean, basic common sense, sure, but still the right choice.”
“Great,” she said. “I did one
basic
thing right. In four days. And now there are rumors…? Everyone hates me, don’t they?”
Ach, Christ. “Come on, Shapiro, that’s overkill, even for you. Jenk doesn’t hate you,” Izzy pointed out. “He’s out there, right now, scrambling to save your ass. You know, that’s what you should be doing instead of having this pity party. You should be figuring out the best way to pay him back.”
Oh, yeah. Now she was frosty. Her tears instantly freeze-dried. “Are you telling me that Mark is doing all this because he wants to be
paid back
?”
The way she said it was pretty funny, like she was some kind of virgin high priestess being told she should sacrifice herself on the altar as a tip for the pizza deliveryman.
Izzy made
no way
noises. “Marky-Mark? He’s too nice. And he’s had a thing for you for ages. He wouldn’t expect it. He wouldn’t even think it. But he’s bent over backwards for you—getting you this job, and now cleaning up after your mistakes? So I’m just saying. You might want to return the favor.”
Now there was uncertainty in her eyes. “Mark has a thing for
“Because I’m tragically in love with you,” he said, then realized that she actually believed him. “I’m kidding,” he quickly backpedaled, but he could tell from the look in her eyes that it was too late.
So he tried to prove he was only kidding by slamming her with reality. “You know, the chances of finding Oz before Tommy gets home are slim to none. The chances of finding him at all are…” He shrugged. “Highly unlikely.”
It was a shame he’d had to do that, because she’d stopped crying. Of course now her eyes filled up again.
“I know,” she said bravely. “I’m so stupid. This is all my fault.”
She was looking at him as if she wanted to be comforted. No doubt about it, she wanted strong arms around her, with a little,
Aw, honey, no it’s not. It was a mistake anyone could’ve made. Cheer up, we’ll find the dog…
“Damn straight it’s all your fault,” Izzy told her instead, opening the fridge and helping himself to a can of soda. “You totally blew it. Didn’t it occur to you to ask before you opened that door? That
was
stupid. What were you thinking?”
To her credit, she didn’t immediately dissolve into tears. She defended herself. “I heard the dog whining and tapping on the sliding glass door when I went past on my way to the bathroom. On the way back, I didn’t hear anything, so I opened the door and peeked in, and he was in that squat that dogs do? And all I could think was, outside—do it outside! I was trying to help.” The tears finally came. “I always screw everything up.”
Again, she wanted him to tell her she was wrong.
Again, he didn’t give it to her. But wow, it wasn’t easy. She so wanted to cry on his shoulder, even though she’d been doing that mating ritual fox-trot with Jenk just a short time ago.
Crying on his shoulder would involve her pressing her entire amazing body against his, which would’ve been a nice reward for having to sing
Rainy Days and Mondays
to Master Chaz. Seven times in a row.
Walking around, some kind of lonely clown…
He’d been right about Tracy, though. She flirted with anyone with a dick. Poor Weeble. All that hard work he’d done tonight was for naught.
“I suck at my job, in case you didn’t notice,” Tracy told Izzy, starting to get angry with him for just standing there like an idiot, watching her cry.
He took his time answering, taking a long drink of his soda. “I
have
heard rumors that it’s not going well,” he finally said, which, again, was way not what she wanted to hear. “But I thought you did okay this afternoon. Calling Tommy to tell him that the circus had come to town? That was good. I mean, basic common sense, sure, but still the right choice.”
“Great,” she said. “I did one
basic
thing right. In four days. And now there are rumors…? Everyone hates me, don’t they?”
Ach, Christ. “Come on, Shapiro, that’s overkill, even for you. Jenk doesn’t hate you,” Izzy pointed out. “He’s out there, right now, scrambling to save your ass. You know, that’s what you should be doing instead of having this pity party. You should be figuring out the best way to pay him back.”
Oh, yeah. Now she was frosty. Her tears instantly freeze-dried. “Are you telling me that Mark is doing all this because he wants to be
paid back
?”
The way she said it was pretty funny, like she was some kind of virgin high priestess being told she should sacrifice herself on the altar as a tip for the pizza deliveryman.
Izzy made
no way
noises. “Marky-Mark? He’s too nice. And he’s had a thing for you for ages. He wouldn’t expect it. He wouldn’t even think it. But he’s bent over backwards for you—getting you this job, and now cleaning up after your mistakes? So I’m just saying. You might want to return the favor.”
Now there was uncertainty in her eyes. “Mark has a thing for
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