healing process. He could only be there and hope he was enough to get her through it.
“Hey, look at the time. We’ve got to get moving if we’re going to make Torquay before lunch.”
“Or we could stay here, tangled in a Hula-Hoop,” she offered, using a shirt she must have tried on earlier to clean off her tits.
He cupped her face and whispered, “I want to eat ice cream with you today, and to see you in a swimsuit.”
“Oh?”
“Nothing like ocean air to clear the head.”
“Didn’t I clear the head for you?”
He snorted, “Oh, Lola,” and kissed her on the forehead.
“We make a great team, don’t we?”
He nodded.
The store’s alarm sounded, piercing the calm.
Dennis pulled up his pants and raced to the fire exit. The previously locked door now sat ajar. He peeped into the back alley but saw only the usual sight: a few skips overflowing with rubbish, the neighborhood tabby hoping for attention, and the worn and cracked tarmac in serious need of repair.
He petted the cat. “Hey, Tom, see anyone down here a minute ago?” The feline purred and rubbed against his legs. “Take that as a no.”
“Who was it?” She stood in the doorway. She’d thrown her clothes back on and hooded up with his old sweater that he kept in the office for chilly days.
Sickening worry swirled in his stomach faster and wider than she could spin that hoop of hers. He didn’t like it a single bit, but he put on his hero smile. “Hey, there’s nothing to be scared off. I bet Sweetheart from The Doll House dropped by for a visit. She has a habit of hanging around this place when it’s only me here, says we should be friends with benefits. She probably saw us together and took a sharp exit to avoid chatting. She’s a loner, if you hadn’t noticed.”
“Nice try, Dennis. In the future, can we double check locks on doors before we do the sexy, please?”
A dark shadow caught in his peripheral vision near his car parked about twenty or so yards down the alley. When he turned, there was nothing there. “That’s a good idea. Let’s go back inside.”
She shivered. “I want to get the hell out of here.”
“We do need to hit the road soon if we’re going to make lunch plans, but I also need to throw on a shirt and shoes.” He let her enter first then locked the door behind them.
“Did you book us a table somewhere special?”
He nodded.
“But I’m wearing an old dress far too casual for fine dining.”
He threw on his garments and glanced at her. “You looked great in that ‘old dress.’ Besides, what I’ve got planned is special, but not fancy.”
“I still need to go home and shower, I smell like… you.”
“And I smell of you. Is that a bad thing?”
“It’s a very good thing, but I don’t want to advertise the fact that I had sex before meeting with my mother.”
“Good point. Besides, if I have my way, we’ll need a lot of showers today.”
“Hey.” She poked him in the ribs.
He flicked her hand away and locked up shop then strode to his car parked out back. She shuffled beside him, her hand locked in his.
Blue, folded paper sat beneath the left windshield wiper, jammed in there as if someone had taken the time to be sure it didn’t fly away. “This wasn’t here a second ago when we came to see about the commotion.” He yanked it out and unfolded the sheet of A4 paper. “It’s addressed to you?”
“Oh? From Al?”
Missing you, my sweet Louisa. I don’t care that you called on a police hunt for me, I’ll still do anything to get you to come back to me. Whatever it takes. See you soon.
“Yes. That’s his handwriting. It’s from Al, all right.” Her face paled and she tightened her grip on his hand.
“He’ll do anything to get you back?” Instinct told him to glance down. He was right and kicked a wheel. “He’s slashed my tires. All four of ’em. That’s it. I’m calling the police so they can take fingerprints. He’s broken his restraining order. Big
“Hey, look at the time. We’ve got to get moving if we’re going to make Torquay before lunch.”
“Or we could stay here, tangled in a Hula-Hoop,” she offered, using a shirt she must have tried on earlier to clean off her tits.
He cupped her face and whispered, “I want to eat ice cream with you today, and to see you in a swimsuit.”
“Oh?”
“Nothing like ocean air to clear the head.”
“Didn’t I clear the head for you?”
He snorted, “Oh, Lola,” and kissed her on the forehead.
“We make a great team, don’t we?”
He nodded.
The store’s alarm sounded, piercing the calm.
Dennis pulled up his pants and raced to the fire exit. The previously locked door now sat ajar. He peeped into the back alley but saw only the usual sight: a few skips overflowing with rubbish, the neighborhood tabby hoping for attention, and the worn and cracked tarmac in serious need of repair.
He petted the cat. “Hey, Tom, see anyone down here a minute ago?” The feline purred and rubbed against his legs. “Take that as a no.”
“Who was it?” She stood in the doorway. She’d thrown her clothes back on and hooded up with his old sweater that he kept in the office for chilly days.
Sickening worry swirled in his stomach faster and wider than she could spin that hoop of hers. He didn’t like it a single bit, but he put on his hero smile. “Hey, there’s nothing to be scared off. I bet Sweetheart from The Doll House dropped by for a visit. She has a habit of hanging around this place when it’s only me here, says we should be friends with benefits. She probably saw us together and took a sharp exit to avoid chatting. She’s a loner, if you hadn’t noticed.”
“Nice try, Dennis. In the future, can we double check locks on doors before we do the sexy, please?”
A dark shadow caught in his peripheral vision near his car parked about twenty or so yards down the alley. When he turned, there was nothing there. “That’s a good idea. Let’s go back inside.”
She shivered. “I want to get the hell out of here.”
“We do need to hit the road soon if we’re going to make lunch plans, but I also need to throw on a shirt and shoes.” He let her enter first then locked the door behind them.
“Did you book us a table somewhere special?”
He nodded.
“But I’m wearing an old dress far too casual for fine dining.”
He threw on his garments and glanced at her. “You looked great in that ‘old dress.’ Besides, what I’ve got planned is special, but not fancy.”
“I still need to go home and shower, I smell like… you.”
“And I smell of you. Is that a bad thing?”
“It’s a very good thing, but I don’t want to advertise the fact that I had sex before meeting with my mother.”
“Good point. Besides, if I have my way, we’ll need a lot of showers today.”
“Hey.” She poked him in the ribs.
He flicked her hand away and locked up shop then strode to his car parked out back. She shuffled beside him, her hand locked in his.
Blue, folded paper sat beneath the left windshield wiper, jammed in there as if someone had taken the time to be sure it didn’t fly away. “This wasn’t here a second ago when we came to see about the commotion.” He yanked it out and unfolded the sheet of A4 paper. “It’s addressed to you?”
“Oh? From Al?”
Missing you, my sweet Louisa. I don’t care that you called on a police hunt for me, I’ll still do anything to get you to come back to me. Whatever it takes. See you soon.
“Yes. That’s his handwriting. It’s from Al, all right.” Her face paled and she tightened her grip on his hand.
“He’ll do anything to get you back?” Instinct told him to glance down. He was right and kicked a wheel. “He’s slashed my tires. All four of ’em. That’s it. I’m calling the police so they can take fingerprints. He’s broken his restraining order. Big
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