Hanging On (Jessica Brodie Diaries #2)(68)

I started talking faster to get this over with. Some girl just walked in with the cutest shoes and I wanted to focus on that for a minute.

"If both of you just opened your minds a little bit, you might at least be able to understand each other. Just, let him help you once in a while, or politely ask him not to. Just while you are here. Can you at least do that?"

She sighed. "Why should I have to be the bigger person? Why don't you tell him to stop trying to be my nursemaid?"

“I did.” Her eyes went wide. “I talked to him first. He was upset that, as he said, every time he tried to make it right you and him just ended up arguing. I told him about you the same as I told you about him. I am hoping you guys can at least get along while you are here."

“I had been meaning to talk to you about that.” Lump scratched her arm, one of her tells. I stopped caring about the shoes. “Claire is going off to some place in New York to stay with friends. She had to sneak in the country, so she doesn't have a visa or anything. She is probably just going to get bar work there or something.”

“What do you mean, she had to sneak in? How do you sneak in?”

“We came across the Mexican border."

“I'm sorry, you what?'

“We drove across the Mexican border. She has a fake Californian ID, and I had my real ID. They should check passports but a lot of Americans were heading back from holidays in Mexico, and we were pretty girls, so I just did the talking and they let us through with no hassle. That's how we got out, too, so her passport wasn't stamped. You can get a ten year ban from the United States if you overstay your visa, apparently.”

“And they just let you through?"

“Everyone has their prejudices. Irish people aren't usually on the prejudice radar since most Americans claim they are Irish.” She shrugged. “They just let us through.”

“What would have happened if they didn't?"

“We wouldn't have gotten through." She looked at me like I was slow in the head.

“Anyway,” she continued. “Jane doesn't have a lot of room, and Flem has roommates, so I was wondering if I might stay with you until I got my own place? I was thinking about starting up a self-defense class then get an office job or something. I should be ready to move out in a couple weeks. That is, if you don't mind me staying in Texas with you...”

“No! That sounds great! I will have a friend!” In that moment I was so happy I could have spit. “I just have to clear it with Gladis, but I am sure she won't mind. Yay!”

She was smiling and excited, too.

“But,” I said suddenly serious, “you have to work this out with Adam. You have to. He is with William and me all the time. Seriously all the time. And you probably will be, too, now, so stop pushing his buttons and try to get along.”

She rolled her eyes, but nodded.

“And,” I continued, “don't try to solve the problem by getting him naked. It won’t work, and I don’t want to be disgusted with you trying. He is a good friend of mine, and I expect you to treat him that way.”

She gave me a piercing look. Sexual frustration was often settled with, well, sex. But I didn't think that was the issue here, and Lump using that as a solution would probably make matters worse.

After that the night progressed smoothly. I hit a plateau in my drunken state that I would hold for a while if I eased up on beer intake and stayed away from shots. My body was trying to work out the effects from last night and the torture I was continually applying tonight. If I got drunker tonight, tomorrow would be brutal. And embarrassing.

Adam stayed away from Lump, and Lump hardly noticed Adam. They were each digesting what they were told, and weren't sure how to communicate to the other without frustration and violence getting the better of them.

When last call came around, everyone gathered their things and we headed out to the hopefully awaiting cabs. I had already assured William I would let him come over, so he was happy and relaxed with his arm around my shoulder. As we were walking out of the door, Lump stopped to thank the bartender, who did in fact receive a generous tip. She adjusted her shoe while there, but did so in a way that from behind it looked like she was just holding up traffic.

Adam politely said, "Excuse me."

"Can you wait a second?" Lump answered harshly.

Adam turned to me with a look of "See?"

Lump finished fixing her shoe and turned around to him. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were animated. Her shirt had slipped lower on her breast line than she realized, showing a hefty amount of cle**age.

Adam was behind her, trying to get past, so when she turned around she was inches from him, looking up into his slowly smoldering eyes. It was impossible to tell if the smolder was from sexual passion or physical aggression. Maybe both.

She stared at him with hostility, daring him to make a move. He stared back, just as determined not to back down. They were both handsome people, each chiseled with a classic beauty; strong jaws, straight noses, shapely lips. Adam was all brawn with wide shoulders and taught muscle, where Lump was lithe, slim and sinewy. Each a master of their body. Each able to inflict pain if they wanted to.

They would have been a handsome couple if they didn’t want to kill each other.

I was about to say something to calm the situation when William squeezed my shoulders and brought me in closer. Apparently this was a pissing contest, a battle of wills, and someone needed to back down.