Part 5 (2/2)
”What do you mean?”
”What do you feel for David?”
”David?” She frowned. ”David Mariner? What does he have to do with anything?”
”Just answer the question. If you ran into David on the street, how would you react?”
”I haven't thought of David in ages. He was several dates ago.” She pursed her lips. ”I suppose if I ran into him I'd make some small talk and then get back to whatever I was doing.”
”Exactly. So what does it tell you that you're so worked up over seeing Michael again?”
”That I need more to drink.” She reached for the bottle and almost toppled off the couch. ”Whoa.”
”Here.” Eve steadied her. ”Sit back and I'll do that.”
”You're a pal.” She m.u.f.fled another hiccup behind her hand and leaned back until she was reclining against the armrest of the couch.
”I wonder if you'll feel that way in the morning.”
”Don't worry. I've never had a hangover,” Olivia said proudly.
Chapter Six.
Olivia heard the door open and click shut but she couldn't lift her head to greet her customer, and getting up from the stool was completely out of the question. It was all she could do not to groan.
”I wondered what kind of condition you'd be in,” she heard Eve's voice say, followed by the sound of something set in front of her.
She cracked her eyes open. This time she did groan. In relief.
”Here. Let me.” Eve opened the bottle of aspirin and offered her three tablets. ”You're going to have to stop holding your head for a moment to get these down.”
”My hands are keeping my brain from spilling onto the counter.”
”I thought you never got hung-over.”
”You were right. There's a first time for everything.” She took the pills and sighed when she noticed the steaming latte Eve held in her other hand. ”Have I told you how much I love you?”
”I figured you needed it. You didn't stop by Grounds for Thought this morning.”
”I woke up too late.” Olivia took a sip of her drink and waited. When her stomach didn't roil in protest, she drank some more. ”Thanks for letting me crash at your place.”
Laughing, Eve said, ”I didn't have much choice. You kind of pa.s.sed out on the couch.”
Olivia frowned. ”I did?”
”Yes.”
”How did I get to the guest bedroom?”
”Treat carried you.”
”And I wasn't lucid. I can't believe I missed that.”
”How are you really? Do you feel as green as you look?”
”I feel chartreuse. Is that how I look?”
”Just about.”
”Great.” It probably didn't help that she was in yesterday's clothes. Although, she took a shower at Eve's so she didn't feel completely grungy.
Eve leaned on the counter and peered closely at her. ”So, other than the hangover, how are you?”
She decided to play dumb. ”What do you mean?”
”I mean about everything that happened yesterday.”
”I hadn't really thought about it.” She'd been too busy trying not to puke all over herself. Testing her tension, she rotated her shoulders a few times. They felt remarkably light. ”Actually, I'm pretty good. Talking must've helped.”
”Good.”
”I can ignore Parker.”
”Right.”
A deaf person would have heard the skepticism in Eve's voice. ”I can. Once they start filming, he'll be too busy to plague me. Worse comes to worse, my room has a lock.”
Eve shook her head. ”So you're going to let him make you a prisoner in your own home?”
”You're right. I'll lock him in instead.” Olivia frowned. ”I just wish I knew what he was after.”
”Maybe he had a change of heart and wants to show you he loves you.”
The earnestness of Eve's eyes showed she actually believed that. Of course, she didn't have as much experience with Parker as Olivia had. ”And the gla.s.s is half full.”
Eve grinned. ”Is that your plan for Michael too?”
”Michael's easier. He's not staying at Gran's.” She wrinkled her nose. ”At least not that I know of. There's no reason I have to run into him. Ever.”
Eve just stared at her.
”What?”
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