Part 7 (1/2)
”Nearly,” she said, gratefully drying her face. ”Thanks, but you know I'm just going back out in it.”
”Nick.” The man stuck his hand out at her. ”Nick Dade.
Anna looked at it for a minute. Then gingerly took it. ”Anna.”
His grip was firm, strong, his skin a little rough as if he worked with his hands regularly. Definitely confident, but careful not to hold on too long.
”Just Anna?”
”Smith. Anna Smith.”
”Hmmm.” He crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back on his heels. ”Smith. Very mysterious.”
Anna laughed. ”No, very plain.”
”Well, it's nice to meet you, Anna Smith. You live around here?” he asked, gesturing to the windows.
Anna paused, bit the inside of her cheek.
Don't talk to strangers.
She nodded slowly. ”Yes.”
”It's a nice place. Quiet at night.”
”It is. I like it.”
”The architecture's amazing. I love all the old buildings. It's incredible to me that so many have survived not one, but two major earthquakes.”
Anna nodded, running the towel over her hair, trying to squeeze out the bulk of the rainwater. ”That's one of the reasons I moved here,” she agreed.
”Where from?”
Anna looked up. ”What?”
”Where did you move from?”
Don't talk to strangers. Don't get personal.
Anna looked away, turning her eyes to Lenny, still circling the detergent box.
”Oh, I've lived all over. I'm a bit of a nomad. What about you? Local?”
He shook his head. ”No, I'm just visiting a friend in town. Thinking of relocating, though. It's a fun city. You lived here long?”
Anna shrugged. ”Long enough, I guess.”
”Long enough to know a place for good Chinese?” He took a step toward her.
Without meaning to, she took one backward.
”In San Francisco? You'd have a hard time finding bad Chinese.”
He laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. ”Come on, you must have a favorite?”
”Okay, if I had to pick one, I'd say the Shaolin Palace. Down the street a couple blocks. They deliver twenty-four hours.”
”Oh, definitely my kind of place.”
A dryer dinged behind him, signaling the end of the cycle.
”Well, I guess I'll let you get back to your laundry,” Anna said. She dropped the towel on the counter and tugged Lenny toward the door. Having ascertained the detergent box didn't contain anything edible, he complied.
”Wait,” Nick said, taking a step forward. ”Are you busy tomorrow night? Maybe you could walk me through the Shaolin Palace's menu, huh?”
Anna chewed on her cheek again.
Don't get personal.
”Sorry, I have plans tomorrow. With my boyfriend.”
”Oh.” His smile faded. ”Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.”
”Yeah, well, goodnight,” she said quickly, pulling Lenny toward the door.
”I guess I'll see you around, Anna Smith.”
She raised a hand in a wave, then pushed out into the sheeting rain again. It hit her like ice after the warm, sticky air of the laundromat. Giving up altogether on the umbrella, Anna crossed the street, ducking her head against the torrent as she ran up the walkway.
He's watching you.
She stole a quick glance over her shoulder. He had his back turned to the windows, pulling clothes from the dryer and dropping them into his plastic basket.
She shook her head. He was just a nice guy trying to get a date. The foul weather was making her paranoid.
”Come on, Lenny. Let's go dry off.” She slipped her key in the lock and let herself into the lobby, Lenny barking gleefully beside her. She tugged off her wet shoes before leading him up the two flights of stairs. For all the good it did. Her feet still made a trail of wet footprints on the worn, wooden steps. Not to mention Lenny's muddy contribution. She'd be catching h.e.l.l in the morning.
Two apartments shared the third floor. Mrs. Olivia, a seventy-three year old widow and sudoku addict, lived in the one on the right. Anna was on the left.
She shoved her key into the lock and let Lenny bound into the room ahead of her, skidding to a stop at his food bowl and lapping up the crumbs. Anna shook her head as she keyed her PIN into the security system. That dog had a one-track mind. We should all have such a simple life.
She shut the door behind her and locked it, then secured the chain, deadbolt, and armed the alarm system again before stripping off her wet clothes and leaving them in a pile by the door. A long, hot shower sounded like heaven.
She padded into the kitchen, throwing a cupful of dog chow into Lenny's bowl, then crossed the small studio apartment, pausing briefly at the front window. She pulled the edge of the curtain back and peeked out.