Part 9 (1/2)
”Well, something you might be interested in, he met with the Blacks on Sunday. One great big happy family of blackmailers and cheats watching football together.”
”Figures the snakes would find each other and coil up into a nest.” Maya frowned. ”So why haven't you been talking to us? Tell me.”
”I've been busy.” She glanced around. Seeing no one near, she shared with Maya a few details about her weekend.
Maya whistled. ”I am now officially jealous. He might be a snake, but he sure seems to know how to do the mambo mattress dance.”
Ann laughed and would have replied when she saw Julie and Josh walking together down the street.
Maya followed her gaze as the pair turned the corner. ”Guess Julie and Dan are back. Jack still staying at their place?”
”How-?”
”Small town. Besides, I have my feelers out about our sly adversaries. The enemy is tricky. d.i.c.ky too.”
”That was just bad.” They arrived at her place and walked inside.
Maya sighed. ”I know. I blame Riley. Girl has been in a funk since Anson's been back. He had the nerve to flirt with her the other day at the bakery. She's PO'd to the point I'm here bugging you instead of messing with her.”
”Ouch. I should call her.”
”No. You should tell me what I want to hear. That you're sticking to the plan.”
”I am,” she said, ”It's been hard. Having s.e.x without an emotional connection is tough, but I'm trying to keep it separate. We're having dinner tonight. Just dinner. Then, well, I lost a bet. Friday night I'm his for twenty-four hours.”
Maya loafed on her couch. ”Man. I need to get some action like that. Let a guy try to boss me around for a day.”
”Try being the key word. You have control issues.”
”I do. And I fully admit it. Acknowledgement of the problem is the first step, you know.”
”You're such a dork. Oh, Maya. What do I do? I'm trying really hard not to like Jack again. But he's being so charming. I mean, he's making my toes curl in bed. Then he leaves, and next thing you know he texts to tell me to have a nice day or share something funny Josh said.”
”But he still hasn't mentioned high school, hmm?”
”No. He's made a few remarks about putting the past behind us. But it's just...”
”Just what?”
Ann didn't know how to explain without sounding childish.
”Just that you can't get over the hurt?” Maya answered. ”I get you. Dex screwed me over in twelfth grade. And you know what? Over a decade later I still want to put a hurt on him. My mom dropped the ball when I was a baby, and now I have commitment issues. I'm twenty-nine, so clearly I'm not over that yet.”
”We're not crazy for feeling hurt after so much time, are we?”
”Nope. We're normal. We just need closure-hence the revenge.”
”Right. Revenge.” But on who, Ann wondered, because trying to remain emotionally detached from Jack seemed to wound her more than him. ”Well, it's early yet. I've only been with him a week or so. He's barely been back.”
”He's been here long enough to have you on your back.”
”Crude, Maya.”
”Yet true. Look, have fun. Enjoy him a little. Enjoy him a lot. Just don't lose yourself to him again. For all you know, he's fooling around with you while secretly engaged to Selena Thorpe.”
Ann grimaced. ”Must you say her name?”
”Sorry. My point-don't trust the guy. He hasn't earned it.”
They talked a while longer, then Maya left to get back to her studio.
After a call to Riley to say h.e.l.lo, Ann left a message then went out to clear her head. She returned in time to get ready for her dinner with Jack and met him downtown.
Jack waited for her outside Noi, the new Thai place she'd been dying to try, talking and laughing with someone. He waved her over.
”Hey, Ann. You remember Dexter Black? Dex, Ann Weaver.”
”Oh my gosh. You are huge.” Ann goggled at Dex, who used to be almost Ann's height.
”Yeah, yeah. I hit a weird growth spurt and it forgot to stop.” Dex kissed her on the cheek. ”You look terrific, Ann. Why don't you ditch Jack and come out with me? I'm going to see a movie. A drama. With subt.i.tles,” he added hopefully.
”I would, but I think Jack might cry if forced to eat alone.”
Jack frowned at Dex. ”Hey. She's with me.”
Dex rolled his eyes. ”Whatever. Anyway, see you later. Bye, Ann.” Dex started walking away, then stopped and turned back. ”Hey, tell Maya I said hi when you see her.” He gave her a mocking salute as he left.
”Yeah, that'll go over like a lead balloon.”
Jack heard her as he ushered her inside the restaurant, because he grinned and said, ”Let me guess. Still not over Dex blackmailing her into going to his prom, eh?”
”If you know Maya, you know she holds grudges.”
”Gee, Ann. She was so nice to me at the store last week. I can't imagine Maya would ever be brutal, in any situation.”
”Funny. So let's have dinner.”
”Right. With our clothes on.” He said that a little too loudly, because more than one person turned to them.
Flus.h.i.+ng with embarra.s.sment, she punched him in the arm.
He chuckled. ”Sorry. Hey, our table's ready.”
They sat down and ordered. After a while Ann realized they were still studying each other. Jack shook his head.
”What?”