was generally as far north as he ever went.
“You realize, ‘hit by a car’ and ‘fell ten feet’ were the
only English words in that sentence.” She sounded pissed.
“It’s safe,” he told her. “It’s also the most fun you’ll
have with your clothes on. Come by sometime and I’ll show you.”
“I don’t think so.”
Something had her in a mood. He glanced over at her. “I said
‘safe’ not ‘date’. Did I say ‘date’? I did not say ‘date’.” It was the
clothes-on thing. Had to be. She was thinking he was obsessed with sex. She’d
have to take some responsibility there. That dress was an invitation to obsess.
It looked like a nightgown from the forties, low cut both back and front and
shaped to cup her breasts just so. The fabric looked liquid, as if he could
just slip its little straps off her curvy shoulders and—
Focus.
“I’m not mad. I just don’t…”
She didn’t seem willing to finish that sentence. Instead,
she said, “Tell me about your family, Kim.”
His hands tightened on the wheel as he sailed past another
toll plaza. “Not as interesting as yours,” he said. “You never told me how you
came to have a brother at thirteen.”
“Charlie’s dad’s a widower and my mom liked being married,
just not to my wandering-eyed dad. I’m happy they hooked up, even if Charlie
did stand me up today. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
“He stood you up?”
“You’re avoiding the question.”
It was true. He didn’t care. “I can’t imagine any man
standing you up.”
He changed lanes. Their exit had to be somewhere soon.
“I don’t like heights,” she said.
“What?”
“I thought I would pass out just looking up this afternoon
at Wall Werx. There. That’s my embarrassing confession. Your turn.” It came out
as one long sentence, a staccato rush of words.
Kim hadn’t seen that one coming. Afraid of heights? He
couldn’t even imagine it. Not to the extent the tightness in her voice
betrayed. Not to the degree that it would be a big-deal confession. Maybe she
expressed fear as anger. He could understand that much, at least.
“I have a half-brother, Mom’s first marriage, ten years
older than me,” he said, trying to keep his own voice from getting tight,
though fear had little to do with why.
“That’s a big difference in age. Does he live in Dallas?”
Did he ever. “Much too close.”
“You don’t like him?”
He wanted to laugh. “Ever had someone in your life with all
the answers?”
“I wish.”
Huh. She didn’t seem the type to live under another’s thumb.
“Even if he didn’t care you didn’t ask?”
“Oh. Pushy, is he?” She turned more fully toward him. Could
he manage another civil answer?
“Superior is more like it. Married a perfect wife, has
awesome kids, runs a respected business. It’s like he’s got license to meddle.”
“But you do good work. You’re successful. Doesn’t he see
that?”
Hands too tight on the wheel, Kim shook his head. “I’m not
looking for an ‘attaboy’. Not from him.”
Silence suggested she was expecting him to say more. As far
as Kim was concerned, the less said the better.
“And your folks?” she asked.
Isabelle had apparently found a topic she liked. Too bad it
wasn’t one of Kim’s favorites. Next thing you know, she’d be asking where he
went to college. He hadn’t realized there were so many things he didn’t want to
talk about. “Mom lives in Houston. Last I heard from my father, he was looking
for work in California.”
“I’d say your family was far more interesting than mine.”
He grunted, not trusting himself to say more. He took
comfort in knowing they were nearly to the restaurant and exited in silence.
Kim had always liked the hiss of rubber on asphalt, whether on a bike or in a
car. Something about the sound of objects in motion. Like him. Not like Kerry,
who moved only in the well-worn path set before him by his sainted father.
And apparently,
“You realize, ‘hit by a car’ and ‘fell ten feet’ were the
only English words in that sentence.” She sounded pissed.
“It’s safe,” he told her. “It’s also the most fun you’ll
have with your clothes on. Come by sometime and I’ll show you.”
“I don’t think so.”
Something had her in a mood. He glanced over at her. “I said
‘safe’ not ‘date’. Did I say ‘date’? I did not say ‘date’.” It was the
clothes-on thing. Had to be. She was thinking he was obsessed with sex. She’d
have to take some responsibility there. That dress was an invitation to obsess.
It looked like a nightgown from the forties, low cut both back and front and
shaped to cup her breasts just so. The fabric looked liquid, as if he could
just slip its little straps off her curvy shoulders and—
Focus.
“I’m not mad. I just don’t…”
She didn’t seem willing to finish that sentence. Instead,
she said, “Tell me about your family, Kim.”
His hands tightened on the wheel as he sailed past another
toll plaza. “Not as interesting as yours,” he said. “You never told me how you
came to have a brother at thirteen.”
“Charlie’s dad’s a widower and my mom liked being married,
just not to my wandering-eyed dad. I’m happy they hooked up, even if Charlie
did stand me up today. Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
“He stood you up?”
“You’re avoiding the question.”
It was true. He didn’t care. “I can’t imagine any man
standing you up.”
He changed lanes. Their exit had to be somewhere soon.
“I don’t like heights,” she said.
“What?”
“I thought I would pass out just looking up this afternoon
at Wall Werx. There. That’s my embarrassing confession. Your turn.” It came out
as one long sentence, a staccato rush of words.
Kim hadn’t seen that one coming. Afraid of heights? He
couldn’t even imagine it. Not to the extent the tightness in her voice
betrayed. Not to the degree that it would be a big-deal confession. Maybe she
expressed fear as anger. He could understand that much, at least.
“I have a half-brother, Mom’s first marriage, ten years
older than me,” he said, trying to keep his own voice from getting tight,
though fear had little to do with why.
“That’s a big difference in age. Does he live in Dallas?”
Did he ever. “Much too close.”
“You don’t like him?”
He wanted to laugh. “Ever had someone in your life with all
the answers?”
“I wish.”
Huh. She didn’t seem the type to live under another’s thumb.
“Even if he didn’t care you didn’t ask?”
“Oh. Pushy, is he?” She turned more fully toward him. Could
he manage another civil answer?
“Superior is more like it. Married a perfect wife, has
awesome kids, runs a respected business. It’s like he’s got license to meddle.”
“But you do good work. You’re successful. Doesn’t he see
that?”
Hands too tight on the wheel, Kim shook his head. “I’m not
looking for an ‘attaboy’. Not from him.”
Silence suggested she was expecting him to say more. As far
as Kim was concerned, the less said the better.
“And your folks?” she asked.
Isabelle had apparently found a topic she liked. Too bad it
wasn’t one of Kim’s favorites. Next thing you know, she’d be asking where he
went to college. He hadn’t realized there were so many things he didn’t want to
talk about. “Mom lives in Houston. Last I heard from my father, he was looking
for work in California.”
“I’d say your family was far more interesting than mine.”
He grunted, not trusting himself to say more. He took
comfort in knowing they were nearly to the restaurant and exited in silence.
Kim had always liked the hiss of rubber on asphalt, whether on a bike or in a
car. Something about the sound of objects in motion. Like him. Not like Kerry,
who moved only in the well-worn path set before him by his sainted father.
And apparently,
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