I’m just mad that she didn’t tell me about him and talk it over with me.”
“She’s trying to be a grown-up ” Killeen jumped in to offer her opinion. “I know how hurt my mom was when I decided to go to ASU instead of a college closer to home. But I wanted to be independent and try it on my own.” She rested her hand on her still flat stomach. Her baby had been the result of an affair with an upper classman who had dumped her. “Your sister will learn soon enough that her decisions have consequences…both good and bad.”
Jenny had no way of knowing that Killeen was pregnant, but she must have guessed. Women had a weird way of sensing these things.
“Oh, gosh!” Jenny exclaimed. “I hope she doesn’t get pregnant. She can’t even take care of her stupid cat. I’m allergic to him, so after her call this morning, I put him and his litter box outside on the back porch. And if she does get an apartment, I’m going to drop him off there.”
Everyone nodded and laughed.
“I’m a dog person myself,” I told her. “A guy who was teaching me some tricks had the smartest dog I’d ever seen. He said he had thought about adding a cat in his show, but it didn’t work out. Have you ever tried to train a cat? You’re better off with rabbits and ducks. The only good thing about having a cat in the act is that it’s easy to make them disappear.”
Jenny had been sitting on the edge of her chair as her aggravation with her sister’s sudden romance had accelerated. Slowly, she relaxed…just as I hoped she would when I rattled on about cats. The art of distraction was a magician’s best tool. She glanced at her watch and stood. “I’ve got to get to work. Listen…you guys have been great, and I’m sorry that I’ve taken so much time. I’ve got the money from Angela’s stash,” Jenny reached into her purse as she spoke. “Since this is all her fault, I’d really like to pay you something.”
“ Still no,” I said sternly. “We haven’t done anything of value for you.”
“ You sure?” Jenny addressed everyone in the room, but she was looking straight at me.
“I’m sure. ”
“Okay…well , I’ll be seeing you guys. Maybe you’ll catch me on Sixth Street. I work weekends down there. Bye.” With that she waved and headed toward the door.
“I’ll see you out. ” I was closer to the door and jumped up.
She smiled and nodded , then exited the room toward the reception area. I followed closely, trying to think of a way to delay her departure. I kind of wanted to ask her out, but I was afraid there might be some sort of Roger’s Rule about not dating customers. We were too quickly at the front door so I walked with her outside into the bright sunshine. She stopped next to her car.
“Well…thanks Reno.” She reached out to shake my hand.
I gripped it firmly. “You’re welcome. I’m glad your sister’s okay.” I smiled and shaded my eyes from the sun’s rays. I released her hand reluctantly, and I thought I sensed her reluctance as well. Or maybe my magician’s fingertips were overly sensitive, and she was just anxious to get to her preschoolers.
“So am I.” She opened the door of her car and then stopped. “Listen…I was thinking about going out to dinner to celebrate…but it’s not much fun alone. Would you like to go with me? Angie’s paying.”
I did a little internal fist pump, but I made my expression stay c ool. “Sure, that sounds like fun. When?”
“How about tonight? ”
I tried not to act too surprised. This wasn’t my first date…just my first date in almost a month. “Tonight it is. Time?”
“I’m through with my last group by about four, so is six too early? We could grab a drink first.”
“Perfect. I coul d pick you up or meet you there…wherever there is.”
“How about I pick you up here?”
I nodded and tried not to smile too
“She’s trying to be a grown-up ” Killeen jumped in to offer her opinion. “I know how hurt my mom was when I decided to go to ASU instead of a college closer to home. But I wanted to be independent and try it on my own.” She rested her hand on her still flat stomach. Her baby had been the result of an affair with an upper classman who had dumped her. “Your sister will learn soon enough that her decisions have consequences…both good and bad.”
Jenny had no way of knowing that Killeen was pregnant, but she must have guessed. Women had a weird way of sensing these things.
“Oh, gosh!” Jenny exclaimed. “I hope she doesn’t get pregnant. She can’t even take care of her stupid cat. I’m allergic to him, so after her call this morning, I put him and his litter box outside on the back porch. And if she does get an apartment, I’m going to drop him off there.”
Everyone nodded and laughed.
“I’m a dog person myself,” I told her. “A guy who was teaching me some tricks had the smartest dog I’d ever seen. He said he had thought about adding a cat in his show, but it didn’t work out. Have you ever tried to train a cat? You’re better off with rabbits and ducks. The only good thing about having a cat in the act is that it’s easy to make them disappear.”
Jenny had been sitting on the edge of her chair as her aggravation with her sister’s sudden romance had accelerated. Slowly, she relaxed…just as I hoped she would when I rattled on about cats. The art of distraction was a magician’s best tool. She glanced at her watch and stood. “I’ve got to get to work. Listen…you guys have been great, and I’m sorry that I’ve taken so much time. I’ve got the money from Angela’s stash,” Jenny reached into her purse as she spoke. “Since this is all her fault, I’d really like to pay you something.”
“ Still no,” I said sternly. “We haven’t done anything of value for you.”
“ You sure?” Jenny addressed everyone in the room, but she was looking straight at me.
“I’m sure. ”
“Okay…well , I’ll be seeing you guys. Maybe you’ll catch me on Sixth Street. I work weekends down there. Bye.” With that she waved and headed toward the door.
“I’ll see you out. ” I was closer to the door and jumped up.
She smiled and nodded , then exited the room toward the reception area. I followed closely, trying to think of a way to delay her departure. I kind of wanted to ask her out, but I was afraid there might be some sort of Roger’s Rule about not dating customers. We were too quickly at the front door so I walked with her outside into the bright sunshine. She stopped next to her car.
“Well…thanks Reno.” She reached out to shake my hand.
I gripped it firmly. “You’re welcome. I’m glad your sister’s okay.” I smiled and shaded my eyes from the sun’s rays. I released her hand reluctantly, and I thought I sensed her reluctance as well. Or maybe my magician’s fingertips were overly sensitive, and she was just anxious to get to her preschoolers.
“So am I.” She opened the door of her car and then stopped. “Listen…I was thinking about going out to dinner to celebrate…but it’s not much fun alone. Would you like to go with me? Angie’s paying.”
I did a little internal fist pump, but I made my expression stay c ool. “Sure, that sounds like fun. When?”
“How about tonight? ”
I tried not to act too surprised. This wasn’t my first date…just my first date in almost a month. “Tonight it is. Time?”
“I’m through with my last group by about four, so is six too early? We could grab a drink first.”
“Perfect. I coul d pick you up or meet you there…wherever there is.”
“How about I pick you up here?”
I nodded and tried not to smile too
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