The Mysterious Stranger (The Confidence Game 3)

“All the hot chicks, aside from you, aren’t waiting for trucks full of filthy stinky men. They’re inside doing something filthy with a stinky man.”

Rory laughed. That signal jammer had to be off still. Zeke had to have gotten to the drop site because Cadence should never be forced into a sexual relationship and a pregnancy she didn’t want. No woman should.

“Do you ever think about leaving?”

Cadence gave a shocked gasp. “No.”

Rory used silence and Cadence filled it. “Yes. Sometimes. I really miss going to the movies. Sitting in the dark on my own and forgetting about everything for a while.”

“You don’t have to stay.”

“It’s not safe out there.”

There were many places where two women sitting waiting in the dark wouldn’t be safe. Where one woman waiting in the dark would be considered provocation, asking for it. On that level it wasn’t easy to argue the world outside Abundance was a better option, except for the fact that Abundance was fantasyland. And thinking the world had no good in it was a conveniently false argument.

When the truck came into view, they both stood as if this was a special event and not a load of weary, hungry men arriving home. They saw the tree before they saw Zeke. He was first off the truck and carried it across his arms as if it was a large shaggy dog.

He could’ve been carrying a carcass buzzing with flies and Rory would’ve been pleased to see him. He looked tired and dirty, but his face lit up when he saw them and the tension in her chest eased. He had both legs and arms and all his fingers, and he was home. She couldn’t stop grinning at him and his ridiculous tree, and the clear signal it sent that he’d needed an excuse to get to the forest and found it.

“This is for you,” he said holding the tree out to Cadence. From the truck there was a roar of sound, a dozen men acting like idiots, whistling and hooting.

Cadence took two steps backward for every step Zeke took towards them. He stopped. “It’s for your cabin so you can have a pine fresh smell.”

She looked at her feet. “Oh, um. Okay.” She let Zeke step up and put her hand out to feather the needles. It really did smell great.

A voice boomed, “Big mistake, Zack. You’ll have to fuck her now.”

Cadence stepped back as if she’d been pushed. “This is a joke.”

“No, no, it’s not.” Zeke tipped his head to indicate the truck. “Don’t listen to those juvenile assholes,” he said loudly enough for the dispersing men to hear.

Rory shifted from foot to foot. Her anxiety had eased but there were bats in her belly and they were flapping double-time. The hours were wasting, and this was

horribly awkward.

Cadence turned to her. “This is why you wanted me here, to humiliate me.”

She put her hands up, surrender style. “How could I know—”

Cadence pointed at Zeke. “I don’t want you in my cabin.” She backed off. “I’m not a toy for your amusement.”

Rory tried again. “Cadence, please wait. We didn’t—”

But her roomie was beyond reach. “Both of you can go to hell.”

They watched Cadence go, shoulders and head down as if she carried the sky.

“That went well,” Zeke said. He hefted the tree over his shoulder. “Tell me you’re okay?”

He said that in a brook no disobedience tone so unlike him. “I’m fine.” Nothing a stiff drink and massage wouldn’t fix.

“I have the phone.”

“I found the jammer. Turned it off, don’t know if it stayed that way.”

“What a team we make,” he offered a palm for a high five. When she slapped his hand, he folded his fingers though hers. “We can’t do this here, too many eyes.”

She pulled her hand free, too many eyes and the bats in her belly went ballistic the moment their palms met. It was ridiculous to be so excited about making a phone call.