Bad Moon Rising

Hondo said, “We’ll be there.”

Bob gave him a thumbs-up and drove out of the marina. We went to our office, all of us tired but feeling good.

Amber hugged Hondo’s neck and kissed him, “Thanks for arranging the yacht. That was awesome.”

He said, “We’ll do it again. I enjoyed watching you catch so many fish.” He looked at me as he said it.

She came to me and put her arms around my waist, saying, “How about we go to my place and watch old movies until we fall asleep on the couch in each other’s arms. Hondo, you’re welcome to come, too.”

“Not to fall asleep in our arms, but to come over and watch movies,” I said. Amber giggled.

“Thanks, but I’m meeting someone later.”

“Okay.” We left in Shamu while Hondo started his Mercedes.

Amber said, “Is he being evasive because of me?”

“No, he does that sometimes, meets people that aren’t from the good side of town, if you know what I mean.”

“Should you go with him?”

I shook my head, “He’s okay on this one. Anytime he’s not, he asks me. He’s done this before, and sometimes we both go.”

“Okay. I don’t want to do anything to come between you two, even in the least little way.”

“Hondo likes you, so you’re good.”

We reached Amber’s apartment and found an envelope on the door, held there by one small strip of clear tape, like something off one of those small plastic dispensers with the tape on a wheel. Amber peeled it off and we went inside. I watched her open it as she said, “I think this is Bodhi’s handwriting.”

“What’s it say?”

“She wants me to come by in the morning, she said you and Hondo are welcome, too. She wants to talk.”

“About what?”

“It doesn’t say.” Amber placed her hand on my cheek, “Something’s bothering her, and whatever it is, she doesn’t feel comfortable telling Sylvia about it.”

“You want us to go with you?”

“Yes,” Amber said it like I’d asked a stupid question.

“Okay, I’ll drop Hondo a text to meet us here in the morning. What time?”

“How about seven? We can visit with her, then I can go to work and not be late.”

“Sure.”

She walked into the kitchen and placed the note on the counter. She removed two wine glasses from the cabinet and the bottle of wine from the refrigerator. While she poured, I put in a DVD of Cool Hand Luke. We both loved the older films, so this Paul Newman classic seemed perfect for tonight.

Amber placed the wine on the coffee table and went into the bedroom, returning a bit later wearing one of my old tee shirts that reached to mid-thigh on her. I said, “Hey, I’ve been looking for that shirt.”

Amber sat on the couch and slid over so that her entire side from hip to shoulder touched me. She grinned, saying, “Too bad.”

“I notice you have nothing on under the tee.”

“That’s the plan. I have to compete for your attention with the scene in this one where the woman washes the car, so I wanted a little advantage.”

Ten minutes into the film, Hondo texted me that he would be at the apartment to go with us. I reclined deeper on the couch, and Amber made herself somehow even closer to me. After the movie ended, I flipped the television to the Weather Channel, where there’s something soothing about watching the weather patterns, and we faded to sleep like two tired puppies.