Carter waves away the steam. “Unless you’re willing to drop a couple thousand for a new engine, there’s no point trying to salvage this thing. What is it, prehistoric?”
I prop my hands on my hips. “I’ll have you know I’ve driven this car since high school and it has been dependable—”
“Not true,” Adam cuts in.
“And trustworthy—”
“Nope.”
“For all these years.”
“Half the time it won’t start,” he tells Carter.
“Well I’m not just going to throw it away!”
Adam claps Carter on the shoulder and then nods to the other officer. “Thanks for getting her car, man. Do you two want to come in for some coffee? Daisy brought enough donuts to feed an army.”
Carter pats his flat stomach, his friend does the same, and then the three of them disappear into the house.
“Don’t worry,” I whisper to my car. “I’m not getting rid of you.”
The morning passes slowly as we all huddle in the kitchen, refilling our coffee and going back for donuts even though we’ve all been full for hours. I keep assuming everyone will eventually excuse themselves and leave, but no one’s in a hurry. Apparently, we’ve all taken a sick day from work.
“No one wants me diagnosing patients on two hours of sleep,” Daisy explains.
And like that, it’s decided—no one is leaving.
Adam takes the guys around the property, and Daisy corners me in the kitchen.
“You and Adam are being really weird.”
“Are we?”
“Yeah, don’t play dumb. You sat next to him earlier and when he put his arm on your chair, you flinched. What was that about?”
I sigh and glance out to make sure the guys are still outside. “Olivia was at the training class last night.”
She frowns. “Olivia. Olivia…”
“His ex-fiancée! Olivia!”
Her eyes nearly bulge out of her head. “Oh! Olivia! Oh God, I bet that was awkward. Why was she there?”
I shrug. “Actually, I’m not sure. He might have invited her. Hence the unresolved weirdness in the air.”
She shakes her head. “What do you mean you aren’t sure? I thought you two were dating—why would he invite Olivia to the training class?”
“I don’t know…” I stare down at my coffee cup. “They might be getting back together.”
She punches my arm and coffee spills down the front of the t-shirt Adam lent me. “Hey! Watch it.”
She dabs halfheartedly at the stain with a paper towel. “Sorry, sorry. I need more details. How is he possibly getting back with Olivia? The last time we spoke, I thought they just went to dinner for closure or some bullshit like that.”
“Well, she showed up at the YMCA last night looking like a Disney princess, and then she announced to the class that she was Adam’s fiancée.”
Daisy slaps her hand over her mouth in shock. “No!”
“Yes. So I left early and that’s why I was by myself when Mouse went missing.”
“You’ve had quite the eventful twelve hours.”
I can’t bring myself to laugh. “Unfortunately.”
“And you and Adam haven’t talked things over since?”
“Nope. For all I know, he could still be engaged at this very moment.”
“Well it’s a good sign that Olivia isn’t here. But clearly you guys need to talk.”
I snort. “Why do you think I was kicking your leg under the table during breakfast?”
“I thought that was Lucas!”
“Oh Jesus.” I roll my eyes.
Now that I have Daisy on my side, I assume she’ll march up to her husband and insist that they need to leave. She does try, but Lucas shakes his head.
“We’ll go in a little while.”
A little while turns into a few hours. Pizza is ordered for lunch, and I’m sitting in the living room, silently nursing my third cup of coffee, wondering how I can convince all of them to leave. Adam is sitting across the room, talking to Carter about cars…or vegetable gardening, I don’t know. I lost track thirty minutes ago.
“Is that someone pulling up the driveway?” Daisy asks.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Five pairs of eyes whip over to me and I laugh.
“I mean, you’ve got to be kidding me, ha ha,” I repeat in a forced jovial tone. “More well-wishers for little ol’ me?!”
Adam laughs, and I think he’s the only one who feels my pain.
Across the room, Mouse emits a noise I’ve never heard before. It’s a slow-building whine that makes me think he’s dying.
“Mouse? Buddy?” I rush over to him, but his attention is laser focused out the window. I follow his gaze and find Adam’s mom strolling up the front path with Molly at her feet.
Mouse emits another guttural moan and then leaps off the couch. He darts to the door and jumps, scratching at it to get to this golden retriever who is apparently his one true love.
“Mouse! No! Bad dog.” I try to pull him back, but he’s too strong. Adam comes behind me and grabs his collar, pulling back with both hands.
“What’s wrong with him?” Daisy asks.