Making Conversation, Allegedly
Griff
One bite was more than enough. Yeah, the cookie was terrific, but as soon as Maisie was out of sight, I planned to set the rest of it aside for later.
I was stuffed.
A full steak, a baked potato, and three slices of key lime pie – this had been my breakfast. Yeah, three slices. Call it half a pie, courtesy of Ryder, who claimed that it would make up for the raisin-gram – whatever that meant.
Just before leaving for work, I'd eaten all of this straight from the takeout boxes that Ryder had shoved at me last night. It wasn't gluttony. It was practicality . My fridge sucked, so I'd wolfed down everything this morning before the glorified icebox could turn it bad.
I wasn't even sure the pie would go bad, but I'd eaten the slices just the same. And one thing was for damned sure. The meal had been big enough to last me the whole day.
Now, the last thing I needed was more food. But Maisie had looked so enthused about the cookies that I'd finally tried one to avoid being an asshole.
Sure, I could be an asshole. But for some reason, I didn't want to be one now.
And yet, judging from Maisie's expression, the jury was still out – like one girly bite of cookie hadn't been proof enough.
Screw it. I lifted the rest of the cookie to my face and shoved it into my mouth before I could think better of it. I swallowed hard and waited for her reply.
She blinked, as if coming back from a daydream. "Sorry, what was that?"
I recalled the conversation. "So…your roommate, what's her story?" Fucking Ryder . I had no idea why he cared, but I'd known the guy for a long time, and he didn't ask questions like that without a reason.
Maisie hesitated. "What do you mean?"
Hell if I knew. "Has she been living here for long?"
"No, actually." Maisie crossed her arms. "Just a few weeks. Why?"
"Just curious."
Maisie gave me a long, irritated look, like she'd just caught me flipping through her roommate's diary.
I couldn't say I blamed her . If someone were probing me about Ryder, I'd probably tell them to shove it.
But she hadn't yet, so like someone who couldn't take a hint, I asked, "Do you know how long she's staying?"
"No. Not for sure." Her mouth tightened. "But I'm guessing through the summer."
Over the past couple of days, Maisie had tried several times to make friendly conversation. Small-town nice – that's what they called it. As for myself, I'd been less than forthcoming – not rude, exactly, but not eager to share either.
No doubt, she was thinking of that now, wondering why she should talk when I'd been so silent. It was a fair point, even if she hadn't said so.
In the beginning of this conversation, I'd had one primary goal. Get the intel and move on . But now? I wasn't sure what the goal was. I just wanted Maisie to keep talking – first about her roommate and then about whatever.
It made no sense. But here I was.
I tried again. "So…does she live here full-time or what?"
"Full-time?" Maisie gave me a funny look. "Do you mean year-round? Or for the full tourist season?"
I had no idea. With a shrug, I replied, "Either one."
She tilted her head as if thinking. "You do realize, she works at the coffee shop just a few blocks away, right?"
"Yeah, so?"
"So you could probably walk over there and ask her yourself." She glanced away. "I mean, if you wanted to."
I frowned. Why would I do that? This was Ryder's circus, not mine. Besides, that would be as subtle as a singing telegram. It was time to let the subject of her roommate drop…for now.
I was Ryder's friend, not his bloodhound. "Nah, that's alright. I was just making conversation."
She gave me a look as if to say, You? Make conversation?
This, too, was a fair point. But I was about to prove her wrong. Forget the roommate. What was Maisie's story?
I was just about to ask when there was a knock at the front door.
Maisie gave a little jump. "Damn it. We should've been open already." She turned and rushed toward the front.
I watched from the back room as she unlocked the main door to let in an older couple wearing jeans and matching windbreakers. With a friendly laugh, Maisie said, "Sorry about that. I forgot to unlock it."
Saved by the tourists.
I should have been happy. But for some reason, I wasn't.
And I was even less happy later that afternoon when I overheard something that seriously pissed me off.