Presidential campaign.
Leaving kittens who think I’m their mother. Would it break their little hearts?
Don’t answer that.
“Earth to Madison …”
I look up and see my three friends staring at me. “I’m sorry. I’ve never been in a position where I have absolutely no idea what to do. It’s the assignment every reporter dreams about, and it should be a no-brainer. But … damn, I just don’t know.”
Rory reaches over and pats my hand. “Whatever you decide, we’ll support you. You know that.”
A.J. sips her drink. “You leanin’ one way or the other?”
“It changes every five minutes. Of course it doesn’t help that if I turn it down the queen bitch of the newsroom will get the assignment. And she would find a way to rub it in my face every day till the election.”
“Don’t even take that into consideration,” says Tish. “I know you, and I know you want someone else to make this decision for you. That ain’t happenin’. This one you’ve got to figure out for yourself.”
“I know. At least I’ve got till Monday morning. Dammit! Why does this have to happen now?”
“Because sometimes life gets in the way of our plans.” Like I said, Tish is the most logical. “Perfect timing is a rare thing.”
A waiter interrupts the conversation as he slides a drink in front of me. “From the man at the end of the bar, near the door.”
I look up and see a short, bald guy with a goatee in a leather jacket and a spider web tattoo on his neck. Totally out of place in a classy bar like this one. He shoots me a smile while chewing on a toothpick. Not remotely my type. I shake my head. “Not now.” I hand the drink back to the waiter. “Tell him thank you but I have a boyfriend.”
“Sure thing.” He heads back to the bar as I turn to my friends. “Didn’t need the kittens to eliminate that one.”
Rory laughs. “A man is the last thing you need tonight. Neither is a ride on a Harley.”
“I dunno,” says A.J. “It might clear her head.”
“The man or a ride?”
“Both, with or without the motorcycle.”
Just as she says that, the drink reappears in front of me, hand delivered by the guy. “I bought you a drink, least you could do is take it.”
I look up at him and lean back since the guy smells like an ashtray. “Look, I’m not available, so send it to some other girl.”
“C’mon, Red, lighten up.”
“I said I’m not interested.” I slide the drink away without looking at him.
A.J. glares at the guy and turns on the accent. “Get lawst, buddy.”
“Hey, I wasn’t talkin’ to you.”
“I’m counting my blessings.”
I feel his hand on my shoulder and whip my head toward him. “Get your hands off me.”
And then I see another hand grab the guy’s shirt collar and pull him away.
Officer Marino.
“You’re bothering these young ladies,” he says, now holding the guy’s arm behind his back. The cop is not in uniform, but dressed head to toe in black. “Did you not hear her say she wasn’t interested?”
The guy winces. “I was just talkin’ to her.”
“Bull. I heard the woman ask you to leave her alone.” He turns to me. “Do you want to have a drink with this guy?”
“Hell no.”
He looks at my friends. “Do any of you want a drink with this guy?”
“No!” A chorus from the girls.
The cop turns back to him. “Now, here’s a life skill for you to learn that applies to women. No means no. What part of no do you not understand, the N or the O?”
I can’t help but laugh at the line.
“Now apologize to the young ladies.”
“Sorry.”
“That didn’t sound terribly sincere.”
“I’m sorry I bothered you.”
“Good. Now we’re gonna take a little walk outside and I’m going to give you directions to the dive across town where I’m sure you’ll fit right in.” The cop turns and shoves the guy toward the door, following him out.
“Cute bouncer,” says A.J., watching him the whole way.
Rory smiles. “He’s a cop.”
Tish turns to her. “What, you know the guy?”
She nods and points at me. “The other night he pulled Freckles over in front of her house ‘cause she was speeding to get home to the kittens but he didn’t believe her story. So she invited him in to prove her case and he let her off with a warning after he saw the kittens. Of course, she gave him the Strawberry Shortcake look.”
Tish rolls her eyes. “Her trump card.”
“Hey, give me a break,” I say, stealing a quick look at the door. He still hasn’t returned. “He’s really nice.”
“Damn, a hot cop,” says A.J. “So invite him over to play stop and frisk. I’d jump on that if I were you.”
“You’d jump on anything,” says Rory.
A.J. waves her hand like she’s shooing a fly. “Pffft.”
“Anyway,” says Rory, “they had this big eye contact thing going and when he left he gave her his card, told her to call him if she needed anything. He’s definitely interested.”
I hear the door open and see Officer Marino come back inside and head toward our table. I slide my chair over to make room for him. “Thank you, kind sir. Appreciate the rescue from, as you put it, one of those ne’er-do-wells harassing me.”
“Not a problem.”
I pull an empty chair over from the next table and pat the seat. “Please, join us. I’m buying.”
“Sorry, I’m working. Hope that guy didn’t ruin your evening.”
“Thanks to you he didn’t.” I hear one of my friends clear her throat. “Oh, I’m being rude. Officer Marino, you already know Rory. That’s Tish and A.J.”
He
