up - second time in a row!”
“He just
got detained with another crazy patient, that's all.” Mallory punctuated that
with a light, throaty chuckle. “The whole town is freaked out over the
Congressman's murder so it's understandable.”
“You're
changing the subject.” Kim turned and stepped off the sidewalk into the street.
She headed toward the car parallel parked in front of a meter. Mallory followed
her into the oncoming traffic.
“Would
you just wait?” She grabbed Kim’s arm again. Mallory stopped her in the middle
of the street. A car honked and swerved around them. Oblivious, Kim pointed a
finger at her and leaned forward.
“You
sandbagged me with another blind date. You know I’m involved.”
“Ross
went M.I.A. on you, what, six weeks ago? He’s gone.” Another car blared its horn. Mallory waved it away. “I just wanted to get your mind off it.
Besides, Dr. Whitman has lined up a very exciting date.”
“You just
don't give up, do you?”
“Listen
to me, Kim. He's really been putting a lot of pressure on me lately. He's
talked about you for ages and he's been asking me to set you two up for a long
time. Ever since...”
Breaks
squeaked on a truck as it swerved to miss them. Kim ignored it. “Ever since what, Mallory? Since Ross dumped me?”
“No -
since Ross disappeared.” Mallory paused. Her eyes softened and a faint smile crossed
her lips. “Kim, he's not coming back.”
Kim was
about to protest. It was a knee-jerk reaction to tell Mallory how wrong she
was. For a moment, Kim considered explaining about the mysterious poems and the
invitation for dinner on Friday night. She wanted to tell Mallory about the
phone calls. All those cryptic messages and notes – it had to be from Ross. It
just had to be. They were meant for each other.
Instead
Kim looked down at her feet and sighed. “I'm just not in the mood to be sweet
and sociable. You know what I mean? I'm angry. And I want to hit something. I
want to rip something apart and stomp on it and crush it and ...”
Another
car honked and the driver screamed obscenities as he whizzed past. The girls
were unfazed standing in the center of the road.
“Exactly my point.” Mallory snapped her fingers, seemingly very pleased with herself. “That's why
this handsome, debonair doctor suggested a double date at a mock war camp.”
“A what?”
“A mock
war camp,” Mallory repeated. “Instead of miniature golf or going to a movie,
we'd play weekend warrior.”
Kim
hesitated, watching her a moment, then followed. “What kind of date is that?”
“The kind that’ll get you over Ross!” Mallory headed toward her Miata parked at the curb.
Unlocking
the car door, she paused and leaned against the hood. She turned back toward
Kim.
“It’s the
kind of date where you can be tank girl and rip men apart and blow them away
and stomp on them... only with paint pellets.” Mallory’s eyes enlarged and she
took a breath, as if waiting for Kim to protest. When she didn't, Mallory
continued. “He's a head shrink, Kim. He knows about these kind of things.”
Kim
opened the passenger side door. “I just don't think...”
“Listen
to me. What better way to release all this pent up emotion than by shooting
macho guys in camouflage with red paint balls?” Mallory insisted. “It's what
you need right now. I think it would really do you a lot of good.”
Kim
watched Mallory a moment, then slipped into the car. “Is
this a date?”
“It's
anything you want it to be.”
Kim
hesitated, biting her lower lip, then continued
walking again. “No,” she said. “Ross is coming back to me. He left me a...”
“Too little, too late. Besides, I've already signed you up.” Mallory fastened her seatbelt and put the
key into the ignition. “So really, the only question left is --- Who should I
ask to go on this weekend excursion? The wealthy and
distinguished Addison Gaynor or the tall, dark and exciting ball
“He just
got detained with another crazy patient, that's all.” Mallory punctuated that
with a light, throaty chuckle. “The whole town is freaked out over the
Congressman's murder so it's understandable.”
“You're
changing the subject.” Kim turned and stepped off the sidewalk into the street.
She headed toward the car parallel parked in front of a meter. Mallory followed
her into the oncoming traffic.
“Would
you just wait?” She grabbed Kim’s arm again. Mallory stopped her in the middle
of the street. A car honked and swerved around them. Oblivious, Kim pointed a
finger at her and leaned forward.
“You
sandbagged me with another blind date. You know I’m involved.”
“Ross
went M.I.A. on you, what, six weeks ago? He’s gone.” Another car blared its horn. Mallory waved it away. “I just wanted to get your mind off it.
Besides, Dr. Whitman has lined up a very exciting date.”
“You just
don't give up, do you?”
“Listen
to me, Kim. He's really been putting a lot of pressure on me lately. He's
talked about you for ages and he's been asking me to set you two up for a long
time. Ever since...”
Breaks
squeaked on a truck as it swerved to miss them. Kim ignored it. “Ever since what, Mallory? Since Ross dumped me?”
“No -
since Ross disappeared.” Mallory paused. Her eyes softened and a faint smile crossed
her lips. “Kim, he's not coming back.”
Kim was
about to protest. It was a knee-jerk reaction to tell Mallory how wrong she
was. For a moment, Kim considered explaining about the mysterious poems and the
invitation for dinner on Friday night. She wanted to tell Mallory about the
phone calls. All those cryptic messages and notes – it had to be from Ross. It
just had to be. They were meant for each other.
Instead
Kim looked down at her feet and sighed. “I'm just not in the mood to be sweet
and sociable. You know what I mean? I'm angry. And I want to hit something. I
want to rip something apart and stomp on it and crush it and ...”
Another
car honked and the driver screamed obscenities as he whizzed past. The girls
were unfazed standing in the center of the road.
“Exactly my point.” Mallory snapped her fingers, seemingly very pleased with herself. “That's why
this handsome, debonair doctor suggested a double date at a mock war camp.”
“A what?”
“A mock
war camp,” Mallory repeated. “Instead of miniature golf or going to a movie,
we'd play weekend warrior.”
Kim
hesitated, watching her a moment, then followed. “What kind of date is that?”
“The kind that’ll get you over Ross!” Mallory headed toward her Miata parked at the curb.
Unlocking
the car door, she paused and leaned against the hood. She turned back toward
Kim.
“It’s the
kind of date where you can be tank girl and rip men apart and blow them away
and stomp on them... only with paint pellets.” Mallory’s eyes enlarged and she
took a breath, as if waiting for Kim to protest. When she didn't, Mallory
continued. “He's a head shrink, Kim. He knows about these kind of things.”
Kim
opened the passenger side door. “I just don't think...”
“Listen
to me. What better way to release all this pent up emotion than by shooting
macho guys in camouflage with red paint balls?” Mallory insisted. “It's what
you need right now. I think it would really do you a lot of good.”
Kim
watched Mallory a moment, then slipped into the car. “Is
this a date?”
“It's
anything you want it to be.”
Kim
hesitated, biting her lower lip, then continued
walking again. “No,” she said. “Ross is coming back to me. He left me a...”
“Too little, too late. Besides, I've already signed you up.” Mallory fastened her seatbelt and put the
key into the ignition. “So really, the only question left is --- Who should I
ask to go on this weekend excursion? The wealthy and
distinguished Addison Gaynor or the tall, dark and exciting ball
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