He planted his hands on his hips, asking, “What’s this game, Amy?”

I crossed my arms on my chest and returned, “What game, Mickey?”

“Said I was comin’ over tonight, I’d bring dinner. And you got somethin’ up your ass and you’re dishin’ that shit to me for no fuckin’ reason.”

“You did not say you were coming over. I asked when you had a free evening this week. I asked that yesterday morning. Since then, I’ve heard nothing from you.”

“Took a coupla hours to reply but I did and I said tonight and I’d bring dinner.”

“You didn’t.”

“I did.”

“You did not.”

“Fuck,” he leaned back and threw out his hands, “I did.”

I glared at him while stomping to my kitchen. I had to stop glaring at him to yank my phone out of the drawer and pull up his text string.

I recommenced glaring at him when I stomped back to him, shoving my phone his way.

“You…did…not.”

He aimed his angry scowl at my phone, his eyes narrowed, then he dug out his phone.

I crossed my arms on my chest as he ran his thumb over the screen for some time before he muttered, “Fuck, texted that to Janice Quiller.”

My stomach started roiling.

“And who’s Janice Quiller?” I asked.

Mickey looked at me. “Client of Ralph’s.”

“Oh yes?” I asked disbelievingly.

His expression turned stormy. “Yeah, Amelia. She is. And she replied she didn’t understand, and I didn’t understand what she didn’t understand so I texted her back something about the job, which was what we had been texting about. Answered her question. The texting died and I didn’t realize I’d fucked up.”

Well, clearly there was a mistake and it was an innocent one.

But somehow, that didn’t make me any less angry.

Mickey wasn’t either.

I could tell when he said, “And not real big on you insinuating that Janice could be somethin’ else to me.”

“If that’s the case then perhaps you’ll take this moment to share where things stand with you and Bridget.”

“Bridget?” he asked, looking perplexed, like he’d never heard that name in his life.

God!

Really?

“Yes,” I returned. “You see, you made it very clear when it became clear something might be happening between you and me that I needed to get rid of Bradley. It was uncomfortable and I’d already planned to do that, but just in case you have any ongoing queries about that, I’ll confirm that I ended things with Bradley. Now I’d like to know where things stand with you and Bridget.”

“Went out with her twice,” he told me.

“Is that your answer?” I pushed.

“Not sure what more you need,” he shot back.

“Are you going out with her again?” I explained, and his stormy expression turned thunderous.

“You really askin’ me that shit?”