She didn’t seem to notice his question was out of bounds, satisfied she’d gotten what she could from him. “The director of Animals Alive. We work closely together.”
“Oh. Is he spiritually enlightened, too?”
She rolled her eyes. “We’re not dating. Though he’s perfect for me. Just more in the friend camp.”
He relaxed and got in the car. Yeah. Friends. That was good. Not that he cared. “Let me guess. He loves dogs, helps out with charity, wants to grow as a better person, doesn’t hunt, and is super nice.”
Her gaze narrowed. “Are you making fun of me?”
“Nope. Just running down the requirements of the men you condescend to date.”
She buckled her seat belt, looking at both him and his muscle car with pure distaste, and stuck her nose in the air. “At least I date more than a body. Bet your requirements are as simple as you are. Big boobs, small brain, undemanding, and a seeker of fun.”
He drove, refusing to tell her how close she was to the mark. Not that he enjoyed women of little intelligence. He loved a sharp, witty female who didn’t let him get away with his normal stuff. It was just easier to date someone he’d never have a long attachment to. That way, he didn’t have to deal with the slow eroding of a relationship that was doomed from the start. Cops were among the highest casualties in marriage, and now he knew why. He wasn’t gonna make that mistake again.
“You’re wrong.” He paused. “Boobs can be any shape and size. I never discriminate.”
She shuddered with distaste. “Please drop me off at the firehouse.”
“Fine.” They drove in silence back into Verily. “Where’s your car?”
“There.”
He pulled up to a shiny, tiny Ford Fusion in an awful sea-green color. Just as he thought. The car was just horrible. “Have fun saving the environment. Oh, and thanks for the blackmail trip. Let’s do it again sometime.”
She yanked open the door, spun around, and shot him a glare. “I don’t like you, Officer Petty.”
“Good. Don’t like you much either. Night, Arilyn.”
She gasped, slammed the door, and turned. He grinned, roared away, and turned on the radio. Yeah, that was almost worth the trip. Something about getting her all irritated satisfied him on a deeper scale. He sang aloud to some pop music and headed to Ray’s Billiards. It may be a long six weeks, but at least he’d manage to keep himself entertained.
six
ARILYN SLOWLY OPENED her eyes and eased out of her pranayama practice, going back to regular breathing. The soft sounds of a flute whispered past her ears.
With slow motions, she stretched out her legs in front, raising her arms to the ceiling and stretching straight out and dropping her head to her calves. The delicious stretch loosened the last of her stress. Rising back up, she pressed her palms together, bowed her head, and said a quick prayer of gratitude.
Finally. Her emotions were back under control. A lightness flowed through her body, her mind was crystal clear, and she was ready to face the day.
No more thinking of Stone Petty and his aggravating ways.
Arilyn parted the Chinese painted screens that blocked off her meditation center. The scratch of paws on the floor echoed in the air, and she braced herself as the two piles of fluff threw themselves at her, wiggling and slurping at her in ecstasy. It had taken a while to get them past whimpering and crying behind the screens. Dogs had no sense of time, and to Lenny and Mike, it was hours that she had isolated herself from them in a maddening game. They heard her breathing but couldn’t get to her. Now, thank goodness, they slept behind the screen as close as possible and waited for her to come back.
She laughed and gave them snuggles, refilled their water bowl, and began making a cup of ginger tea. Piling fresh berries in a ceramic bowl, she added organic granola and Greek yogurt. Today was going to be great. She’d focus better, be more balanced, and complete the multitude of tasks needed. The big bachelorette party for Kate was coming up fast, and she needed her strength. Kennedy was scaring the hell out of her about the strippers. Or exotic male dancers, as she corrected. She was insistent on hiring a cop to arrest Kate, but Arilyn hoped she went with her suggestion and got a fireman instead.
She couldn’t take any more sexy cops.
Arilyn gobbled the rest of her breakfast and made a plan of attack for the day. She meditated, ingested protein and antioxidants, and owned a clean, pure aura. For good measure, she grabbed some crystals from her meditation corner. Definitely some turquoise to advance healing, communication skills, and prana, the essential life energy. She’d tackle the anger management course with tranquillity. No more losing her temper over Stone’s sarcastic comments or deep drawls or confident male grins.
Arilyn washed the bowl and spoon, dried her hands, and grabbed her purse.
The doorbell rang.
She frowned. What now? She peeked out the window, then held back a groan. No. Not now. But she had no other choice, so she pasted on a smile and opened the door.
Mrs. Blackfire stood on the porch. Her new next-door neighbor, dubbed the Wicked Witch of Verily by Genevieve, and the Spawn of the Devil by Kate, glared from behind her thick-framed glasses. She was a short, petite woman but made up for it in crankiness. Gray tufts of hair sprouted from her head. Her face was a road map of wrinkles that couldn’t have been laugh lines. She wore a faded pink housedress with snaps down the front, support stockings that sagged around her ankles, and thick-soled old-lady shoes. She held on to a walker in her brown-spotted hands, but Arilyn suspected she didn’t need it and only used it for a prop or weapon.