Her lunch arrived and she started absently chewing on a french fry.
I waited for the little black rain cloud that seemed to have set up house above our table to move away before I spoke again.
“This is fun, huh?”
She glanced up at me from her plate. “So, tell me, other than your mixed-up boyfriend, any other love prospects to distract you from your dangerous life as the Slayer of Slayers?”
I immediately thought about Quinn. I knew I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t help it. “Well there’s one guy.
He’s pretty much everything that my boyfriend isn’t. He’s closer to my age, single, and no drinking problem. Well, notyet , anyhow.”
“So what’s the problem? Dump bachelor number one’s ass and go on to him.”
“It’s not that easy. Number two is great, really, but I’m still crazy about number one. Even though he’s not really a bachelor.”
“Sounds like you might just be crazy.”
I smiled wistfully. “That’s what he said once.”
“Maybe you should start listening to what people tell you.”
I looked at her sharply. “Thank you, Ann Landers.”
A cell phone rang. I grabbed mine and glanced at the screen hoping it was Thierry. But no, it was blank.
Janie grabbed her phone and flipped it open. “Yeah?” I watched her face change from lunchtime pleasant, to hard and cold. “Okay, I’ll take care of it.” She hung up, jaw tense, and then looked at me.
“You said you wanted to learn how to protect yourself, didn’t you?”
“That’s right.”
“You can learn by example. You’re coming with me and Lenny on our next assignment.”
“What kind of assignment?”
She grabbed her purse, threw a couple of bills on the table to pay for lunch. I noticed something else in her purse. A handgun. My eyes bugged.
“Why don’t I just wait here?” I suggested.
She glanced down at the gun. “This is for my assignment. Don’t worry. Come on, a fun time will be had by all. Trust me.”
She stood up and grabbed my arm, literally pulling me along after her as she hurried out of the restaurant.
I didn’t even have a chance to finish my drink first.
Outside the restaurant, Janie tapped her left ear. “Lenny, where are you? We’re out front. Come get us.”
There was a squealing of tires and the black sedan screeched to a halt in front of us. The back door swung open. Janie pulled me into the car next to her.
“Paragon Theater. And step on it,” she barked.
Lenny turned around to look at us. “Um. Do you have an address? I don’t really know Toronto too well. And the GPS is broken.”
I waved my hand. “I’ve heard of that theater before, I think. It’s about ten minutes from here. Take a left at the lights up there.”
Lenny nodded. “Cool. Thanks.”
The car pulled away from the curb and began to move much faster than the speed limit suggested.
A huge headache had just announced its presence in the front portion of my brain with a throbbing hello.
“Listen, Janie, like I said, I haven’t been having the best of weeks. I don’t need any additional drama.
Can you just drop me off somewhere? I’ll wait till you’re finished.”
“You said you wanted to learn self-defense, right? You can watch me in action. This won’t take long.
Just one more check mark on my long to-do list.” She sighed heavily. “Iso need a vacation.”
Lenny glanced over his shoulder. “Where are we going?”
“What?”
“On vacation.”
“I kind of meant my vacationalone ,” she said. “No offense.”
He pouted. “Didn’t you get my note?”
“What note?”
“The one I left in your coat pocket.”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded, lined piece of paper.
O beautiful Janie with your straw-colored hair
I would follow you anywhere
One so beautiful I will never meet again
And you’re also much stronger than most other men
Which is hot, by the way
And I’m not intimidated by that at all