JК
Bag of Bones :: Кинг Стивен
Страница: 144 из 425“Well, yes andno. You could argue that fate dragged me into it, or coincidence, or God. I wasn’t there that morning because of Max Devore; I was chasing the elusive Villageburger.” She didn’t laugh, but her voice brightened a little, and I was glad. People who talk in that dead, affectless way are, by and large, frightened people. Sometimes people who have been outright terrorized. “I’m still sorry for dragging you into my trouble.” I had an idea she might start to wonder who was dragging whom after I pitched her on John Storrow, and was glad it was a discussion I wouldn’t have to have with her on the phone. “In any case, I’d love to come to dinner. When?”
“Would this evening be too soon?”
“Absolutely not.”
“That’s wonderful. We have to eat early, though, so my little guy doesn’t fall asleep in her dessert.
Is six okay?”
“Yes.”
“Ki will be excited. We don’t have much company.”
“She hasn’t been wandering again, has she?” I thought she might be offended. Instead, this time she aid laugh. “God, no. All the fuss on Saturday scared her. Now she comes in to tell me if she’s switching from the swing in the side yard to the sandbox in back. She’s talked about you a lot, though. She calls you ’that tall guy who carrot me.” I think she’s worried you might be mad at her.”
“Tell her I’m not,” I said. “No, check that. I’ll tell her myself. Can I bring anything?”
“Bottle of wine?” she asked, a little doubtfully. “Or maybe that’s pretentious—I was only going to cook hamburgers on the grill and make potato salad.”
“I’ll bring an unpretentious bottle.”
“Thank you,” she said. “This is sort of exciting. We never have company.”
I was horrified to find myself on the verge of saying that I thought it was sort of exciting, too, my first date in four years and all. “Thanks so much for thinking of me.” As I hung up I remembered John Storrow advising me to try and stay visible with her, not to hand over any extra grist for the town gossip mill. If she was barbecuing, we’d probably be out where people could see we had our clothes on. . for most of the evening, anyway. She-would, however, likely do the polite thing at some point and invite me inside. I would then do the polite thing and go.
“Would this evening be too soon?”
“Absolutely not.”
“That’s wonderful. We have to eat early, though, so my little guy doesn’t fall asleep in her dessert.
Is six okay?”
“Yes.”
“Ki will be excited. We don’t have much company.”
“She hasn’t been wandering again, has she?” I thought she might be offended. Instead, this time she aid laugh. “God, no. All the fuss on Saturday scared her. Now she comes in to tell me if she’s switching from the swing in the side yard to the sandbox in back. She’s talked about you a lot, though. She calls you ’that tall guy who carrot me.” I think she’s worried you might be mad at her.”
“Tell her I’m not,” I said. “No, check that. I’ll tell her myself. Can I bring anything?”
“Bottle of wine?” she asked, a little doubtfully. “Or maybe that’s pretentious—I was only going to cook hamburgers on the grill and make potato salad.”
“I’ll bring an unpretentious bottle.”
“Thank you,” she said. “This is sort of exciting. We never have company.”
I was horrified to find myself on the verge of saying that I thought it was sort of exciting, too, my first date in four years and all. “Thanks so much for thinking of me.” As I hung up I remembered John Storrow advising me to try and stay visible with her, not to hand over any extra grist for the town gossip mill. If she was barbecuing, we’d probably be out where people could see we had our clothes on. . for most of the evening, anyway. She-would, however, likely do the polite thing at some point and invite me inside. I would then do the polite thing and go.