“You okay?” Doug asked.
“Yeah, fine,” Annie rasped. “Just a little hot for me.”
“Sorry, babe. I should have warned you. Don’t you have Mexican in Jersey?”
“Well, we have Taco Bell.”
Doug erupted in a peal of laughter. “That ain’t Mexican, honey.”
“I’m sure I’ll get used to it. As soon as the smoke stops coming out my ears.” Annie wiped her eyes with her napkin and motioned to their waitress. “More water please.”
The waitress laughed and nodded.
“I have a feeling I’m a joke in here tonight,” Annie said to Doug.
“Nah. Just a new girl in town, so everybody’s interested.”
“I guess I’ve made quite a splash.”
“You’d make a splash anywhere, babe. Just look at you.”
“Thank you. I think. So what do you want to see tonight?”
“Well, we have a choice. We can check out what’s playing at the Plex, or…”
“Or what?”
“We could rent a couple of DVDs and go back to my place.”
“Oh.” Annie’s heart nearly stopped. She wasn’t ready to go to his place. “How about the Plex? I haven’t been there yet.”
“Disappointing choice.” He laughed. “But okay. There’s all kinds of time for other stuff.”
“Just what I was thinking.” Her cell phone vibrated. “I’m sorry. Would you excuse me? I have to take it. It might be a sick animal.” Good excuse to end the conversation too. “This is Annie,” she said into the phone.
“It’s me.”
Dallas.
“Yeah? What’s up? Do you have another sick steer?”
“No. I just wanted to talk to you. To hear your voice.”
His words were slightly slurred. Annie excused herself to Doug and walked to the women’s room. “You’ve been drinking.”
“A little.” Dallas hiccupped into the phone.
“Look, if you don’t have a veterinary emergency, I’m afraid I need to go. I’m kind of in the middle of something.”
“What? Hot date?”
Hell. Why not tell him? He probably wouldn’t remember in the morning anyway. “Yes, I’m on a date. With Doug Cartwright.”
“He’s married, Doc.”
“He’s separated.”
“You don’t want to get involved with him.”