“Trekking out into the woods with a pile of meat really isn’t my idea of a date. Can’t you skip it tonight? Let’s go out to dinner to a real restaurant. I want to see you out of jeans for once. If things go well, we can come back to my place…” She trails off, her intention clear.
My eyes close for a long moment. I was hoping she would agree, and that for once a woman would walk through the door I was holding open and step into my world to get to know me. I want her to care enough about me to get involved just a little in what’s important to me. I thought maybe Lisa would be that woman, especially after her speech a few nights ago about me being cold, uncaring, disconnected, and all that other shit. Here I am asking her to help me do something that’s a huge part of my life, something I built out of nothing and is evidence of the care and giving she claims I don’t have in me, and now she doesn’t want it.
“I can’t do that, Lisa. Not tonight. Ty watches the live video feeds at night, or sits out in the woods, especially on the weekends, so if he sees one of the dogs he can get an idea of the shape they’re in, or go pick them up if they go in the cage. I have to set out the food to lure them.”
“Can’t he do that?”
“No. He doesn’t like to handle the food, and he only goes out at night. The food has to be set out before it’s dark.”
“That’s stupid,” she says flippantly. “I’m sure he can do it if you told him you have plans.”
The urge to end the call wafts up in me, but she doesn’t know Ty or his story and why he is the way he is. Her use of the word stupid has pissed me right the fuck off, though.
“He can’t. I gotta go. I have work to do.”
“As usual.” Disappointment is heavy in her voice and I’m sure it matches mine. “Maybe when you’re done playing in the woods you can stop by. I’d still like to see you. Just take a shower first so you don’t smell like grease and chicken, okay?”
“Yeah. I’ll do that.”
I hit end on my phone and shove it in my back pocket with zero intention of showing up at her house tonight for a late night sexfest. No thanks. I have this thing called self-respect. I’m disappointed in Lisa, though. I thought she may have been the one to see that underneath the muscles, ink, and grease, beyond the loud bike, past the long hair and dirty fingers, is a man who wants the whole fucking package. Not just the fucking. Been there, done that.
She’s waiting for me at the end of the driveway, her earbuds in, shaking her head back and forth to the music. I pull my truck up to the curb and lean across the front seat to open the door for her.
“You’re twelve minutes late.” She slams the door shut and pulls the seatbelt across her, fastening it before giving me an accusing look.
I give her a sideways glance as I shift the truck. “Twelve? Really?”
“Yup. You know how I feel about punctuality. Lateness is a trait of disrespect and it gives the person waiting for you time to think about your other shortcomings.”
“Is that right?” Kenzi has a thing for quotes lately.
“Yes.”
“I’m fairly confident I don’t have any shortcomings, Kenz.”
“Except lateness.”
“I can live with that. There’s a lot worse things a person can be.”
She nods. “Yeah, like a bad kisser.”
I let out a laugh. “Now that would suck.”
She takes out her earbuds and shoves them into her pocket. “You have no idea.”
Poor Jason. That kid doesn’t have a chance with her. Kenzi’s going to be a hard girl for a guy to snag, and I kinda like that. She deserves to have someone work to get her love and respect.
Kenzi has been helping me set up the cameras and the feeding traps for as long as I can remember. When she was younger she used to beg to go. After about a hundred tantrums, Ember agreed to let her come with me. I never minded having her come along because she’s always fun to have around and she soaks up everything like a sponge. I’ve never met a kid as smart as her, or one who was so content hanging around with her parents and their third wheel. A.k.a me.
She sighs and looks out the window as we drive. “This dog is getting on my last nerve. What’s it been…a month we’ve been offering food to him? What’s his deal? There are people starving out in the world and he’s turning away fresh chicken and raw beef.”