Chapter 11
Samantha’s alarm blattedon Tuesday morning, and she woke up and took inventory. No, she hadn’t drunk the night before. Thank God. She sat up and nearly fell back into the pillows. She might not have drunk anything yesterday, but she wasexhausted. If she hadn’t missed so much work lately, she would call in.
But that wasn’t going to happen, so she dragged herself to the shower.
Good job last night, she silently praised herself. Now if she could just get through one day and one night, she could tuck another day one under her belt.One minute at a time, she reminded herself.Just don’t drink this minute. You can face the next minute when it gets here.
Minute by minute, she made it through the day, picking up momentum as the clock ticked. At five minutes till five, she was ready to clock out and go straight to bed.
Miranda leaned on the counter and stared at her. “Let’s go to Laney’s Pub.”
Ugh. She did not want to go to Laney’s Pub. “No thanks. I’m overtired. I need to go to bed.” There. She was proud of herself. She never said no to that invitation.
“What?” Miranda cried in exaggerated shock. “What, do you have a hot date with your secret admirer?”
“Uh, no.” Samantha avoided eye contact.
“Come on.” She leaned closer. “You can tell me. Who is he?”
“I don’t know.” She’d half expected to get another clue today, but no more gifts or weird poetry had been delivered.
Maybe he’d changed his mind. Maybe she’d never find out who he was. Maybe she’d have to add him to the long list of unsolved mysteries in her life. This made her think of the blood, and she shuddered.
“What’s wrong?” Miranda asked, her eyes wide with expectation. Expecting something juicy, no doubt.
“Nothing. Just caught a chill.”
“Are we going to Laney’s?” Denise came around the corner.
“Yes,” Miranda said firmly and gave Samantha a scolding look. “We are.”
“I really can’t,” Samantha said. “I need to go to bed, and I’m broke.”
“We’re all broke!” Denise said. “Come on.” She came around the counter and started pulling on Samantha’s arm. “I promise, we won’t stay long. Just one drink. I need to take the edge off. Besides ...” She looked up at Miranda and laughed. “We can’t have a replay of the last time we went out on a Tuesday.”
The last time they’d gone out on a Tuesday. Blood night. “What happened then?”
Denise let go of her and cackled. “What? You don’t remember?”
“Yeah,” she said quickly, her cheeks getting hot, “I remember the night. But what are you talking about? Nothing happened.” It had been like every other night at Laney’s. They’d gotten drunk and then gone home.
“Oh something happened, all right.” Miranda backed away slowly. “Come on. We’ll tell you at Laney’s.”
Samantha grabbed her coat and purse and followed them out the door.