Killer Crullers Read Online Free PDF Page B

I’ve got a crazy idea. Why don’t you call Jake and ask him out? He’ll flip out if you drive all the way to Asheville just to take him out to dinner.”
    I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I’d already tried that plan, and that it had failed completely. “I might just do it. Have fun, and call me tomorrow. I can’t wait to hear the details of what happens.”
    “Trust me, I can recap everything that’s going to occur right now. We’ll have an average dinner filled with bland and mundane conversation, and then he’ll take me home, where we’ll share an awkward good-bye before he leaves my life forever.”
    I had to laugh at her prediction. “Wow, with that kind of buildup, how can you not have a good time?”
    “Trust me, it’s like I can see the future. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
    “I’ll talk to you then,” I said. “And Grace? Give the guy a chance. He might just surprise you.”
    “If he shows up without his mother and a way to pay for at least his half of the meal, I’ll be absolutely flabbergasted.”
    As we hung up, I realized that I’d just explored my last viable option. It appeared that I was going to be on my own tonight, whether I liked it or not. Sure, I could have called Max—my ex-husband and the Great Pretender—and I was certain he would have come by gladly, but I wasn’t that desperate for company tonight, and I hoped I never would be again.
    For the moment, I was a single woman on my own with the whole world at my feet.
    *   *   *
    When the doorbell rang a little after six, I opened it with my wallet ready. I’d already changed into my sweats and an old T-shirt, so I wasn’t exactly fit for company, but I figured the pizza guy had seen worse than me, and that was just tonight.
    “How much do I owe you?” I asked as I took the pizza from the college-aged young man making the delivery.
    “That will be twelve dollars, plus tip,” he said.
    “It’s just a small pepperoni pizza,” I protested. “How can it be that much?”
    The kid shrugged. “We have a twelve-dollar minimum order; didn’t they tell you that on the phone? They’re supposed to.”
    “I’m in the wrong business,” I said as I handed him a ten and four ones. It was a lot to pay for one pizza, but I wasn’t exactly dressed to go out to dinner.
    “Tell me about it.” He put the two dollars in a separate pocket, and smiled at me. “Thanks for the tip. Enjoy.”
    I went back inside, and had a slice as I hit the play button on the DVD player. At least the pizza was still warm, something that wasn’t always guaranteed.
    After the movie, it was close to my bedtime. Some folks might have wondered about the way I’d chosen to use my time alone, but I’d enjoyed it, so what did it matter what anyone else thought? Sometimes it was good being by myself, though I knew that I’d grow weary of it pretty quickly if I lived my entire life that way. For the most part, I enjoyed being around people, which was a good thing, given my chosen line of work. Selling donuts was as much about being good with people as it was with the pastry treats we made at the shop.
    I was about ready to call it a night at seven-fifteen when the house phone rang. I rarely got calls there anymore, and I nearly let it go to voice mail when it rang. After the conversation, I would wonder why I hadn’t listened to that impulse.
    I recognized her voice the second she spoke. “Gabby, how are you?”
    “I’m concerned,” she said. “Has Desmond spoken with you?”
    “Tonight?” I asked. “No, I haven’t seen him since I ran into him at the bank this afternoon.”
    “What did he say?” Gabby asked. There was clear anxiety in her voice, and I realized that she sounded frightened, something unusual to hear coming from her.
    “He threatened me again,” I admitted. “The man is convinced that he’s right.” Before Gabby could proclaim her innocence again, I quickly added, “I told him he was wrong about you, but he