Rubbed Out by Barbara Block Read Free Book Online Page A

dinner at a small Mexican restaurant on Westcott Street. For once the place wasn’t crowded. I had salmon with fried sweet potatoes, George had swordfish, and we both had a couple of glasses of Belgium-style wheat beer. It was the first decent meal—no, scratch that; it was the first real meal I’d had in weeks. I’d been living on candy bars, coffee, and vitamin pills, with an occasional yogurt thrown in.
    Whenever I get tense I have trouble eating, and I’d been tense a lot lately. Maybe it was the place with its copper bar and peach walls and tiny bouquets on tables, maybe it was the beer I was nursing, maybe it was being with George, but I finally began to relax a little.
    George flagged the waitress and ordered two coffees and asked for the dessert menu.
    â€œI ran into Paul the other day,” he said to me after she’d gone. “He said you were working for him again.”
    I told him about Janet Wilcox.
    â€œShe’s probably on the beach in Cancun shacked up with a Mexican beachboy.”
    â€œSounds good to me. Sun. Sand. Sex. Margaritas. Maybe I should try it too.” Though I couldn’t picture Janet Wilcox doing something like that from what her husband had told me.
    George leaned across the table and punched me lightly on the arm. “After me, everyone is a letdown.”
    â€œMy, what a big ego you have.”
    â€œDeservedly.” George grunted. “I hope that prick is paying you well.”
    â€œI wouldn’t be doing it otherwise. We’re doing a fifty-fifty split. Finding her should be simple enough. Then I call the aggrieved husband and tell him where she is. Whatever happens after that is up to them.”
    George paused while the waitress placed the coffees in front of us and handed us the menu. We conferred and decided to split a pear apple crisp with whipped cream.
    â€œNothing is ever simple with you,” he said when the waitress went off to get our dessert.
    â€œYou either.”
    â€œTrue.” George picked up his cup and sipped his coffee. The cup disappeared in his hand. “Robin,” he said.
    â€œYes?”
    He shook his head. “I forgot what I was going to say.”
    â€œGetting old?”
    â€œGuess so. I’m sure it’ll come to me later.” And he smiled and drained his coffee cup.
    We chatted some more about Janet Wilcox. Finally the waitress brought our dessert. We ate every last bit of it and went back to my house.
    â€œManuel here?” George asked as we went inside.
    â€œHe’s staying over at a friend’s tonight.”
    â€œGood,” George said.
    And we went upstairs and made love.
    Hours later I woke up to find George was already dressed.
    â€œRobin,” he said. He looked grave.
    â€œYes.” My heart started fluttering.
    He studied the window blinds for a few seconds.
    â€œI wanted to tell you at the store yesterday. And then at dinner. But I couldn’t.”
    His eyes moved to the wall. He was looking at everything but me.
    â€œTell me what?” I wrapped the sheet more tightly around me.
    â€œI’m sorry,” he said. “I really am.”
    â€œAbout what?”
    â€œNatalie.”
    â€œNatalie?”
    â€œThe blonde.”
    â€œThe one you said you weren’t having a relationship with?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œHow long have you been seeing her?”
    â€œSix months.”
    â€œSix months?”
    â€œI never meant for this to get out of hand.”
    â€œMeaning?”
    George rubbed the stubble on his chin with his hand, then took a deep breath and let it out. The sound filled the room. “I guess the best thing to do is just say it. Natalie’s pregnant. It’s my baby. We’re going to get married. I don’t know what else to do.” He reached over and patted my shoulder. “I can’t tell you how badly I feel. You have to believe that.”
    I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t