Page 33 of January
“This is my last tour of the night, so I was going to go home. Why?”
“Would you maybe want to get a drink instead?” Kyle chanced.
“Oh. Yeah. Sure. That sounds like fun,” Melinda replied. “Just let me wrangle this group, and we’ll head back.”
“You can pick the place. You’d know better than me.”
“Are you looking for something in the Quarter or something quieter?”
Kyle smiled and replied, “Well, I’d like to hear whatever we might be talking about, so I’m thinking quieter.”
“I’ve got a place, then,” Melinda said. “Okay, everyone, it’s time for us to leave the ghosts alone and get out of here before the vampires spot us. Are we ready?”
Kyle laughed to herself as Melinda looked at a photo on a little girl’s phone. She’d found a ghost and had taken a picture of it. Melinda made sure to make a big deal out of it for the girl’s benefit, and then it was time for them all to go.
“So, there’s a dueling piano bar, if you’re interested,” Melinda said when they arrived back at the office. “They have great martinis.”
“I’m not picky.”
“It’s a bit of a walk. Do you want to take a car instead?”
“You walk for a living all day, so I’ll leave that up to you, but I’m good. I really like walking around, and I haven’t done much at night.”
“The city is different at night, isn’t it?”
“It is, yeah,” Kyle agreed.
“Can you give me five minutes to change into a pair of jeans and a different shirt?” Melinda asked.
“Oh, sure; we can stop by your place, if you want.”
“Great. Come on up,” Melinda said.
“Up?” Kyle asked.
CHAPTER 10
“So, what kind of martini do you want?” Melinda asked.
“Do I have to get a martini at all?” Kyle asked her back, sitting down across from her.
“Oh, no. Sorry.” She chuckled and tucked the martini menu back between a lit candle and a holder meant for it. “Not a fan?”
“I tried one once. Regular one, I think. I didn’t know how to order, so I just told them, ‘Yes,’ when they asked me questions and said, ‘Gin.’”
Melinda laughed and said, “Once? You’ve only had one martini?”
“Where I’m from, you don’t really drink martinis. Besides, my mom isn’t exactly an alcoholic, but she’s pretty close to it, so drinking wasn’t really something I did regularly until I knew I could handle it.”
“Do you want to go somewhere else? Less swanky?” she offered, worrying she’d brought them to the wrong place.
“No, this is great,” Kyle said, smiling. “Just don’t be surprised if I order a cheap beer.”
“I’ll get one with you, then,” she said.
“You can get whatever you want,” Kyle replied, leaning over the table.
“If I get a martini, will you try it for me? Just to see if you like it when it’s made well.”