Free Wish You Were Here by Lani Diane Rich Page A

her wherever she went. She pushed the sunglasses to the top of her head, glanced around the diner, and finally locked eyes with Malcolm. He smiled, stood up, and gave a small wave. She rolled her eyes, jerked at her suitcase, and headed his way, not bothering to apologize when she knocked her massive haul into the various patrons unlucky enough to be in her path.
    When she reached him, Malcolm smiled wide, hoping he looked like he was pleased to see her again.
    “Nikkie, darlin’,” he said, putting his hands on her shoulders and placing a kiss on each cold cheek. “You’re lovely as ever.”
    “ Cut the crap, Malcolm. I flew coach for this.” She tossed herself into the booth, leaving her suitcase out so that the poor fat waitress had to step around it.
    “ Good evening,” the waitress said, flashing a wink at Malcolm, then turning to Nikkie. “What can I getcha?”
    Nikkie raised one eyebrow at Malcolm. “You’re paying, right?”
    Malcolm nodded, and Nikkie looked up at the waitress. “Bring me two of whatever alcohol has the highest proof.”
    The waitress lowered her pen and pad in apologetic supplication. “Oh, I’m sorry. We don’t have a liquor license.”
    Nikkie ’s eyes closed slowly and she pressed her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose. “Just bring me some tomato juice with a celery stalk and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, okay?” She pulled her hand away from her face and looked up at the waitress. “I’ll use my imagination.”
    “ Oh. Um. Okay.” The waitress stepped awkwardly around Nikkie’s suitcase and hurried to the back.
    “ Well, Nikkie girl, I must say you’re quite the vision. As bonny a lass as ever.”
    “ Knock it off, Malcolm. The closest you’ve ever gotten to Ireland is Hennessey’s of Boston, and you and I both know it.”
    He sighed. The woman was beautiful, but she had no appreciation for the theater of life. He leaned forward. “I trust your flight was pleasant?”
    “ No. It sucked. They fucked up my reservation and I ended up in coach, and I’m really pissed off about it. So tell me what you dragged me out here for, and it better be good or I’m gonna ask mole girl for a nice big fork so I can stab you with it.”
    Malcolm widened his smile. “Charming as ever, Nikkie.”
    “ Fuck you, Malcolm.”
    “ Well, I see pleasantries are going to get us nowhere.” Malcolm reached into his satchel and pulled out a manila envelope. “There’s a thousand dollars in there.”
    Nikkie huffed and sat back. “Oh, fuck, Malcolm. A thousand dollars? Are you serious? I live in L.A. now. My manicures cost a thousand dollars.” Despite this, she snatched the envelope off the table with remarkable speed and slammed it down into the seat beside her. “Talk.”
    “ That, m’dear,” he said, nodding toward the envelope, “is merely a down payment. There’s more where that came from, you can trust that.”
    She eyed him for a long moment and said, “Well, keep going. What the hell do you want?”
    The waitress scooted in and placed Nikkie ’s drink in front of her. Nikkie took a sip and cringed.
    “ I’m sorry. Is it not good?” the waitress asked, genuinely concerned.
    “ Not yet.” Nikkie pulled a tiny, clear bottle out of her pocket, dumped the contents into the drink, and mixed it with her straw. She took a long drink and still cringed, but it was less noticeable this time.
    Malcolm looked at the waitress, who was staring at Nikkie.
    “Um,” the waitress said, “I’m not sure it’s legal for you to—”
    “ Oh, lass, don’t you worry yourself,” Malcolm said. “It’s quite the lost cause.”
    The waitress smiled a bit, but her eyes were still worried as she backed away.
    Nikkie sat back from the drink and seemed to relax a bit. “I’ll tell you right now, Malcolm, I don’t care how much you offer me, I’m not sleeping with you. Or Mick.”
    “ As flattered as I am by the fact that such a thing would even cross your mind,