Bad People by Evan Cobb, Michael Canfield

spent on research, etc, it didn’t come out to very much.”
    “What kind of work?”
    “A job, a sub-contracting kind of thing. Through my mentor. I did some things for the comic business.”
    “Oh. Well comics are something you’re interested it. You know though, one of the biggest challenges that every contractor has to overcome is undercharging.”
    “To tell you the truth, I don’t believe one can get truly rich off his own labor,” said Luke.
    “That’s usually true. With the rare exception of say, athletes and movie stars.”
    “And the real money goes to the team owners.”
    “Again right. That’s a reality. But is money everything?”
    “It can be, when you have nothing.”
    “I wonder. I was happier I think, when I had less.”
    “Then walk away.”
    “I have. To a degree. Selling the house—where we met—that was a start. There are loose ends. I have responsibilities to people. I’m surprised myself over how many responsibilities I have. Me! Of all people!”
    “You say that like you never would have expected that.”
    “I didn’t. I wouldn’t have imagined it, when I was y— when I was a teenager certainly.”
    “Tell me why not.”
    “Ahh,” she waved a hand.
    “No. I’m curious what you mean.”
    “You might say I have a checkered past.”
    “Tell me.”
    “No,” she laughed it off. “You’d think less of me.”
    “I couldn’t think less of you.”
    “Ouch! What a thing to say!”
    “That came out wrong. I think you know what I mean. I won’t think less of you. I wouldn’t think less of you, I mean.”
    She sighed. “Some other time maybe. Luke.”
    “I’m very glad you said that,” said Luke.
    “Oh yeah? How come?” she said, thinking he was relieved to be off a subject that really would be of no interest.”
    “Because that implies there will be another time.” There was a basket with bread on the table that she hadn’t noticed had been brought. Luke noticed her notice it, and he gave her a shall-we? look. She nodded, and he pulled away the covering cloth napkin. He separated one slice from the rest without making a crumb. The bread seemed to separate at the will of his long fingers. He spread butter on the slice, one clean, even spread, placed it on a plate and set it before her.
    The candlelight flickered across his face, and his blue eyes were almost slightly damp, she thought. He was looking at her. She knew that look very well, and it certainly felt nicer, kinder, a safer kind of danger, than it did from the bank managers and realtors that usually leered at her. Didn’t seem like leering, not from him, because he was young, and handsome, and that only one more example of the world’s unfairness.
    The food arrived. She noticed that she’d ordered scampi, which she was happy about, because now she was ravenous.
     

 
     
    Chapter 11: Luke, Ardiss
     
    Luke made a second date with Connie, but she had delayed it a week, pleading out-of-town commitments she couldn’t escape. She had not slept with him on the first date, not like a common whore, not like Ardiss had. He wouldn’t have expected Connie to, not then. He had noted her message about consistency. She was signaling that he’d have to work hard to get her, and his effort would be repaid. That gave him time to get Ardiss out of the picture. Ardiss was downscale, and every trace of her had to be erased before entering a more advantageous relationship with Connie.
    He was reminding Ardiss now that she would have to find a new place to live, but she merely stood there, her denim jacket held by one hand and touching the floor, a bag of take-out Chinese in the other, giving him that dumb-eyed look like she didn’t know what’s going on, even though she must know. Listening was not one of her few strong points, but he had repeated the information enough times over the last week that should no longer ignore the reality of her situation.
    This time he had filled her backpack and rested it by the door.