"Irritating? Is that the best you can do? I expected a more forceful reaction."
"Well, it's also extremely annoying and a complete misrepresentation of the facts."
Gail slumped back against the counter. "I don't believe it. I am doomed to go through a Very Big Hair day and all you can say is that the information I brought back from my mission is irritating, annoying, and a misrepresentation of the facts?"
Jeremy came through the open door of the gallery. He had three cups of coffee cradled in the wedge formed by his hands.
"What's irritating, annoying, and a misrepresentation of the facts?" He stopped abruptly, staring at Gail. "Oh, jeez. I see what you mean. They really did a number on you down at the beauty shop, didn't they? I hope the information you got was worth the torture you had to go through to get it."
"Unfortunately the torture has only begun." Gail sighed in exasperation. "I have to live with this hair for the rest of the day. But for the record, the information I picked up is downright fascinating."
"I sure hope so. Any news on the Upsall?"
"Unfortunately, last night's excitement dominated the conversation. No one was talking about anything else this morning." She studied him as he came toward the counter. "Good heavens, you've got a shiner."
"I've already looked in a mirror today." Jeremy put the cups down beside her. "Tell me something I don't know."
"It's from the brawl last night, isn't it?" Gail stepped closer, concern darkening her expression. "I knew you were at the Total Eclipse with Nick, but I didn't realize you got hurt. Have you seen a doctor?"
"I don't need a doctor. I'm okay." He peeled the lids off the coffee cups. "Here you go, sugar and cream."
"Thanks." She took the cup from him without glancing at it, still studying his black eye with a troubled air. "Did you put ice on it?"
"For a while. Don't worry about it. Looks a lot worse than it is." Jeremy handed the second cup to Octavia. "Cream, right?"
"Yes. Thank you." She took the cup in both hands and stared at his bruised face. "Are you sure you're all right?"
"I'm sure." He chuckled. "You oughta see the other guy."
"What other guy?" she asked swiftly.
"Nick. I've got a hunch he looks a lot worse than I do this morning. He was in the middle of most of the action last night, as I recall. Just my bad luck to be standing around in the vicinity when it all went down. Yeah, I expect old Nick has a couple of beautiful shiners this morning."
Octavia concentrated on removing the lid from her cup. She became aware of an acute silence. When she looked up she saw that both Gail and Jeremy were watching her with rapt attention.
"Something wrong?" she asked politely.
"Uh, no." Jeremy raised his brows. "Just wondered why you weren't a little more concerned about Nick, that's all."
"He looked fine last night when I saw him outside the police station."
"I looked okay last night, too. Bruises take a while to color up. I figure he's probably a real mess today."
"He's not," she said shortly.
"You're sure?"
"I saw him earlier." Octavia dropped the lid into the trash bin.
"Earlier," Jeremy repeated. "That would be earlier this morning?"
"Yes." She took a tentative sip of the coffee. It was still a little too hot for comfort. She blew on the surface of the liquid a few times.
"Precisely how early this morning would that be?" Gail asked with great interest.
"I don't recall the exact time. Why? Is it important?"
"Could be." Gail exchanged glances with Jeremy. "Especially if it was, oh, say sometime around dawn or thereabouts."
"That would be critical," Jeremy agreed.
"And it would confirm the second tidbit of information I got this morning," Gail added smoothly.
Octavia peered at each of them in turn. "Am I missing something here?"
"You can tell us, honey," Gail answered. "We're your friends."
"Sure," Jeremy said. "You can tell us everything."
"Out with it," Gail said. "We're on pins and needles here. The suspense is killing us. Did Hardhearted Harte really spend the whole night with you last night? Was he actually there for breakfast? Did you or did you not break the curse?"
Too late Octavia recalled the second part of the Nick Harte legend. He always leaves before dawn. She felt herself turn red. "I really don't think that's any of your business."
"Oh, gosh," Gail said. "Both of the rumors I heard at the beauty shop are true. Nick got into that brawl because of you and then he spent the night with you. You've done it. You've broken the curse on Hardhearted Harte."
Octavia choked on a mouthful of coffee. She sputtered and dabbed madly at her lips. "That's what they're saying at the beauty shop?"
"Yep."
"I've never met anyone who broke a curse before," Jeremy said. "How does it feel? Do you get a little rush when it happens? Or do you have to wait for results?"
"Yes, tell us every little detail," Gail said.
"Hold it right there." Octavia slapped the coffee cup down on the counter. Drops of coffee shot over the rim and splattered the wood surface. "Let's get something straight. Apparently Nick is having fun telling people that he got into the brawl because I suggested he have a drink with you, Jeremy. Big joke. Ha ha."
"Well—"
"Okay, okay, maybe it was my idea for you two to have a beer together and talk things over. But it's quite a stretch to say that the bar fight was therefore my fault. I certainly never intended for Nick to take you to the Total Eclipse for that beer and chat."
"Where else could a couple of guys go to talk over old times in this burg?" Gail asked innocently.
"You misunderstand, Octavia," Jeremy said gently. "Nick's not spreading the story that he got into the fight because of you. It's all over town this morning because it's the flat-out truth and everyone who was in the Total Eclipse last night knows it. There are witnesses. Lots and lots of them. They're the ones who are doing the talking."
"But all I did was suggest that you two have a drink." Her voice was rising. That almost never happened. "It's not fair to blame me."
"There's a little more to it than that," Jeremy said.
"And what's with this nonsense about breaking the curse?" She no longer cared that she was getting loud. "Are there witnesses to that, too?"