Janet Evanovich - Full Scoop

"How about when toilet paper sticks to your shoe and you drag it from the bathroom?"

"Nope." Maggie liked the sound of his voice, liked having him nearby and knowing he genuinely cared about their safety. It allowed her to take a breather from time to time. She could enjoy the feel of the afternoon sun on her face and the smells coming from Harry's. She could almost pretend there wasn't a deranged killer headed her way holding a score card with her name scrawled in big bold letters. Almost.

"How about when spinach gets stuck between your teeth?" Zack asked. "Or diving into a pool and losing the bottom of your swimsuit? Or being kissed by me right here in this parking lot?"

"I wouldn't flinch. Uh?" She looked up just as Zack slid his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. She barely had time to get out a small "eek" of surprise before he planted his lips squarely on hers.

Maggie was stunned. She hadn't seen it coming. Had she missed some cue? Was she so out of touch with the opposite sex that she was just plain clueless? She didn't have time to answer her own questions because his mouth was hot and wonderful, and his tongue slipping past her lips was just so good. Good like chocolate.

Okay, better than chocolate. Chocolate didn't make her tingly and shivery. Chocolate didn't make her X chromosomes dance and leap and twirl like ballerinas on a caffeine buzz.

Maggie slipped her arms around Zack's neck and kissed him right back. Right in Harry's parking lot! Amid horns, whistles, and catcalls.

What was she doing?

She broke the kiss and stepped back so fast she almost lost her balance. "Why did you do that?" she asked, her brain still spinning crazily like some wild carnival ride.

"Damned if I know," Zack said, looking dazed. "I just had this wild impulse to kiss you. I wasn't thinking. I lost my head." He frowned. "Hey, wait, you lost your head too, because you did a pretty good job of kissing me back."

Maggie could not believe it. She had lost her head. They had both lost their heads! She almost gasped as the thought hit her. Queenie! The woman had put some kind of spell on them. That was the only possible reason she could think of for necking with a man in Harry's parking lot.

"We need to get inside," Zack said. "Mel is probably wondering what happened to us."

Mel was already in line and waving frantically. "I need money," she mouthed. Maggie gave Zack her order and searched for a table in a sea of teenagers. Harry's was a happening place, she decided.

Zack and Mel joined her a few minutes later. "Now which of you ladies wants to share her seat with me?" Zack asked.

Mel scooted to the center of her seat.

Zack smiled at Maggie and slid in beside her, and the booth seemed to shrink to the size of the kiddy table used at Thanksgiving. This sorta, kinda, explained why his thigh kept brushing against hers, Maggie thought, even though the other side of her was practically smushed against the wall.

"Where were you guys?" Mel asked her.

Maggie tried to think of a good answer.

"We were kissing in the parking lot," Zack told the girl, earning a surprised look from Maggie and an eye roll from Mel.

"Next time would you try not to take so long?" Mel said, obviously not taking him seriously.

"Okay, the grilled chicken sandwich, no mayo, no onions, with extra lettuce and tomato goes to the boring person at our table." Zack passed it to Maggie. "The same person who ordered bottled water," he added, handing it over as well. "You know, Mel, this is probably going to gross you out, but when I was a kid we drank water right out of the spigot on the side of the house. My mother wasn't worried, though, because she caught me eating dirt when I was two years old, and that didn't kill me."

Mel regarded him as she grabbed her foot-long hot dog, fries, and milk shake. "You are strange," she said. "Mom, don't you think Zack is strange?"

"Very strange."

"Whoa, that's pretty scary coming from a woman who chants over frogs and scatters grave dirt on sick guys," Zack said. He unwrapped his double burger with all the fixings. "Nothing like a home-cooked meal," he said, biting into his sandwich.

"Zack, my man!" a male voice called out from across the room, drawing a questioning look, not only from Zack, but Maggie and Mel and the entire restaurant as well. He was dressed in a sparkly Elvis outfit. He waved and hurried over, followed by a group of Elvis clones, their capes flowing, rhinestones flashing.

Mel looked at Zack. "Please tell me they aren't coming to our table."

"I could, but that would make me a liar," Zack said as the men approached.

"You remember me, right?" the man said to Zack. "Lonnie Renfro. You gave me a ride." He offered his hand.

"How could I forget?" Zack said as they shook hands. "Good to see you again, Lonnie."

"You didn't tell me you had a family, Zack." Lonnie introduced himself to Maggie and then Mel, who had already slid so far down in the booth her chin almost touched the table. "Meet my new friends," he said, calling out the names of the other Elvis impersonators.

Maggie nodded politely. She saw the expression on Mel's face change and followed the girl's look as Travis Bradley and several friends stepped inside Harry's. They paused and stared at the many Elvises.

"Are you an Elvis fan?" Lonnie asked Maggie.

"Absolutely."

Lonnie grinned at his friends. "Boys, what d'ya say we give Zack and his lovely family a little song? How about 'Heartbreak Hotel'?"

Maggie saw the panic in her daughter's eyes, but there was no escaping the men, who'd formed a solid Elvis wall around the booth.

Lonnie grabbed the salt shaker off their table and put it to his lips. "Well, since my ba-buh left …" he began loudly and the other men followed. People stopped talking. Heads turned.

Maggie noted the grin on Zack's face as she forced herself to nod and smile as well. The men were obviously encouraged by their reaction and began swiveling their hips.

"You so owe me," Mel said out of the side of her mouth.

The customers at Harry's Burgers applauded once the Elvis ensemble finished their song and moved to the counter to place their food order. Travis came over and gave them a big silver grin. "Guess where I've been?" he asked Mel, pointing to his new braces.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "The orthodontist?"

"Uh-huh. Everybody calls me 'Metal Mouth' now."

"That happened to me too," Mel said sympathetically. "They'll stop after a while."

"Was your mouth sore in the beginning?" he asked.

She nodded. "It'll get better."

He grinned at Maggie and Zack.

"They look great," Maggie said, and introduced him to Zack.

"I'm Mel's favorite uncle," Zack said. "I'll bet she has told you all about me."

"I heard you were visiting," Travis said. "My mom knows everything that goes on in this town."

"She talks a lot, huh?" Mel said.

"She isn't talking right now," Travis said. "She woke up this morning with laryngitis."

"Laryngitis?" Maggie said. "Oh, no."

"Actually, my dad says it's a day for celebration. He even upped my allowance." Travis glanced back at his table. "Well, I'll see you around." He gave Mel a small wave.

Mel gazed at him dreamily as he walked away.

"Nice kid," Zack said.

Mel turned to Maggie. "I'll bet Aunt Queenie gave Mrs. Bradley laryngitis. Right after she put a hex on Mike Henderson."

"It's just a coincidence," Maggie said.

"Too bad she didn't lose her voice before she blabbed stuff about you and Carl Lee Stanton all over town. Caitlin said everybody is talking about it. People don't think the cops will catch him before he gets here. They think he's more interested in hurting you than getting his money."