“You don’t know the half of it. Leo’s a good guy, pretty neat for a teen, but he and I had to have a man-to-man conversation about the funk he’d been bringing into this situation.”
“It’s cool he’s getting to live with a grown-up. I know they did a good job mentoring him at Lupe, but there are things he probably missed out on.”
“For sure,” Major said, giving me alook.
“What?” I asked, not defensive in the slightest.
“Are we going to continue to talk about Leo, or do you wanna discuss the hangdog expression on your face?”
I rolled my eyes and moved the backpack aside to take a seat on Major’s modern-yet-comfortable olive couch, sinking into the soft cushions.
“I only see you when I visit the cabin.” He settled himself in the recliner across from me. “How’s it going, living with Hen?”
God, I hated that question.
I avoided it for a moment, taking in the familiar lines of Major’s gorgeous house. The living room’s cozy furnishings and high, vaulted ceilings were soothing. A dramatic balcony overlooked the living area and kitchen, and?—
“Stop staring at the ceiling, Sawyer. Answer the question.”
I sighed. Busted. “Can I assume that Leo is nowhere around?”
Major nodded. “He’s over at Wild Heart with Lovett.”
“Are they…?”
“They’ve held hands, and Lovett says they’ll share a kiss on graduation day.”
I put my hand to my heart. “That really is kind of precious.”
“I see what you’re doing,” Major huffed. “Stop trying to change the subject.”
I curled my lip. “What was the question, again?”
He raised a brow at my attitude. “What’s it like living with Hen?”
I let out a sigh and toed off my shoes. This had been much easier to answer when DB had asked me. Major was going to want details. I tried tucking my legs under my ass, the way I usuallydid when I sat on this couch, but it didn’t work in my suit pants. I gave up and sat normally, looking at my socks.
“Better and worse than I thought it would be,” I finally answered.
Major tilted his head, taking me in. “How so?”
“He’s not going stir-crazy like I thought.”
“That’s good, right? I’m guessing he appreciates having your company.”
“Yeah, mostly.” I sighed, gathering my thoughts. “He’s also a lot quieter than you’d expect. Not that this moment is an accurate representation of the man, but you know the big personality he puts on for the stage, right?”
“Of course. Way over the top. And the crowd loves it.”
“Exactly. I guess I hadn’t realized he was also putting on a show for us.” I ran a hand through my hair.
“In what way?”
“He still makes fun of me, of course, but unless I’m trying to force him to eat or sleep, he’s quiet.”
“Does that impact the way you feel about him?”
I shook my head, wishing for once I had a different answer. “I always wondered who he was behind the smiles and the jokes. If anything, that’s making things worse.”
