“Really?” Perfect. I was considering a bike, but now I have no reason to go anywhere my legs can’t take me, which leaves me more time here with Theo. I might have to rethink my mode of transportation.
CHAPTER SIX
My name is Scarlet Stone and one day I will harness the power to read minds.
Over seven billionpeople live on Earth, over seven different continents separated by the seven seas under a rainbow of seven colors. There’s a belief, most likely a myth, that the average person has 70,000 thoughts a day in a seven day week. Six shouldn’t be my number. It should be seven. What if I need an extra month? Will I be broke and homeless?
It’s possible my thoughts exceed 70,000 a day. If I read a book, do those thoughts count as my own? Maybe I’m obsessing over seven today because this is my seventh day on Tybee Island. I haven’t left the house or beach behind it—except to have tea and juiceeverymorning with Yimin—since Nolan took me to the supermarket where I set up weekly delivery.
“There’s fresh-pressed juice in the fridge, more than I’ll drink today. Help yourself.”
Theo ignores me as he has since I made the Speedo comment. I think Nolan must have said something to him because I haven’t been put on the naughty step since the banana incident. I also haven’t heard him breathe a word in my direction.
It still astounds me that there was ever abananaorapple incidentat all. Any other person in their right mind would have bailed way before now. The man physically attacked me. I’m adventurous and daring. I like risk, but I’ve never considered myself crazy—until now.
Eyeing the white towel around his waist, I wonder if he’s wearing anything beneath it. The view inside the house is almost as breathtaking as the one outside. I should feel some sort of guilt for having that thought, but Daniel still consumes half of my 70,000 daily thoughts, so I think it’s fine to have one or two about Theodore Reed. The enigma standing at the hob, breakingeggs into a pan, feeds my curiosity more than anything or anyone ever has. That’s saying a lot given my background.
Seventy thousand thoughts.
I’d give my right boob to have a five-second glimpse into his mind.
My name is Scarlet Stone and one day I will harness the power to read minds.
“Chicken or the egg?” I put my book facedown on the table and pop a blackberry into my mouth as the smell of sizzling oil and eggs fills the air. “I suppose it depends on if you believe in evolution or creation. I can see both sides. I’m inclined to say chicken. I like the idea of there being something after this life—Heaven, reincarnation. I don’t know. Something.” Listen to me rabbit on. I’m fitting in quite well here.
The muscles along his back make subtle shifts as he scrambles the eggs. How can a man who says nothing be so damn distracting?
“I bet you’re a Buddhist,” I continue. “I’m working on finding peace in the midst of silence, listening to what the universe is trying to say to me. It’s hard, you know? I think we’re social creatures by nature. The average person uses five thousand words in their speech and over double that when writing. Seems like a waste of brain capacity if we’re meant to spend so much of our life in meditation, trying to silence the voices in our head.”
Theo riffles through the cupboard of spices.
“Are you looking for the salt?”
He whips his head around. Salt? So that’s what it takes to get his attention. Duly noted.
“The one with the blue lid. Use that. You had non-iodized table salt. Not good. Sea salt is the way to go.” Within my library of inspirational books, I have a few on proper nutrition as well. Knowledge is addictive.
“Why are you here?” Theo’s voice is rough with each uneven word, like he hasn’t spoken in days.
“Why are any of us here?”
His eyes narrow.
My lips twist to keep from smiling. My curiosity exceeds the average human’s. I’ve been told as much for years. Amongst my desire to figure out what my purpose has been in life, or continues to be, I can’t control my need to solve the mystery of Theodore Reed.
“Sorry. I’ve been immersing myself in these inspirational books and daily meditation. My brain is stuck in a philosophical state. You want to know why I’m here, in this house, with you. Correct?”
Theo’s word frugality is quite commendable. I begin to feel a little envious of that trait as the weight of his stare bears down with each passing second.
“I’m a thief.Wasa thief.”
I didn’t think his stony face could harden anymore, but it does.
I roll my eyes. “Not apples and bananas, so enough with the look. My dad was a thief and so was his dad. We’ve all officially retired—my grandfather to the grave, my dad to a prison cell.”
Theo returns his attention to the frying pan.
“I decided to spend my retirement here since this is where I was born. Well… in Savannah.”
