“Country Rock.”
“How many band members?”
“Five.”
“First tour?”
“No.” He keeps a straight face the whole time, eyes glued to mine.
“Favorite part about touring?”
“Getting laid.”
I laugh and one corner of his mouth relinquishes the slightest twitch of a smile.
“Why do you act like you hate me?”
That tease of smile vanishes. “What makes you think it’s an act?”
Before my head or heart, or whatever the hell seems to control my emotions these days, can react, he stands and takes his plate to the dishwasher.
“Don’t you want to ask me anything?” I grasp for something that will keep him from walking away, even though he’s halfway up the stairs and, really, I should be pissed off about his reply, but I’m not.
“Did you shut off the oven?”
“Yes.”
His bedroom door slams shut. That was the only question he wanted to ask me?Oh, Theodore Reed… what happened to you?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Theodore
Idon’t wanther story, real or fictional. It won’t change mine. It won’t bring back the lives that have been taken. I cannot change who I’ve become, what I need, and where I’m going.
Nolan letting her live here is like someone offering me a chip. I say, “No, thank you.” But they insist. Finally, I give in and take a chip. Now I want to eat the whole fucking bag of chips and rip Nolan apart for offering me the stupid chip to begin with.
“Aaaah!!!”
I spit out my toothpaste and wipe my mouth. “For the love of god, woman,” I mumble to myself.
“Theo!”
Two seconds after I open my bedroom door, Scarlet is stuck to me like a koala to a tree. “What the fuck?”
“There’s… there’s…” With her face buried in my neck, she fights to speak each labored word. “An angry lizard in my room!”
“Off. Me. Now.”
She shakes her head, tightening her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. I walk down the hall with a complete nutcase in a dinky T-shirt and threadbare panties, clinging to me.
“Where?”
“Bathroom.” Her nails dig into my skin as I approach her bathroom.
“It’s an anole.”
“What are you doing?” Her shrill voice pierces my ear.
