Isquished my eyes shut and tried to remember. “I think it’s supposed to beSunday, but I can’t remember if Wyatt asked me to work it or not.”
“Makesure you get it off,” she ordered. “Tell him you have a family obligation orsomething. Or that you have to fight a zombie outbreak somewhere. I don’t care,just make sure he knows you can’t work.”
“Gotit. Zombie outbreak. I’m sure he’ll understand.” The truth was, that might bethe only reason he’d understand.
“Oh,and Kaya?”
“Yes?”
“Let’skeep this between us, okay? I’m not totally sure how Ezra would feel if he knewI was interfering this much. I mean, he’ll find out eventually, but the Saritastaff is on board with keeping it hush hush for now. As long as you are?”
“Noproblem,” I assured her. “I’m not sure Wyatt would be super pleased to find outI was doing whatever it took to get the hell out of his kitchen.”
Welaughed together and after confirming our plan and farewells, we hung up. Myphone was left with three percent battery and I’d landed the opportunity of alifetime. That was a pretty amazing start to a Friday.
Therewas just enough charge left to tap out a quick text to Wyatt that said,Don’t forget I’m on proteins tonight! Also,if there’s a zombie outbreak, I expect paid time off.
Heresponded immediately.I don’tunderstand why that would warrant time off? Even zombies need to eat. New menuitem, Brains Tartare.
Irolled my eyes at the phone, because only Wyatt would try to keep his jobduring the undead uprising.This is whyyou’ll be the first to go.
He textedthe zombie emoji and wrote,Then you canfinally have my job.
Isent him the emoji of the thumbs up, when what I really wanted was an emoji ofthe middle finger.
Iscooted to the edge of the bed, plugged my phone in and then hightailed it tothe bathroom for the whole getting ready thing I was forced to face everymorning.
Truth—Ididn’t mind waking up. It was when I was forced to move and do obnoxious taskslike take a shower or put on deodorant or wrestle my hair that I could livewithout.
ButI did what I could to maintain my place in civilized society, and by the time Iwalked out the door with a mug of coffee in my hand, I was only fifteen minuteslate and my phone had gotten all the way up to fifty-seven percent. Win-win!
Imet Dillon at the side entrance of Lilou and couldn’t contain my smile. Iwondered if she’d had anything to do with Vera’s call this morning, but I wastoo chicken to ask. If she did, I wanted to give her a giant hug and possiblyone of my kidneys should she ever need it. If she hadn’t been the one to sharemy number with her, I didn’t want to spill the beans about our secret project.I trusted Dillon completely, but I didn’t always trust what she was going tosay. I wasn’t even sure she always knew what she was going to say before shesaid it. There were a ton of times I was positive she heard what she said atthe exact moment everybody else did.
Iloved that about her. And sometimes I was also embarrassed of her. But mostlyit was love, love, love between us.
Exceptwhen she said things like, “Another day, another opportunity for you to notkill our boss.” She yanked the heavy side door open and we sauntered inside.
“Hey,he starts it.”
Withoutmissing a beat, she said, “Oh, I’m sure he does. If you’d like to get togetherat snack time, we can discuss it further over Goldfish and juice boxes beforeyou two are excused for recess.”
Igave her a side eye. “Was that a preschool joke?”
“Mmm,more like kindergarten I believe. But seriously, Ky? He starts it? The onlything Wyatt is starting with you is a fire in your pants.”
The gumI had been chewing lodged itself in my throat and I promptly began choking onit. Bracing my arms against the wall, I dipped my head and coughed enough timesto dislodge the murderous piece of Trident. Then I turned my meanest,I-mean-business glare on my friend. “I’m sorry, what?”
Sheshook her finger at me. “Don’t even try to pretend like there isn’t somethingkinky happening between you two.”
Kinky?Aw, hell. “That’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said. We hate eachother.”
Shedidn’t put up with my surly attitude and turned her head enough that I couldsee her eye roll. “Oh, yeah. You hate each other real hard.”
Ignoringthe suggestive tone, I decided not to punch my best friend in the bicep andtake the high road. “I hate you.”
Shenudged me with her shoulder. “Only, in reality, that means you love me,” shecrooned, grinning ear to ear. “See how confusing that is? You say one thing butmean the other. Maybe Wyatt is having trouble deciphering what you mean too.”
I slowlyexhaled and tried desperately not to laugh at her craziness. It would onlyencourage her. She didn’t need any help from me.
