“Or maybe someone invited him,” I say.
“Or he’s casing Nani’s joint to take it over next,” Devi says.
I don’t think owning an entire town is his style.
But I do think he’ll be as popular with the single crowd here in the Tooth as Jitter is nearly everywhere we go.
Locals are already converging on him. Probably asking the same questions they asked me, but they get to go right to the source.
A few people glance at me like they want to see if I’m reacting at all to Grey’s presence.
I pretend I don’t notice.
But I do get a little nervous when I realize Kayla Swoosy’s talking to him.
She’s a retired Olympic trampolinist. Yes, it’s a thing. Yes, she did it. But the more important part here?
“What’s that look?” Laney asks me. “Why are you making that face?”
“You know how I’m off gossip?” I whisper.
“I know how you keep saying that.”
“I…told my new boss…some details about people around town that aren’t entirely accurate when I…told him…that I was giving up gossip because I didn’t want to know certain things about certain people anymore.”
It’s not every day that I manage to surprise multiple people around me, but I have clearly done it now.
“You told him gossip about us?” Devi whispers.
“I changed details.”
“Names? Situations? What?” Laney asks.
“It depended on what came to me first. But I used code names instead of actual names. And I changed details about who did what. Sometimes better than others. Like, I implied I’m related to an Olympic curling champion whose parents are swingers. And that there was once a huge war in town between the ice cream shop owner and the local spa owner over the spa owner’s duck regularly pooping in the ice cream shop owner’s yard. That sort of thing.”
“Nani Parvatiand Mr. Monroe had an argument over a taxidermy donkey, which is the closest thing I can even begin to think of to match that second one,” Devi says with a glance at Grey and Kayla. “And Kayla’s an Olympic medalist, but her mom is single. And you’re not related. Or have any relatives who would be—oh my god.” She slams her hands on the table, making both Laney’s plate of food and Jitter jump. But she lowers her voice and leans in as she whispers, “Are Chandler’s parents swingers?”
“No, but they have an open marriage,” I whisper back when I’m sure no one else is listening.
“Does Emma know?”
I jerk straight, scaring Jitter, who dives under the table, bumps his head, and almost makes Laney’s drink spill for shaking the surface.
“Is she talking to Chandler?” I demand.
“Abso-fucking-lutely fucking not,” Laney replies firmly while she straightens her meal back in front of her.
Devi and I both stare at her. Laney’s not one to drop multiple fuck-bombs in a single two-word sentence.
She goes a little pink in the cheeks. “Theo’s exact answer when I asked him the same question.”
“Because he doesn’t want her to, or because he knows for himself that she’s not?” Devi asks.
“Both,” Laney answers.
“She’s home?” Devi presses. “I didn’t think anyone had heard from her.”
“She was scheduled to get home this weekend,” is Laney’s cagey response. “Theo’s been demanding proof-of-life updates. He’s also spent some time at her house this week, clearing out all of Chandler’s stuff to take to Fiona Bell’s house.”
