Of course she’s had a couch crasher.
She smirks. “Not what you think, but I don’t care if you think what you’re thinking.”
“And what am I thinking?”
“That I’m an irresponsible party girl who’s had a crappy rock band camping out—huh. Actually—no, never mind. I can absolutely frame this in my mind so that it’s exactly what you’re thinking.Ooh, look. Scrabble. We could play a game.”
I don’t have to use the bathroom, but I stride into it anyway and shut the door.
“I’m gonna go grab a few things from the car,” Daphne says. “You need anything from out there?”
“No.” I scowl again, this time to myself, then add, “Thank you.”
“No problem, big guy.”
The door shuts, and I heave a whole-body sigh and let my shoulders sag.
She’s right.
The toilet’s in the shower.
I do business that I don’t need to do and am checking out the bed when she gets back.
You’d think that sleeping basically the entire day in the car would’ve helped with some of the bone-deep exhaustion, but as soon as I’m flat on the bed, instinct takes over and everything inside me starts to relax.
I barely manage to pull my phone out of my pocket long enough to text Archie.Made it to N3. Much obliged for your assistance. The problem we discussed yesterday is still present but unexpectedly clearing itself up in odd ways. Situation remains fine. For now.
I shut the phone back off and shove it into the pocket of my new jeans, then roll over onto my stomach, my limbs and head getting heavier.
Daphne pokes her head up over the side of the bed from the stairs. “Seriously?Again? Are you sick? Are you contagious? Or do you look like you’re seventy-five because you need to catch up on a few years’ worth of sleep?”
“Couch,” I order.
“You out for the night?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’m gonna turn on the TV. Let me know if it’s too much noise, and I’ll shut it off.”
I squint at her.
“I’ve had roommates, my dude, and I’ve learned the art of living with another person.”
“You didn’t act like it last night.”
She smiles. “When I talked in my sleep, when I turned the TV back on after I thought you were asleep, or when I annoyed you by dropping Lava Cheese Puff dust on your bed?”
I don’t stop squinting at her, even though my brain is telling me it’s time to shut up and go to sleep, because she’ll keep talking as long as I let her.
I like her hair.
It’s fun.
She’sfun.
That’s what’s different.
Me.
