“What?” she asked with a laugh. “No, why?”
“The English teacher in me is just admiring the metaphors.”
She snatched the pillow from under her head and pelted him with it. He fended it off, trying to grab it from her, but it turned into a mock pillow fight filled with giggling, threats to tickle her to death, and then a thumping as something hit the door. Eyes wide, they looked at each other in concern.
A muffled voice projected, “Could you two keep it down? I’m trying to finish this last piece of my project, and you’re distracting me!”
Fuck! Ezra was home.
“I thought you said he was staying at the study zoo until school?” she whispered on a squeak.
“Guess he needed to come home for something.”
Elyxandre pulled the pillow over her face. Could someone actually die from embarrassment? She’d heard the phrase but had never really given it any thought.
The pillow was snatched from her hands, and a body rolled over on top of hers. “Are you ashamed of being with me?” he growled.
A whispered semi-argument began.
“Hell no! But we were supposed to be keeping this quiet,” she reminded him.
“Well, didn’t you have to tell them at the station last night that we were together? Secret’s already out.”
“Yes, but they wouldn’t have told anyone unless they absolutely had to.”
“Ezra’s more tight-lipped than the cops. Besides, your car is in my driveway. Anyone with half a brain on this block knows I don’t own an SUV. I own a car and a truck. And anyone could have seen you last night coming to my door, plus it wouldn’t take much to figure out it was you since your license plate still shows as New Mexico.”
“Maybe I can sneak out the back door?”
“Beautiful, even if he didn’t know your car, your vest is hanging downstairs on a dining room chair facing the front door. Let’s just hope he came by himself and didn’t bring any friends along with him.”
She closed her eyes. “Oh my god. Remind me to never murder anyone. I’d never get away with it.”
“I doubt you would do that, but if it ever comes to it, Ezra and I will help you hide the body.”
He pulled her tight and kissed her stupid. When the kiss ended, he gave her a gentle push.
“Go shower. When you’re done, there’ll be some clothes on the vanity for you so you don’t have to put that mess on from last night, and I’ll throw them in a bag for you to take home. Come downstairs. Have breakfast with us. I swear to you, he won’t say a thing to anyone. Okay?”
“This is going to be so mortifying.”
Opening his dresser, he pulled out a pair of pajama pants and a T-shirt and began putting them on. “You’ll survive. Besides… he already approves, remember? Now go on. We have to get to work, and I’m guessing you’re going to be very busy dealing with the search for Kennedy, and I’m going to be dealing with a student body and staff who will be freaking the fuck out.”
When she got to the bathroom door, Lucas called out to her. “El! When you go home, if you happened to pack a bag so that you could stay here a few nights, we wouldn’t mind.” He opened the bedroom door. “Waffles in fifteen. Get moving.”
THE EZRA EFFECT
LUCAS
Leavingthe bedroom and closing the door behind him, he nearly stepped on a football lying in the middle of the hallway. Ah. That’s what hit the door with a thump. So, he probably noticed the car in the driveway and threw the ball from downstairs. He probably hadn’t really heard anything. It was a warning of, “Hey, I’m home!”
When he got downstairs, Ezra was sitting at the kitchen table working on some slides on his computer. He didn’t say anything other than “Good morning” as he worked. When Elyxandre came downstairs, he packed all of his schoolwork into his backpack and hung it on the chair, then started to set the table. Lucas watched her hesitate on the periphery of the room, but when she saw Ezra setting three places, and again saying nothing other than “Good morning,” she seemed to relax a little.
His kid was the best.
When they sat down to eat, he asked about the study zoo—who was there, when people arrived, when they left—and he did it seamlessly so it didn’t sound like he was interrogating. Hopefully, it helped Elyxandre with her part in the investigation.She, in turn, asked about the dance, the other students, and who got along with whom. Lucas could tell she was trying to see the relationship nuances in case anyone there might possibly know something or be involved.
Eventually, she had to leave to go home and change for work. Lucas grabbed her vest and his gym bag filled with her clothes, then walked her to the door. A quick kiss goodbye, a promise to see her later, and a reminder about coming to stay with them, at least until her door was fixed, and he returned to the kitchen.
