“Sure it was, buddy,” Wes calls across the circle, and I swallow another laugh.When I meet his eye, he’s holding back a smile, too.I don’t know how he does it.The switch from being an intimidating badass to cracking jokes makes that thread I thought was unraveled lace tighter in my chest.
“I’m not going in the same group as that dickwad,” Stu mutters.
“You come with me then,” John says, exhibiting the patience of a saint.“Campbell, you go with Wes.”
Campbell flinches at the mention of his name but doesn’t seem to have any preferences.He just moves toward Wes, keeping an eye on Stu like he’s going to try and run across the room and fly-kick him.
“I want to stay with Colette,” Dani says.And I can’t help but be relieved.Laurie clasps her hand around mine and I squeeze it back.When I meet her eyes and we share a grim smile, I know we’re thinking the same thing.
They’d have to pry my cold, dead fingers off you, baby girl.
“Laurie?”Stu asks, and for a second, I fear the pull of his plaid effect might be too strong and she’ll want us to go with him.
I’d be fine with John, but if the killer doesn’t get Stu, there is a good chance I’m going to be tempted to murder him by the end of the night.
Fortunately, the way he’s acted—the fact he’s been put under pressure and the result is a dusty-ass piece of coal instead of a diamond—has lessened the lumberjack effect.Laurie glances back at me and says decisively, “We’ll go with Wes and Campbell.”But she still puts a palm against his arm when she adds, “Make sure you’re keeping track of where you’re going and where you’ve been.It’s easy to get lost in this place.”
He looks disheartened she didn’t choose him, and showing just how much of a dusty-ass piece of coal he is, he shrugs her hand off.
“Yeah,” he scoffs.“Obviously.”
When he turns and walks over to Dani and Colette, placing a hand on each of their backs and turning their group into a huddle separate from the rest of us, I direct a middle finger at his back.
“Jamie,” Laurie starts, but I cut her off, still glaring at the back of Stu’s head when I say:
“You dodged a bullet, there.He isnota nice guy.”
I can tell she’s a little hurt.She won’t let it show on her face.She’ll probably never mention it again if we get out of here, but beneath that hard, logical, “definitely a diamond too good for that piece of shit coal” exterior is a woman who came tonight with good intentions.I squeeze her hand in lieu of the tight hug I know she’d hate.
“I mean the man wants us tosplit up,” I exclaim.“Next thing he’s going to suggest is turning off all the lights and having a drug-fueled orgy.”
She allows herself a small smile.“Yeah, I remember the rules on the back of the bathroom door.I read them every time I have to pee,thanks to you.”Her eyes are drawn across the circle.“On the subject of nice guys…”
Laurie displays her keen ability to slip out of a situation when John forgoes the huddle and makes his way over to me.The upward tilt of his lips indicates he spotted my gesture toward Stu and, although he wouldn’t do it himself, he agrees it’s warranted.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
It’s the first time we’ve been one on one since our date, and I’m reminded of the nice, warm, easy feeling that came with being in his presence.
John moves the Midori bottle between his palms again.“Are you all right?After what happened with Curtis…”
I don’t know if I’ve ever had so many people checking in on my well-being before.I’ve also never had somebody almost have their head disconnected from their body while they’re in spitting distance, so the connection between the two events does not escape me.Still, it’s nice he wants to make sure I’m okay.
“I’m fine.”He looks like he doesn’t believe me, but our physical health is a little more pressing than the trauma I’m going to develop, so I add, “I’llbefine.”
“It was looking kind of… heated before everything.”
So he was watching.It’s kind of flattering he kept an eye on me.
“Oh, yeah…” I wince when I remember what I said to Curtis before the lights turned off.“I feel a little bad the last thing he heard before he died was that he’s an asshole.”And I do.Even though he is—was.
John’s eyes crinkle in that soft eighties Bill Pullman way and he leans in—leans in—to whisper conspiratorially, “I’m sure you weren’t telling him anything he didn’t already know.”
I can’t help but chuckle.“Thanks.”Then I fully comprehend thathe’s paired up with Stu to find an exit.Hotheaded “Let’s split up!”“I get pissy with women I just met over the most insignificant things” Stu.And I feel the need to warn him, “Look, therewillbe another way out of here, but if this is anything like—”
“Those scary movies you like?”
