I shift, blocking her view, knowing she’s looking for Everlee. “No.”
Her eyes narrow, and she nibbles on the inside of her jaw before she changes course. “Excellent. So what I’m offering today is a great deal! When this handsome man right here,” she points to Knox, “opened the door, I thought to myself, self, he looks like a man who enjoys custom, fancy pizzas flown in from all over the world.”
“And I do!” Knox looks at me bright eyed and bushy tailed and I just roll my eyes.
“Yes! He does!” She points. “I’m offering you a subscription service. Once a month or once a week,” she looks over my shoulder again, “to delicious pizzas! You get the ingredients from different locations each week or month, your choice.”
“My choice?”
“Yes!” Her eyes light up excitedly. Unfortunately for her, I still don’t give two shits and if she was being honest with herself, neither did she because she wasn’t selling subscriptions for pizza. She was here looking for Everlee. “So what do you say?” she peers over my shoulder again, and again, I move to block her.
“Still not interested.”
She huffs and Knox slumps his shoulders.
“But wait, there’s more.”
My eyes grow wide in mock excitement. “Tell me! My breath is bated.”
“HA!” She pokes me in the chest. “You’re funny, in a smartass kind of way. You’re waiting with bated breath. Classic.”
“Did you just call me a smartass?”
“Did I?” She cocks her hip to the side. We’ve both clearly read one another and she knows she’s not getting anywhere past me.
“So, what are you selling? If I had a chair, I’d be on the edge of it.”
“Jax, don’t be rude.”
“I have…” she looks around quickly, trying to come up with something. “Ah yes! We just got this in…”
“I’m sure it’s brand new.” Since it didn’t exist two seconds ago…
“An air repair kit for your oven. You may find yourself needing one of those when you start cooking all your delicious pizzas.”
“An air repair kit?” My brow peaks up, curious about how she’s going to sell this. “Is it like a band-aid for the air? Do you just take it and pluck it somewhere?” I ask holding my hands up, simulating repairing the air.
Her eyes narrow again, and she looks over my shoulder.
“Is there something I can help you with? You seem overeager to find something in my house.”
“This is your house?”
“Well, ours,” Knox chirps and I grind my teeth.
“You’re a couple. The. Sweetest!” She clasps her hands and puts them under her chin. “Can I be real with you?”
“No,” I quickly answer, but she ignores me and keeps talking.
“I feel like we know each other well enough, to be honest. I’m not selling air repair kits or custom pizza subscriptions.”
“No.” Knox frowns.
“No,” I feign shock and disappointment.
“I’m looking for someone.”
“Oh,” Knox tenses up.
