“Please say smutty Leia,” Wes begged.
Poor Arch looked like he regretted his confession. I tried to spare him by fighting the laughter back. “It’s no big deal. Something I do after work sometimes, to wind down. I’ve got quite a large following online. It’s no worse than owning eight hundred comic books!” He glared at Gray accusingly.
“It isso muchworse than owning eight hundred comic books!” Gray’s voice sounded like a thirteen-year-old going through puberty as he tried to talk through his laughter.
My giggles erupted from my chest; I couldn’t hold them in anymore. “Okay,” I said through my chuckles. “Arch and Gray, you’re dorky enough to hang out with me, but Wes, having acne isn’t enough. I need something else.”
“There is nothing else. I’m cool. Always have been.” He wouldn’t meet my eyes.
Arch snorted. “Try again, homie.”
Wes flashed me an innocent smile that didn’t fool me for a second. “I swear, Ellie, I’ve never done anything embarrassing.”
“I’ve got two words for you, man,” said Gray. “Peter Pan.”
Wes’s face blanched. “Gray Baron Morales! You promised!” Wes brought out the big guns, using Gray’s whole name.
Arch nearly bounced up and down with uncontained exuberance. “Why don’t I know about Peter Pan? What’s Peter Pan mean?” The neck brace made his excitement more comical. He turned his entire upper body to look from one of us to another.
We all stared at Gray, waiting on him to spill Wes’s secrets. He grinned, furrowing his eyebrows evilly. “Sorry,Wesley. She needs to know you’re normal, too.” He rocked a little before the words flew from his mouth. “Guys, Wes played Peter Pan in a community theater production in high school. He wore tights and everything.”
I couldn’t picture the enormous blond man wearing tights, prancing around on a stage as Peter Pan. It was easier to imagine him on a football field or playing volleyball on a beach.
“That’s not embarrassing, Wes,” I said in an attempt to console his bruised ego. “I think the ability to act is an admirable quality.”
“I didn’t mention the best part, then,” said Gray cheerfully. “He was horrible. He forgot all his lines. Tripped like three times. Stepped on the fairy’s toes. It was ridiculous. I don’t even know how hegotthe part.”
“Okay. That part’s pretty funny,” I said, and my giggles renewed. Wes even started to chuckle.
“I guess itwaspretty silly. I’d always wanted to be in a play, and I tried it. I hated it. I hated memorizing lines and getting all dressed up.” He shrugged. “I never did it again.” He paused for a moment, considering. “Except when I became a lawyer. We act all the time. But that’s totally different. There are no tights,” he deadpanned before leaning back in his chair, face pensive once again. “But, if it helps you realize we aren’t as cool as you think we are, I do love to read. I love to read all sorts of stuff. Vampires, werewolves, classics, spy books, comedies, you name it.” We all forgot about finishing our meal, too wrapped up in the confessions of our dorky sides.
The remains of breakfast hardened on our plates as we talked. Todd stopped by and passed me a small box hidden in a brown paper bag. I peeked inside and found a box of tampons. I snickered. “I knew you’d know what I meant.” He blew me a kiss and left to spend the day with his love. When he left, Gray and Wes commanded Arch and I go take naps while they cleaned up the kitchen.
I insisted everyone go home when they finished with the kitchen chores. I wouldn’t take my nap until they agreed. While I appreciated their kindness and care, it was time for me to return to my regular life.
Chapter Seven
Two days later, a tap sounded at my door in the middle of rereading my smutty vampire romance novel. To answer it, I disentangled Satan from my lap. Wes stood in the hall holding a tablet in his hand, wearing another band t-shirt and jeans that looked sewn on. “Hey, Wes! Come in.” I belatedly realized I’d left the monitor off again.
“I wanted to drop this off,” he said as he came into the living room. “I hoped you wouldn’t be in class.”
“I took the day off. I’m still pretty sore.” I pointed to the object in his hands. “A tablet?”
“Yeah, it’s got all my books on it.” He handed it to me.
“Why would you bring me all your books?” I sat on the couch and tapped the home button. Wes sat beside me and reached over to touch a reading app that brought up his library. I watched him as he fiddled with the app. He tucked his hair behind his ear, but it kept falling out and brushing his cheekbone, not long enough to stay. I resisted the urge to neaten the rogue lock of hair.
“I wanted to show you I’m like you. We aren’t that different. I only appear like I belong on a surfboard. In reality, I belong with my nose in a book.” My mind strayed to images of him reading a book on the beach.Stop that! You’re so dirty lately! Think about the gift!
My voice left me. “I don’t know what to say. This is touching.”
“Don’t get excited. I want it back in a few weeks—enough time for you to learn what I like and write down some titles you’d like to have. Everything I own is on there, even copies of my hardcover books. No matter where I am or what device I have with me, I can pull up any book I’ve read and read it again.” I needed to do the same with my own library.
“That’s a good idea. I still prefer an actual book in hand, but the world is going digital. Plus, if there was a fire, at least I’d still have my entire library at my fingertips.” I smiled up at his pleased expression. Me perusing his library excited him. “So, how was your day?”
“Great, actually. We’re starting a nasty case where the defendant has been framed. That’s all I can tell you, though. We’re working on proof that it was a frame-up.”
“We can’t talk about my case either, can we?” There wasn’t much to talk about. I could only wait for my lawyers to get all their depositions and ducks in a row.
