Shit! I completely forgot about those damn things because she’s always scowling.
“Oh! Are those dental implants? That’s so cool! Don’t tell Thane, but I went on a date with a guy once who had some just like that. It was an interesting night.”
Eve gives Louie a wink, unintentionally filling in the blanks.
“Yeah, hi, Eve. I am … Laura. Aurora’s second cousin. From England. Yes, these are dental implants. I got them from a … dentist?” she says stiffly. “I’m very pleased to meet you. Aury talks about you a lot.”
To my utter surprise and delight, Eve and Louie hit it off immediately. Louie’s stiffness melts away under Eve’s relentless enthusiasm, and before long, they’re cackling like old friends. They both exude a manic type of energy that currently swirls around them in Ezra’s living room, like two storms colliding in the best way.
Eve asks Louie all kinds of questions, and, to her credit, Lou’s answers are almost normal. If she would just stop trying to nuzzle Eve, I think we could pass her off as human to almostanyone. Thankfully, Eve is a touchy-feely person and takes the hellhound’s physical affections in stride.
While Eve and Louie compare their notes on local plant life, Thane volunteers to help me in the kitchen.
“Don’t you like reds?” I ask, pointing to his still full glass.
“Ah, sorry, Aurora. I don’t really drink. I should have said something when I walked through the door, but didn’t want to upset you,” Thane responds, rubbing the back of his neck.
Oh! Now that I think about it, he’s always sipping on a soda when we go to The Cardinal.
“Oh, my gosh! I’m so sorry! I hope I didn’t put you in a difficult situation. I have plenty of other drinks.”
I open the fridge door, rummaging around for a soda or a bottle of water, but I eventually pull the mug from the cupboard and walk to the sink.
“Oh! Oh shit, no. I’m not in recovery or anything. I just don’t love the taste, ya know? Or the morning after,” Thane explains, with a warm smile.
“Fuck, okay! I was really worried I did something terrible.”
I hand him the mug filled with ice water, and when his gaze lowers to the cup, he freezes.
His lips part, like he’s about to say something, but doesn’t. He runs a thumb over the handle, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“He … kept this?” He turns the mug in his hands to reveal the words stamped across the side—“I like big books, and I cannot lie.”
Yes! I knew it was from Thane.
“It’s literally the only mug in the house. Why?”
I know why, but I want him to tell me.
“I bought this for Ezra after I received my first paycheck. It was partially a gag gift because I knew he would hate it. But you know Ezra. What the hell do you buy someone like him? I guessI wanted to thank him in some small way. I never thought he’d keep it. I just assumed he tossed it into the woods on the way home.”
Thane stares at the mug while he chews on his bottom lip.
I lean back against the counter, watching him. “You know, I just realized you and I have something weird in common. We were both saved by Ezra. I’m not even sure what that means. Are we trauma-bonded through a six-foot-nine emotionally stunted asshole? Do we suffer from a shared savior complex? Either way, we both owe him our lives.
“He cares more than you think, Thane. Especially about you. Don’t get me wrong. He’s a pretentious prick who’d rather gouge his eyes out than say the words, but he cares. Just … in ways that make you question your sanity.”
“I’ve known Ezra almost five years,” Thane murmurs, “and still feel like he keeps me at arm’s length. You’ve known him a week, and he actually lets you in. How the hell did you pull that off?”
“Oh, ya know. I screamed at him, pushed him, threatened him, taunted him. Standard stuff. But … sometimes the pull’s just too strong to fight.”
“Fascinating. Exactly what I hoped for.”
Without another word, Thane walks away to join the two manic-pixie dream girls in the living room.
What an odd thing to say.
Hoped for?
