Corvin turned to Theo.“I like it here.Why’re you only bringing me now?”
Theo sighed.
“I’m taking this as a yes on the milk.Theo?”Celeste said.
“Yes, please.And sorry to barge in on you.I didn’t even think.”
She tsked as she moved around the kitchen, getting glasses out of a cabinet and a large pitcher of creamy milk out of the fridge.She put dates in there sometimes to give it a hint of sweetness.She’d told him that when he’d first come here, and he realized he’d missed that almond milk.He’d missed Celeste too.
“Don’t you worry about that.You’re always welcome here, especially if you need to talk about Peter.Can I ask, how do you two know each other?”
That was when Theo remembered the rules of the Boudoir, which was more than used to catering to the not-quite-human crowd.But you had to be careful who you told about vampires and such, and you definitely shouldn’t just bring someone along who didn’t know already.
“His fiancé works for Peter.He’s a siren.”
Corvin nodded.“Right, and a pretty good cook.I think I might have to tell him about how much I like cookies though, depending on how this goes.”
Celeste poured them their milk and pushed the cookies just a little closer to Corvin.“Go right ahead, then.”She looked at Theo.“You too.You know what I always say about sugar before bad news.”
“It’s not really bad news.”Theo took a cookie and bit into it.
It was fresh and perfectly balanced chewiness with crunch, and Theo realized he’d missed this as well.It’s not been that long.A few months?But then the semester started, and I just never really had the time.I should’ve stopped by though, after everything Celeste did for me.
“Oh my gods, these’re like…these’re so good,” Corvin said with his mouth full.
Celeste smiled.“Would you like me to write out the recipe for you to take home to your siren?”
He nodded.“I’ll tell him I gave up an afternoon of reading for these.He’ll get it.”He motioned at Theo.“I work at the university library, you know.We hang out and gossip there sometimes.”
Celeste chuckled, her eyes warming when she looked at Theo.“Glad you’re making friends.”
“Hmm.”
She cocked her head.“Is it truly that bad?What happened?”
Theo sighed.“Nothing reallyhappened.I mean, it’s just… Here, let me show you.”He pulled out his wallet, picked out the credit card Peter insisted he have on him at all times, and let it clatter to the table.“This doesn’t have a limit.Or it has a ridiculously high limit, I don’t even know.He’s just been telling me to use it for whatever I please.He also keeps cash in the house—like, a lot—and he keeps asking me whether I have cash on me, and then he tells me to take some.Then there was the thing with the chef that I told you about.And when we watch a movie together in the basement, he makes popcorn and gets me whatever snack I want, and—I don’t get to doanything, you know?Like, I feel like he would tie my laces if I asked for it.And when I study, he checks in on me to make sure I hydrate.He drives me to campus, and I think if I called him in the middle of the day, he’d drop everything and come to me.Probably to tie my laces if I asked nicely.”
Theo rubbed his eyes, feeling the relief of telling someone, of being able to talk about this.
Corvin nodded.“I don’t see where the problem is, but do you need a contract?Just something that makes living together easier?Mike can do that for you.I bet he’d be happy to.”
Theo looked at him.“Wehavea contract.The other day, he said we had to amend it.Because I moved in, pretty much, and it says that while I get my degree, in order to make sure I’m healthy and not stressed, Peter is going to cover all expenses and will provide me with a stipend.”He picked up the credit card.“That’s how he got me to take this.I didn’t see it coming.He tricked me into it.”
Corvin nodded.“Right.Hmm.Maybe I need a contract.All I got when I moved in with Pineapple Mike was a library.”
“That’s pretty good,” Celeste said.
Corvin smiled that sappy sweet smile that Theo knew had to do with how much he loved Mike.“He surprised me with it and everything.And before, he kept saying how we’d have to put some of my books in the basement, you know?He completely fooled me.”
“Sounds like you chose well.Now, Theo, I think I see the problem.You’ve always earned your own money, right?”
Theo nodded.“Only—except for—you know.Right before I came here.”
“Yes, of course.Sorry.Is this about not wanting to behave like a gold-digger or about feeling like you’re not pulling your weight?”
Theo relaxed.How does she just get it without fail?“Both?A little bit of both.”
She nodded.“I’m assuming you don’t want to end things with Peter or put any distance between him and you?”
