“Sadly, yes.”
“And Stark too?”
“Uh-huh. I know, disgustingly macho, right?”
“Well, I wasn’t going to say it, but...”
“But my name sweats testosterone.”
“I was kind of hoping it was secretly Norman.”
“Oh yeah, I like that. Norman...Norman Dweezel.”
She laughed the second he’d said it, but immediately wished she hadn’t. It came out as bad as his. It sounded all weird—as if she hadn’t used it in a thousand years. Even he looked surprised to hear it, and he’d never heard the laugh she’d had before.
The lighter one. The one that didn’t stink of rust.
“Maybeyouneed the cup of tea.”
“I know that was awful—sorry.”
“Was that a laugh? Or were you clearing your throat?”
“I’m going to say throat clearing. Dweezel was funny, but not enough to get me.”
“No? Then whatwouldget you?”
Something happened when he said it—a kind of shiver over her skin. But then she shook herself and it flitted away. He didn’t meanget you, get you. He wasn’t going to chase her through the house in the dark with big monster arms.
And she wasn’t about to hide in the closet.
“Bernard Horganblaster,” she said, and watched as his eyes slowly drifted closed. It was in the good way though, this time. The way that reminded her of blissful things, like biting into a bar of chocolate after a long period of near starvation.
“Oh yeah. I could be a Bernard.”
“And your friends call you Bernie.”
He gave her two gleeful, triumphant fists.
“Yes! Yes, exactly that. I have friends just like you, and you call me Bernie.”
“So you’re after some weirdoes, then.”
“I was thinking more of the kindness, and the decency.”
Something twanged inside her when he said it—something big enough that it kind of stopped her breath a bit. Was he actually suggesting that he didn’t have any kind and decent friends? And more importantly, did he honestly thinkthiswas the standard for kind and decent? She’d barely done anything.
She was still barely doing anything.
“You’re not falling asleep again, are you?”
“I’m absolutely not. I think it would be impossible to, while trapped inside this medieval torture device. Or as it probably looks to you—this ‘jacket’.”
“Well, since I’m so kind and decent, I could probably help you out.”
“Are you also super strong? Because I think I’m welded into it.”
She couldn’t help giggling. “Has it shrunk?”
