Ben bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself in check. “Always?”
“Yes,” Alexei said emphatically. “A fox made sense. Most of the things Alina made up weren’t even native to the Northwest, or any other reasonably similar woodland habitat. How could you be a jellyfish in a forest? I swear she did it just to frustrate me.”
Alexei sounded frustrated even as he was saying this. But he was still smiling. It seemed almost like Alexei was struggling not to laugh at himself. Ben wanted to hear Alexei laugh, real and loud. He’d laughed a few times these last few days, always soft little chuckles, but Ben wanted to hear Alexei unrestrained. He wanted to reach up and discover how Alexei’s beard would feel against his palm. He wanted to run his thumb down the line that formed in the very center of Alexei’s forehead when he was uncomfortable. Wanted to stick his hands fully into that wheat blond hair, growing a bit shaggier by the day, that shone in the desert sun.
But that was not why Ben was here.
“Thanks for telling me that, Lex,” he managed.
They stepped inside the restaurant, into the comforting blast of AC.
“AC,” Alexei said. Ben’s shoulders relaxed.
“AC,” he agreed. “I’m going to hit the bathroom. You can go ahead and order. I’ll be out in a minute.”
Alexei nodded, moving to study the menu.
Ben took a deep breath before retreating to the restroom, where he could splash his face with beautifully cold water from a beautifully human-made tap.
***
They were almost finished with their meal when Delilah popped onto Ben’s phone.
“Oh my God,” he said, almost yanking it out of the wall where it was plugged in. He brought the screen all the way up to his face so he could take in her soulful brown eyes, her slobbery Rottweiler smile.
She misses you!Ma had texted.
“Everything okay?” Alexei asked.
“Yes,” Ben answered. “My dog is still cute. Everything is fantastic.”
Alexei smiled at the last of his fries.
“Do you mind, actually, if I call my mom before we go? I can step outside, if it makes you uncomfortable.”
Alexei shook his head.
“Please, go ahead. Talk as long as you want.”
Ben hesitated before he pressed Call. He thought about Jasmyn, shouting about calling your folks back in her car. How it must have made Alexei feel. He should step outside.
But…the AC in herewaspretty spectacular.
She picked up on the second ring.
“Bento!”
“Ma.”
“Meu Deus, is it wonderful to hear your voice. Where are you? Are you safe?”
“Yes, I’m safe. Currently, I am in a Burger King. In…”Was Cabazon a town? All he could see out the window were the dinosaurs and billboards along the highway. “Down the road from Palm Springs.”
“Ooh, fancy! Take pictures of celebrities!”
“We are not actuallyinPalm Springs. We are in a Burger King.”
“Still closer than I’ve ever been to Palm Springs.”
