Page 10 of We Are Just Us

Rory caught the look and dropped his eyes to his drink. Then he said, “You want to sit? I’m having a working lunch instead of staring at four walls.”

Kieran hesitated. “Are you gonna roast my sandals again?”

“No promises.”

Kieran sat anyway.

They sat in silence for the first minute. Kieran stirred his coffee like it held answers. Rory scrolled through his phone, sunglasses back on, unreadable again.

The patio buzzed with afternoon life—dogs panting, ceramic mugs clinking, a woman laughing too loudly at her toddler. Kieran tried not to stare at Rory but failed in five-second intervals.

Kieran took too big a sip and nearly gave himself a brain freeze.

“So,” Rory said finally, not looking up. “How long are you in town for?”

“Here for now.”

“Oh.”

Kieran waited for a follow-up. Anything.

Instead, Rory drank from his thermos and went back to typing.

“You’re really good at this,” Kieran said.

Rory’s fingers paused on the keyboard. “At what?”

“Conversation.”

“I’m working.”

“Right. And I’m drinking.” Kieran held up his cup. “Multitasking.”

Rory’s mouth twitched. Almost a smile. “I don’t do small talk.”

“What about medium talk?”

“What’s medium talk?”

“I don’t know. I made it up.” Kieran took another sip. “Seems like it’d be easier than big talk, though.”

Rory looked at him then. Just for a second. “You’re weird.”

“I prefer charming,” Kieran responded, slightly offended.

“I’m sure you do. Sacramento energy for sure.”

Kieran grinned. He couldn’t help it. This was dangerously close to banter. Maybe even progress.

Rory went back to his screen, but his posture had shifted. Less rigid. Maybe Kieran’s presence wasn’t painful anymore.

Kieran picked at a hangnail, watching Rory’s face tighten as he scrolled. “Bad day at work?”

“Every day’s a bad day at work lately.”

“What do you do?”

“Historic preservation,” Rory said, the words bitter in his mouth. “Or I try to. Mostly, I write reports, attend neighborhood meetings, and sit through hours-long city council meetings. All so developers can ignore me.”