Page 14 of Lethal Weakness

“No, not really.”

She blinks at me while she hangs on the not-so-sturdy fence.

“A dinosaur would eat a steak. We wouldn’t eat a dinosaur.”

“Ohh.”

I plate the first ribeye, and she watches closely.

“Do you want one?”

“Dinosaur food?”

“Yes.”

“Otay.” She surprises me by ducking under the portion of missing chain link and skipping towards me. Shit.

I didn’t mean to invite her onto my property. Not only will her mother panic, but I also don’t like setting a precedent that anyone is allowed over here.

I stab a fork into the meat and hand it to her. “Take it back over to your yard.”

“Why?”

“Because your mom will worry.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m a stranger.”

“Why?”

A grumble erupts from my chest, but she doesn’t react at all.

“Avery?” Linden’s voice calls from her back door. “Avery!”

She’s down her back steps with her head on a swivel, spotting her daughter within seconds. “What are you doing?” She screeches, beckoning her daughter back over.

“Mr. Jack has dinosaur food!” She holds up her giant cut of steak that has the tiniest little bite marks taken out of it.

Linden freezes, staring at her daughter and then glancing at me.

“She wanted some.” It’s the only thing I can think to say.

“You let her have a whole steak?”

I shrug. I never thought to ask if that was okay. Maybe kids can’t eat bone-in steak…

“Want some, Mommy?” Avery asks, joining her mother on their side of the fence with a bite full in her mouth.

“No.” She clears her throat. “No, thank you.”

She bends down to her daughter’s level, whispering something to her and shooing her away. Avery runs straight to their back door and disappears inside.

“How does my daughter know your name?”

“She asked what it was.”

“When?”