Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 72362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
“No. Not really.”
He doesn’t press for more. Which makes me want to give it.
“Mom got called into work one night,” I say. “Half of the staff at the restaurant was off sick with the flu. The neighbor who usually kept an eye on me was away. But I was thirteen. Old enough to stay on my own.”
His gaze shifts from the sea to me.
“This huge monster of a storm rolled in, and we lost power. The whole neighborhood was out. No sign of life for miles. I was sitting alone in the dark for hours with this thing raging. It sounded like the world was ending.”
“That would have been enough to freak me out at that age.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “It was just me and this celebrity prayer candle.”
His gaze narrows on me. “Celebrity prayer candle?”
“You know, those faux religious ones inside a glass tube with a sticker on the outside of someone dressed as Jesus. Mom’s friend bought it as a joke. But it was the only candle I could find.”
“Which celebrity was on the candle?”
“Jack Black.”
“And did you pray to him?”
“No, Connor. I did not. Do you think it would have helped?”
His mouth kicks up on one side. “Guess we’ll never know.”
“I probably would have been okay if I hadn’t watched a movie Mom had said was too scary. But she was out, and all my friends had seen it, so…”
“Which one?”
“Paranormal Activity,” I say. “Scared the absolute crap out of me. I kept thinking something was standing beside my bed watching me. Hardly slept for a week.”
Laugh lines crinkle the corner of his eyes.
“I don’t usually tell people that story,” I say. “It’s embarrassing.”
“Everyone’s scared of something.”
“What are you afraid of?”
Without missing a beat, he says, “Women with blue hair.”
“We are fearsome. Though writers in general are way scarier.”
“Why is that?”
“Research. We know shit.” I turn to face him and lean my shoulder against the wall. “For instance, are you aware that an exposed human body can be reduced to bone in as little as ten days?”
“No,” he says slowly.
“Deterioration is up to four times faster in the water. But you must remember to weigh it down. Bodies don’t float at first, but gases from deterioration build up inside and they rise to the surface. Would you like to hear about dissolving bodies with acid and other solvents?”
“Not really.” His forehead is a mess of furrows. “You’re terrifying. Why do you know these things? Are you a serial killer?”
“A character in one of my books was a true crime aficionado.”
He shakes his head in wonder. “Thank you for trusting me with your story about the storm. Your secret’s safe with me, Riley. But I mean it when I say you better not be a serial killer. I’ll be so pissed if you’re lying to me.”
“Like I even have the energy for that sort of thing.”
Standing side by side with him at the window watching the storm makes me feel safer. My childhood fears are pacified. For now. Though we’ll see how long it lasts.
“You’re staring at my left nipple,” he says out of nowhere.
“Sorry. Would you prefer I stared at the right?”
He shrugs. “I guess either is fine when you put it like that.”
Lightning flashes and I flinch. That was a short reprieve.
“You are safe, Riley. I promise.”
“I want to believe you,” I say. “But my lizard brain says I should probably go hide under the bed.”
“Is there room under there for two?”
My smile fails in all the ways. What I need is something to take my mind off everything. We didn’t talk much earlier. We drank wine, ate pho, and watched the first three episodes of Arcane. A favorite of mine. How he could have missed such a great series is a mystery. But a fine time was had by all. Or it seemed to be. It’s hard to tell with his trick of withdrawing into himself and disappearing in plain sight. He seems much more open and present now.
Which makes it an opportune moment to pry. “Can I ask you a question?”
“What?”
“You kept frowning at Nicole’s choice of songs at the party. Were you not vibing with them? I mean, you obviously weren’t. But what exactly was that about if you don’t mind me asking?”
His eyebrows descend, and his jaw tightens.
I am the ultimate mood killer. Just watch me go. “Tell me and I’ll let you have half of the bed. Or you can keep sleeping on the floor. Your choice.”
“You’re so mean.”
“I am curious too. Take it as a compliment.”
He sighs. “The floor is really hard, and I am actually quite delicate.”
“I’ve heard that about you. I believe fragile was the word they used.”
“Wouldn’t it be weird, us sharing a bed?”
“No.” I shrug. “I mean, nothing’s going to happen. We’re just friends.”
He looks at me and I look at him and this goes on for a while. But eventually, he says, “Okay.”