Page 9 of A Sublime Casualt
“Don’t tell.” His elbow taps mine.
“Oh, I won’t, but I guess that makes me an accomplice.”
“A girl who’s familiar with the law. Now that’s refreshing.”
Another laugh filters from me, and this time Gabby motions for me to keep it down.
“Sorry,” I mouth. “Is that how you prefer your women? Legally challenged?”
His eyes close briefly, his own chest rumbling with a laugh. I think it’s clear he’s taking this whole I’m-burning-in-hell thing in stride. No one could believe it. Gabby lost a whole day at school for nothing but her own ripe anger. It’s clear this Miles person is a psychotic ass starving for attention. A dark thought comes to me.
“Hey, do you think Miles had anything to do with your sister’s disappearance?”
His brows pitch. The look on his face reads morehow dare youand less anything to do with the aforementioned psychotic ex.
“I mean, he was dating her at the time. I just thought…” My body flashes with heat. Truly my vocal cords know no bounds. I’ll need to dig that needle and thread out of Gabby’s junk drawer and sew my mouth closed.
“He was cleared.” He smacks his lips as if closing off other thoughts from barreling out.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go there with you. Really, it’s none of my business. It’s just this thing that Gabby shared—”
“Please don’t apologize.” His chest inches closer to mine. The warmth of his body radiates from him, and it feels safe, divine. “In fact, if you’re interested, I’ll take you to dinner. I’d gladly go over what we do know, which isn’t much. I try not to bring it up because I figure most people don’t want to talk about it. It’s sort of a downer. I get it.”
“Not at all.” A spike of adrenaline spears through me, making me feel hot and alive with every nerve at rapt attention. “Dinner sounds great. Anytime.” I grip the tips of his warm, thick fingers discretely in the event Gabby’s prying eyes meander this way. “I know how it feels to be isolated and alone. I want to be there for you.” And surprisingly, I mean every word.
“Thank you.” He wraps an arm around my shoulders for a moment as we make our way back to the nerve center of hostility. I pour them each a cup of coffee, bring them their orders, and all the while steal glances at Theo. Now this, right here, is a surprising twist in the fictional narrative that my life has become. I have never known romantic love, never felt the need. But this day, this season of my life, feels ripe for something so noble and majestic, something more than a dirty quickie, something more than anything that I’ve ever known. Theo is filling something inside of me. Some unknowingly deep crater that was there long before I ever pulled the trigger. One that my brother and sister can never fill completely. Theo is bridging the gap between the real me and this work of fiction I’m living as. I wonder how long this feeling can last before the bridge collapses and incinerates in that bed of lava that’s been eating up my life from the beginning? I give it less than a year.
No sooner do I collect the half-eaten plates, the discarded napkins and utensils, than a tall man, beefy, strong jaw, dark eyes comes in and offers an affable smile my way. There’s a familiarity about him, most likely a nameless customer I’ve served before, but something more, something that stirs my stomach acids, and don’t know why.
“Neil,” Theo calls from the holy huddle that’s been in play over the last hour. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”
My cheeks burn. Is that me? I glance to Gabby, and she bites down over her lips mischievously as if it means something, and that action alone sets my anxiety skyrocketing.Get a grip, I tell myself. This means nothing.
Neil speeds over, a friendly smile taking over his face. He’s classically handsome, hard cut cheekbones, wide eyes, open face that you could trust in a dark alley. There’s a light in him that spears through his eyes as if he’s harboring enough joy for everyone in the room.
“This is the waitress I was telling you about.” Theo lifts a telling hand my way.
The waitress. Men have had a way of reducing women to the lowest common denominator for centuries. I’m not sure why this surprises me. What else did I expect to be?
Theo grimaces briefly as he inspects me. It’s clear my own hardened facial expression clued him in.
“My friend, Charlie Neville.”
Crap. I exhale with a smile, trying to take it in stride. A year and counting in hiding, and now I am dancing in the flames of the Wakefield PD, with the lead detective no less.
“So nice to meet you.” I hold out my hand, doing my best impersonation of Gabby. Whenever I need to emulate a normal, bubbly coed, I always gravitate to my new best friend. She’s been an unknowing teacher in the field of human interface. It’s not that I have zero personality on my own as much as it is that most people wouldn’t know what to do with me. Sometimes the truth is a stained bloody coat that makes the rest of the world uncomfortable. There’s no reason to pull off the mask in Wakefield. For God’s sake, not with these people. I can feel my fight-or-flight kicking in, and the urge to run is as real as my urge to take my next breath. If I’m smart, I’ll pack up and leave tonight. Start all over somewhere else. There is no reason for me to stay in Wakefield. Not one. My heart thuds as I glance at Theo, but Neil shakes my hand, warm, slightly aggressive, too happy in my opinion.
“Super nice to meet you, Charlie Neville.” He tips his head thoughtfully. His hair is shorn tight with waves, and it reminds me of a sheep. A black sheep. But those eyes, the way they drill into me feels intimate and makes me want to look away. Bullshit rule number seven hundred: Never break eye contact or they will see right through you. They cannot see your heart palpitating like a dying jackrabbit, but they can read your body like a cheap dime store novel. His thumb rubs against my wrist just before he pulls away, and his lips twist as if that single action let him in on all my secrets. “I pop in here every now and again. I’ve seen you around. You’re pretty new to Wakefield, right?”
My ears drum with their own heartbeat. “Pretty new. But I’ve been here for over a year. I guess in a town like Wakefield, where everyone knows everyone, I’ll be pretty new for the next twenty years.”
Gabby belts out a laugh. “Ain't that the truth, sister.” She high-fives me before looking to him. “This is my roommate, Neil. She’s the smartest person I know. I swear, if you ever get stumped, she’s the person to call. I tell her at least twice a week that she belongs onJeopardy. Isn’t that right?”
“It’s true.” I’m reluctant to take Gabby’s praise any day of the week, but here in front of this highly decorated and well-armed crowd, it’s more than just embarrassing. It feels downright lethal.
Fiona smirks. “If you’re really smart, you’ll stay away from this turkey.” She ribs Theo as a titter of laughter circles our group. “I’m teasing. He’s a good one. One of the best guys I know.”
“A totally nice guy.” I shoot a quick glance to Gabby who nods in agreement.