Page 16 of The Fire

“No,” Ev sighed. Then he admitted, “Okay, possibly. I’m looking for distraction.”

“Why? Everything okay with you and Si?”

Everett had been happily shacked up with his boyfriend, Silas Sloane, one of O’Leary’s finest, for a few months, and they’d always seemed happy together—disgustingly, irritatingly in love, finishing each other’s sentences and giving each other looks hot enough to make me worry that spontaneous combustion might occur—but I figured it was only a matter of time before things went south. Love that burned that hot didn’t last.Couldn’t, in fact.

“Everything’s fine,” Ev said, sounding confused. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“No reason.” Unlike Everett,Ididn’t like to give my friends shit over their romantic choices. “Just figured you usually paint something when you need distraction, or you get Si to, you know,distractyou.” I tucked my tongue into my cheek. “Did you fuck him into a coma already, Ev? It’s not even eight o’clock. What will the neighbors say?”

“Same thing they usually say. ‘Thanks for the show, boys. Same time tomorrow night?’”

I snorted.

“Nah, Si got called in. It’s all hands on deck down at the station, coordinating with the OEM, getting their ducks in a row. They’re gonna be opening an emergency shelter tonight at Garnett.”

I frowned. “At the elementary school? Why?”

“Because it’s a good, central location, and they have a generator.”

“A generator?”

“For the snow storm, Jamie.” Theduhwas unspoken but very much there. “We’re gonna get seventy billion feet and almost definitely lose power. Don’t tell me you’ve missed the weather when literally everyone has talked about it incessantly for a week?”

“Yeah, of course I heard, but I thought it was coming later. Tomorrow, maybe. Or the next day.” I leaned forward, searching the sky for flakes. “You sure it’s tonight?”

“Very sure. Forecast changed, and thestorm of the century’s starting any minute now.” He paused. “You notice how they call every storm the storm of the century? Why is that?”

I laughed. “Dude. Who knows?”

“I personally think the weather people have a collaboration with the egg and dairy farmers of America to get us to stock up.”

“A French toast conspiracy. Sounds legit. Note to self: Get Everett a tinfoil hat for his birthday.”

“You’re a fool if you think I don’t already haveseveral,” Ev deadpanned, and I laughed again, despite myself.

“Anyway,” he said. “They’ve already cancelled school tomorrow, making this a three-day weekend for O’Leary’s hardworking educatorsincluding yours truly. And no way will you be opening the diner in the morning. State of emergency, starting at midnight.” He huffed out a laugh. “I swear, Silas hasn’t looked this happy since the day I agreed to move in with him. The manlovesa good state of emergency.”

“But that means you’re all alone?” I frowned at the thermostat on the dashboard that said the temperature was well below freezing already.

“Yeah. Just me and this motherfucking painting that will never, never, never be done because I can’t fucking figure out what’s missing.” He sighed.

“You could start over,” I suggested.

“And waste all this work?”

“Or keep going, see if it works out.”

“And put more work into it, when I’m doomed to failure?”

“Ah. Now I understand.” Ev did the tortured artist thing so well. “So, why don’t you come over to my place? I’ve got a generator and a fridge full of food. Not a single piece of decent artwork in sight to taunt you.”

“Please. Your whole house is like a still life.Sorry,” he said immediately. “Sorry. That was shitty. But it goes to show the kind of headspace I’m in. Probably best if I stay home. Otherwise I’ll be tempted to drop little tidbits of Brian-related wisdom on you all night.”

I rolled my eyes. “I wish you’d just try to like him.”

“I think you try hard enough for both of us,” Ev said dryly. “Besides, I don’tdislike him. Brian might be a lovely person. I barely know the guy. Maybe he’d be a brilliant boyfriend for someone else. But for you? Eh. He’s parsley.”

“Parsley. Like the herb? I think you’ve been breathing in paint fumes too long.”