Page 31 of You Chive Me Crazy

She hesitated, her face flushing. “Oh . . .” She handed it to me over the pillow wall, but not before complaining one more time. “This side of the bed totally smells like you now.”

“Well then . . . you’re welcome.”

Chuckling, I plopped back down and read.

When Zoe turned off the light on her side of the bed, I said, “Good night.”

She hesitated, but then finally said, “Good night.”

It made me smile.

I wondered how hard it was for her to say that when I was pretty sure she’d preferred to say, “Go jump in the lake.”

I decided not to read, so she could rest. I turned my phone to vibrate, set the timer for two hours, and clicked off my light.

Two hours later, my phone vibrated.

I clicked on the light, wiped my eyes, peeked over the wall of pillows, and whispered, “Wake up, potatoes au gratin.”

Nothing.

“Sweet potato,” I said, a little louder this time.

Luckily, there was a movement on Zoe’s side of the bed before I worried like I did after her nap.

“What?” she said in a groggy voice.

“Just want to make sure you’re okay,” I said. “What’s your name?”

“Apparently, it’s sweet potato.”

“Your real name?”

She sighed. “Zoe Leilani Bell.”

“Leilani is your middle name?” I asked. “I had no idea.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me. Can I go back to sleep?”

“Almost. I’m still thinking about Leilani. It’s a beautiful name. Hawaiian, right?”

“Yes.”

She sounded coherent, which was a good sign.

“Where are you at this very moment, Zoe Leilani Bell?” I asked.

“Still being held prisoner inside the Love Shack at the Serendipity Inn,” she answered. “Do you need the address or GPS coordinates?”

“Nope. We’re good,” I said. “Okay, one more question. What is the very thin unleavened dough used for making baklava and spanakopita?”

Zoe blinked twice. “I refuse to answer that.”

“You don’t know?”

“You know I know.”

I did, but I loved it when she called me by my last name, Filo.