“Well, he’s not a service animal in any, you know, official way.He’s not trained, he’s not registered, we don’t have any documentation—”
“Oh my God, Tean, he can hear you!”
“Plus I think he gives himself away when he keeps trying to climb up on everyone’s lap.”
“He’s checking on them.He’s making sure they’re not choking.Besides, that manager is such a dick.We’re going to sue him.”
Tean’s laughter lasted longer this time.He rubbed his eyes.He wondered why he felt like he was about to start crying again.
“You left pretty early today,” Jem said.
“Work.”
“Everything okay?”
“I don’t know.Yes.I guess.It’s just a lot of bullshit.”
“Swear jar,” Jem said.But he waited a beat before he said, “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, it’s fine.”Tean let out a slow breath.“I was really scared last night.And I’m not happy about how I acted.”
“You were upset.It’s okay.”
“It’s not okay.I just—Jem, I would have gone with you.I want to be with you if you’re going to do something that might be dangerous.It doesn’t matter if I’m asleep.”
“I know.”
“I know you know.I just—I just want you to hear me say it, I guess.That no matter what’s going on, I want to be there with you.When I woke up and I didn’t know where you were—”
He stopped because he didn’t know how to finish that sentence.
Jem finally spoke into the silence, his voice small.“I didn’t really think about it, I guess.You know I do that sometimes.”
Tean wasn’t sure about that, but he was slowly learning that maybe this kind of conversation wasn’t the time to press the point.
“I’m sorry I scared you,” Jem said.“And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what I was doing.”
“I’m sorry I was an asshole.”
“Double swear jar!And you owe Scipio five belly rubs.”
Tean smiled against the phone.
“So,” Jem said, “I might have been doing some, uh, networking—”
“Jem.”
“Just a few phone calls!And Daniel is still in the hospital down in Provo.”When Tean didn’t say anything, Jem said, “Tean, he had Brennon’s phone.And someone tried to kill him.There’s no way that’s a coincidence.”
A steady thudding started in Tean’s head.He rubbed one eye.“I don’t know.I think maybe we should stop.I shouldn’t have gotten us involved in the first place.Jem, you got hurt last night.You could have been—” His throat closed around the word he couldn’t say.“That’s my fault.I made a mistake, and I should have listened to you from the beginning.”
“God, I get such a boner when you tell me I’m right.”
“Jem!”Tean was laughing as he said it, but he also glanced around—he was alone in his office, sure, but there was still that sense thatsomeonemight have overheard.
“Come home.I love you, and I hate when we fight, and I want to do lots of naughty stuff to your body.”
“I love you too.”