All the humor leaves his face. “Fuck. Not really.”
“Friends don't keep secrets, Ellis,” I say in a singsong voice.
“Holy shit. I'm gonna regret this, aren't I?”
I shrug and give him my most innocent smile. “Maybe.” I shrug. “Maybe not. Only time will tell.”
“Oh, I don’t need time. I’m absolutely already regretting this.”
“First of all, that’s rude.” I cross my arms. “And don’t think for one minute you’re off the hook about a French toast explanation. In fact, you can tell me while you put Fefe’s cage back together.”
He hesitates as he reaches up and squeezes the back of his neck. “It’s nothing. Atlas was on a tear and blew it out of proportion.”
I can’t explain how, but I know he’s lying. “How can French toast be blown out of proportion?”
“Hell if I know. It’s something my dad taught me to make. Maybe he’s reading into it?”
I ponder that information, and while something still feels off, I get that Atlas’s relationship with his dad is beyond fucked up. So, I’ll let it go... for now. “Fair enough.”
“Tell you what, why don’t you take a minute and get settled in while I reassemble the cage. Sound good?”
“Um, sure.” I sit on the edge of the bed. What it really sounds like is he wants to get away from me, but I’m not going to press the issue. “Thanks, for you know, everything.”
He reaches out, as if he’s going to touch me, but then drops his hand. “Any time. Holler if you need me.”
TWENTY-TWO
ELLIS
I fucking lied to her.Straight to her face. Right after declaring she was my friend.But it wasn't really a lie, was it?I try reasoning with myself.It was more of a half-truth.
And it's not like me making her French toast really means anything. Sure, it meant something for my dad and his dad before him. But not for me. I just wanted fucking French toast, so sue me. Not to mention, it was actually her choice, not mine.
I slake off the lingering guilt and divert all of my focus on reassembling the giant pink metal monstrosity that will soon reside in my living room.
God, how is this even my life?
I went from a bachelor without a care to having Scarlet and her fucking ferret sharing my space. Stranger still, I'm not even upset about it.
“Fucking hell, get it together, man,” I mutter to myself as I lay out all the parts. Thankfully, it's pretty straightforward and goes back together quickly.
If I move my Ti plant to the right of the couch, it will fit perfectly in front of the built-in bookshelves. Almost like it was meant to be there.
What the fuck has gotten into me?
I blink, as if that alone can clear away the strange thoughts tumbling through me, before sinking down onto the couch. I pinch my eyes closed and exhale deeply as I try to will away all of the weirdness clinging to me.
I must doze off at some point, because the next thing I know, there's little claws digging into my leg as Scarlet whisper-shouts “Fefe, no!”
I glance down only to find her ferret climbing up my leg like it’s a tree. “What the fuck?”
“She's just... interested. I'm sorry.”
“Interested in what?”
Scarlet shrugs as the little fur noodle wriggles its way onto my chest, where she promptly curls into a ball and makes herself right at home.
“All of the new smells.” Her lips quiver like she wants to smile but is fighting the urge. “And apparently... you.”