Nothingandnada,my ass.
“She’s not going anywhere until she’s better,” I cut in. “You want a drink, Mom?”
I love her. Very,verymuch. More than anyone, but right now, I want to hand her a coffee-to-go and lock the door behind her. I’m shit out of luck, though. She stays for over an hour and swoons when I check Thalia’s fever, keeping a few choice words unspoken when the screen flashes red.
FIFTEEN
Thalia
THE SUMMER MONTHS ARE WILD in Newport Beach.
I work seven days a week, juggling Country Club and waitressing. I also cover for other cart girls whenever Jared asks. I’m weaselling my way back into his good graces after I spent four days recovering from the worst case of flu two weeks ago. Theo took time off work to take care of me, made sure I took the pills on time and spoiled me rotten with takeout food, sweets, and cuddles. He slept in my bed three nights in a row, arguing it was safer that way.
I didn’t protest. I loved having him close.
Too bad I had to get better at some point. I’d stay sick for a bit longer if I had any control over my well-being.
Maybe longer than a little while.
We’re both catching up on work now, so I only see him between jobs. He’s asleep when I come home from waitressing gigs, usually too tired to undress, and he’s still sleeping when I rise at five in the morning.
I’m tired, so I decided not to work at any parties on Fridays and Saturdays for now. Everyone needs to rest sometimes.
Theo’s not home when I enter the condo on Friday afternoon, but Ares greets me in the hallway, begging for cuddles. I give him a handful of treats and fill his bowls with fresh water and food. The door opens again within minutes. Ares bolts out of the kitchen to greet Theo.
“Hey.” He walks in with a case of beer in one hand and two boxes of pizza in the other.
“Hey.” I lean out when he comes closer to kiss my cheek. “Are your brothers coming over?”
“No. You’re not cooking tonight. You’ve not had a day off since you were ill. Ask how much you owe me for the pizza, and I’ll cover your pretty face with a pillow while you sleep and watch you take your last breath.”
I elbow his ribs. “That’s very descriptive. If you expect me to say,oh, that’s so unnecessary, you know I don’t mind cooking, don’t hold your breath.” I pop the caps on two beers before we sit down and dig in. “Thank you. I needed a night off. I thought I could do this, but I underestimated the amount of sleep my body needs.”
“I keep telling you to stop waitressing. I know you want to rent a place, but there’s no rush for you to move out of here.”
Oh, if he only knew that I’ve had enough money saved to rent a small studio flat for a while now. I’m not in a rush to move out of here, even though I probably should leave. My feelings for Theo are getting out of control, and he’s still keeping me at arm’s length.
“I want you to come with me to theUnexpected Truthparty at Nico’s tomorrow.”
“We talked about this. I work on Sunday, and the party probably won’t end until early morning. I’m too tired to skip sleep again.”
“Actually, you’re not working on Sunday. I asked Jared to give you a day off. Don’t get mad, okay? I just think you could use a night to relax and unwind and—”
“He agreed to give me a day off?” I cut in, my eyebrows knotting in the middle. “I asked him about it last week, and he said there’s no way. How did you do it?”
Theo shrugs, visibly relieved that I’m not mad. TheUnexpected Truthparty sounds exciting, and since arriving in America, I’ve not had time for fun other than the night I met Theo.
“I’m very convincing.”
“Clearly. Thank you.”
The smile on his face turns my blood into soda water. Living with him is getting more complicated every day. He’s on my mind twenty-four-seven, and I catch myself imagining his hands and lips on me before I fall asleep, missing the warmth of his body.
“Oh crap!” I drop the pizza slice back in the box. “I don’t think I have a white dress or even a blouse to wear. Are any boutiques open at this time?”
“I’ve got you covered.” He disappears into his room and returns with a white, ruched mini dress. “I asked Shawn and Jack to pick an outfit for you.”
“Do they think I’ve shrunk in the last two weeks?” I check the label. “It says size six but looks like a two.” I tug on both sides to check if the fabric stretches. “Maybe it’ll fit.”