Page 58 of A Stealthy Situation

Harrison takes my hand and grabs his bag, leading me into the greenhouse.

I hate holding hands.

I don’t know why we’re even doing it, but it doesn’t occur to me once to let go.

17

HARRISON

“Rich has been causing me a world of headaches these last few weeks,” I tell Benny. “Keeps getting sick, the poor thing, but I think we’ve gotten it under control.”

“I’m sure that’s a huge relief.” His voice is dry.

“You being punny?”

“What?”

“You know, re-leaf. Relief.”

He blinks up at me like I’ve lost my mind. “No.”

“Well, that’s lucky. We don’t need me accidentally falling in love with you.”

That breaks through some of his guardedness. It’s bonkers to me that we could have sex, and now he’s turned all … weird. But maybe he’s still processing the straight but not-quite-straight aspect of our friendship, so I’m okay to give him time with it.

“That one’s Stacy. She’s the fire lily I told you about. We love her, and she’s been such a good girl with growing big and strong this year.”

To his credit, he leans in like he’s interested. “This is the one that can kill me, right?”

“She is poisonous, yes.”

“Cool. It looks like fire.”

“She does. It’s where she got her name from.”

He gives me a sly smile. “Cute how much you love them.”

“No reason not to. We owe a lot to the environment.”

“It’s just … no offense, and this is so not directed at you, but learning about grass and rocks and things is just …”

“Boring?” I say it so he doesn’t have to. It doesn’t stop him looking guilty though. “I know. I mean, it isn’t to me—I really don’t understand how people don’t find it fascinating and awe-inspiring. But I know that most people think trees are boring, and there’s the whole tree-hugger stereotype of the dirty, smelly hippy. I’m not any of those things. I just come at it from the viewpoint of if we look after the environment, it’ll keep on looking after us.”

“But you’re not an animal person?”

I shrug. “It’s not that I don’t like them. They just get enough attention, and it makes me a bit shitty. No point saving all the animals if they run out of things to eat.”

“That’s true.” He squints his eyes and tilts his head to the side. “I just don’t see that opinion ever changing.”

“Well, that’s what I’m working on.” I plant my hands on my hips, that familiar fire of indignation burning in my gut. “I’m going to do it. I just need to work out how. And I will work out how.”

“You don’t let anything stop you, do you?”

It’s not really a compliment, but it gives me a boost anyway. “Things don’t have to be complicated. A problem to be solved, sure, but it can be solved. Everything can.”

Not looking at me, Benny steps closer. He hesitantly wraps his arm around me and headbutts my shoulder. “You’re so positive.”

“Determined.”

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