Page 36 of Fake Out Hearts

Shawn was really the only person I knew in town, other than his network of teammates and TV crew. It strikes me that, for aslong as he and I were together, and for as long as I lived in LA, it never really did feel like home. And it’s crazy because I literally just got here, but as I take another look around the room in Theo’s condo, I already feel better about it than I ever did about LA.

A knock on the bedroom door startles me, and I step back just in time as Theo opens it and pokes his head in. “Sorry to bother you, but I’ve got your bags.”

“Oh, it’s okay, I was just hanging something. Come on in,” I say and step aside to let him wheel my bags through. He puts them on the other side of the room with my boxes, then stands to admire the maple leaf.

“Nice. I like it. Very homey.”

“My mom bought it for me forever ago. I think I’ve had it since I was like ten.”

“If maple leaves could talk, huh?”

“It’s probably best that this one can’t,” I say, and Theo laughs.

“You’re probably right. Are you getting hungry? I was thinking about ordering something. How do you feel about Indian since we didn’t get it the other day?”

I’m not particularly hungry, but I don’t want to be rude and turn him down—especially when he’s trying to make up for missing out the last time. “That sounds amazing.”

“Awesome. I know the perfect place.”

“I take it you order out a lot?”

Theo blushes. “Yeah, but not always. I cook occasionally. I’m sure you saw the dishes in the sink.”

“Occasionally?”

“Yeah, you know, when the mood strikes.”

“So almost never?”

“Okay, you caught me.” He chuckles as he pulls out his phone. “Do you know what you want?”

“Chicken korma,” I answer without a moment’s hesitation.

Theo looks up from his phone to give me that playful grin of his. “Damn, that was fast.”

I shrug. “It’s my favorite dish. Hard to go wrong with it no matter where you order it from.”

“Noted. Want any naan bread to go with it?”

“Garlic, please.”

“That’s my girl.” He taps around on the screen a few more times, then tucks his phone back into his pocket. “Alright, order’s placed. Should be here in about fifteen minutes. Do you want any help with any of this stuff?”

He gestures toward my bags and boxes, but I shake my head.

“I’m okay. There’s nothing heavy or anything in there. Honestly, I’m not really in the mood to go through it all right now anyway. I have the basics in my travel bag, so I’ll probably just dive into this tomorrow.”

“Okay, sounds good. I’ll let you know when the food gets here.” Theo raps his knuckles on the door frame and goes to leave my room, and instead of lingering where I am, I follow him. I can’t hide out in here forever. At some point we’re going to have to get used to sharing a house and being in the same area at the same time, so we might as well rip this awkward bandage off now.

Theo settles his tall frame on the L-shaped couch that angles around the living room and frames the big-screen TV at the center of it. “Make yourself comfortable.”

I sit down on the opposite side of the couch, and he glances over at me, a wry smile curving his lips. “Is it just me, or is this weird?”

“You think?”

We laugh together and Theo shakes his head. “Well, I guess it only has to be as weird as we make it, right?”

“I don’t know how tonotmake this weird.”

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