Page 66 of Even After Sunset

Trudy’s screen door screeches open and Jackie steps outside. Her hair is pulled into a messy bun, except it’s not really long enough to stay tied up, so a bunch of strands have come loose and they fall around her face in a way that, honestly, is kind of hot.

And what the hell is wrong with me that I am even noticing stuff like that aboutJackie fucking Delaney?

I must need a drink even worse than I thought.

“You okay?” she asks, sounding sweet and worried and a little tired.

“I’m fine.”

I hate that I feel so irritated by her concern right now. She hasn’t pried all day, or been condescending or anything. She’s been nothing but nice.

She nods, but her expression doesn’t change. Actually, she looks like she’s going to ask me something else, but instead she just says, “I’m gonna call Richard and Meryl now… you want me to bring the phone out when I’m done? So you can talk to Richard out here?”

What she means is so I can talk to Richard alone. She’s trying to butt out of my business, and still I’m irritated and on edge for no reason at all. I take a puff off the cigarette I just lit, then tap the ashes into the coke can I’ve been using as an ashtray.

“Sure.”

She stands there for another second, watching me. “Okay.”

She offers me a smile, which I reciprocate with a nod. Then she turns and heads back inside. She leaves the main door open, though, so it’s impossible not to overhear her entire conversation through the screen door. Her voice when she talks to her adopted parents is loud and happy. So buoyant, I bet it could actually float.

She talks with them for about twenty minutes, and then she appears in the doorway again. This time, she walks right over to the picnic table and extends the phone to me. She looks so alive right now: her eyes round and bright with happiness. It makes me ache andgoddammit;I have no idea why. I avert my gaze so I don’t have to deal with it. Because even though I can’t handle that look on her face, I also don’t want to be the one to wipe it away this time.

“Here,” she says, handing me her phone. “It’s Richard.”

Like there might be someone else calling me on her cell.

I take it, jaw clenched and eyes focused on the forest of trees beyond the clearing, even though I know hereyes are still on me. I wait a beat and when she turns to head back inside, I bring the phone up to my ear.

“Hey.”

“Silas, my man. How are you?”

My man?Seriously? Did this guy forget he’s two-hundred-and-seven years old?

I roll my eyes because thank God for small favors, he can’t see me.

“Fine.”

“Well, that’s good to hear,” he enthuses. “And sounds like last night was fantastic.”

“Yeah.”

I’m not surprised Jackie didn’t rat me out about the shitshow I was last night. I’d be more surprised if shedid, at this point. And that only makes me feel worse.

“It was nice of you to help Jackie out.”

“Sure. It was no problem.”

I am such a scumbag.

To be fair, I did try. She’s the one who got her knickers all in a twist over a spoonful of Nutella smeared on her precious cookies.

And why did that sentence just sound so dirty?

“Silas, listen.” Richard’s voice turns more serious. “I told you last night I wanted to chat this evening.”

And here it goes: the deep dive into my oh-so-troubled teenage brain.

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