Page 33 of Romance Is Dead

“You know this song?”

“Sure do.”

“You don’t strike me as an eighties alternative rock guy.”

“What kind of guy do I strike you as?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. . . a Post Malone type guy.”

He burst out with a laugh. “Not my style. My mom loves music, so I grew up listening to this stuff. She played R.E.M. on her big CD sound system every night when she was making dinner, and she took my brother and me to see Blondie when I was eleven. My first concert.”

“You’re really close to your brother, aren’t you?”

Teddy nodded. “And my mom. She’s amazing and did everything she could for us, but as a single parent with two jobs, she was gone a lot. So my brother and I got really close. Fought a lot, too, but we grew out of that.”

I wanted to ask what had led to his mother raising them alone, but it seemed rude to pry.

“My dad used to play these guys as we drove around in his pickup to conventions and premieres.”

“You rolled up to movie premieres in a pickup truck blasting eighties rock?”

“Sure did.”

He grinned. “I love it.” Teddy tapped his foot to the beat, unable to keep himself from drumming on the dash as the tempo increased. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, amused.

“I don’t get you,” I finally said.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve been so worked up about performing that you were blowing your lines and ruining takes.” I shook my head ruefully. “But there might be a killer out there, possibly after us, and you’re totally calm.”

Teddy shrugged. “I guess.”

“I feel like you need to get your priorities straight,” I teased.

“Honestly, it’s weird to see you anxious about something. You’re so. . .”

“Bitchy?”

“I was going to say fierce.”

“Oh.” My cheeks tingled. The way he’d said it made it sound like a compliment.

“I don’t feel like it lately,” I said. “So if you have any tips, I’m all ears.”

He paused. “For me, the worst part is the unknown. The waiting for something bad to happen. Wondering if everything will be ok or if disaster is about to strike. But once the bad thing happens?” He threw up his hands. “The anticipation is gone and I can focus on fixing it. I’ve usually rehearsed the worst-case scenario in my head anyway, so I already have a plan.”

I took my eyes off the road for a second to look at him, a little surprised. I hadn’t expected something so insightful from him. Teddy James was capable of depth after all. Who knew?

“That makes sense.”

“Does it?” Teddy scrunched his face and ran a hand over his hair. “It’s exhausting.”

“At least you always have a game plan.” And then, I don’t know what made me say it. It popped out of my mouth before I could stop it. “I’m sure your girlfriends appreciate that. All that planning ahead.”

Teddy chuckled, a low sound. “Not really. Girlfriends in the past haven’t been very appreciative. Of the worrying. More like annoyed.”

“I’m sorry. That’s awful.”

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