Page 42 of Party Favors

An emotion flitted across his face so quickly that I couldn’t register what it was. But then he smiled and said, “Of course. Who couldn’t use more friends?”

Happy, relieved, and disappointed. All at the same time.

“That’s what I always say! Although I haven’t had the easiest time making friends since I moved here. The people I get along with the best also don’t want to leave their houses.”

“Is that why you’re close with your roommate?”

“Yes, it makes it much easier when you both don’t want to go out and you live in the same place.”

He grinned and said, “Tell me about her.”

My hackles went up. I reminded myself that I was not allowed to be suspicious or to ask him why, as if I were jealous. Which I was. Although I figured I probably shouldn’t act that way with him right after I’d said I wanted us to be just friends. Talk about a mixed message.

It was just that guys always went for Vella, and much as I loved her, I wanted to keep Max for myself. Even if we were only going to be pals. “She’s scary smart, but never really finishes anything. I always joke that she has a black belt in Partial Arts. She is the most sarcastic person I’ve ever met. If snark was a science, she would have her PhD. She tries to scare people off, but she’s a big old softie underneath. When I first met her, I was kind of worried that she was going to kill me and make it look like an accident, but she’s great now.”

“She doesn’t really seem like the kind of person someone like you would be friends with.”

Our day doorman, Yiannis, had once referred to us “Workaholic Barbie” and “Scary Goth,” so Max wasn’t the first person to comment on it. “That’s fair. But we just really click and enjoy spending time together. She always says we balance each other out. She makes me be more realistic and I keep her from committing homicide.”

He laughed and I loved that he got my sense of humor. I’d been on a couple of dates where I’d made the same kind of Vella-inspired dark joke and had been met with a strange silence.

“Are you busy now?” he asked, and it was such a sharp turn from where our conversation had been headed that it took me a second to respond.

“I still have to feed my boss’s pets.”

He frowned slightly. “I haven’t seen any pets.”

“Come with me. I have to grab their food in the kitchen. They’re in Adrian’s ...” I wasn’t going to sayman caveto Max. Mostly because he didn’t seem like a video gaming / loud movie sort of guy. More of the reading a good book by a roaring fire while looking extremely sexy type. I swallowed down that image and finished my sentence. “They’re in Adrian’s office.”

“What kind of pets does he have?”

“A python and three sharks.”

“Did you say ‘sharks’?” Max asked behind me as we went into the kitchen. “Is he a supervillain? Am I in a lair right now?”

I laughed, ready to agree that Adrian’s place did have that chrome-and-white furniture one would find in a lair when I heard a grunting sound and then a loud thud.

Max was laid out flat on the tile, blinking up at me.

What had happened? I glanced down and realized that I hadn’t mopped up all of the water from when I’d taken care of the plants.

“I am so sorry,” I told him, crouching down next to him on the floor. “I spilled some water earlier and I thought I got it all. Are you okay?”

He gave me a devastating smile. “I’m fine. It isn’t the first time I’ve hit my head.”

He hit his head? Now I felt worse and kept apologizing, but he brushed it off and slowly got up.

“Are you sure you’re okay? I’m so sorry that I caused you bodily harm.” It was like I’d ripped a hole in Van Gogh’sThe Starry Night.

“Everly, I’m fine,” he said with a gentle smile. “Now what were you doing in the kitchen? Other than bowling me over?”

I appreciated that he was teasing to lighten the mood, but I still felt bad. “The food is in the freezer. A mouse for the python, and shrimp and tilapia for the sharks.”

It didn’t take me long to locate the packages, as they were the only things kept in the freezer besides vodka. Adrian always ate out. But I stood in front of the freezer for a moment, letting the cold air blast against my face.

Regal and confident,I reminded myself as I closed the freezer door.

“This way,” I said, and we left the kitchen.

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