Page 35 of Henhouse
But Theo waited for the explanation he knew was coming.
Effie now hated her synesthesia for the second time in a month. She loved music, adored it. When it was perfectly curated, prescreened, and full of palate-friendly tunes that wouldn’t spoil the mood or her taste buds. It grated on her nerves that she’d had to point to herconditiontwice now on this date as a reason that she was so awkward.
She hoped he’d realize on his own that she often spoke with morsels of her meal tucked into her cheek to stave off word tastes when gum wouldn’t do.
“Your synesthesia?” Theo interjected. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have to keep explaining what a challenge it is. It’s just not somethingI have to think about every day.”
Effie’s heart swelled at the acknowledgment. “If you want something on in the background, maybe something instrumental? Or um, Fleetwood Mac’sRumorsalbum is a safe one. Beyond that, I kind of have to take it song by song. I’m sorry.”
Theo squeezed the hand that he hadn’t let go of for a solid five minutes. “Stop saying sorry. That makes total sense. No music it is. I just wanted the mood to be right.”
“The mood is perfect, Theo.”
She was totally serious. The café lights, the tea, the delicious sandwiches he’d made himself. Everything was so perfectly wonderful that she contemplated how he had gotten so good at dating. She wondered how many women he’d slept with. Effie flushed so badly she wanted to strip the denim jacket from her clammy flesh. She pulled her hand away and cradled it in her lap. “Whatever happened with Talia?”
“Ah,” Theo sighed as though he hoped it wouldn’t come up. “We aren’t benefiting anymore. If that’s what you mean.”
“Since when?” Effie couldn’t help but wonder what had driven him to Glitter & Glue to ask her out when he had someone like Talia warming his bed.
“About eight days ago.”
“I see.” She didn’t know what else to say. She wanted to ask what had happened, why they broke up, or whatever it was called when you stoppedbenefiting. She kept a vise on her curiosities and sipped her tea instead. It was delicious. So rich and full-bodied. Delectable.
“That’s not what I’m looking for from you,” Theo said tentatively.Well, that was a gut punch.Maybe he’d traded in his sexy sidepiece for someone who might impress his mother, pearls and all. It musthave shown on her face because he quickly corrected. “Fuck, that’s not . . . Ido.I mean eventually. I want to take this slow, and I’m not trying to seduce you or fuck around or whatever. I want to date you. Get to know you.”
“Why? You seemed to have fun with Talia.”
“Because, the sky is blue.”
Was that supposed to make sense, because it absolutely didn’t.Effie thought he might be having a stroke as she furrowed her brow. “If you don’t want that from me, and you don’t want Talia, what do you want?”
“What do you want, Effie?”
“I asked you first.”
Theo leaned back in his seat, pouring more tea into the bone china cup painted with deep-green leaves. As he blew the steam from its surface, Effie admired the softness of his parted lips. He was heart-achingly beautiful, and she felt wholly unprepared for how much she wanted him to touch her again, even if it was just to hold her hand. Out of her depth was an understatement, but it was only because she’d never put her romantic imaginings into practice. She might have gotten up and locked him in the tea shop forever, so she could stay in this bubble pretending that they were made for each other. Where they didn’t know enough about one another to decide it wasn’t a fit, but they knew enough to want to try anyway.
He set the cup back on its saucer and spun the silver band around his forefinger. Effie realized for the first time that it was actually white gold, tarnished from years of wear. “You really want to know what I want?”
“Yes.” Effie gulped, anticipation and anxiety burning her throat.
“I want to be here, having tea and talking with you.”
Effie pushed back against every instinct to ask why he would thinksheof all people was so special, so worth a shift in priorities. Instead, she took Hope’s advice. She shoved back her insecurities and told them to shut the hell up. “What’s the story with your ring?”
“What makes you think there is one? Maybe I’m just fashionable.” Effie raised her brows and Theo laughed. “It was my dad’s wedding band.”
Effie’s heart sank.Was.She instinctively reached for his hand and he didn’t pull away. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Theo’s expression was unreadable, but he blurted, “He’s still alive. Sorry, I’m hearing how that sounded.” Effie tried to take her hand back, something like embarrassment setting her ears on fire, but he held tight and started tracing those hypnotic circles again. She hated the disappointment that rolled across her spine that they didn’t share that loss. She wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
“My parents got divorced when I was sixteen,” Theo explained. “As much as they had loved each other, it still didn’t work out. Or they didn’t evolve to let it work out?”
“What do you mean?”
“My mom wanted to travel more. My dad was a homebody. My dad wanted to make plans and budgets, while my mom wanted to be more free-flowing. By the time they filed for divorce, they claimed they’d grown apart. Don’t get me wrong, theirs has to be the most amicable divorce in history, but the assertion that they didn’t want the same things anymore never sat right with me. I’ve seen their wedding video. I know their vows by heart. They wanted the same things. What they didn’t want to do was change when it became necessary to hold on towhat they cherished—each other, our family. So, I wear it to remind myself that when I find my soulmate, I won’t be too proud or too stubborn or too stuck in my ways.”
“And what about the times when someone is just meant to make an appearance? Spend a season with you and then disappear forever?” Effie wanted to believe in soulmates but had learned instead that not everyone gets a recurring role.
