Page 77 of Ezra
“She’s a good engineer. I always thought very highly of her,” Dad replies. “If it’s not too much trouble, I hope you’ll send along my well wishes.”
“I’ll do that,” Ezra replies. “Though I’m sure it would mean more coming from you directly.”
“Those bridges were burned long ago. I doubt there’s any rebuilding them.”
“Because Dr. Schroeder took credit for me and my creation when I was your design.”
Dad is impressed, glancing at me. “Did Katrina tell you that, or did they show some integrity themselves?”
“Katrina informed me.”
Dad laughs bitterly. “Yes, well, bionics were all helpful, wholesome, once. But people have bastardized them, turned them into weapons, replacements for parents, critical thinking. It’s ironic, how we corrupt everything we touch. I suppose that’s what happens when we play god.”
Ezra glances at me as my father painstakingly heads back to my mother. I offer a little smile.
“At any rate, what information did you wish to impart upon my daughter?”
“Only that we’re getting closer to finding the people responsible for the museum bombing,” Ezra replies. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“It’s not an interruption at all. We were only stopping by on our way home. Well, home away from home,” Mom replies, seemingly more relaxed in Ezra’s presence than she was before. She may not hold any love for BioNex, but she’s polite. “We’ll get out of your hair, Kat.”
“But I want to hear the developments,” my father protests. “I was likely the intended target.”
“You can hear about it later,” Mom lectures, not letting Dad sit down. “Your father’s supposed to be resting anyway, and if he stays here, no doubt he’ll get worked up about politics and tear his stitching or something.” She takes my dad’s hand before hecan argue and slowly leads him out. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” she tells me.
“That was awkward,” Ezra says after they’ve gone. “I should’ve called ahead.”
“Awkward is a step up from hostile,” I reply. “It’s so weird. He’s usually more abrasive. Maybe it’s the assassination attempt. I guess he did tell me he’s retiring.”
“Retiring?”
“Yeah. He said if I want it, the organization is mine.” I shake my head. That’s too big of a decision to think about right now. “Anyway, I’m glad you came. Let me take your coat.”
He hesitates, then enters. I shut the door behind him. We stand in silence as he shrugs out of his trench coat for me, which I hang up near the door on a peg. “I’m going to get a drink. Do you want anything?”
He blinks at me. “I can’t drink.”
Now I’m even more flustered than before. I nod. “Right, right.” I head into the kitchen, muttering, “Smooth, Kat.”
Ezra slowly walks around the living room, taking everything in as I fetch a glass and raid my pantry for something, anything, to drink. I decide on wine. “You surprised me at the precinct.”
“In a bad way?” I’m feeling a bit like a nervous mess, completely off guard and yet elated he’s here again. I have to remember to pace myself.
“No,” Ezra answers. “But to formulate my thoughts aloud when they’re about you takes some time.” He lowers himself onto the sofa as I sit with him, wine bottle in hand.
“You surprised me too, stopping by tonight. So I guess we’re even.” I pour myself a glass. “At least there’s a bright side.”
“What’s that?”
“My dad meeting you,” I reply. I try not think about how close we’re sitting, or the electricity coursing between us. I could lie and say it’s one-sided, but the kiss the other night blew thatout of the water. Ezra doesn’t look so calm and collected either, gazing through me like he’s trying to read me just as thoroughly.
Can I just yank him into a kiss? No, Kat. Focus.I shrug, taking a long drink of my wine. “It went a lot better than I thought it would go.”
“You expected them to hate me.”
“Hate is a strong word,” I say quickly. “I thought seeing you might poke at my dad’s old wounds.”
“In regard to my making.”
