Page 27 of Twisted Shot
“You said it was ‘balanced.’”
“Yeah, but for me.”
Theo shakes his head, sets his controller down. His legs are stretched out, socked feet crossed at the ankles on the ottoman, and even though Jesse is yelling something about a rematch, he’s not annoyed. Not even a little.
He didn’t know having a roommate would be like this.
He thought it’d be constant noise. Mess. Pressure to talk when he didn’t want to. But Jesse’s different. Loud, yes. Sloppy as hell—thereare three cups on his windowsill and Theo’s positive none of them have been washed since he moved in—but somehow, it doesn’t bother him. Jesse’s chaos is…familiar. Harmless.
There’s something easy about it. Like a rhythm he didn’t know he missed.
“You got plans for Halloween?” Jesse asks casually, landing an uppercut that sends Theo’s character flying across the screen again.
Theo gives a vague shrug. “Probably not. We’ve got a game the night before. I usually leave out a bowl of candy for the kids in the neighborhood.”
Jesse pauses the game, turning to him like he’s remembered something critically important. “Okay, cool, because I was thinking we should throw something. Not huge. A little Halloween thing here. Costumes. Drinks. Music. Vibes.”
Theo’s brow furrows. “You want to throw a party?”
Jesse nods enthusiastically. “Yeah, man. You know. Something chill.”
Theo shifts on the couch, eyes flicking around the room—well, one of the rooms. The house is too big for the two of them, all vaulted ceilings and echoing hallways. It still doesn’t feel like home, despite the fact that he’s lived here for three years.
“Chill sounds like ten people,” Theo says cautiously.
Jesse scratches the back of his neck, suddenly sheepish. “Okay. More like twenty. Thirty if you count the backyard.”
Theo’s stomach tightens. His first instinct is no. No way. He doesn’t like crowds. Doesn’t like the noise, the movement, the pressure to make small talk. People will wander. Touch things. Worse, they’ll expect him to talk.
But then he glances over at Jesse, looking bright-eyed, hopeful. Theo’s not great at reading people, but even he can tell Jesse wants this. And not just the party. The permission. Theyes.
Theo doesn’t say anything right away. He frowns and leans back a little, throat tight.
“Jesse—” he starts.
But Jesse’s already launching into plans, half-expecting a fight, half-trying to sell him before the real refusal drops.
“Look, I know it’s not your thing. But we’ve got the space. You wouldn’t have to do anything. I’ll handle everything. You could just, like, show up. And disappear whenever. Like a phantom. Poof.”
Theo opens his mouth to reply, and shuts it again. He doesn’t want to say no. He doesn’t want to disappoint him.
He hesitates, then Jesse throws out the hook.
“Oh,” he adds, almost casually, “Mila’s gonna be in town that weekend.”
Theo freezes. Just for a second, but that’s all it takes for Jesse to notice. The bastard grins like he’s scored the go-ahead goal.
“She’s coming back for another marketing thing,” Jesse adds. “She might swing by.”
Theo swallows.
That changes everything.
The nerves don’t go away. He still hates the idea of dozens of people filling the house, but the thought of Mila showing up, dressed in something clever or sexy...
He hears himself say, “Yeah. Okay.”
Jesse’s face lights up like a jack-o-lantern as he pumps his fist in the air. “Hell yes. I’m going all in on this. Fog machine. Fake cobwebs. I’m gonna be a sexy vampire or a slutty ghost or?—”
