Page 47 of Quiet
“Do you want to go upstairs? I have snacks in my room,” Briar asked quietly.
Isa nodded shyly.
Briar dropped the broken pieces in the trash, took Isa’s hand, and lead him to the narrow set of stairs just off the kitchen. It was supposed to be the servant’s stairs. Now it was Briar’s.
“Why are the halls on each landing blocked off?” Isa asked as they climbed four flights of stairs.
“I like my privacy.”
“Then why do you have so many people living with you?”
“I don’t do well alone.”
Isa nodded like he understood perfectly. For all Briar knew, he did. “How many people live here?”
“I’m not sure.”
Isa gave a little laugh. “It’s your house and you don’t know who lives here?”
Briar shrugged. “It changes depending on the time of year. Some of the people here go home for the summer. Some have internships in other cities. Some visit other countries for inspiration.”
“That sounds like a wonderful way to live.” Isa sighed. “Must be nice to go to another country just because you want to.”
Briar wasn’t a fan of being trapped inside an airplane. But maybe he could try traveling by boat if Isa wanted to visit another continent.
“This is my room.” Briar pushed the door open so Isa could go inside.
Isa paused on the threshold, and his face proceeded to recreate the entire pink color palette just for Briar. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”
No. It was a great idea. The best in fact.
“I have cheese Pringles.”
“You do? But all of the stores are out! I’ve looked.”
Which was why Briar had driven to the next town to stock up on the off chance he got Isa into his home. He chose not to mention that fact. Instead, he gestured toward his room.
This time the boy didn’t hesitate.
A short time later, Isa was on the floor, surrounded by half empty cans of Pringles, when he asked, “If you don’t know how many people live here, how do you collect rent?”
“I don’t.”
“You don’t collect rent?”
Briar shook his head.
“You let everyone live here for free?”
“I don’t really need the money. They need a place to live. Being an artist isn’t cheap, or easy. Why make it harder when I don’t need to?”
Briar held back the desire to ask Isa if he wanted to live here too. He didn’t need Alex there to tell him it was too soon.
“That’s about a thousand times cooler than anything the people in my church have done. Unless you make everyone listen to a lecture about art before you let them live here,” Isa said.
Briar gave him a look. “Iamknown for my lectures.”
Instead of making him laugh like Briar had intended, Isa’s jaw dropped, his cheeks went French rose pink, and he looked down at his jeans. He immediately started to pick at a loose thread he found there.
