Page 93 of It Starts With A No

“Clary?” Seth’s voice drifted in from outside the door.

“I have to go.” She ended the call and jogged over to the door. “Sorry,” she said when she opened the door. “I was on the phone.”

“Is everything okay?” Seth asked.

“Yeah.” She licked her lips. Why did Mr. E have to dump that information on her now? “I’m sorry. I’m really tired.”

He nodded. “I just wanted to check if you needed anything.”

She shook her head. “Goodnight, Seth.”

Chapter 18

“I couldn’t find the turkey last night,” Oliver said as Seth came into the kitchen. “It’s kind of strange to see the fridge filled with so much food.”

Seth poured himself a glass of water.

Only the top shelf of the fridge was full, but it had more food in it than it ever did before.

Oliver peered over at him. “Which is it?”

“You want it for breakfast?”

“So I know what I can eat for supper.”

“You can eat whatever you want,” Clary said as she came into the kitchen. “Good morning.” Her lighthearted tone made him smile.

What was it about her that brought this energy wherever she went?

He didn’t bother asking, because he already knew what she would say: Jesus.

“You’re free to take whatever you want.” Clary strode over to Oliver. She was already dressed in a white shirt and black pants, but she had on a pair of cushy light gray slippers. “Whoa. Your fridge is completely empty.”

“It’s the fullest it’s ever been,” Oliver said.

Clary shrugged. “This is creamy chicken.” She tapped on one of the boxes. “Salmon with herb seasoning.” She went on to list all the food.

“So no more turkey?” Oliver asked.

“We finished that.”

“Oh.” Oliver closed the fridge. “Never mind, then.”

Seth ran his tongue under his teeth when Clary’s brows puckered. “He’s old enough to find his own food.”

“I promise everything is just as good as the turkey,” Clary said.

Oliver’s gaze flitted over to Seth. “I’m just … in the mood for turkey.”

“And what can I do to get you in the mood for something else? I could heat some up for you to try. I could take the first bite if you’re afraid I poisoned the food.”

“You’d take the first bite?”

Seth held his breath, waiting for Clary to shake her head at the absurdity of it all.

Because who wouldn’t? Seth’s inability to handle physical touch. Elton’s hostility. Oliver’s fear of eating food from sources he hadn’t tried.

“Of course,” Clary said. “Let me know when you want to try something. If it’s at night, you’ll have to catch me before I brush my teeth.”

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