Page 8 of Complete Me

Gingerly, I sit back. “Sounds good.” I glance at him over my shoulder. “And thanks for taking care of Pita.” Then I look at Gunnar. “Thanks for taking care of everything here. I appreciate it.”

Gunnar blinks a few times, his expression vulnerable and open before he locks his eyes on the TV. “No problem. Happy to do it.” Most likely, it gave him something to occupy his mind and keep it off Jocelin. “Now, do you want me to kick your ass at Far Cry or Borderlands?”

“Okay, that’s our cue.” Erik loops his arm around Jules’ shoulders and kisses his temple. “See you guys on Sunday.”

“Later guys.” They head out, and I settle into the cushions with a small grunt as my side twinges. Breathing through the pain, I turn my attention to Gunnar. “You do realize those games are supposed to be cooperative play? We’re on the same team.”

Gunnar snorts. “Doesn’t mean I’m not gonna rack up more kills than you.”

There’s no way I can let that challenge pass. “Oh, it’s on.”

Grinning, Gunnar settles into the cushions. “Till the break of dawn.”

He proceeds to roll through scene after scene, killing everything that moves, throwing his character in front of mine to take out an opponent, and it’s so ridiculously over the top that I eventually toss my controller onto the couch and watch him decimate the enemy, my side hurting from laughing so much. I think Gunnar feels lighter, too. “Hey, you want some lunch?”

He sets his controller next to mine. “It’d be a late lunch, but I could eat. You want me to make something, or should we order in?”

I squint at him warily. “Who grocery shopped?”

He frowns at me, clearly confused. “What difference does that make?”

“Because if Erik shopped, then the kitchen is loaded with lots of fruits and vegetables, and if we’re lucky, there’s some cheese. If you shopped, then it’s going to be a random mix of whatever you were hungry for at the time.”

His mouth drops open in shock, but then he considers. “Okay, fair. What if Astrid shopped?”

“It’ll be mostly healthy food, because she’s responsible like that. But I can guarantee she caved and bought me Pop-Tarts.” Just thinking about the sweet, cinnamony snack makes my stomach growl.

Gunnar shakes his head. “Nope. She did the shopping, and true to her word, there aren’t any Pop-Tarts. I know. I looked. But I promised you I’d get them, and pudding, so I’ll run out in a bit and grab them.”

I debate my next move, weighing the need to find a new hiding place against the literal pain of getting up and getting them myself. “Oh, they’re there. Top shelf of the pantry in the oatmeal canister.”

I’ve barely finished speaking before Gunnar vaults over the back of the couch and into the kitchen. I hear the pantry door open and things being shuffled. “You’re a dick!”

“You better bring them here and share.”

“And what if I don’t?” His voice gets closer, so he isn’t serious. Moments later he drops onto the sofa and pries open the box top. “I can’t believe Astrid buys you Pop-Tarts, and hides them for you. And didn’t she threaten to only buy healthy food?”

I grab the silvery packet of goodness from his outstretched hand and tear into it, inhaling the scent of spices and pastry. “Like you’re one to talk. Who waltzes in here with butter cookies from Mrs. Clark and then hands them to Astrid to hide from the rest of us?”

He shrugs. “Okay, you got me there.”

I tear open the foil wrapper and gaze into its heavenly depths. “Do you think we could bring the toaster in here?”

Gunnar pauses mid-chew, considering. “Probably not a good idea with all the electronics. We could short something out, and then we couldn’t play video games.”

“Good point.” I slide one of the Pop-Tarts out of the package and bite it in half, groaning as the sugar hits my tongue. “God, why are these so good?”

Gunnar examines his pastry like he’s never seen one before. “I mean, they’re no butter cookies, but they’ll do in a pinch.” He takes another bite. “Is this lunch?”

I shake my head. “No. It’s pre-lunch snack. If I don’t eat healthy, Astrid won’t buy me snacks.”

Gunnar stares at me. “How do you even know that?”

“She said as much in her text this morning.” I shrug. “It’s Astrid. I take her at her word.”

He nods. “Good point. She can be scary.”

“Okay, so lunch. What are my options? As good as these are, Pop-Tarts aren’t going to hold me for long.”

---