Page 21 of Rent Free

Why don’t eggs taste like chicken?

—Atlas’s secret thoughts

ATLAS

Present day

If exhaustion was an emotion, I’d be the perfect example of it.

“Tough night?”

I looked over at my twin.

“Woke up to find myself by the pool,” I cringed.

OCD and sleepwalking.

“You haven’t done that in forever,” he said, eyes wide.

“I know,” I said. “I think it’s being at the new place.”

“Gonna have to install those child locks,” he said. “That way you can’t leave.”

Didn’t I know it.

I scared the shit out of myself when I found myself coming awake with my toes curling along the edges of my pool.

“I know,” I grumbled.

He slapped me on the back. “I’ll grab some when I leave. Take it easy.”

I didn’t watch him go.

I was too fuckin’ tired.

“Long night?”

I waved at the receptionist who was the first person you spoke with when you came into the building.

“The longest,” I replied as I moved swiftly past her.

She called after me. “You know what would fix that? Pie Hard.”

I chuckled. “I don’t have time right now. I’m running late, or I’d totally bring you some!”

My twin brother had finally pulled his thumb out when it came to a certain bakery owner.

Now they were blissfully happy with a baby on the way.

As for the bakery owner’s prickly employee…

She was still just as fiery as the first day I’d met her.

And still giving as good as she got.

I hated that I loved sparring with her.

I hated even more that she was all I ever thought about.

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