Page 16 of Benji

“Do you have any otherhobbies?”

I thought about the things I used to do, that I missed from my old life. At first, I used to miss the luxury things like my game consoles and my car, but after a few years, it really was the simple things I missed the most. “I used to read when I was young. Loved King and Koontz but haven’t had the luxury in a while.”

“Do you like to read?” He seemed surprised by this. “I have plenty of books. All kinds. In my bedroom.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You seem very keen to lure me into your bedroom. First the offer of your bed, now your books...”

He rolled his eyes and stood up. “Come with me.” I stood up and he went to grab my elbow but stopped himself. “Is your back okay?”

“Yeah, it’s feeling better already,” I said. “Walking helped.”

He nodded. “Good.” Then he gestured back to the hall. “Come this way.”

I followed him to the door on the left of the hall. He opened it and walked into what I could now see was a large bedroom. The bed itself was expertly made, the covers a dark grey, the wall behind it black, the other walls were grey, and black curtains hid what appeared to be a decent-sized window. There were black accents, black furnishings, and along the wall opposite the bed was a TV mounted on the wall and a low bookcase underneath it, the entire length of the wall.

“Wow,” I breathed. “Nice room.”

He cleared his throat. “Thanks. I like it.”

If I was a gazillionaire, I’d have my room exactly likethis. As it was right now, I was lucky to have a mattress on the floor.

And the books and the huge TV were amazing, but the bed... Damn, it looked comfortable. Big and pillowy soft, and I was pretty sure if I ever slept in it, I’d never want to leave. “I might change my mind about taking your bed instead of the couch. How do you make yourself get up every morning?”

He chuckled. “Some days it’s not easy.” Then he swallowed. “The offer still stands, by the way. Your back really would do better if you slept in here rather than on the couch.”

My back wasn’t an issue, but I was considering saying yes anyway.

Then he waved at the bookcase. “And books. You can choose whichever you want. They’re mostly alphabetised. Fiction, non-fiction. Whatever you like. You’re here for a week, so read away.”

I looked back at the bed and imagined myself sitting up against the headboard, reading. Living it up like a king. Part of me didn’t want to overstep, but wow, part of me—that sounded a lot like Fitch—was telling me to live up every single thing I could while I had the chance.

Nolan laughed. “You want to try the bed, don’t you?”

“I do,” I whispered. “But I don’t want to make it weird.”

Chuckling, he gestured to the side closest to the window. “Go on, try it.”

Go on, do it now while you have the chanceFitch’s voice said in my head.

I went to the far side and sat down, sinking into the softness, the wealth of it.

I slowly laid down, my head on the pillow, and sank into the pillowy heaven...

“Oh my god,” I breathed.

Nolan chuckled as he walked over. “Nice?”

“Oh god, I’ve missed this,” I replied. I didn’t really mean to say that out loud. I’d done a pretty good job at convincing myself I missed none of my old life. I learned early on that it was a dark path to go down and one that only led to heartache, and I’d done a good job of avoiding it. But maybe remembering the books and the bookcases at my parents’ house earlier had opened a door I’d long thought closed.

But my old bed, in my parents’ house, had been big and soft like this. Soft fabrics that weren’t scratchy. A mattress built for back support and not just the cheapest one available.

This was expensive, as it had been in my parents’ house...

“You should rest in here,” Nolan said, walking over to the other side of the bed. For a second I thought he was about to lie down on his side, but he didn’t. “At least during the day. Sharing a bed at night could be a little weird.” He made a face and tossed the remote control onto the bed beside me. “Not weird because it’s you, exactly. I’m just not used to sharing a bed with anyone, and I don’t really know you, that’s all.”

Then he mumbled something to himself and shook his head. “Watch some TV if you like,” he said, noddingto the remote he’d thrown over. “Or grab a book. Whatever you want. I’ll be out at the table. We’ll have to think about dinner soon, I guess. I’m not sure what you feel like, so have a think and let me know...”

He cringed again, clearly awkward, and I hated that for him.

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