Page 71 of Small Town Beast

“What? Yes, I’m fine.”

Tanya fished an oyster out of the dish and in a more stable voice said, “I’ve never tried these.”

“Me neither,” Saverin admitted. He leaned forward, looking tired and strong and kind. She remembered how he’d looked sleeping next to her, his scars buried in the pillow, more peaceful than she’d ever seen him. Her feelings for him grew dangerously every minute she spent in his presence. “Shall we?”

Each of them took an oyster and knocked the shells together like champagne glasses.

“Geronimo,” said Saverin and they both tried it at the same time.

It was vile. Saverin had another.

“Who knew digested sea dirt could taste so good?” he grinned. The corners of Tanya’s mouth trembled.

“What?”

“I don’t feel good,” she said. “Excuse me.”

She came back from the bathroom looking a little gray in the face. “Saverin, I have a question.”

“Answer mine first— do you have a shellfish allergy or do I need to have words with someone here?”

“No,” she said firmly. “It wasn’t poisoning— though I might be allergic to whatever the hell that thing was. How is that legal?”

“Oysters? Some say it’s an aphh— aphro-something. The stuff that makes you fuck.”

“Aphrodisiac,” said Tanya.

“Right. So what was your question?”

She dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “Can two people win off the same lottery numbers?”

“You’re more likely to get struck by lightning at the end of a rainbow.”

“But can you?”

“Was that what you were thinking of in the bathroom?”

“Something like that.”

They both looked down at the food.

“Take it to go?” He suggested.

At the very topof her stairs she lingered, as if she didn’t want to go in yet. Her armstwined around his neck, and he backed her against the paneled wood.

“Saverin,” she whispered, pulling back from him.

Her eyes glowed up at him in the darkness like lanterns on a river. He’d become good at reading Tanya and understood there was something on her mind. Maybe she was afraid to go to work tomorrow.

“Remember what I told you the night we met?” he said. “Anybody gives you a problem they deal with me. I’ll talk to your manager.”

“No, Saverin. I got it handled.”

“I’ll talk to him.”

She shivered at the dark intention in his voice. “It’s not Kyle I’m worried about.”

He hesitated. “Starting tomorrow a lot of things are gonna change.”

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