Page 22 of Redeeming Rabbit

“Because food is for sustenance, not pleasure.”

“Can be both. If you had any strawberries and whipped cream in here, I’d show you.” I checked her freezer just in case, but the only thing in there was ice.

“Are you always this intrusive?” A splash of pink across her cheeks was the only indication that she’d picked up on my innuendo.

“The best way to get to know someone is to invade their space.”

“You could always ask questions.”

“And you’ll answer? No matter what I ask?”

“Please. Answering questions is my jam. As long as you promise to extend me the same courtesy.”

“Deal.” I leaned against the wall and folded my arms across my chest. “Why do you really eat that shit in your fridge?”

“Several reasons. Grocery shopping isn’t a productive use of my time, food preparation doesn’t interest me, the meals are fast and easy, and it’s one less detail to worry about.” Her eyes narrowed. “Why? Does it bother you I don’t cook?”

“If you’re asking if I’m a sexist piece of shit, the answer is no. Just so happens I enjoy cooking.”

“Hm.” She eyed me thoughtfully. “You any good at it?”

“Sure am. I don’t know shit about tofu wraps, but my paella’s so tasty it’ll make your eyes roll back in your head. There’s an ocean between liking something and tolerating it.” I paused to think. She’d said she didn’t mind questions, but how far should I push my luck? Then again, that was who I was—a pro at pushing shit too far. “You don’t pick out your clothes, you don’t pick out your meals. Do you even know what you’re into?”

“Yes. I’m clearly into finding the best, healthiest, most convenient life hacks to handle the mundane day-to-day details so I can focus on the demands of my job.”

“Tell me about these demands. What exactly does a scientist do all day?” I leaned toward her, surprised by how starved I was for the answer. Elenore was a mystery I wanted to crack. I couldn’t have contained my curiosity if I’d tried.

She fought a smile. “An indiscriminate question since scientists work in many fields, but if you’re specifically asking about me, I work for a CBD manufacturer.” When I gestured for her to continue, she added, “My department is in charge of creating an easy, affordable method for personalizing the type and dosage of CBD products—with the correct amount and type of activating THC—to maximize the effects of pain management for individual patients.”

I knew little about CBD, but it was no secret who controlled the pain management market. “You get a lot of pushback from big pharma?”

She finally released that smile she’d been fighting, and it was all I could do not to gawk. She was a goddamn beauty queen.

“They would shut us down if they could. But if we can offer a safer, non-addictive form of pain management, we have a societal duty to try. Regardless of which powerful corporations we enrage.” Her smile fell. “I shouldn’t have told you any of that, though. Our new program is hush-hush until the promotional department gives us the green light, but it’s so freaking exciting I tend to get carried away and say too much. Please don’t repeat any of this.”

“My lips are sealed.” I pretended to zip them up and throw away the key. “Now, dinner… You have nothing for me to cook, so I’ll order a pizza.” I pulled my phone from my pocket and opened the browser. “Peperoni? Hawaiian? Veggie? What can I get you?”

“I…” She glanced at the fridge, her expression uncertain. “I don’t think pizza meets my dietician’s nutritional guidelines.”

“You know what they say; everything’s acceptable in moderation.”

“Oh really? What about arsenic? Mercury? Polonium?”

I was familiar with the first two, but that last word had me stumped. “What’s polonium?”

“A highly radioactive metal with a median lethal dose of one-millionth of a gram. It’s rumored to make a lovely poisonous tea. Too bad it’s only produced in Russia and has a terribly short half-life, making it almost impossible to transport.”

“I don’t know whether to be terrified or impressed by your odd fascination with murder methods.” Even I recognized that this was no ordinary, socially acceptable conversation. Anyone else probably would have run away screaming, but for the first time in recent memory, I wasn’t afraid. Elenore was fascinating as shit. She kept such white-knuckled control over herself and her surroundings. It made me curious what would happen if she let loose.

“Both is your best option.”

“Both, it is. Now, come on, Poe. Share some cheesy, breaded goodness with me. I’ll buy, and we can talk brakes while we eat.”

In the end, she caved. We decided on pepperoni and mushroom. I threw in a six-pack of lager, and we ate at the coffee table in front of the television like two mannerless savages.

“What do you like to watch?” I asked, grabbing the remote.

“I’ll show you in a minute.” She snatched it out of my hand and plunked it on the table. “But first, how’d you really get your road name?”

---