Page 28 of Small Sacrifices

"I can't sleep here," he points out and closes his eyes. It doesn't make them feel any less hot and dry, but at least this way, Reid isn't bothered by the light.

Everett snorts. "See, if you were someone else, I might see that as a come-on. But somehow, that doesn't seem to fit you."

Somewhere next to them, Max smothers a groan with the palm of his hand. Reid blinks at Everett with bleary eyes, trying to decipher his meaning. He comes up with nothing. "I don't know what you mean."

"And I believe you." Everett's lips curl into a small, amused smile. "But that's still not a good reason to endanger yourself and others. We'll arrange a driver for you."

Reid knows that, under ordinary circumstances, he would say no. But he's tired and hot and confused, and his heartbeat only just slowed down. He needs to lie down in bed and sleep through the entire weekend. Which is exactly how he gets bundled into an official-looking car with an official-looking driver while his own beat-up little car remains in the employee parking lot. It's fine. He'll still be able to regret it tomorrow.

Chapter 11: Doubts

His sister Briana, when he calls her the next afternoon, finds all this extremely funny. Reid has to hold the phone away from his ear. That's how loudly she cackles. "He sent you home with a driver, and you're still worried he might be mad?"

"I squashed his donuts!"

"Honey, it sounds like he wouldn't mind if you were to squash some other things as well."

"What other things?" Reid asks.

But Briana just hums. "Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it."

He deeply dislikes when she does this. Primarily because he has the impression that it's intentional. He's told her multiple times that he doesn't understand allusions and implications. But she makes them anyway, and when he tries to inquire about them, she dismisses him. Over time, Reid has gotten used to just moving on, no matter how much it bothers him.

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to look at him again. That was so embarrassing."

"Well, at least you weren't actually high. I don't think he'll tell anyone."

"But he thought I was!" he hisses. "And I didn't explain anything, either. What if he's like Dad?"

Briana snorts. "I really don't think you need to worry about that. I mean, who in their right mind would stage something like that for attention in the fuckingState Capitol?He's probably smart enough to figure out that you're not stupid enough to think that would work to your advantage. And he was nice, wasn't he?"

"Most of the time."

"Well, then." There's a smug little lilt to Briana's voice.

"But he's been mean other times. He pretty much told me he thinks I'm not cut out for the job. And he glared at me!"

A deep sigh sounds from the loudspeaker in his phone. "Maybe. Butthen,he misappropriated government resources to make sure you got home safe. That's a good sign. He likes you!"

That... Reid hadn't even considered that. They've seen each other how many times now? Besides, Reid knows he's difficult to get to know and difficult to like on top of that. He's fine with that, he really is. But maybe it means he has a bit of a blind spot?

"I don't think it would be appropriate for us to be friends," Reid points out. "He's basically the son of my employer."

His sister laughs again. But it's softer this time, more affectionate. "Reid, he doesn't even work there. Does he?"

"Well, I keep meeting him!"

"Yeah, that's interesting. Why isn't he at college or at work or something? Isn't he your age?"

Something else Reid hadn't thought about yet. The second time he ran into Everett was in the middle of the day. What was he doing there? Reid thinks Everett has mentioned coursework—but doing that in the State Capitol seems unnecessary. Surely, he has a desk at home.

"I don't know," Reid says.

"Well, maybe you can find out?"

"Briana..." Reid massages his temples. He's still too tired to deal with this right now.

"Don'tBrianame. You may not be ready to accept my genius, but I know I'm right. I'm better at people than you are."

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