Page 114 of This Memory
“Can we look?” I asked.
“No!” James and Aurora said at the same time.
“Geesh. Are you sure the two of you aren’t dating?”
I could just imagine Aurora’s face. It would be crinkled up in disgust, while James was probably making some rude gesture to her.
“Stop doing that, James!” Aurora said.
Fumbling at my side, I found Gavin’s hand, and we laced our fingers together.
“Okay. On the count of three, you can take off the blindfolds.”
“Wait,” Gavin said. “Do we take them offonthree orafterthree?”
“Did you seriously just ask that question?” James asked. “Like, seriously? How did you manage to make it through the police academy?”
Squeezing his hand, I said, “I thought it was a good question. That second could matter.”
I heard Aurora sigh. “When I say three, you can take them off.”
“For the love,” James whispered.
“Specifics, Bob!” Gavin cried out.
“Jesus, have you been watchingPhenomenonagain?” James groaned.
“We just watched that last night,” I said with a smile.
“He was obsessed with that movie.”
“Wait,” Aurora said. “Were you even born when that movie came out?”
“Came out the year I was born,” Gavin said. “I’ve watched every movie that came out the year I was born.”
Turning toward him, even though I couldn’t see him, I asked, “Are you serious? Why?”
“Because he’s a freak!” James said. “Can we get on with this?”
“Why are you so anxious for them to see it? I’m the one who painted it,” Aurora said.
“Excuse me,” James said. “I painted the rest of the room and put the furniture together.”
I heard a thud, and then James cried out, “You almost hit my junk!”
“I know! I was aiming for it, you idiot! That was a surprise.”
Gavin sighed. “Thank God! I wasn’t looking forward to putting all of it together.”
“Gavin,” I scolded.
“I wasn’t! Did you see all the pieces of that crib? What in the hell was Denny thinking when he ordered that thing?”
A loud whistle caused me and Gavin to jump.
“I really hate it when you do that, Aurora,” I whispered.
“It gets your attention. Now stop talking, will you?”
