Page 34 of Necessary Roughness
“You don’t know what you started,” Knox told me.
“Apparently.”
“Oh my God,” Logan muttered. “You’ve made me lose my appetite.”
“I promise to keep an open mind while we watch,” I said.
Logan pumped a fist. “And she’s back in our good graces.”
I thoroughly enjoyed the soup, and went back for a second bowl. It was much tastier than the store-brand boxed macaroni and cheese I was planning on making for dinner. Knox helped me clean the bowls, shoulder-to-shoulder with me next to the sink while I loaded the dishwasher.
“Will you guys help me eat a bag of popcorn?” I asked.
Logan twisted around on the couch to look at me. “I can always eat.”
I threw a bag into the microwave and then went looking for a large bowl. I was nervous having these guys in my apartment, so I began opening drawers even though they obviously couldn’t fit the size bowl I needed.
One drawer got stuck halfway. I jerked the knob a few times until it crashed open, sending tongs, spatulas, and chip clips flying.
Knox knelt down and helped me clean up all the utensils. “Thanks,” I said.
“That’s the worst thing in the world,” Knox said. “When something gets jammed in a drawer.”
“That’sthe worst thing in the world?” I teased.
“Well…”
“You heard the man,” Logan called from the couch. “A stuck drawer is theworstthing in the world, just ahead of genocide, and childhood leukemia.”
“You know what I mean,” Knox complained. “It’s the mostmildlyannoying thing.”
“I can think of way more mildly annoying problems,” Logan said.
“Burning your popcorn by leaving it in too long,” I suggested while taking the bag out of the microwave. “Not this bag, though. This one’s perfect.”
“That’s your own fault though,” Knox said. “I’m thinking of annoying things that happen that are outside your control.”
“Like when you start to sneeze, but your body changes its mind at the last minute?” Logan asked over his shoulder. “So you’re left with sneeze blue-balls?”
“Ohh, that’s a good one,” I said while rejoining him in the living room.
“Uh, excuse me?” Logan asked as I started to sit down in my chair. “Don’t youdarehog that entire bowl of popcorn.”
“I’ll share!” I replied.
He patted the couch cushion next to him. “I swear I’m not making a move on you. I just want popcorn.”
“He’s telling the truth,” Knox said. “That boy has the appetite of a horse.”
Logan gestured down at himself. “This body is a Ferrari. It needs fuel to perform.”
After hesitating only a moment, I sat next to him. “I don’t think popcorn is the equivalent of premium gasoline, though.”
“Let me tell you a secret.” Logan leaned in and lowered his voice. “If the engine is hot enough, it’ll burn anything.”
He grabbed a big handful of popcorn and began tossing individual pieces into his mouth one at a time.
“Getting stuck in the slow line at the grocery store,” Knox said.
