Page 57 of Flaunt
Banks laughs. “You drove all the way down here for that? Want us to get you one of those scooters that people use when they break their legs? You can save gas that way.”
I bite back a chuckle because Foxx doesn’t seem entertained.
“Foxx, this is Sara. She’s Ashley’s friend. Sara, this is my brother, Foxx.”
“Hi,” I say, smiling at him.
He nods again, face blank, and then turns his attention back to Banks.
“I’m actually headed to the marina,” Foxx says, his brow wrinkling. “I just got a call that I lost a key down there.”
“When were you at the marina?” Banks asks.
“I wasn’t.”
“Then how did your key get there?”
“I have no idea, but it has to be mine. They described the labels that I put on my keys.”
Banks glances at me. “He labels his keys.”
“Seems smart,” I say, looking back and forth between them. “I mean, under the circumstances and all …”
“Are you staying here?” Foxx asks me.
“Yeah. How did you know that?”
He gestures over my shoulder with his chin. “Your car door is open and there are moving boxes in there.”
How did he notice that? “Oh.”
“Good luck,” he says flatly. “I’ll see you two later.”
“Later,” Banks says as Foxx steps on the gas and pulls away.
We turn toward the house, both of us walking slowly.
The early evening sun is still bright but softened by wispy clouds rolling through the sky. A light wind dances through the Carmichael neighborhood, detracting from the heat of the day.
“Let’s get your stuff inside and figure out dinner,” he says.
“You don’t have to babysit me, you know. Like you said, don’t change the way you live for me. I can handle myself.”
He watches me out of the corner of his eye. “Well, the way I live includes eating dinner. And when my family isn’t home, I order out. So I’m ordering out. Do you want to order out with me?”
I laugh and pull out a trash bag of my dirty laundry, handing it to him. “I’d love to order out with you.”
He sets the bag on the driveway as I pull out the rest of my stuff. I notice he takes out his phone, looks at the screen, and then balks.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Come here and look at this.”
I set a shoebox of toiletries on the ground and then peer over his shoulder.
Unknown: The term peacock only refers to male birds.
“What the hell?” I ask, laughing.
