Page 48 of Reading Between the Lines
Londyn nodded, all doe-eyed and pouty again as though she had momentarily forgotten her boyfriend was in the hospital on life support, waiting for his mother to pull the plug.
“And why the fuck didn’t you mention that yesterday?” I blurted.
Tallus elbowed me in the thigh when Londyn shriveled. “Ignore him. He has a clock spring up his ass, and it cuckoos without warning.”
I choked back a noise that was dangerously close to a laugh, earning a wicked grin from my boyfriend. “I’ve got your number, Guns. Now control the bear and let me do the talking.”
I shut up because I knew what was good for me.
To Londyn, Tallus said, “I know this is a difficult conversation, but do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”
“Don’t go upsetting her.” Duke glared down the table at Tallus. “She’s had a tough go, man. She doesn’t need you making it worse.”
Loyal held up a calming hand to Duke. “She’s fine. We’re all hurting, and this guy knows that. Right?”
Tallus confirmed.
Loyal nodded to his sister, and I couldn’t tell if he was reassuring her or giving her permission to talk.
“I’m okay. You can ask questions.”
Tallus rephrased the question I’d already asked, turning it into a statement. “You didn’t tell us Weston was your boyfriend when we ran into you last night.”
Londyn cast her attention to her brother and back to Tallus. “No.”
“To be fair.” Loyal held up a finger. “You didn’t ask.”
“We asked if you knew Weston,” I said.
“And we confirmed that everyone knows Weston. That’s the god-honest truth. He’s head of the newspaper. He’s a familiar face.”
“Well, Mr. Smarty Pants, you could have—” Another elbow, precariously close to the goods, made me curse. “Christ. You’ve got bony fucking elbows. Would you quit.”
“You’ve got a big flappy mouth. Stick a sock in the yapper, or I’ll miss your thigh next time.” To Londyn, Tallus said, “According to Weston’s mother, you were with him the Sunday afternoon of his accident.”
“Before. I was with him before. We were hanging out.” Londyn’s meek voice was barely audible. She clutched her hands together, pale cheeks flush.
“Where were you hanging out?”
Chett’s attention shifted from his drawing to Londyn. Duke watched her brother as though waiting for Loyal to step in. Noel observed the conversation as she quietly sipped her juice.
Atlas stared at me from under an unkempt fringe.
I stared right back because it would be a cold day in hell when a cocky teenager thought they could intimidate me.
“We were at the library,” Londyn said, answering Tallus’s question. “We parted ways at two thirty so he could get to theschool for his meeting with the newspaper. He’s the assistant editor and helps run it, so he likes to get there early.”
“You didn’t go with him?”
“I don’t write for the newspaper. I’m… not a great writer.”
“Don’t talk down about yourself,” Loyal said. “What have I told you?”
Londyn gnawed her lip and stared at the table, her cheeks bearing hot pink circles. Loyal reached out and playfully tugged one of her braids. “Smile.”
Londyn smiled bashfully and swatted his hand away. She met Duke’s gaze, who also offered her a warm smile.
I couldn’t read the nonverbal teenage nonsense and hoped Tallus was making sense of it.
