Page 97 of The Problem with Falling
“No, sir, I don’t,” Theo replied.
Did he just call my fathersir?
That was comical. I hadn’t ever heard anyone call my dad sir before. It seemed so…professional.
“That’s okay. I can still show you my impressive gun collection come morning,” Dad replied before walking off. “Night, you two. Don’t do anything that would make God frown at you in that room of yours.”
I laughed a little and told Dad good night before I closed the bedroom door behind me. Theo stared at me as if we’d justwitnessed the scariest person alive. “Don’t tell me his empty threats got to you,” I teased. “You look terrified.”
“Why didn’t you tell me your father was the size of an NFL linebacker?”
I shrugged. “He’s just Dad to me.”
“He could murder me with his bare hands.”
“Yeah, that’s probably true,” I said as I unpacked my suitcase. Theo still stared at me with terror in his eyes. “Don’t worry,” I exclaimed. “He likes you.”
“He likes me? How could you tell? That interaction was the complete opposite of a person liking me.”
“He called you by your name, though.”
Theo arched an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, what?”
“My dad. He called you Theo.”
“That is…my name…yes…”
“My dad doesn’t call people he dislikes by their names. Well, at least not men who are dating his daughters. For years, he called Yara’s ex-husband by the wrong name. Same with Avery’s ex-fiancé.”
“And he calls their new partners by their actual names?”
“Uh-huh.”
That made a small smirk appear on his face. “Hell yeah. I’m Theo.”
“Yeah, you are, but don’t get cocky about it. You could be a Leroy in a heartbeat.”
“Noted.” He then moved to the bed and began to build a pillow fort down the middle.
“What are you doing?”
“Making sure we don’t touch during the night.”
“Um, why aren’t we touching?”
“Because we can’t do anything that God or Michael Kingsley might frown upon.”
I laughed. “That was a joke.”
“Not taking any chances,” he said, taking off his clothes so he could change into his pajamas. “I’m not trying to be a Leroy by noon.”
After putting our pajamas on, I shut off the light, and we hopped into bed. Like a scared child, Theo stayed on his side of the bed while I hugged my pillow on my side.
I bit my bottom lip. “Hey, Mr. Grump?”
“Yeah?”
“Wouldn’t it be funny if I started making moaning noises?”
