Page 66 of A Much Younger Man
“That’s awful, keeping him from flying.”
“Well, since he was born and raised in captivity, it’s a lot better than what would happen to him if he flew out the window and got lost.”
Rico ruffled his feathers. “Hello, gorgeous.”
Dylan shivered, visibly pale now.
“Dylan, are you afraid of birds?” Because while I’d never met anyone who didn’t like Rico, I’d seen enough adults behave this way around snakes and tarantulas to know the signs of a phobia.
“No. Well, maybe.” He clung to the wall as far away from us as he could get. “They’re feathered dinosaurs with Jurassic looking talons and sharp little beaks.”
“Okaaay.” I silently apologized to Rico by stroking his breast before putting him back in his cage. “He’s back inside the cage. No problem.”
“It’s not that I don’t like theideaof birds. Outside. Flying around.”
“Just the face-to-beak interaction?” If he said some of his best friends were birds…
“In trees or something they’re fine. At the park. Except pigeons. I can’t do pigeons ever.”
“I apologize for assuming. Most people really enjoy the chance to interact with him. He’s the perfect pet for me because I don’t have a lot of time to spend at home. His mirror keeps him company while I’m at work. He adores looking at himself.”
“You ruineverything!”
“What?” Dylan jumped. “Was he talking to me?”
“No. My ex used to tell me that. He just likes to remind me.” I bit my lip to keep from laughing. “He doesn’t know what he’s saying. He’s just a mimic.”
“You ruin everything!”
Dylan scowled. “Because it really did sound like he was talking about me.”
“He’s not conversant in English. He’s a parrot.” I called, “Boop.”
“Boop.”Rico ruffled his feathers again.
Dylan shivered.
“So, dinner? I picked up food from Café Bêtise. It’s pretty delicious.” I went to the table where I’d left the bag and started pulling out the containers. “I got cottage pie. Do you like it?”
“Well…”
“There’s Caesar salad, and this”—I held the smaller bag out—“is the holy grail. Chocolate mousse. Yasha pipes it into a hollowed out orange half with the pith carefully removed so all you get is a burst of orange zest. So, so delicious.”
“I am going to be the worst date you’ve ever…” Dylan trailed off, mouth half-open. He snapped his lips together and glanced away.
“What?”
“I’m, um, vegan.”
“You’re from Vegas?” I asked in jest.
“San Diego. You know that. We’revegans. My wife and I both stopped eating meat because the girls wouldn’t, and it just—”
Understanding dawned. “You can’t eat a single thing here, can you?”
“It sounds delicious. Really. But yeah. No. Nothing.” He grinned winningly. “Seriously, though. You should try going vegan. I feel a thousand times more vibrant. More strength, more stamina, better digestion. Better sex…Have you ever considered it?”
“I haven’t really.” Not even for a single second.
