Page 25 of The Slayer
“I have ice,” she told him softly. She pushed the strap to her nightgown and looked at her shoulder. It didn’t seem red or swollen. “And I think it’ll be okay.”
“Does it hurt?”
She shrugged and glanced back up at him, seeing that his gaze was on her bare shoulder, and the guilt on his handsome face was blatant. “It’s fine, Jesus.”
“Chu.”
She frowned. “What?”
“It’s Chu,” he clarified. “That’s what people call me. That’s my name. Chuito. Most of my friends call me Chu.”
She winced. “Jules told me your name was Jesus.”
“It is my name, but no one calls me that. Chuito is a nickname for Jesus in Spanish.”
“Oh.” She raised her eyebrows. “I didn’t know that.”
“Why would you?” He let out a bitter laugh. “Are there any other Latinos in this town?”
“Maria Handover is from Colombia. That’s Latino, right?”
“How’d a Latina get a name like Handover?”
“Probably from her husband.” Alaine shrugged. “He’s…white.”
He grinned, and it made the dark, intense look in his eyes lighten a little. “Like you.”
“Yes.” She nodded as she smiled back at him. “Like me.”
“I’m sorry I hurt your arm.” He groaned as he looked back to the fridge. “I feel like mierda. I really didn’t need that.”
“Can I make you something to eat?” she asked him in concern. “Maybe that’s why you’re shaking.”
He shook his head. “It’s not why I’m shaking.”
“I still think you need to eat. Why don’t you come over, and I’ll make you a late dinner.”
He seemed to hesitate and looked behind him as if still lost. “O-okay.” He nodded after a moment. “We can put ice on your shoulder.”
“Okay,” she agreed, because he seemed fixated on it. She firmly believed he needed to eat, and if the guilt of her injured shoulder was what got the job done, she could work with that. “Do you want to get dressed?”
“Yeah.” He looked down at himself, as if remembering he was nearly naked. “I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s your apartment. I just thought it might help you warm up if you aren’t used to the cold.”
“I’ll get dressed.” He gestured to his bedroom, still seeming very unsure about the entire situation.
“I’ll start dinner. Just come in,” she said as she turned to leave. “I’ll keep my door unlocked. Does that work?”
He nodded. “Sí.”
Chapter Ten
Alaine wasn’t sure what Chuito would like, but she decided soup was good if he was cold. So she made him tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich, because it was fast.
She had just put the sandwich in the pan when he peeked into her apartment.
“Come in.” She waved him in and gestured to the table. “I didn’t move my books. I’m sorry.”
