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He even dropped me off at work, only to return an hour later and remain inside the coffeehouse for the rest of my shift. My coworkers stared at him, the guys frightened, the girls excited. Everyone whispered, speculating about who he was, and why he was there.
I think I blew their minds when I left with him.
“Any zombie sightings tonight?” I asked. The moon was high, full.
“So far, none. ”
“Shouldn’t you be out there searching?”
“I traded nights with Gavin. ” His voice tightened. “He owed me. ”
“Don’t fight him over me. Over what happened. ”
“I want to, but I won’t,” he said tightly. “You aren’t mine. Not officially. Technically he didn’t do anything wrong. ”
He dropped me off at home but didn’t try to kiss me. I couldn’t blame him.
I received a text from him the next day. No party tonight, I’m sorry & I’m not ditching U this time, promise. My dad is sending me out of town. Will U miss me?
Me: I plead the 5th.
Him: I will definitely miss U.
Sappy girl. My heart soared.
I could have gone to the party with Kat, but after what had happened with Gavin, I wasn’t going to risk it. And, to be honest, I was kind of bummed that I wouldn’t be seeing Cole.
As the week passed, I received at least one text a day from him.
Friday.
Him: I can’t stop thinking about our last kiss. U were topless.
Me (blushing): Thanks 4 the reminder.
Him: If U needed a reminder, I need 2 work on my technique.
Saturday.
Him: Are U eating properly?
Me: Yes, Dad.
Him: I kind of like the sound of that. How about a spanking??
Sunday.
Him: I actually watched the Hallmark channel 2day & thought of U. The main couple went at it like monkeys.
Where was he? Who was he with?
The questions began to plague me, but I never asked. I wanted him to offer the information freely.
Monday.
Him: I hear Z’s were out last night in Bama. U being careful? I know U walk home from work—when I get back I’m teaching U how 2 drive, no more excuses from U.
Me: I’m being careful, swear. Are U?
Him: When I’ve got something precious 2 come home 2? YES.
How did all caps make me feel so warm and fuzzy?
Tuesday.
Him: I’m in a bunkhouse with six other guys, & 3 of them snore. Am considering offering myself 2 the Z’s on silver platter just 2 escape.
Me: No girls there 2 soothe UR pains?
What a subtle hint.
Him: Why, Ali B, is that jealousy I detect??
Me: NO!
It was. It so was. Lying? Really? Over this? I kind of sucked.
He didn’t respond, and I reeled with guilt.
Wednesday.
Him: There’s only 1 girl 4 me.
After that, the texts stopped coming. Another week passed. I couldn’t allow myself to worry. The more stressed I was, the weaker my body was, and I needed my body at top strength.
Mr. Ankh had managed to duplicate the antidote, so I had an unlimited supply. And as long as I injected myself three times a day, all signs of Z. A. were kept at bay.
Check off the list: disabled.
Side note: for now.
How long would the reprieve last? Not much longer, I didn’t think.
But I wasn’t going to worry about that today. Nana and I stood on Kat’s doorstep, a glass partition between us and warmth. Just as Nana raised her hand to ring the bell, an apron-wearing Kat stepped into view. She smiled when she spotted us.
She was pale today. I’d gone to a few of her dialysis appointments and knew she’d had one late last night. She had three a week, sometimes four, and they were grueling on her, but she never complained—more than a dozen times.
“Hurry up before you freeze us all!” she said, waving us in. Flour streaked her cheek, and there was a smear of something red on her chin. “Oh, and Merry Christmas. ”
This morning, I’d called for Emma, needing her face to be the first I saw on Christmas, just as it had been when she was alive. She’d arrived with a huge smile and hadn’t seemed to mind that she was dead (in body) and that our family wasn’t together. I was trying not to mind, as well.
Nana had given me a glass heart, with tiny pictures of my mom, dad, grandfather and sister peppered throughout. I would cherish it forever. I’d given Nana a bracelet with a charm to represent every member of our family.
Two guys sat in the living room with Kat’s dad, Gary. All three guys stared at the TV, riveted by the football game. My attention became riveted on one of the guys and I stumbled to a halt, nearly dropping the pumpkin pie I held.
“Cole,” I gasped. He was back. He was here.
He hadn’t called or texted me.
Three pairs of eyes swung in my direction.
Gary stood and grinned. “Nice to see you again, Ali. ”
“You, too,” I said with a distracted nod.
My gaze remained locked with Cole’s, my heart careening out of control. I waited for a vision, hoping, praying, but. . . no. Not this time. “When did you get back?”
“Three days ago,” he admitted through tight lips.
Three days. Why had he stopped texting? Had he met someone else? I swallowed the questions I clearly had no right to ask, but couldn’t swallow my hurt. “Well, I’m glad you’re okay. ”
Kat patted me on the butt. “After I explained to Cole the consequences of not coming, he was more than happy to show up. ”
“Threatening people again, Katherine?” Gary tsked.
“Always, Daddy. ”
“It’s one of the things I like best about her,” Frosty said.
Gary ignored him and looked to Cole. “I’m sorry about that, son. ”
“Don’t be. ” Cole looked me over, seeming to drink me in, and I shivered. “I wanted to be here. ”
Then why hadn’t he contacted me? Why a renewal of the hot-and-cold treatment?
Nana swept into the living room, taking a seat between the two boys. “I’ve missed you guys, and it hurts my heart that you never come by anymore. So, now you’re going to make it up to me and tell me what’s been going on in your lives. ”
“Come on,” Kat whispered to me.
I followed her to the kitchen. “What did you threaten Cole with?” I asked when we were alone.
“I told him I’d set you up with my cousin Rick. ”
“And that worked?”
“Like magic. ”
I fit the pie between the giant turkey and the stuffing. The rest of the counter was covered with bowls of broccoli and rice casserole, cranberry sauce, green beans, corn, gravy, mashed potatoes and to my surprise, spaghetti.
“You did all of this?” I asked.
“Everything but the spaghetti. ”
“Which you have because. . . ?”
“Of my rules. I only eat what I’m craving, and I was craving my dad’s spaghetti. He got up earlier and made it for me so he’d be out of my way when I needed the kitchen. ”
How sweet was that? “Well, what can I do to help?”
“Exactly what you’re doing. Stand there and look pretty. The rolls are baking, and as soon as they’re done, we’ll be ready to consume like the manimals we are. ”
Cole stalked into the room. He didn’t say a word, but grabbed my hand and led me away, much like he’d done Halloween night. I glanced back at Kat. Just as she had at the club, she gave me a thumbs-up.
He didn’t stop until we were on the front porch, the cold surrounding us.
“You have to stop doing that,” I said.
“What?”
“Tugging me around without a word. ”
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“And give you a chance to refuse?”
Good point.
“How are you?” he asked, peering deep into my eyes, searching for. . . what?
“I’m good. ” I licked my lips. “How have you been?”
“Busy. My dad was upset that I didn’t tell him about the spy sooner. ”
“Is that why he sent you away?”
“One of the reasons. By the way, he’s been following Ethan and so far hasn’t found anything suspicious. ”
Were we on the wrong track? “What’s another reason?”
He sighed. “He thought I needed to take a break from. . . Well, it doesn’t matter. ”
From me, then. I did my best to mask my wounded feelings.
“Don’t,” Cole said, brushing his fingertips over my cheek. “He thought I needed some perspective, so he sent me to Georgia to help Gavin and Veronica’s usual crew. ”
“They went with you?” I shrieked. Then I cringed.
He actually smiled. “No. They stayed here. ” He tugged at the hem of my shirt, causing me to stumble into him. “So. . . I got you a Christmas present. ”
My eyes widened. “But I didn’t get you anything. I mean, I thought about it, but I didn’t—”
“That’s okay,” he said, his grin widening. “I can’t give yours to you now. I have to wait till you come over to my house. Having you there is all the gift I need. ”
What could he have gotten me?
His expression suddenly darkened, surprising me, reminding me of a storm about to break. “About Gavin, and what happened with him. ”
Guilt pierced me, and my gaze dropped to my feet. That was right, we hadn’t talked about it. Not really. “I’m sorry. He came over. We were in the middle of a conversation, an innocent conversation, and the hunger hit. ”
“Don’t be sorry. I came over, too, hoping to drive you to school. Your grandmother mentioned Gavin was there, so I sprinted back to your room. I was planning to clean the floor with his face. Then I saw you on the bed with him, and I admit, it looked bad. But then it hit me. I know you. You wouldn’t kiss me one day, and another guy the next, and you wouldn’t kiss a guy with the door open while your grandmother was in the other room. The truth hit me a second later, and I grabbed you before you could bite him. ”