I don’t know what to say. He just says these things. These disarmingly honest things that I don’t know what to do with. I take a deep breath and pick at my bagel.

“That’s how you felt then,” I say, unable to meet his eyes. “How do you feel now?”

I can’t believe I just asked that question. This is the worst.

“No,” he says. “Nuh-uh. It’s your turn.”

“What do you mean?”

“You tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

“You tell me how you feel.”

Absolutely not.

“I feel . . . like . . .” I say, “we should fuck on the kitchen floor.”

He laughs. “That’s cheating.”

“What?” I ask, approaching him. “You asked me how I feel.”

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

I put my arms around him, tilt my head back to look up at him with my eyes big. He lifts me up and puts me on the counter. I start to kiss his neck. I take his earlobe between my teeth.

“You’re an animal,” he tells me.

My heart stops. I stop.

I can smell his sweat. Briny and delicious.

“Yeah, maybe I am,” I tell him, and I can only hope he’s listening.

—

I’m there for three days. He drops me off Sunday night, and I stumble into the house on tired legs. Reaper barks at me, but I don’t match his hostility. I ignore him, walk straight over to the couch, and collapse there beside Scarlett.

“Sorry. Do you still live here?” she asks.

I steal some of her blanket. “Mm.”

“I’d ask you how it went, but . . .”

I giggle.

“Good for you,” she says. “You reek.”

I grab one of her legs and cuddle it. She doesn’t kick me away. “I’m sorry I was gone for so long. I missed you.”

“Yeah, sure,” she says. “Sure.”

“I did!”

She sits up. “I had a doctor’s appointment Friday.”

“What? How come you didn’t tell me? I would have gone with you.”

“I’d rather go alone.” She clears her throat. “Anyway. There are pictures upstairs. On my nightstand. She looks like a Xenomorph.”

“Aw!”

“Oh, Mom gets in Saturday at eleven forty-five. Can you pick her up? I’ll be at work.”

“Sure.” I’m in such a good mood, I’d agree to just about anything right now.

“Thanks,” she says, stretching. “The kid is kicking. It feels intensely weird.”

“If she is a baby Xenomorph, you’re totally fucked.”

She glares at me.

I smile big and goofy. I’m trying to ignore the steady simmer of my rage. The idea of Scarlett going to all her appointments alone because Matty is an asshole is too much. He was never my favorite, but I liked him fine. He had his moments. He made Scarlett laugh, genuinely laugh, which is hard to do. He could match our sarcasm. But I could never quite figure him out. Mom always adored him because he looks like a movie star. He might be the most beautiful man on the planet. But he knows it. He’s aware.