“I’d pay you to take this guy off my hands,” I said. “He’s creeping on me hard. Which is weird, am I right?”
“Oh, super weird.” Chrissy nodded vigorously. “I mean, Matt—” She didn’t hesitate over Matt’s name. Not once had she given me the pity eyes or the lingering hug, even though this was our first time hanging out since the memorial. Thank God for my sister. “Matt just happened, you know? That shit just went down. It is way too sketchy for his brother to be hitting on you.”
“Thank you. My thoughts exactly.”
Except not my thoughts at all.
My thoughts were more like: Matt is still alive and if he finds out Seth is after me, he will flip the fuck out and discard anonymity in favor of fratricide.
Chrissy and I strolled into the mall. We talked smack about every other outfit we passed.
“I’ll wear that when I’m reincarnated as a whale,” Chrissy said. I couldn’t help but laugh. Okay, maybe this would be fun. Life at work, the condo, and the cabin was getting insular. Besides, I missed my sister. We got along well in spite of our differences—or maybe in light of them—and she always managed to make me smile.
Plus, when I told Chrissy I needed a buffer for dinner with the lead singer of Goldengrove, nothing could hold her back. The indie group was one of her favorites.
Seth and a bandmate were waiting for us outside Macy’s.
My heart fluttered strangely at the sight of Seth. It’s because I miss Matt, I thought, and looking at Seth is like looking at Matt. Of course.
I recognized the bandmate from my debauched night in New Jersey. He was the drummer, or maybe the bass guitarist.
“You brought … your sister?” Seth smiled at Chrissy.
Seth wore a gray wool coat over a T-shirt and jeans. His hair was tied back in a low ponytail. He almost looked preppy, except his shirt had … a squirrel on it?
“Yeah, this is Christine. Christine, Seth Sky.” I smirked. “Nice shirt.”
“Thanks. Matt gave it to me.”
Annnd now I felt like an ass.
I shuffled around to shake hands with the bandmate, whose name was Wiley. Wiley couldn’t take his eyes off Chrissy. I doubt Chrissy noticed, though, because she couldn’t take her eyes off Seth. Ugh, this already felt like a twisted double date.
Seth wasn’t particularly attentive as we ambled through the food court and studied our options. Chrissy gushed about Goldengrove and solicited a signature, and Seth made amicable noises. “Oh,” he’d say, or, “I see, yeah.”
A passel of teens recognized Seth and Wiley. I braced myself for confrontation—it was never pretty when fans closed in on Matt—but Seth was gracious and talkative. Huh. Why couldn’t Matt be like that?
We ordered gyros from Renzios and Seth paid. I watched him out of the corner of my eye. Laconic smiles, slow graceful gestures, an edge of nervous energy.
Unable to get a word out of Seth, my sister turned her attention to Wiley. The two fell to chatting while Seth and I stuffed our faces in silence.
Cool. Friends, hanging out. This was what Seth wanted, right?
I peeked at him while we ate.
Damn, he looked sort of pitiful. He sat hunched over his tray, holding the sloppy gyro with both hands and gazing at the table. A bit of onion dangled from his shirt.
“Seth?” I tapped the edge of his tray.
He startled and then smiled. “Not bad food,” he said, gesturing with the gyro.
“It’s good.” I nodded. “You okay?”
“Wiley and I are going shopping,” Chrissy announced. I looked up to find Wiley and Chrissy crushed together, Wiley’s tattooed arm around her waist. I narrowed my eyes. This was not our plan. Chrissy was supposed to save me from Seth, not go wandering off with random Wiley. I tried to convey that with my glare.
No dice.
“Call me when you’re ready to go,” she said. She gave a little wave.
Great …
I expected to find Seth smiling slyly at me, but he was staring at the table again.
“Seriously, are you okay, Seth?”