“Um . . . not right now, no. What about you? Do you have any plans to catch up with some of your old friends in the area?”
He scratches the back of his neck. “Maybe. I’d like to be busy with work first. That Brian guy stopped by today. He was pretty nice. He said he’ll spread word about me to his friends and family.”
“That’s great.” I smile brightly.
“Thank you for everything, Demi,” he sighs.
“Please stop thanking me, Connor. I’m happy to help you in any way that I can.”
“Well, I ordered the new AC adapter for your car. Should come in tomorrow and I’ll have it fixed for you.”
“Thank you,” I moan. “It’ll be so nice to have AC in my car again.”
We both take another bite of pasta and as we chew my gaze moves to his chest where he has a quote tattooed on his chest.
“Return good for good; return evil with justice”
“Confucius?” I ask around the pasta in my mouth.
His gaze meets mine as his brows furrow in question.
“The quote on your chest. It’s Confucius, right?”
“Oh,” he says, as he looks down at his chest. “Yeah. Got it about eight years ago.”
“May I ask what it means to you?”
Placing his fork on his plate, he wipes his mouth before leaning back and crossing his massive arms. The corner of his mouth lifts as he looks at me. “May I ask what it means to you?”
I sit back as well, my gaze never leaving his. “To me, it means be good to those who are good to you and make the evil pay.” I’m so not a philosopher. I wished my wording was more elegant or intelligent, but that’s just not me.
“I agree.” He nods but doesn’t offer more.
“Why that quote, though? I mean, what drove you to put that specific quote in permanent ink on your body?”
His gaze moves down to his plate, and his lips flatten, as if he’s thinking. “Because sometimes serving justice to the evil is paying the good for good. Sometimes evil touches the good, and sometimes you have to become a little evil yourself to right it.”
My eyes narrow slightly as I absorb his meaning. I open my mouth to question him again when the screen door creaks open and slams.
“Demi! Where are you ya dirty whor . . .” Lexi freezes in the doorway to my kitchen, her mouth open.
Rolling my eyes, I stand. “What are you doing here?”
Righting herself and smoothing her hair down, she clears her throat. “I was just stopping by to say hi. I didn’t mean to interrupt this . . .” she motions with her hand, “whatever.”
Dinner?” I offer. “You didn’t mean to interrupt dinner?”
Ignoring me, she slides by me and takes a seat at the other end of the table. “Well, hello, Connor.” She bats her eyes at him. “How are you?”
Connor straightens in his seat a little, my sister’s lustful gaze making him feel uncomfortable. “I’m good.”
“Good,” Lexi answers.
“Do you want a plate?” I huff.
“No, no,” she sighs. “I was only stopping by for a moment. I wanted to borrow your red dress.”
“You still have the black one you borrowed last month,” I point out.
“No offense, Demi, but it’s not like you’re wearing them anywhere.”
I glare at her, but she does have a point. “Go and get it,” I groan.
She winks at Connor before rushing upstairs to scour my closet. “I’m sorry, Connor. I know she can be a bit . . . intense.”
“No worries. I kind of enjoy the back and forth between you two.”
“I’m sure we’re very entertaining.”
Lexi flies back into the kitchen and grabs my hand. “Walk me out Demi. Bye, Connor. It was good seeing you again!”
“Bye,” Connor yells as we push through the screen door.
“What?” I snatch my hand from hers.
When she turns on me, her eyes are narrowed. “What was going on in there?”
“We’re having dinner, Lexi.”
“And he’s shirtless . . .”
“He got sauce on his shirt.” I shake my head dismissively. “Is this why you dragged me out here?”
“Things looked . . . cozy,” she notes giving me a wicked smile.
“It’s just a friendly dinner.”