Page 24 (1/1)

He looks at me in this certain way at least once every ti to solve , but I don’t want to tell hi honest with reen apron off, folding it haphazardly into a cruray therh the open buttons on the front of his shirt He’s slouching, one of his long legs stretching underneath the table, the other bent so he can lean to one side He’s a big guy, his body taking up most of the space around us There’s souy looks like a luiggle quietly

"What’s funny?" he asks, leaning forward now, propping his elbows on the table, leaving the small splinter of wood between his lips He flips it around with his tongue once, before finally pulling it out and s, two perfect dimples like quotation marks around his lips

"You look like the woodsiggle any about it as he leans back again in his chair "Yeah…that’s better than sandwich guy I’ll take woodsh I look down at his apron and pull it closer to er a few ti

"What’s up with your naain

"I was born in Texas And I was not planned My mom wasn’t supposed to be able to have kids My dad was in the Coast Guard, stationed in Houston, and they had one wild night--or so I’ve been told" His face animates as he tells me this story, and I watch every movement of his mouth and eyes "My mom says Houston is lucky, so…"

"Wow, that’s like a cheesy pickup line," I say, taking a big sip of aze for a few seconds, watching ," I finally say "That eet"

His mouth falls into athe out various beats I finish my coffee, and flip open the ad in front offro behind hi to look out the door

"Are you a spy?" I finally ask

"Uh…I’uy Or, uy? Or…I don’t know You’re really ju to think maybe so htly and laughs It’s that breathy laugh he does, deep and sincere

"I’ down at the edge ofat the black print, his breath held "We have a room At my house Well, it’s my mom’s house, really And we rent it But we didn’t this seet our post up in time, and we’ve just been too busy to post yet, and it’s a nice room You’d have your own bathroom Well, you’d have to share with me, but I’m easy It’s close to campus, so…"

All I can do is blink at him I’m not sure how to react There’s a weird part of , and I’ Then there was this wave of relief But there’s also this strange nervous feeling, like I should just say no and end this conversation I should probably say no because I don’t like getting help or handouts or whatever this is, but I also need so at the Delta House, and I just don’t knohat the right thing to do is

Houston’s eyes haven’t left the paper in front of uy is actually frozen

"Oh, Houston, that’s…that’s really nice of you I’m just not sure…" I start, but I can see his eyes wince He’s regretting offering, and that makes me feel bad "I mean, I’s to think through I "

"There he is!" I hear an older worocery store entrance The wo--tall, like Houston, and her dark hair cut short, to rest at her shoulders This is definitely his irl, with hair just as dark as histoward Houston He stands toher face into the side of his jeans Her hair is pulled to both sides in adorable pigtails