Chapter 80

Voyeurism much, Val?

She stepped out. The sliding doors squeaked in their tracks and he looked up, his face flat and tired, no surprise in his features.

He looks half-dead.

His eyes were dark, hooded. Beneath his baseball cap, the dark stubble on his face and scalp caught her eye. It looked like he hadn’t shaved for a few days. She could see tape marks from where he’d had a bandage over one eye; the scrape was still painfully red and raw-looking. Sweat ran down his neck.

“You don’t seem surprised to see me.” She didn’t know what tactic to use, so she went for polite and civil.

“Being surprised requires energy.” They gazed at each other for a bit. His voice was tight. “What about India?”

“India will still be there next week. Thought I could help here.”

“That’d be great, thanks. Really.” Genuine appreciation crept through the tiredness. He seemed incapable of their normal joshing.

“You look like you could use a breather. How about I take you to dinner tonight?”