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As she swirled her crust in her soup, Parker said, “I was thinking tomorrow night we could watch a movie together. They have those Redbox rentals now.”
She smirked at him. “Parker, you don’t have a television.”
He shrugged. “I could get one.”
Her mouth fell open. “Park, you don’t even watch TV. Why would you get one? So you could watch a movie and then use it as a bookcase?” She laughed and he smiled.
“Yeah, I guess that’s dumb. Well, what would you like to do? I know how you are about money so I’m trying to be accommodating, but I think it would do you good to get out, Scout.”
She stilled. “Oh.” Did he mean hang out or go out?
He looked at her. “Scout, if it’s a problem . . . I mean . . . I just want a chance to show you a fun time.”
“I’m not so sure I have fun side, Parker.”
They smiled through an awkward silence. Finally, he said, “Let me take you out, Scout. For once, let me treat you when you aren’t going to keep a mental tally of what I spend.”
“Parker—”
“Please.”
“I don’t want you to throw away your money on me.”
“I don’t care about money. It’s there to be spent. Truth be told, the only reason I have it is to prove to you that I can get it when I need it. It means nothing to me.”
She put down her spoon. “What?”
“Come on, Scout. You know I don’t care about wealth. I could be content with any roof over my head and a good book in my hands.”
Yeah, she knew that. That was why Parker was dangerous. He just didn’t have the natural hunger necessary to make it in this world. She couldn’t figure out what had motivated him this far, but she didn’t believe she was enough to provoke that sort of ambition. The fact that he somehow managed to get a job in the corporate word was still a shock to her.
For some reason his statement bothered her. It implied something she didn’t want to face. Perhaps it was because she knew how much Parker disapproved of the world he was suddenly living in. It was like he was making a barb at her without really saying so. Parker could be passive-aggressive when he wanted to.
“Don’t blame me for you having to work. I never told you to get a job,” she said, taking another bite. Her food was getting cold.
“I know. I wanted a job.”
“Well, then say you wanted a job. Be accountable for your own actions.”
He frowned. “I am accountable.”
Tension zapped up her spine. “Then what the hell did you mean by proving to me you could get it?”
“Nothing. It’s stupid. I just meant that I have money, and you shouldn’t concern yourself with how I spend it. You earn money for what you think you need, and I earn it for what I need. Who cares if they’re different reasons?”
“I only care because you said it like I made you get a job or something.”
He tipped his chin down and gave her an exasperated look.
“What?”
He shook his head. “You. You’re exhausting.”
She drew back. “You’re annoying.”
His lip twitched like he wanted to laugh. His fingers idly dragged his spoon over the remaining soup in his bowl. “You need to learn how to laugh again, Scout. I feel like you’re always so serious now.”
“I know how to laugh. I do it quite freely around funny people. I can’t help it if you aren’t funny.”
His mouth gaped. “Me, not funny? I am highly amusing, I’ll have you know.”
She tightened her mouth, refusing to smile. “Sure, Parker, you’re hilarious—” Her words choked off as cold tomato soup suddenly spattered across her face.
“You have a little something on your cheek,” he said, deadpan.
She dragged the heel of her palm along her jaw, mopping up the mess. “I can’t believe you just did that,” she whispered, reaching for her spoon.
He eased back in his chair, his eyes following her every move as she scraped up a spoonful of soup. Carefully, she raised her spoon and held the tip in a makeshift catapult. “You’re dead,” she warned, and flung it at him.
The moment it spattered across his face, chairs scraped along the floor. She squealed and giggled as he lunged at her. They fell to the floor in a clatter. Parker grabbed hold of her bowl and set it on her head like a drippy hat.
“Parker!”
He tickled her relentlessly. “Say it! Say I’m funny!”
She reached onto her plate and grabbed the other half of her sandwich and smashed it into his cheek, taking special care to shove the greasy parts up his nose. “Never! You’re a dull, dull boy!”
He poked her side and they rolled over the floor. The bowl wobbled off her head and spun across the hardwood. He laughed as she giggled and threw an elbow in his side. Her right eye squeezed shut as tomato soup made its way past her lashes.
